Football Boys

Chapter Fifteen

Ellie was now standing across from me, leaning against my wall with a questioning yet amused glare and seemed to take a breath to speak after staring at me for a moment.

"I'm just saying, a little get together where we all stay over night would be the perfect environment to tell him. You'd have Gen and I here to make it less awkward if it goes south, which is unlikely."

I furrowed my eyebrows and slowly nodded as I thought it over.

"So basically a pajama party is what you're–"

"I mean, I didn't want to call it that, but yea," he interrupted with an eye roll.

Chuckling with amusement, I slowly shook my head.

"My parents don't even know that you're here, and having everyone else over would just be a little much huh?"

Before Ellie could respond, the sound of door shutting downstairs cut him off.

"Looks like you have to make a decision," Ellie mumbled with curling lips.

Standing up to avert my gaze from Ellie's scrutinizing smirk, I walked down stairs, taking in a deep breath as the click of crutches followed closely behind me.

"Oh hey Tyler! Listen, your father is going to be a bit late tonight, so I have to cook dinner a bit later, but could you help with the grocerie–Ellie... well hello."

My mom stared up stairs past me to smile at Ellie as he waved with a tight-lipped grin.

"I didn't know we had company... well, Ellie you're more than welcome to stay for dinner precious."

Apathetically descending to the bottom of the stairs, I noticed that her eyes widened with surprise as she continued looking past me. Following her gaze, I met Ellie progressively growing embarrassment as he nervously averted his eyes.

Inhaling harshly, my mom's expression exuded concern as she slowly shook her head in disbelief.

"Oh... honey, what ever happened to you?"

Narrowing my eyes as Ellie seemed to blush, I raised an eyebrow in question when he nervously shook his head and continued to avoid eye contact with my mom.

"There... was an accident at practice," he whispered.

"Oh my goodness, well I hope you get well soon. If you need anything like a sort of pain medicine or... just something to drink, just call Okay?"

She blew us both a kiss before walking into the kitchen, leaving Ellie and I in the living room.

Moving out of the way to let Ellie step onto the last stair before limping a bit further into the living, I watched him with a burning curiosity.

I stuffed my hands in my pockets and stood next to him as he timidly met my eyes with apprehension growing in his awkward body language.

"Something wrong," I whispered questingly.

He was about to shake his head but then closed his eyes and nodded.