The Racquet Accident

Chapter Seven: A Blob.

short chapter but before you read make sure you checked out the chapter uploaded yesterday too. 

Chapter Seven: "A Blob."

"OH, SHIT," NIKKO'S eyes rounded at the sight of me.

I scowled, tossing my water bottle behind some bushes, "Save it."

"Homecoming went well for you then?" He asked as I rubbed my eyes, still adjusting to the ridiculous brightness of the sun at this hour of the day. It was 2 PM but still, it was too bright for me to consider anything.

"I didn't get out of bed until fifteen minutes ago," I admitted. The headache I had woken up with was thankfully fading...bit but there was a bruise along my side from where I had fallen that slightly hurt when I moved a specific way.

Today was cooler, getting straight into the October weather that led to me wearing a fitted maroon long sleeve that was nearly identical to the grey long sleeve Nikko was wearing.

He eyed carefully, "You sure you want to run today, L?"

That was a really good question. My head felt like someone had stones piled inside of it. I couldn't even think clearly.

Jesus, why was he so alert? Nikko didn't drink. I remembered that fact, but I never knew why. I never prodded because it was never my business. Maybe it was for religious reasons like Yas. Or he could have an internal mantra that made him not want to touch alcohol. But he still went to parties surrounded by alcohol. Either way, whatever his reason, it was his choice. Either way, he was lucky to not be subjected to this.

"Yeah, I do," I concluded, glancing down at my wrist to make sure my watch was working to keep track of my every move.

He didn't budge even as he tossed his own water bottle where I had hidden my own, "Take it easy today, yeah?"

"I'll be fine," I promised him, pulling on a weary smile. Before he could say anything further, I gestured for him to follow. And just as easily, we were off.

The effects of my hangover made me slow down a lot more than I wanted. Glancing at my rpm, I huffed. Whatever. There was a reason for today. I'll make it up somehow.

Nikko, on the other hand, didn't complain about my slower pace. In fact, moments later, he cut our time last week in half, either for his sake or for mine, I didn't know. But a part of me was grateful for it.

He slowed to a stop, making me follow suit, next to a patch of grass along the small lake that cut through the trail. Without explaining, without any further words, the man like we were at practice and on the indoor fields, took a seat on the grass and laid back with an arm behind his head.

I had no choice but to join him in the silence that was only cut through the sounds of our breaths trying to return to normalcy. But the silence stretched for way too long when I realized he was looking up, at the sky and analyzing. Analyzing the cloud.

"That cloud looks like a cactus." He said.

"It looks like a penis." I groaned, blocking out the sun with my hand. Way too bright.

Nikko made a sound of surprise that sent me into quiet laughter. The sound rolled over me as a wave, relaxing me and easing the haze I was in too easily. "It does," I squinted, tilting my head a bit. "With a little curve."

Nikko chuckled again, pointing to another cloud, "And that one?"

"A rabbit."

"Shit, I was going to say a hand."

"No, definitely a rabbit with some big whiskers," I said, laying back to see things from his perspective. "And that one over there definitely looks like a horse chasing...a turtle?"