Antagonym

Chapter 19

My neck was sore but it didn't hurt anymore. My left hip was another story though. It had been dislocated, meaning they had to pop it back in. I wished more than anything that I was still passed out for that, but I had only experienced a momentary blackout that faded back into consciousness when I reached the locker room. It was most likely due to my panic, hence why once I passed out everything calmed down causing me to wake up again less than a minute later.

Beck might think he hand nail marks on his toned forearm as a wya to cope with the throbbing agony in my hip, but really it was a distraction from the hands on my upper thigh when the doctor and the athletic trainer had to pop it back in. Now I was laying on a doctor's table in the women's locker room listening to the drone of the sports analysts after the game, with Beck fresh out of the shower sitting in a chair watching me stare at the ceiling. Sebastian, Coach, and Axel had been here while Beck took a shower, but they eventually had to leave for the press and to take their own showers. Security wouldn't let Sylvia and Finn through until I let them, but I didn't want to yet. I wasn't ready to talk about it with them, because I knew what they would say. They would ask if I needed my therapist, if I was tempted to go drinking again, if I had a panic attack; I just didn't want to deal with it, no matter how well intentioned it was.

That was the difference between Sylvia and I. She talked about her issues easily, I didn't. I kept it inside. I wasn't used to opening up like that. Although Beck wasn't asking, I knew he was thinking it based on the weight of his icy gaze on my blank face.

"I think we're done here, Danny," Doctor Brown spoke while taking his blue gloves off and throwing them in the trash. "Your neck is just sore from impact, it should die down in a day or two. The dislocated hip will take time, though. You got extremely lucky. It wasn't a complete dislocation so there's no brace needed, but you can't play hockey for two weeks. Physical therapy will be every day to make sure you're back as fast as possible and in playing condition, but I can't have you on the ice for at least two weeks."

"But-" I started to protest before being cut off.

"No 'buts'. It's the first week of January. There is plenty of time until playoffs and you're only missing two games. I think they can manage without you." Doctor Brown insisted while picking up his bag. The forty year old balding doctor was not seeing eye to eye with me.

"We're undefeated. We can't just take away our top defender to make him play goalie. You can't-"

"We'll figure it out," Beck interrupted, standing from his metal foldable chair to talk to the doctor. He ran his hand through his freshly dried hair before crossing his arms and looking at me for a moment. Beck's brows were creased with worry and his lips had been in a downturned grimace since the moment I woke up. His sapphire eyes lingered on my hip under my black shorts before he turned back to the doctor. "Is she able to walk right now? I'm going to need to take her home."

"Yeah. She's probably going to want to lay down though, so I hope the drive home is short. Danny isn't going to be alone right?"

"No, I'll watch her," Beck replied without hesitation or even so much as a glance in my direction for approval.

I cleared my throat to get his attention, which caused Beck to raise a black eyebrow as he looked down at me. "I have a roommate you know."

"Yes. A roommate who is consoling your sister in-law and for some reason wants you where you can't find a liquor cabinet. That leaves your apartment off limits and my place as the only option." Beck uncrossed his arms to pull his phone out of his black jeans, unlocking it with his thumb before flipping the screen to my face.