The Taunting (College Life #1)

Fear is the new blood

Is he dead?

The first question that comes to mind. He was hit pretty hard, it wouldn't not make any sense. Did the world just stop moving, has God found a way to punish me for the car crash. Is this my karma? Andreas is being taken away from me. Even if he isn't dead, there is no way he's walking out without any scratches.

"I'm sure he's fine, Elizabeth. He got knocked down pretty hard, probably just got the wind knocked out of him." My father says, reassuring me. From the shakiness in his voice, I could tell there was more to what happened, especially from the way Andreas's arm looks, he just wants to calm me down. I look below to see his family leaving their seats, running down the stairs, through the entrance that the football players came out in, most likely leading to the medical room.

"I need to go see him," I say, my voice not above a whisper.

"Oh, I don't think we will-"

"I need to go see him! He would fight to go see me, I can't sit here and wait alongside everyone else." My eyes plead with my family.

"I'll take her." I see Jill climbing through the two rows between us. People give her crazy looks, but she doesn't care. I love that about her. She takes my hand away from my father's, her fingers lock with mine. "I know exactly where to go; she will be taken care of."

My parents nod, agreeing that Jill should take me. They both kiss my cheek and tell me to hold my head high. I say goodbye to everyone, then follow Jill as she leads me out of the main stadium, and up by the concession stands. A few people are in line, getting hot dogs or chips. Kids tug at their parent's pants legs as they whine.

All I could do is look around, distracting myself with other people's lives instead of my own.

"I'm afraid," I say to Jill.

She doesn't stop walking, "I know you are, girly. Andreas is a strong guy, he'll be fine, trust me. Let's just get you to where he is, ok."

"I think he's dead." My voice was plain and grave.

That's when she stops us, slowly, she turns to me. "Why would you say something like that?"

I shrug my shoulder, "The way his neck fell, was the same thing that happened with my friend in the car accident. She almost died, what if-"

"Don't think like that, Eliza." She cradles my head in her hands. "He's fine, he's just fine."

"How do you know?" My tears trickle down her hand. "How do you know he's ok, Jill. Huh!" I wrap my hand around her wrist, I was shaking like crazy. "I don't want to go back there and he's dead or in critical condition. We just started dating, everything was perfect, so fucking perfect, almost too perfect. What if that's it? The last thing I said to him was bye. Not that I loved him, just bye. What if he doesn't remember that I love him, Jill." At this point I'm full-on crying, my entire body is shaking and I can't stop blinking.

She wipes my tears with the pad of her thumb, she's trying so hard not to cry. One of us has to stay strong. "I'm not right about a lot of things, but this is one thing that I know I'm right about. Andreas is ok, he knows that you love him, he knows that, now let's get you to the room so you can tell him that. Ok?"

"Ok."

We walked down a long hall until we found the medical room. It was surrounded by cameramen and reporters, trying to be the first one to break the story of the fallen football player. Our eyes move around, trying to find some way in or someone who looks the least bit familiar.

The door to the medical room opens, and out walks Katherine. I couldn't read her facial expression, but there was something I found interesting, she started searching through the crowd like she was looking for someone in particular. When her eyes land on me, she nods.

How did she know I was coming?

Jill kisses my cheek, letting go of my hand and pushing me forward. I push through the people until I get to her. As she tries to lead me into the room, a security guard holds out his arm.

"Family only."

Katherine gives him a heated look, "She is family." I look up at her, since she's so tall I have to crane my neck. We barely know each other but she considers me family? Now is not a time to cry again.

The guard reluctantly moves his arm, probably scared of what Katherine may do. Her height is scary. When we enter the room, it's not as crazy as I thought it would be. I expected screaming and someone being held down, nothing like that was happening.

I can see that Andreas is awake, he looks up at the ceiling, biting his lip as the doctors examine his body. I could tell he was in pain.

Both of his parents sit in the chairs along the wall outside the room, holding hands as his mother cries soundly.

The room isn't that big, really, the one we are in. It's like a small waiting room, and in front of us is a large glass wall that lets us see into the room.

When his parents see me, they usher me over. "How's he doing?" I asked.

"I don't know, honestly. So much was going on that no one would tell us anything. They just said to wait out here and they'll call us in once done. He's been laying there for a while. Oh Elizabeth, he doesn't look good." She takes my hand in hers, rubbing my back.

She's right, he doesn't look good.

It took almost 30 minutes for someone to come out and talk to us. His name was Dr. Smith. An older man, tall with grey hair and glasses.

"I'm sorry to keep you folks waiting, so much was going on."

"Don't be sorry, just tell me what's going on with my son." Andreas's father says, standing up.

"Right. Well, when your son fell to the ground, he sprained his arm. I'm surprised it isn't broken; with the way he was knocked down. I've given him some pain medicine to ease the pain. I was told that the guy that tackled him was ejected from the game, a tackle that hard was uncalled for, if you want to know. Also, to let you know, your son has been mumbling a name, some Elizabeth." They all look towards me. "I'm assuming that's you?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I think you should get in there, he's probably still saying your name."

I blush, "Right." I turn to his parents. "I can wait for you two, you are his parents-"

"No, if I go in there right now, I'll cry all over the place and embarrass him. You first."

Katherine chimed in, "Go check on the baby, will you?"

I laugh, "Sure."

I cross my fingers, biting on my tongue, wanting to shake all the nerves from my body.