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Jade stiffens in my arms. I hold my breath but don’t stop the gentle stroking motion.
“Fine,” she finally answers, her voice all raspy. It’s one of the only things she’s said today.
Besides take me home, that is.
It was driving me crazy, and I couldn’t do anything about it. She needed me, and I wanted to be there for her, but I didn’t know what to do to make it better. Not if she didn’t want to tell me.
“Do you need—”
Before I can finish, my phone buzzes on the coffee table. I watch it vibrate, not making an attempt to answer it. The screen goes black, but shortly after, whoever it is, calls again.
“You should get that.”
Reluctantly, I grab the phone, seeing Nixon’s name flash on the screen. I glance at Jade, but her attention is back on the TV, looking but unseeing.
“Hey, man, what’s up?”
“Dude, where are you?” Nixon hisses from the other side of the line.
“Home. Why?”
“Because you should be in the strategy meeting in fifteen minutes, or did you forget that? Coach wants to go over the plays before the game tomorrow.”
“Shit!”
Shit, shit, shit.
I totally forgot about that.
“Talk about shit, alright. Get your ass over here, or hewillbench you.”
I’m shaking my head even before he can finish. “I can’t—” My eyes fall down, only to find Jade watching me. “I’m with…”
“Don’t,” Jade stops me, her voice harsh.
I asked her if she wanted to have anybody else go with us today, but she just shook her head and said she didn’t want anybody else to know.
I get it. I really do. I was the first person who kept quiet about my past so people wouldn’t look at me differently. So if somebody understands, it’s me, but this is too much for one person to take on by themselves.
“Is that Jade?” Nixon asks.
“Yes, just… wait.” I hit the mute button, letting the phone drop down as Jade sits upright. “You should be resting.”
“I’m resting.” She glances at the phone before looking up at me. “Go.”
“What? No.”
She can’t be serious now, can she? There is no way in he—
“They need you. You should go.”
“It’s just a strategy meeting,” I wave it off. “We’ve already discussed it, but the Coach is obsessing for—”
“Because just a few games separate you from playing in the playoffs, and you have to win them in order to do that. You have to go.”
“I’m not leaving you alone. Not right now. Not when you’re—”
“I’mfine. I still haven’t started bleeding; besides, you heard the doctor. It could takehours. Just go do your thing. The last thing I want is for you to be benched because of me.”
