Sticks and Stones

Twenty-Three: Fearless (Tatum's Version)

This chapter.

THIS CHAPTER!!!!!!

It's TIIIMEEEEEEE!!!!

ENJOY BFFS

(I did a double update so be sure not to miss chapter twenty-two as well!)

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All her life, Tatum didn't take the jump.

Her friends were the fearless ones.

They were the ones to take the leap from rocks into water. They were the ones to not think twice about the free fall— of everything that could go wrong. They thrived on the adrenaline while she felt crippled by it. Two of her friends even jumped from a plane once. The thought of it alone nearly made Tatum sick to her stomach.

She always stayed where her feet could touch.

So, no Mom, if all her friends were jumping off a bridge, she would not jump too.

"What the hell did you do?"

Brady's voice boomed through the hallway as Tatum made her way out of her biology classroom. She closed her eyes, dreading this conversation. She turned around reluctantly, watching with no surprise as Brady stormed up to her. Hoisting her backup up on her shoulder, she gave him a pointed look. Other students glanced at them in question as they continued on their way. Tatum tried to ignore their stares, focusing on the infuriated hockey player in front of her.

Her voice was tight as she greeted him with, "Nice to see you too, Parker."

"You pulled me from the game?" Brady questioned, his voice only increasing in volume. "That has to be some kind of joke."

She bit the inside of her lip. Tatum knew that he wouldn't exactly react well to what she did. But she didn't have a choice. If he wanted to play in the playoffs, he had to take at least a week off. His knee needed it desperately. She was worried that one more hit would make the damage irreversible. Players on the other teams didn't seem to have any reservations against going after his knee. She had to make sure that he didn't play at all so she could prevent that.

"Excuse me for trying to keep you from causing permanent damage to your knee," Tatum quipped, gesturing loosely to his leg.

"I told you I was fine," Brady gritted out. 

"And I don't believe you!" she shouted back. "Sitting out one game won't ruin the team."

He clenched his jaw harshly. "That wasn't your call."

She kissed her teeth, tilting her head. "Actually, it is my call to make. And I made it."

Brady shook his head furiously, taking a step forward. "Go to coach and tell him you changed your mind."

"No," Tatum denied simply, crossing her arms over her chest. "You know, he actually agreed with me. He thinks you need the week off."

"Oh, does he?" Brady questioned disbelievingly, a slight mocking sound in his voice. "Fine, I'll talk to him, then."

Brady stormed around her and Tatum turned, following him. "Go ahead. He'll tell you the same thing."

He paused in his step, facing her again. "God, you love this, don't you?"

Her eyes narrowed. "Love what?"

"Controlling everything," Brady spat at her. "I can't just miss a game, Hartley. Do you know how that effects my stats?"