The Time Before Dawn

Bailey Grey is an intern at a clinic, studying to become a physical therapist. Although only in high school, she enjoys helping out at the clinic after school and during her free time.

However, when star quarterback Aiden Hurley tears his ACL over winter break, Bailey is assigned to work with him five times a week for three months until August, the start of the new season.

Confused and uncertain of his football future, Aiden doubts Bailey's ability to help him. After all, she's only a high school student, right? What can she do?

*~*~*

"Okay, now squat—go slowly."

"What?" Aiden asks, bewildered.

"Not what, squat," I state, rolling my eyes.

Aiden smirks accusingly, "I think you just want to see my butt."

My eyes widen and my face warms. "W-what? No! Just-just squat!" I order, looking anywhere but him and his (admittedly nice) cake.

"I mean, why else would I be doing this if we've already done so much this session?"

"Because it's part of the recovery plan?!"

"Sure."

"How the hell am I supposed to deal with this?" I mumble to myself.

"Fuck, I don't know," came Aiden's reply.

I scrunch my nose, "You weren't supposed to hear that."

"Hmm, just like how I wasn't supposed to hear how you have a crush on me?" 

Meanwhile, I'm in the corner, choking on air. "W-what?"

"Your supposed 'best friend' told me."

"Grace Veronica Evans," I mumble, "I'll murder that little bas—"

"Hey. You know, maybe I can make it up to you by taking you on a date?" he asks with a smirk.

"Ju-just squat!" 

*~*~*

I've known Aiden Hurley for much longer than I'd care to admit. We were best friends in pre-school, but after kindergarten, we went our separate ways. 

From the sidelines, I watched Aiden grow from a pudgy young kid whose features were too big for his face to tall, muscled and just about a greek god. Admired by almost every girl in the school including my best friend Gracie, he had his pick of any girl he wanted.

I, on the other hand, had lost hope. At the age of seventeen, I'd never had a boyfriend or ever been kissed. It might have been due to the fact that my best guy friend and cousin Everett chased them off, but it was mainly because I preferred the company of my books and puppies over people. In this way, Aiden and I were quite literally opposites, and I tended to stay away, far away, from him and his friends.

During my freshman year of high school, I started to volunteer at Gracie's mother's physical therapy clinic. I wanted to study in college to become one, so I figured, what better way to get an early start than volunteer with your best friend's mom?

From time to time, Gracie's mom, Jen, would let me therapize her patients while she kept a watchful eye from afar. Bringing us to the start of the story, Jen gave me my very first independent recovery assignment when I was a junior. I think you can pretty much guess what happens next.

This is a story of a flirtatious, earnest, smirking quarterback and a sweet, sarcastic and generous book nerd.

a u t h o r ' s   n o t e

Hi! Hope you enjoy this story. This is the first of many I'm planning to actually finish. As with all of my stories, there will be a happy ending because I cannot stand stories in which the characters go through so much and still suffer. It just makes me so sad that the characters I've fallen in love with get their hearts broken again. Anyways, thank you for reading! 

♡, Risa 

Start date: March 26, 2020