Girl on Track

45| Fallout

Tyler follows me home to make sure I get back in one piece, but as soon as he's helped me off my bike, he's back on his own and zipping down the street under a cloak of night. My heart thuds with dread as I watch him disappear, and even though I wish it weren't true, something feels so final about it.

I compose myself and head inside where my parents are getting ready for dinner. I'm in no mood for pretences, so I tell them I'm not feeling well and head to the bathroom to run myself a bubble bath. It's an attempt to distract myself from everything Tyler said, but his voice seems to echo in my ears.

If that's your choice, then I'm out.

The hurt runs through me all over again, and even though he's right to be mad, I can't help but feel betrayed all the same. If my parents' relationship has taught me anything, it's that you don't walk away from those you care about, no matter how hard things get.

Once my bath is ready, I strip and sink into the bubbles with difficulty, spotting my bruises through the water. As much as I hate to admit it to myself, Tyler is right. If I don't at least get checked out by a doctor, I could cause some irreversible damage. I grab my phone from the side and unlock the screen, hopeful he'll have calmed down by now and sent me a message, but there's only one from Alex.

Hope you're okay, sorry I haven't been around today. See you tomorrow?

My heart sinks, and I contemplate messaging him first, but this pride of mine won't let me. Instead, I message Alex, asking if she'll take me to the doctor – she messages back with a yes.

Sinking into the water, I close my eyes, heart beating, and sink under the water where it's peaceful. Under here it is silent, not just from the outside world, but from the thoughts and voices in my head. I stay like this until my lungs give way, and then I break the surface, ribs hurting as I claw back my breath. But for the first time in days, I'm finally in control.

***

The next morning, Alex takes me to the hospital to get checked out, and after several tests, I'm relieved to learn that while my ribs look a mess, they're just bruised and not broken. It fills me with hope, because maybe now things can start getting back to normal.

"You're looking at about two weeks recovery if you rest," the doctor says. "Ice will help relieve any swelling, and I'll prescribe you medication to help manage the pain."

The smile that crosses my face must be blinding. "Thank you."

It takes a while to form-fill before we can leave. Alex is silent for the most part, and I can tell from her expression that there is something on her mind, which means I'll hear about it soon enough.

"You got lucky," Alex says as we head to the car. "It could have been much worse. You should have gone to the hospital the moment you knew something was wrong."

"I know," I say, sliding into the passenger seat. "I'm just glad I can race soon."

She shakes her head as she reverses out of the parking space. From the side, it's hard not to look at her familiar features and think of Tyler, who hasn't spoken a word to me since that night. A part of me doesn't blame him, but it's hard to ignore how much his silence hurts my pride.

We pull up to my house, and Alex tells me if I'm feeling okay, she'll meet me back at the cafe for my shift. I quickly get changed, wondering if Tyler will be there and whether we'll get the chance to talk. Ever since last night, my stomach has been in knots at the uncertainty of it all. If I don't figure out what's going on soon, it'll drive me insane.