He's gonna be fine. I watched them wheel him off down some hallway. A nurse told me where to sit in the waiting room. He's gonna be fine. They let me back into his room. He was sleeping, so I sat in the chair next to his bed. He's gonna be fine. I was gripping his hand and saying a prayer when his parents walked in. He's gonna be fine. The fear that was in my eyes reflected in theirs. He's gonna be fine.
The mantra I kept repeating to myself the entire night did little to calm my nerves. Even when the doctor confirmed it, he was going to be fine, I still felt tense. I would only breathe easy once he opened up those beautiful blue eyes of his.
Hours ticked by and soon I didn't know if it was closer to dusk or dawn. Probably dawn. Nate had been sleeping peacefully, the heart monitor beating like a metronome, but the steady thumping of the machine wasn't enough. Reaching out and feeling his heart beat was enough. Placing my fingers under his nose to detect his breathing wasn't enough. The only thing that would be enough was to hear him speak and watch him walk. Until then, my nerves had me alive.
"Hey, Evie girl," Mrs. Keller said softly, her voice strained but kind. She placed a cup of coffee in my hands and I gratefully accepted.
"Thank you," I said. "How are you?"
She sighed. "I'm worried, but I know he's going to be okay." Mrs. Keller eyed me. "You're more stressed than I am." The comment wasn't innocent. Just like Paisley, Mrs. Keller's careful words were a question.
"I care about him," I admitted for the second time, letting her take it however far she pleased.
"I know," she nodded, "and he cares about you just as much." My brows furrowed. Nate had been out cold for hours. What did Mrs. Keller know? "He talks about you. Whenever he calls or visits, he just wants to talk about Evie and what Evie does and what Evie says," she clarified.
"It's sweet really." She gazed adoringly at her son as she brushed a few hairs back off his forehead. "I'm glad he has you."
I didn't know how to respond. In some ways, I felt those expectations and assumptions bubbling back to the surface. In other ways, I agreed that Nate and I had each other. We cared for each other, and he had become my best friend. It's hard to be anything but great companions when two people spends so much time together.
I looked down at Nate, at his unconscious body, and I wanted to sob all over again. I needed him to open his eyes and talk to me.
He won the game, but his accomplishments weren't over yet. And yes, I was being dramatic. The doctor said he was going to be fine. But the knots in my shoulders and the pain in my stomach wouldn't unclench until the machines were undone and I was taking him home.
For the next jump of time, Nate's mom and I chatted idly about whatever, just trying to distract ourselves from the situation at hand. I had almost relaxed when I heard the low groan of somebody waking up.
I hopped up from the plastic chair I was sitting in and stood to hover over him.
"Nate?" I asked tentatively. His eyes were fluttering open.
"Hey," Nate croaked.
I smiled. "Hey."
"What happened?"
I laughed a little and ran my fingers through his short hair. "You got decked in the last second of the game. You've been unconscious ever since."
"Did we win, though?" I couldn't control the smile and little giggle that escaped my lips.
"Yes, we won the game," I said. "You did it."
It was a few moments before Mrs. Keller cleared her throat and I remembered we weren't alone in the room. My spine went ramrod straight as I stood up and subconsciously took a step back from Nate.
His eyes flashed with something of hurt or confusion, but then looked to his mother. "Hey, mom."
Mrs. Keller called the doctor in, who greeted Nate before asking him a few questions and making observations. I watched as Nate slowly came to life, and I felt my anxiety slowly melt.
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I made you all wait such a long time for a short, poorly written chapter. I give you all my greatest apologies. Stick around for next chapter please! Thanks for reading :)
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Weight
Teen Fiction"Whatever happens, we're in it together," he murmured softly. I gulped, feeling the impact of his words. We were bound by law. And though we weren't in love, we were still in a relationship, however dysfunctional it may have been. *****************...
