Don't Go Through Life Without Field Goals

Much Worse

I had, already, been in the hospital for three days and it was, finally, the day I got to leave. Yes!

The door opened and I expected it to be the nurse, coming to get me, but it was Austin. He walked in, his hair messy from running his hands through it and a sad expression plastered on his handsome face.

"Hey, Connie. How are you?" He whispered, sitting in a chair, beside my bed.

"I must admit, I've been better." I chuckled, but he just grinned, sadly. "What's wrong?"

"Connie, I'm really sorry about Matt." My heart dropped and my smile faded.

"What's wrong with Matt?" I demanded.

"Oh, he's just not doing so great. He's going to be in the hospital for a little while longer."

"How long is a little?"

"About a week, the doctor said."

"A week isn't a little, Austin." I said.

"I know." He siged. "Anyway, I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault. None of us knew that would happen. How did we crash, anyway?"

"Well, from what I saw, Matt looked over at Nicole and gave her a kiss on the cheek. When he pulled away, he was on the wrong side of the road and the truck hit us." He explained. I nodded.

"I didn't see any of it." I said.

"I know. You were to focased on me." He winked and I slapped him with my pillow.

"Was not!" I smiled.

"Was too! See, you're smilling!" He snatched the pillow out of my hand and started slapping me, playfully,

"Ah! Austin, stop! You retard!"

"Retard? Well, that just added some extra hits!" He started hitting me more.

"Austin! Quit!" I giggled and he stopped.

"Trues?" He held out his hand.

"Trues." I shook it and pulled him onto the bed. Laughter rang through the room we were in as he fell to the floor.

"Oh gosh. Austin, you okay?" I forced air into my lungs.

"I think so. I might have broken my toe." He stood.

"Oh my gosh, what's been going on with football?" I gasped.

"What about football?" He sat back down.

"I havn't been showing up. What's been going on?"

"Well, out of the three games we've played, we only won one of them."

"Aw." I pouted. "So, we're not undefeated?"

"No." He shook his head. He looked like he was going to say something else, but the nurse walked in.

"Connie? Your parents are here to take you home." She said.

"Alright. Austin, step out so I can change, please." Austin and the nurse left the room and I changed into the shorts and one of the shirts I baught at the mall with some fip flops. A flashback of the crash ran through my mind and I shivered. I would never be able to wear these clothes without remembering that day.

I stepped out of the room and saw Austin, waiting.

"Hey, your parents are in the lobby."

"Okay. Will you come with me to say goodbye to Nicole and Matt?" I asked. He nodded and took my hand in his.

We walked down the hall and into a small room, much like mine, with white walls and I saw Nicole laying in a hospital bed. She had a needle in her arm and her lip was busted. She had blood stains on her neck. Her eyes were close.

"Maybe we should let her sleep." Austin started pulling me to the door, but I planted my foot down and refused to go.

"Austin, I'm going to talk to her, even if I have to wait all day." I comanded. We held a long gaze, but mine was cold while his was pleading. I gave into his brown eyes and calmed down a little.

"Connie?" Nicole's voice sounded worse than mine did. I walked to the side of her bed and crouched beside her.

"Hey, Nicole. How are you feeling?" I whispered.

"Terrible. I'm sore all over." She said. "Where's Matt? Is he okay?"

"Well. . ." I looked to Austin for help, but all he did was nod. Like I was supost to know what that ment.

"Well, what?" Nicole started panicking.

"Well. . . We don't know. I havn't seen him, yet."

"Oh, Connie, it wasn't his fault! He was trying to protect me!" She shouted.

"What? What are you talking about?" I asked.

"In the car. When the truck came at us, he put out his arm and held me back so I wouldn't get hurt. Really."

"Okay, well, we're going home, now. I'll talk to Matt when I get the chance, okay? You're going to get better, Nicole."

She nodded and closed her eyes. Me and Austin went to the room beside hers and, when we were in the room, I gasped and covered my mouth as the tears started building up. We were in a room, just like mine and Nicole's, but the figure that layed in the hospital bed was worse than Nicole was. Much worse. The boy laying in the bed was bloody all over, had bruses everywhere, and looked half dead. I saw where the glass had cut the arm he protected Nicole with and It looked like he busted his head open. It took me forever to realize the boy laying there was Matt, my older brother.

Tears poored out of my eyes as I sobbed. Austin rapped his arms around me and I burried my face in his shirt. He ran his hand up and down my back in a soothing motion as I soaked his shirt.

After I was finished, I went to the side of Matt's bed and held his hand.

"Hey, Matt. . . I guess you're not feeling so great, huh? Nicole is worried about you. She said you protected her durring the crash. That was very brave." I sniffed. He didn't move. I kept going. "Well, uh, I'm leaving. Don't worry, you'll get better. I promise. Okay? Matt, you're the best older brother ever. I love you." I kissed his hand and layed it beside him. Then, Austin held my hand as we walked out into the lobby. When we showed up, my dad saw us and his eyes widened. I let go of Austin's hand.

"What's wrong, dad?" I asked. He pushed me behind him, glarring at Austin.

"What did you do to my daughter?" He demanded.

"Daddy, he didn't do anything." I told him.

"Obviously he did, you're crying, right?" He snapped.

"Not because of him! Daddy, listen to me!" I shouted.

"Don't ever come near my daughter." He pointed at Ausitn, who stood there, in shock.

"Daddy, it wasn't his fault!" I yelled.

"Get in the car, Connie." He ordered.

"But-"

"Now!" He yelled at me and I looked at Austin one more time, mouthed the word sorry, and ran out to the car.