The Ways She Loved Them

Chapter 12

"Why isn't he here? I swear life is so hard when your friends don't have a cellphone."  Andy scoffs. 

"He probably still wasn't feeling great, or had a doctors appointment. I remember his mom saying something about it on the ride home from retreat." I shrug.

"Aren't you worried about him?"

"OF course I'm worried. He really wasn't doing great yesterday, his mood had changed a lot since the night before. I hear concussions have a big affect on your moods. Almost a bipolar change, I just hope he ends up ok. I know he is going to be upset about not being able to play soccer but I just hope he can stay positve. His ACL tear was bad enough last year, now this."

"Cheer up Ali, he will be ok. They'll get him on some medication." Megan tries to help. 

I can't help but wonder if this concussion was going to afffect anything between Sterling and I. Yesterday he was the polar opposite of how he was the night before. I wonder if he didn't realize what he was saying the night before. 

"You and Sterling make such a cute couple, it's so sweet your worried about him, but last I heard he's fine!!" Heather says in the middle of spanish class. 

"You are all supposed to be practicing Spanish, please go back to working in your groups!" The teachers yells. 

Nice going Heather. How did she find out and how does ? One of my friends probably blabbed or she got it out of them in her own twisted way. I just ignore the comment and her sly grin and do my work with my group. 

When I get home from school I see that I have a missed call from an unknown number on my phone, when I dial it back I here a familiar voice on the other end. 

"Hello, is this Ali?" the voice says.

"Yes, hi how are you doing today? This is Mrs. Homles correct?" I try and sound proper.

"This is she, Sterling was wanting to call you and ask about an assignment he missed today. It seems you are the only one in his class whose number he knows." She says, I can since a hint a irritation. 

"Oh that's fine, how is he doing? Everyone was worried since he wasn't at school." I try and sound perfect. 

With a sigh she responds with "He is right here if you wish to speak to him, but he needs his rest so try to not be to long." 

"Ok, thank you mam." 

"Hey Ali! I was hoping to get the assigment I missed today from school." I can hear his bothing in the backround telling him to finish up, why was she being like this now? She never used to be. 

"Yes, I can email it to you if you want. Do you have access to a computer?" 

"I'm really not supposed to be on it much with my head how it is right now, but that would be fine." he sounds dissapointed. 

"Ok just send me your email through a text from your mom's phone and then I'll send it." 

"I had a doctors appointment today, I won't be able to focus that well for a while. I can't play soccer without wearing a helmet either." I can practically feel his shoulders drooping through the phone. Now I feel horrible for not asking how he was but with his mom being there it's distracting me.

"I'm sorry I didn't ask about how you are. Your mom said to make it quick so I was trying to respect that, how come she doesn't want us talking?"

"It's just because I need my rest and she doesn't want me to over do it." he's lying though, I can sense it. She must suspect something and not want me talking to him. Great, just great.