A Sky Full of Blue

Chapter 6: Carolina is the Color of His Eyes

"Her salty eyes told me stories, that made my heart weep. I wanted to wrap her in a blanket and tell her she was safe forever- and so I did." -Atticus

Theo's POV

She cradled her head in her hands before she blacked out. All I could hear was the muttering of something about colors, about how they were important. Was it something to do with what she was screaming about earlier? She made heads turn.

I swear that I didn't mean for the ball to go that way. It curved funny when I kicked it, and it sailed away. Toby's eyes were wide even before the ball made contact with his sister's face. He knew that it was going to happen, as if Hazel was a magnet for bad things.

"Incoming!" My voice, ringing out on the field, did no good. It was as if she was in her own little world, in her own little bubble where she didn't know what was going on, as if she wanted to keep things that way.

I noticed right away that she never seems to look people in the eye. Even when we flashed the light directly into those baby blues she seemed to avoid the glare.

She's also afraid of her own blood, very afraid. One look at the red on her fingers and she starts to scream again. I run a hand through my curls, contemplating. It wasn't really my fault that the ball curved that way, was it? I mean, it's not like I did it on purpose.

I notice Toby's eyes, the way they look at Hazel's face. It's like he thinks that she needs to be monitored all the time, like she's breakable.

"I think she'll be fine, man. A minor concussion and some brusing to her nose, but that's all." I try to keep my voice low and calm. After all, this girl is small and looks so vulnerable right now, so out of it.

"You hurt my little sister." His gaze is accusatory, making me feel more guilty than I already am. I didn't mean to! It's not like I made it curve that way on purpose. I keep trying to tell myself that so I don't feel so guilty.

Coach Callahan signals Toby and I, and then points his gaze to Hazel's unconcious form. Toby's eyes are filled with unshed tears, which I don't understand. He's got to have seen his sister hurt before, right?

Coach puts his hands on his hips and tells Toby to carry his sister. When he moves away I think that it's my cue to leave as well, but Coach catches the back of my shirt and pulls me to him.

"I want you to say sorry to both of them." I open my mouth to argue, to tell him that I didn't mean to hurt either of them, directly or indirectly, but he cuts me off.

"Just give Toby the closure he needs to get past this misunderstanding. It seems like his sister is his highest priority." I just nod. My anger is simmering below the surface.

I walk away, but that doesn't stop me from glancing behind my shoulder at the girl with  her arms limply on either side of Toby. He holds her gently, moving a stray piece of hair out of her face. Any girl would love to have that type of attention.

Delilah, also known as the hot-head of the school, is standing by the bleachers, pale and quiet. I've never seen her look so shaken up. I place an arm on her shoudler and she jumps at my touch, as if the slightest thing could set off another bad reaction from Hazel, who is no longer here.

"I don't understand." She sits down and I sit with her, disregarding practice altogether. I tuck my hands in between my legs to keep them warm. It's also so that Delilah doesn't see the shaking.

"Don't understand what?"

"That little book that Hazel was holding. I picked it up, just to look at it, and she freaked. It's as if she lost the most important thing that she owns. It was just a little notebook." She stares blankly ahead.