They did.
Stop it Ash. Not funny.
I'm NOT kidding. They went for a long pass and got a touchdown.
No response. I wait in silence. No one is talking; we are all just going through the motions of leaving the bleachers.
How is Ryan?
Again no response. Now I'm starting to get worried. Why isn't she responding? I mean, I know they have service—I just got like twenty texts from her. A million thoughts start racing through my head. Is it Ryan? Is he not okay and she doesn't want to tell me over a text?
My hands are shaking so badly I can't even type. It takes me three tries to type one word. Stupid iPhone.
MOM???
Come down to the doctor's area under the stadium. Just tell them who you are and they will let you come in, she finally replies.
Ok but how is he?
Silence.
Chapter 2: Down Under
The underbelly of the stadium is eerie. It's dark and dingy, and there is water trickling down the sides of the metal walls even though it hasn't rained or snowed in days. Everything is painted a deep green while stripes of rust line the ceiling and walls from the constant stream of dripping water.
My tears from the game have been quickly washed away by fear because I'm unsure of where to go in this maze of hallways, and I don't like being down here all alone. I should have made Shane or Sid come with me instead of saying I was fine. I am not fine.
Every noise I hear is magnified as the lights flicker. I really don't know where I'm going. With every step I take, I get a little more uneasy. I think I must be turned around. I haven't seen a sign for the Medical Center in a while; in fact, I haven't seen any signs at all. My heart is pounding in my chest, and suddenly I can't catch my breath. I take my phone out and start to frantically text my mom.
I turn another corner as I type and slam into something hard. I look up from my phone, trying not to think about how badly that hurt, and all of my fears melt away. It's Todd, and Brian is with him. Todd is in full pads and uniform. No wonder it hurt so badly, I mean, his chest is firm, but not that firm.
"Ashley! Are you okay?" His hair is drenched in sweat, poking out from under his EHS hat.
"Todd!" I instantly hug him. "I'm so happy to see you both. I have no idea where I'm going, and I was starting to freak myself out."
"I can see that." Todd smiles his perfectly crooked smile, his eyes filled with concern, as he runs his hands over my hair. I have so many favorite parts of him, but in this moment, it is definitely his smile.
I look over at Brian, who's wearing the same expression. Brian is never one to avoid a sarcastic comment, especially when it involves Todd and me. He still enjoys taking full credit for our relationship. Then it comes flooding back. They just lost the biggest game of their lives; of course he's not in the mood for sarcasm.
"Sorry about the game, guys," I say, feeling like a heel because I was so caught up in thinking I was about to get murdered that I completely forgot what just happened out on the field and why we're all here.
"It's okay, Ash. We just want to make sure Ryan is okay." As I look into Brian's eyes, I can see he is completely sincere.
My stomach washes back over with nerves. They've been best friends their entire lives, but to see Brian truly not care about the loss and be more concerned for Ryan, validates all my bad feelings. He saw him up close. He knows something is wrong. My tears start to well up again, and I try to blink them away, but it's not working.
"Hey, Ash. I'm sure he's fine." Todd grabs my chin and runs his thumb across my cheek to catch a tear that escaped, his touch making everything a little better. Then he intertwines his fingers with mine. He's the only thing that feels right about tonight.
"I hope so." I force a half-smile. "Do you guys have any idea where you're going?"
"Well, we were down here before to get to the locker room, so I think we're headed in the right direction," Brian answers as he goes into natural-leader mode. Since he couldn't play, he's dressed in his jersey and a fully broken in EHS hat but no pads.
As we start down the corridor again, we finally see signs for the Medical Center. I'm so turned around I think I must have walked in the complete opposite direction from where the signs are pointing. Down the length of the narrow hallway, I can see my mom pacing. She looks nervous, which makes my heart start beating at double speed. Todd must be able to sense it or hear it because he looks back at me and smiles as we continue walking toward my mom.
"Don't worry, Ash; he's fine. He walked off the field." I hear his words, but I can see the fear all over his face. No matter how laid back he appears, it's just an act.
My mom finally hears us and comes down the hall to meet us half-way. "Hi, kids," she says as she hugs me.
"How is he? Does he know?"
She glances toward the glass window. Through it, I see Ryan lying on a stretcher-type bed. The room is white and sterile compared to the dingy hallway we are standing in. My brother is still in full pads and uniform as his coach talks to him. I can't see his face because he has his hand to his forehead and he’s pinching the bridge of his nose. I know this move; I've seen it before when Brian and Gretchen were in ICU. He's trying to discreetly stop the tears.
"Coach is telling him now," Mom says, gesturing toward the glass window. She looks back at Todd and Brian. "Sorry about the game, boys. You really played your hearts out tonight. And really great sideline work, Brian."
I look back through the window and see Ryan pressing his palm into his forehead. His knee is bent, and I can't help thinking, At least he can bend his knee. "Is he okay?"
Mom glances back over to the window. "He has a concussion, and they're pretty sure his left arm is broken, but they want him to go to the hospital for x-rays and a few more tests. You know your brother, though; he's stubborn. He says he's fine and doesn't want to go, but he has no choice. Dad and I told him we'll drive instead of an ambulance if he wants, but he's going."
"What is it with this year and hospitals?" I say, shaking my head. I don't need to elaborate; everyone in this hallway knows all too well what I mean. "I'm going, too."
"We are, too," Todd and Brian say, glancing at each other.
"Listen, there's no need to go. It's just a precaution. You guys stay here, get cleaned up." She glances at Todd and Brian. "Stay with all your friends and go back to the hotel."
"We're going, Mrs. Taylor." Todd steps up closer to the glass, his fingers still intertwined with mine.
My mom just shakes her head. She knows there is no use arguing.
"Can we go in to see him?" Brian asks as his eyes stay on my brother through the window.
We all look over at Ryan, who's being patted on the back by Coach. He's sitting up now and seems to have composed himself. He's definitely cradling his arm, though. I can tell he is in pain, even though he's really good at hiding it.
Brian slams his hands on the window, causing us all to jump, before he presses his face up against the glass and shouts, "Ryan!"
Ryan looks over and instantly smiles at seeing Todd and Brian. He gestures for us all to come in.
"Boys, that was a hell of a game you played out there. You should all be very proud of yourselves. We'll get 'em next year," Coach says in his deep, booming voice.
You can easily see how you'd believe anything he tells you. He's so sure of himself, so confident, and his build is just as big as his voice. He looks like he could squash you in a second if he wanted to. At the same time, seeing him in this moment reveals deep inside he's a big teddy bear.
All three boys hang their heads down. "Sorry, Coach," Brian says. "We had that one. I don't know what happened." Brian looks really shaken up by the loss. I didn't realize that before, but now that we are in the light, I can see the glistening in his eyes. It's clear he's fighting back tears.
"None of that, boys. We made it to State. That's a damn big accomplishment. And we'll do it again next year."
I've never really heard their coach spea
k except for at practices when he's screaming across the field, but I kind of love him. You can tell he really cares about the players. It's more than a game to him. No wonder the team respects him so much.
"The important thing is, we need to get Ryan patched up in time for college summer camps," he continues, squeezing my brother's shoulder and smiling at my parents. "You gave us a real scare tonight, son." He looks at my brother with a smile. "I've had enough of you boys and the hospital this year, you hear me? Now, I've gotta go talk to the rest of the team. I'm not sure how long Coach Jimmy can try to keep their spirits up." He laughs. Coach Jimmy is the assistant coach and the opposite in every way from Head Coach Willis. The boys still love and respect him; he just doesn't have nearly the commanding presence Coach W has.
Once Coach leaves, the team doctor takes over. "All right, Ryan, look at me." He takes out his penlight and looks into Ryan's chocolate brown eyes. "Now follow the light."
I can see Ryan listening and trying hard to follow it, but I can also see his reactions are slightly delayed. I'm not sure what that means, but it can't be good.
"Okay, let's get you to the hospital." His tone gives nothing away.
Chapter 3: Change in Plans
Mom, Dad, and Ryan take a cab to the hospital while the rest of us grab another cab, not far behind them. No one has cars since we took buses up here for the game; as a result, Gretchen is with us in our cab. Just as we were leaving, she practically ran into Ryan. He winced in pain when she accidentally nudged his arm, but his smile said it all. She's the one person who makes it all better for him. I now know and understand that feeling.
Todd, Gretchen, and I are crammed into the back of the cab. Brian called shotgun, so he's sitting up front with the cabbie, trying to make small talk. I'm not sure which is worse: being stuck in the back with Gretchen or in the front talking to a cab driver who doesn't really speak English.
I like Gretchen a lot more than I did a few months ago; however, I like her a lot better when we're not forced together in tight situations, like say, in the back of a cab. The only thing that would make this worse is if Rebecca was here. Thankfully, she will not be joining us at the hospital.
She is, unfortunately, still in Todd's band and best friends with Gretchen, so I see her more than I would like. It will always be a little awkward with us since she is technically Todd's ex-girlfriend. I say technically because she liked him more than he liked her, but I guess they were "technically" dating. I can't help still calling her RTS out of habit, and "Rebecca The Slut" still totally suits her. I mean, she's now "dating" Charlie Parks, a drama club senior who Shane swears is on his team. I can't help smiling whenever I think about that one. She really needs to work on her taste in boys, but then again, I enjoy when karma falls into place.
***
My mom and dad are in with Ryan along with the team doctor.
Luckily, the hospital was aware Ryan was coming and they took him right in. Since he was part of the high school state championship game and got hurt during it, he's kind of a being treated like a celebrity. I guess not much happens in this town.
As we pace the waiting room, Shane, Sid, and Johnny come walking through the sliding glass doors. I told them not to come, but they are just as stubborn as the rest of us. Johnny has showered and is no longer in his uniform while Todd and Brian are still in their jerseys. Todd took off his pads, but that's about it, and Gretchen is still in full cheerleading gear.
"Johnny!" Brian shouts as he gets up to bear hug him. "You were amazing out there tonight"
Johnny hangs his head down and shakes his head. "Not really. I can't believe we lost. It wasn't a big enough lead. If it was, it would have never happened.”
Brian slaps him on the back, which forces him to look up from the ground. "Stop. You played great. We should have won. It was a fluke. But you should be really proud. You made me proud."
"It would have been different if you played," Johnny says in a low voice, though still loud enough for us to hear. His eyes are glued back to the floor. I can see how much he respects Brian and how he feels he has let him and the team down.
"No, it wouldn't have. You played every play exactly how I would have played it. No difference. You were amazing out there." I can tell Brian really means it.
When Johnny looks up and gives Brian a half-smile, his eyes light up, the respect for Brian oozing out of him. I feel like, in a way, Brian just won the game for him. Lately, Brian is always surprising me. I really do think the accident knocked some sense into him. Who knew a brain injury could be a positive thing? Johnny's entire demeanor has changed from when he first walked in. "Any news on Ryan?"
At that moment, I feel my phone buzz in my pocket. Pretty much anyone who would text me is standing in the emergency waiting room, so I'm curious who it could be. I look down at my phone to see a text from Blythe.
Heard about the loss. Is it true about Ryan? Is he ok?
My heart sinks a little. Of course, Blythe! She didn't come to the game, but obviously people have started posting about everything. Blythe is still amazing, and although Ryan has been more standoffish because of everything that has happened, he's still close with her. He tries to be more respectful of Gretchen and more aware of what could seem like flirting, though.
Surprisingly, Brian and Blythe have been a lot closer. I think the accident made them realize just how fragile life is, how quickly things can change, and how you should really take advantage of every moment you have. So, anyway, they are speaking again. I think Brian still likes her, but I don't think he would ever admit it. However, I think Blythe still really likes my brother. She's starting to see Brian differently, though. Heck, I think even Brian is starting to think of himself differently.
Yes it's all true. We're at the hospital right now, waiting to hear, but it's looking good. He might have a broken arm and a concussion. I text back.
Oh no! How are all the boys?
Blythe knows how close my brother and his best friends are. She also knows that, if one is hurt, the others aren't far behind.
Upset about the loss but ok. I'll keep you updated on Ry.
Thx Ash xo
Todd and I are, once again, sitting in uncomfortable hospital chairs. I'm so happy he's here next to me; he's the only thing keeping me sane. I love the feeling of his fingers intertwined with mine as he nervously runs his thumb over my knuckles.
After what feels like hours, I finally get to go in and see Ryan. The déjà vu is frightening.
He smiles as soon as he sees me because he knows exactly what I'm thinking. "I know. I know, Ash Bug. Don't say it." He shakes his head.
"What? I have no idea what you're talking about. I really love worrying about my brother and constantly running to the hospital to make sure he's still alive. In fact, I'm kind of disappointed this time you didn't need emergency surgery. You're really slipping."
"Ha. Ha. Nice. Well, if it makes you feel better, I have a pretty nasty headache." He rubs his head. "And my night with Gretch is ruined."
"Your night? What about everyone in the waiting room? Poor Johnny was practically in tears. Wait, what do you mean your night with Gretch?"
As my brother smiles, we finally make eye contact. I can see he is in pain and just putting up a strong front. Typical Ryan. However, I'm not going to let that stop the sarcasm or my probing.
He looks down at the white knit blanket draped over his legs. "Since I have a concussion, the doctor says I need to spend the night in Mom and Dad's hotel room so they can keep an eye on me." His eyes are full of smile as they meet mine. "So Gretch and I can't see each other."
I'm still confused; in fact, I have no idea what he's talking about. I'm sure my expression gives it away because he starts to laugh, and then he speaks slowly, like I need it spelled out for me, which apparently, I do because I'm lost.
"Gretch and I had plans tonight," he says as he places one hand on top of the other. "In my hotel room," he continues with a mischievous smile.
&nbs
p; "Ohhhhh. Wait. What? She was going to sneak into your room?" I whisper.
His smile stretches across his face, and then he remembers the hard fact that it is no longer happening. "Well, we were going to, but not now..." He looks back down and starts playing with the knit blanket.
"Wow," I say with a grin. "I had no idea." Suddenly, my thoughts shift to Todd and the fact that my parents will be busy tonight.
"Don't look so happy," my brother says, catching my smile. "Don't worry; Todd knows your room number." I can tell he hates every word as it comes out.
"Really?" I can't help smiling as I feel the butterflies lerch to life, those same butterflies that still happen anytime I think of Todd.
Ryan rolls his eyes at my joy. "Try not to hide your excitement on my account."
I smile back at him. "Sorry, Ry."
He shakes his head, annoyed, yet I can tell by his smile that he's just kidding. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but now that I'll be in Mom and Dad's room, you and Todd—" he stops and takes a deep breath as if he's contemplating saying the rest, "will have our room to yourselves." He presses his lips together like he still can't believe he just volunteered that information. I mean, it's not like I couldn't figure that out on my own, but I do appreciate Ryan looking out for me. He continues, "Todd and I had a deal. He was going to let me and Gretch have the room, but now that's obviously not happening, so the room is all yours." Ryan squeezes his eyes shut and rubs his forehead.
Wow, maybe this concussion had a bigger affect than I thought.
"I think I should get the doctor. You really must not be feeling well."
He smiles, still rubbing his forehead. "I've been better." He opens his eyes to meet mine again. "Listen, Ash, just be smart and be careful. I know I give you a hard time, but as strange as it is for me to see you and Todd together, I really couldn't think of a better guy for you." He smiles such a sincere smile I know he really means it.
"I love you, Ryan."
"Love you, too, Ash Bug. Don't do anything I wouldn't do." He grins. "On second thought, don't do anything I would do."
Accidental Love (Accidental Crush #2) Page 2