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“And who’s going to drive your asses?”
“I drove myself here just fine.”
Nixon narrows his eyes at me. “And when were you cleared to drive? Oh, right, you haven’t been.” You can’t miss the sarcasm dripping from his tone. “I could strangle you. You know?”
“It’s only a ten-minute drive.” With one lingering squeeze, I let go of Prescott’s hand and close the door before slipping in the back seat.
“I don’t care. You shouldn’t have driven,” Nixon continues the moment we’re inside.
“And how would you get home then? Yas is working.”
“One of the guys could have given us a ride.”
“Well, I came to pick you up. Can you let it go now?”
Nixon’s matching blue eyes meet mine in the rearview mirror. “How are you feeling, Smalls?”
That knot in my throat grows tighter.
We haven’t talked about what happened, about what I did. I just told him it was done and that Dr. Hendriks made me a new appointment for chemo. I knew he wanted to discuss it, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I couldn’t think about it, much less anything else. Not yet. Maybe not ever.
I look out of the window, refusing to meet his gaze. “I’m fine.”
There’s a beat of silence. “If you wan—”
“I’mfine. Can we go home now? Please?”
Nixon lets out a sigh but starts the car, and the radio turns on automatically, filling in the silence. From the corner of my eye, I can see Prescott slide his phone into his pocket before extending his hand toward me. The gap is too small for his hand, but he doesn’t budge, so I lock my fingers with his as I catch his gaze in the rearview mirror.
So that’s how we stay. Eyes locked, fingers intertwined all the way back home.
* * *
PRESCOTT
“You sure you’re up for this?” Jade asks, brushing her hand over the small of my back.
“Yeah, we don’t have to stay long. Just enough, so they don’t bitch about me not coming.”
My phone buzzes in my pocket, so I slide my hand inside, pulling it out to see the screen.
Unknown:
10:30 the last room on the second floor
Rereading the message, I close it and return my phone to my pocket as we make our way through the crowd. Considering it’s just a few days before Thanksgiving and exams were already done, the party was pretty big. Then again, Blairwood loves its football team, and now that we’re so close to the playoffs, all eyes are on us. Waiting to see if we’ll succeed or fail.
Pain shoots through my leg, my muscles twitching with every step, reminding me of the price I paid to get us here. I’m all sweaty from the exertion, my shirt sticking to my back, but I try to keep my face neutral.
The doc popped my knee back in place. They wanted to do a scan to make sure everything was alright, but I convinced them I was feeling fine, so they let me go with just the brace and the instructions to take it easy and come in after the holidays to have the doc check it once more before they decide on how they’ll proceed.
But I won’t make it until then. Hell, even if I do, I won’t be able to run for the whole game. Not if I can’t manage the pain somehow and the pain meds? They’re just not cutting it.
Checking the time, I look down at Jade. “Wanna go and grab something to drink?”
“Water is fine.”
Nodding at a few people, we make our way to the kitchen, where I get a Jack and Coke for myself and a bottle of water for Jade before going to the game room.
