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I can’t sit still. The hard, plastic chairs make getting comfortable impossible. The yellowing ceiling tiles are chipping, and the wallpaper is dated. I think I’ve counted the lightbulbs dotting the ceiling ten times already, just trying to calm myself down.
The voices around me are a dull reminder that there are other people in this room, but I can’t bring myself to care right now. Chloe calls her parents and leaves them message after message. She’s called the hotel they are staying at, her father’s assistant, anyone she can think of. She checking her phone constantly, hoping to hear back from them.
I’m alternating between pacing and sitting here, completely useless as Tommy relays all of the football statistics he knows about quarterbacks getting hurt.
According to him and his stats, Brady is going to be okay.
Now, if only those stats could tell my heart that.
“Natalie?” Tommy’s small voice pulls me from my thoughts.
“Yeah, bud?”
Tommy doesn’t answer me. Instead, he places his small hand in mine and squeezes, making me want to cry for the millionth time today. Tommy has never initiated any kind of physical touch with me in the months that I've known him. He lets us all touch him, but he never reaches out to us. Squeezing his hand, I lean my head down against his and breathe.
When a nurse comes over to tell Chloe that they are taking Brady for an MRI, I text Cooper and let him know what’s happening. I want him to have an update as soon as they get off of the field.
An hour later, when I check my phone to see if Coop responded, I get my final text of the day.
44
Natalie
Unknown: I’ve shown you that I can hurt the people you love. Imagine what I can do to you. Have fun trying to figure out what’s next.
Before I’m even able to process that text, the waiting room doors slide open, and the quiet stillness that Chloe and I have been sitting in for the last two hours disappears. Coach Maxwell has just walked in, followed by what looks like the entire football team. Cooper, Bash, and Murphy immediately surround the two of us, making it impossible for me to see who else is in the waiting room. A million questions fly our way, but we have no answers. Coach walks over, asking if we’ve heard anything, then goes to the desk to get us information.
I feel like I am going to be sick.
I cannot be around my brother right now.
I cannot handle this text right now.
Does the text mean it’s Darby who has the pictures? Did he hurt Brady because I didn’t answer him earlier today?
“Can you guys excuse me for a minute?”
As I walk away, I hear Chloe telling Cooper to back off and give me a little space. Walking out the same doors everyone else just entered through, I navigate around to the side of the building.
Sliding my ass down the wall, I rest my head on my knees and have the freak out that has been coming since I got the first text today. My hysteria has taken over, and I don’t hear the footsteps approaching until a body is squatting down in front of me.
“Nat.” Cooper reaches out gently and touches my shoulder until I look up at him. He scooches over and sits down next to me, pulling me to him. “He’s going to be okay. This happens. He probably has a concussion. It’s not his first and probably won’t be his last.”
Lifting my head, I see Murphy and Bash have joined us too. Oh, God.
“Cooper.” I take a deep breath. “I don’t think what happened was an accident.”
Much to my surprise, he doesn’t look shocked.
Bash clears his throat. “I saw it happen from the sidelines, Nat. I think you’re right.”
“Guys, there is so much more going on here than Brady getting sacked. I swear Darby did this. He did it on purpose. I watched him. I watched it happen.”
Cooper tightens his hold on me. “We’ve already told Coach what Bash saw. Nat, I’m so sorry, but we had to tell him what happened this summer, too. Darby has been gunning for us, and we needed to give him the full picture.”
“Cooper.” I can’t stop the sobbing that happens now. “It’s worse than that.”
“What do you mean?”
