Apricity [a-PRIS-i-tee]: The warmth of the sun in winter
Briar Elizabeth Maddox
Became a social outcast over the summer and now her used-to-be friends treat her no better than the dirt under their shoes. But no matter what she's been through, she'...
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"Briar!" I heard Valentina screech.
My head snapped in their direction and Wesley took the opportunity to steal the ball from me. I recognized the stress in Val's tone. It was the same tone she'd been using when we were kids, like the time I tried flushing her stupid barbies down the toilet. That was how I knew something bad had happened.
Girls from the cheerleading squad were huddled around someone and my feet moved on their own. I made my way through them to find Briar on the floor, clutching her wrist and blinking through a pained expression on her face.
"I'm okay," she quietly responded to Coach Sommers. "It's probably just a sprain."
Coach Sommers gently took her wrist to observe it herself. "Still, practice is over for you. You should go down to the nurses office anyway. Where else does it hurt?"
"I hit my head a little," Briar responded, almost sounding embarrassed. Her eyes locked on mine for a second until they roamed around the small crowd that formed around her. She looked down as her cheeks began to flush at the attention.
"I'm okay, really," She insisted and moved to get up. I stepped closer to her and reached down to help her up. She gave me a tight-lipped smile as she took my hand with her good one and let me help her up.
"You little bitch," Valentina's voice cut through the silence. Heads turned towards her and her attention was targeted towards Naomi.
"Language," Coach Sommers warned.
"What are you looking at me for? That wasn't my fault," Naomi defended aggressively.
"Coach, you need a base to swap out with Naomi. This wouldn't have happened if she wasn't the one expected to catch Briar."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Coach Sommers questioned.
"It means jack shit Coach. I don't like the girl, but that doesn't mean I would intentionally let her fall!" Naomi looked thrown from the suggestion. I didn't know if her response sounded genuine because she was scared of Val or if she actuallymeant it.
Briar shifted beside me. I looked down at her and nodded my head toward the door. She let out a breath of relief as I guided her out of the gym. We left the arguing girls behind us as Coach tried to calm them both down.
"Woah, woah. Where are you going?" I tug her arm toward the way I intend on taking her. "Nurse's office is this way."
"I'm okay, Roman. I think that's my cue for the day. I just want to go home and rest," she practically whined.
"You hit your head and you need to get your wrist checked out."
"Here," she threw her wrist in front of my face as we kept walking towards the nurse's office. "Check it out. It's still mobile and I can- ow!" She cut herself off and clutched her wrist back towards her chest.
