CARESS AND WEEP

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 6

One Month Later
Mom insists on coming with me to my M.R.I. appointment. I go to the office to pick up my pass and wait for her at the front door. I stare at the cars parked in the parking lot, when someone accidentally brushes passed me.
It's Adam.
I stop breathing for a second when I see him, "I'mm ss sorry," I stutter out an apology. Unable to recover from sounding like a complete imbecile I shift my gaze back out the door praying for mom to come sooner rather than later.
"No problem," he replies cooly . "Are you going to the M.R.I. today?" Like Oh.My. God! He remembers. I am definitely in love! Maybe he's in love with me? We're in love! Okay so I'm jumping the gun, but there's nothing wrong with dreaming or at least hoping. I wouldn't be the kind of skater I am today if I didn't have dreams and hopes, although I'm injured right now. I have to act cool, way more cool than I feel. I have no time to talk my self down, he's waiting for an answer. Harper. Harper.
Harper.
"No, I did that already. Mom is taking me to the doctor to find out my results." I say calmly.
"Good luck," he says in a low sexy voice that makes me quiver. I don't see aliens anymore because I'm not taking the pills for pain, but if I did see them, they would be doing a happy dance for me.
"Thanks, there's my ride," I say cooly. I take an extra second to balance on my crutches ensuring no further embarrassment then necessary. I have become quite the professional using them.
He rushes to hold the door open for me when we simultaneously
notice Harper coming up the school stairs. She scowls at Adam before croaking under her breath for both of us to hear, "Do you like her?" Only thing is it isn't a question, it's more of a statement. She walks into the school as if she hasn't made the comment and leaves this sense of discord between Adam and myself.
Speechless, I apologize, "Sorry, I didn't mean to upset her."
He looks at me and all I can focus on are those pillow like lips reassuring me, "You have nothing to be sorry about." He walks next to me all the way to my mother's car and opens the front door for me. I sit down and then place the crutches into the back seat. Unable and unwilling to look into his eyes. "Thanks," I say before he steps away from the car so I can close my door. I can feel him watching us as we drive off.
Mom turns the radio down, "Is that the boy that brought you to the hospital?"
"Ya, his name is Adam."
"He's cute," she comments. "I can tell you like him, and that's NOT going to happen. You're not allowed to date boys when you're committed to your figure skating. I've seen it too many times, girls start skipping skating sessions, then they pick up bad habits like smoking. Do you remember that amazing little jumper, Tanya?"
"Ya, Whatever happened to her?"
"She had to quit because some guy got her pregnant. The girls who date never finish competing. They quit, or injure themselves. I don't want you to be like them."
"I won't be," I promise.
My phone chirps while we were in the waiting room. I pull it out thinking it is Tara, glancing at the secretary, "Is it okay to have this on?"
She smiles back at me, "It's no problem dear, thanks for asking." Mom scowls, "I'm not on mine right now!" 'Nobody just texted you," I snap.
Adam: I just wanted 2 wish U good luck again.
Oh.My.God! He's texting me. I text Tara:
Dalia.• ADAM JUST TEXTED ME!
Tara: Fuck Offi What did he say?
Dalla.• • He wished me luck @ the doctor's office.
Tara: What did U write back?
Dalia: I didn't.
Tara: Why not? Write him back!
Dalia: Ok
I flip over to him:
Dalia: Thanks.
Adam: Can I C U after U'r appointment?
Dalia: Sure!
Adam: Text when U'r done. Dalia: Ok.
Then I go back to Tara:
Dalia: He wants 2 C me after my appointment! Tara: Fuck om Dalia: Vulgar!
Tara: & jealous!
Dalia: Don't be jealous, Harper.. I have 2 go in now, TTYL
Dr. Rankin is our family doctor who has to be in his late fifties early sixties. He has buzzed grey hair and a stocky build, but gives a whole new meaning to the word compassion.
Once we're in his office, the appointment takes just over twenty minutes from start to finish. He diagnoses me with a torn hamstring muscle and says that judging by the story, I must have injured it on the take-off of the jump, the action of throwing my leg forward into the air.
Doctor Rankin insists I start physiotherapy immediately and stay off the ice for two more weeks.
"Two more weeks!" I complain. I miss so much now, and I think for sure Dr. Rankin is going to give me the green light. I hardly feel any pain when he is maneuvering my leg into various positions.
He finishes off the appointment by warning me, "This can be the end of your career. We'll have to see how it goes." I never thought I would hear those words come from his mouth. It's upsetting to hear, but I don't want to fall apart in front of him and my mother. I keep myself together and stay quiet the entire way home. When we pull into our driveway, I fish my phone out of my purse and slowly go up the stairs. I text Tara first:
Dalia: I have a pulled hamstring. My competitive skating might B over.
Tara: Keep U'r chin up! No way that'll stop U. Dalia: Adam wants 2 C me. I'll tell U how it goes. Tara: Text Me!
I flip to my old text with Adam:
Dalia: I'm home.
Adam: I'm picking U up.
Dalia: Sure, text when U'r in the driveway. Adam: K.
I know this won't going to go over well, I call downstairs, "Mom, I'm going out with Adam, AS FRIENDS."
Mom doesn't answer back for a minute, "This is going to stop when you start skating again."
I take my long brown hair and pull it back into a tight ponytail. My blue eyes appear baggy, so I try desperately to conceal them with concealer but I have no luck. I finish myself off with lip gloss and perfume, wanting to get outside before mom has a chance to embarrass me. My phone chirps when I'm already halfway down the stairs. I call out, "Bye mom!" and grab my things closing the door behind me.
He presses the button and his door locks click to open. I let myself
into his car and fasten my seat belt before I get a chance to admire him. He is wearing an expensive looking black leather jacket with lots of zippers on it and blue jeans. The smell of his cologne makes its way to my side of the car and I swoon. His shaggy dirty blond hair was recently taken down to near stubble in length with the exception of the top which is left dangling down into his face. His new look is edgy, but I think I preferred it before.
I shake my head a bit thinking Harper, Harper, what the hell am I doing with him? Why does he want to see me? Why did I make it so easy for him? "What's up?"
He ignores my question, "Tim Horton's, okay with you?"
"Sure," I answer. It doesn't matter to me where we go, I just like being with him in his cool car, alone.
He joins the drive thru line, "What would you like?" "Just a medium double double."
When it is our turn he orders, "Two medium double doubles." He parks the car and turns off the motor. "How was your appointment?"
"Not good," I say. I pull back a section of the lid to open my coffee and push it down on the knob. "You cut your hair off," I comment.
"Ya," he snickers. "Harper hates it like this. You're changing the subject," he redirects. "What happened at the appointment?"
"I tore my hamstring. The doctor isn't sure if this will be the end of my career. I have to go for physiotherapy and stay off it for two more weeks. Then my parents want me to try pair skating."
"I'm so sorry," he says sincerely. He turns the key onto accessories and music starts playing in the car. He tears back his lid before taking a drink of his coffee and laying it on the dash. I look into his eyes and ask, "Does Harper know you're with me right now?"
"Its none of her business," he says. Our faces are so close, I can feel his breath on me. "I broke up with her today," he informs me quietly.
"I'm sorry, are you okay?" I don't know whether I should be happy that he wants to see me the same day he breaks up with her or not.
"It was a long time coming, Carter's been bugging me to break up with her for weeks now." He takes another drink of his coffee and starts running his fingers through his hair.
"Do you always do what Carter says?"
"No, I don't." He removes the elastic from my hair and starts playing with my ends, sending cold shivers down my spine. He entwines his fingers so they're knotted up in my hair and then he pulls my face to his, "I want to kiss you so bad right now," he admits.
"Then do it," I goad, "but if my mother catches wind of this, she'll kill me and you!"
"I'm willing to take that chance," he breathes. His lips slowly, and considerately cover mine. My eyes flutter closed and every part of me feels his kiss. I'm floating. His mouth is warm and welcoming and I can taste the sweetness from his coffee.
I-le pulls away to look into my eyes, needing to see my reaction. That's when I pull him back into another kiss. His kisses are becoming demanding. He wants more from me, needs more. His lips pry mine apart and then his tongue caresses mine. I run my fingers through his short stubbly hair and the excitement I feel from him causes me to moan into his mouth as our kisses become more frenzied.
He frees his hands from the entwined hair grabs fistfuls of it now, pulling me closer to him. I can't breath but it doesn't matter. I don't want to give up this feeling, it's euphoric, like landing a triple axel for the first time. The adrenaline rush is invigorating. It feels like I waited sixteen years for this one moment with the right guy.
His phone chirps, he pulls away to look at the screen. I'm surprised he stops kissing me to do it, "Who is it?" I ask, unable to mask the irritation in my voice.
Adam rolls his eyes, "Harper." He looks around the parking lot, "She's watching us." He turns the key in the ignition and guns his car in reverse. He throws it in drive and flies out of the parking lot.
"How do you know?" I say bracing myself. He's driving crazy like when Tara had the aliens in her car. He hands me his iPhone and I read the text:
Harper: Didn't take you long! You're such an Ass!
"I think you should turn around and talk to her, or at least text her

TO BE CONTAINED.....CHAPTER 7