Practice makes perfect, and when you're fighting to be the best in your sport that is especially true. Ryder and Francesca are no exception. They are dedicated to their sport and refuse to let anything distracted. But when a scheduling conflict forc...
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The pain of 4 broken ribs is pretty bad but what is even worse is the embarrassment I feel for just blurting out I love you to Francesca last night. I got caught up in the moment I guess. I was running on drugs and adrenaline, at least that is what I keep telling myself and what I plan to tell her. If I don't do something to explain why I just blurted it out, she's gonna want to talk about it and I don't think I can handle her rejection. She is my best friend and if that is all she wants from me then I will do whatever I can to at least protect our friendship without things getting awkward.
It is going to take awhile to get over the embarrassment though. I don't know what I was thinking just blurting it out to her like that. She froze up and looked so shocked and immediately I wanted to crawl into a hole and die. In my head I just... I guess I was hoping she'd say it back. At that moment I thought for sure she would. The way she showed up crying so concerned about me, in my fucked up head I just assumed that meant she loved me too. But now reading texts from Maddie and seeing Bray and Stan I realize that is how normal people react to their friend getting hurt. How was I supposed to know that when my own parents couldn't even bother to text to see if I was ok. I doubt they knew I even got hurt, they don't watch my games but I am sure my agent has told them by now and still nothing.
I just don't get what I could have done to change the way she feels about me. She can tell Luna she loves her so easily. She yells it out to Barb and Josh like it is nothing. But when I say it she can't say it back? Even if she just meant it as friends, why am I so unlovable that not even Francesca, who can say it to a literal snail she sees on the sidewalk, can say it to me.
"Ready to go kid?"
"Can't you just leave me here?" I ask Coach, laying on the bed still. He came about 30 minutes ago to bring me clothes and pick me up so I can take the team bus with everyone to the airport.
"I thought about it, but the university didn't like it when I proposed that idea."
I groan as I lift myself off the bed. Coach tries his best to help me but there is not much that can help with this pain. I can barely breath at this point without getting light headed. I was given some meds to take home, they help but this is going to be a long and painful recovery no matter what.
The walk to the car is slow because I was too stubborn to accept the offer of getting a wheelchair. The car ride to the hotel is even worse. Every slight bump we hit has me seeing stars. I am already dreading the flight home but hopefully it is a smooth one or I can take enough drugs to knock me out for the short flight.
"Team will be down in a minute go sit on that bench and don't do anything stupid," Coach warns as he pulls up feet from the bench he is referring to.
I take a deep breath and drag myself out of the car to the bench. Slowly a few of my teammates along with some of Francesca's begin to trickle out of the hotel. Everyone crowds around me to talk and check on me and it feels kind of nice. Having everyone concerned about me is not something I am used to. I get why kids in school use to fake broken arms for attention, it is honestly nice.
