He steps in, waving hello to my parents. “Yo, when Uncle Roberto actually uses the group chat, and for the sole purpose of summoning you, you don’t say no. I’ve seen the movies—family is everything.”
“That’s not what it’s for?” my dad asks, face stoic, though he’s clearly amused with his own antics. He pats my back as Darius and I head outside, but even the light touch to my shoulder has me staggering beneath the motion, almost knocked over. “All right, son, you can shake this off. Go run around and get out of your head.”
The worst part is that it is a gorgeous sixty-degree day. I take a cautious step off the patio onto the grass, stretching my arms out wide and admittedly feeling a little better taking in the sunshine. Darius jogs over to the net and picks up the soccer ball, which needs some air. It’s been a while since I used it.
Darius runs to the shed to fill up the ball, then tosses it my way. I pass it back to him—an easy, weak kick.
“So you didn’t party with us Friday,” Darius calls out after running to stand in the goal. He tosses the ball back to me. “Are you going to avoid the team forever? If it’s ’cause you’re dating Ellie, you know I can say something to the guys and—”
“That’s complicated right now.”
I pass the ball between my feet but struggle to maintain my balance. Why is this so difficult? Since I haven’t attempted to score, Darius jogs back to me so we don’t have to shout across the lawn.
He says, “Sorry, I shouldn’t have brought her up in front of Liam. He’ll make a joke out of anything. I was like,yikes, when she noticed him doing that shit.”
“Yeah, that wasn’t cool.”
I’m not sure how much of that Ellie heard or saw. And hopefully she didn’t think I’d said anything to Liam. Why would I? It’s not likewe even hooked up or like I would say anything to the guys if we had. The night was just a huge embarrassment for me.
I bend down to pick up the soccer ball.Oof, not a good idea.My vision flickers. I spread my fingers wide, holding the ball tight against my chest, trying to stabilize myself.
“But I don’t know how much I’m going to be hanging with her anymore,” I say.
“Did something happen?” Darius would usually tease me more, but he’s been uncertain how to act around me lately.
Shrugging it off, I point toward the goal. “Okay, I think I’m ready now.”
Darius runs back into place. I toss the ball out in front of me, ready to kick. But my legs don’t move.
They’ve gone fully numb. I’m so startled that it takes another moment to realize that I’ve lost feeling in my right arm. It’s significantly worse than the tingling I’ve been putting up with for a while now.
Darius runs over to me. “Dude, what’s up?”
“I, um.” Part of my face feels strange now, too. Warm, numb maybe. Talking feels funny. I have to force the words out. “I think thomthing issss wrong.”
He runs inside for my parents while I stay stuck in the grass, my head spinning. I need the world to stop turning. I shut my eyes tight, watching the red behind my eyelids swirl and swirl. I try to walk toward the house. But my legs give out beneath me.
I trip over nothing.
Dad sprints over to catch me before my head can hit the ground. Mom gasps loudly, and Darius mutters something nervously under his breath.
“We’re going to the hospital,” Dad says softly as he carries me to the car. “We’re going now. We’re going.”
Mom buckles me into the back seat and holds me upright as Dad pulls the car out of the driveway. I brave a small glance to see Darius standing on the drive apprehensively before squeezing my eyes shut again and rolling my head onto my mom’s shoulder.
Am I dying?
Chapter Twenty-nine
Ellie
Without telling anyoneat all this time, I leave the house on Sunday to hang out with Shay, Izzy, and Alex again. We’ve got the Coffee Garden all to ourselves this afternoon. Even though October is still around the corner, the shop is decked with ceramic ghosts and jack-o’-lanterns.
“We never made it to Oktoberfest this year,” Shay signs, disappointed.
“That already happened?” Izzy shakes her head. “I forgot it’s in September.”
“I should have mentioned it.” Alex scrolls through something on her phone and signs one-handed. “It was a lot of fun last time. I’m adding it to my calendar for next year right now.”
