𝐑𝐞𝐝 𝐑𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐞

C H A R L O T T E

author's note

I apologize for the quality of this chapter. I'm really tired and trying to meet my deadline and deliver this to you even semi on-time. This will eventually be edited but not today, satan.

The first time that we went through this, we went through it as a family and we were hopeful. I was young, and I was as healthy as someone diagnosed with cancer at the age of fifteen could be. My parents were with me, and Aaron didn't leave my side. Not only that, but he was also a perfect match for bone marrow transplants, and he was more than healthy enough to easily bounce back from the donations. I didn't feel guilty about accepting his help then.

Now, all I want is to be alone. I want Aaron out of this, I want Alexander to never have found me in the hospital, I don't want to tell my coach, my friends, or my family. Most of all, I want the hope back; the potential of a complete and permanent recovery.

I've always believed myself to be a fighter, and I will fight this, but right now, I want a nap, a movie, some sugar, and to forget about it all for a minute.

Reed knows that something is up with me, but she won't ask and she also won't leave my side, which I don't mind. I've avoided all of Alexander's calls and texts, and thankfully he hasn't shown up at our dorm yet. Aaron has checked in with me a few times, and I answer those calls, keeping my responses brief and anything but honest.

Forgoing the nap, I lay down in my bed and open up my laptop, cueing up my favourite streaming service that provides me most of the superhero content that I want. I can feel Reed staring at me, so I inch over and pat the covers on the other side of my bed. She takes my silent offer and joins me, climbing under the covers and crossing her arms over her chest, keeping her eyes on the screen.

"Iron Man or Captain America?" I ask and she shrugs.

"Depends. Which one? Or civil war?"

"Iron Man one or three, or First Avenger."

"But Bucky..." She whines. The Winter Soldier is her favourite movie. Who doesn't love a good villain?

"I don't want to watch them fight each other right now though. Happy-ish please."

She rolls her eyes but she's smiling. "First Avenger."

"Did you pick that because you want to watch it or because you know that I want to watch it?" I ask her.

"Both."

"I will accept that," I mumble and start it, snuggling deeper under the covers and smiling a small smile, but it's the first appearance of one in days.

"You wanna talk about it?" Reed asks as the beginning credits start and I shake my head. "Okay," She says, not pushing me for an answer and I lean my head on her shoulder, grateful to have her here with me.

The door slams open dramatically and I roll my eyes as Reed storms in and Maddison follows behind her, calm and collected. Reed looks between me and our coach, the two of us seated at a conference table in the stadium after having summoned them via email. All they know about this meeting is that it involves the three of us but judging by her face, Reed has already guessed that it's about me and Maddison doesn't seem to be too curious about why she's here. If anything, she looks bored as she looks anywhere but at me.

"Come, sit," Our coach says, patting the top of the table and the two of them obey. My eyes are downcast but I can feel their stares. If I could have forgone all responsibility and been absent for this meeting, I would have. "You two are here so that we can ask you for a favor," Is the way that she phrases it and I screw my face up.