English Is Flammable (Student/Teacher)

Chapter 38

(Shay’s Point of View)

“Alright, girls, let’s start from the top, yeah?”  I asked as we all stood outside on the field, having already warmed up and done a few things.  I had choreographed a new routine and we had been doing it in parts, working on learning it in segments so that we could just string it all together at the end.  We had gone over all the parts and were doing it to music for the first time.  

I knew that Will was still here, he always was on Mondays for some reason but I knew he wouldn’t come out and watch like he did at the beginning.  I think the whole thing really just makes him too nervous.  It’s cute that he worries about me so much, though.  

We all got organized in our positions, ready to start, I played the music and we all got to work, going over the steps and doing them all combined.  Everyone was in perfect time, every flip and jump was in sync and we were all clapping at the same time, which was something we hadn’t been able to do from the start.  

We made it about halfway through, getting ready to start the first big stunt, a big pyramid, something we’d done plenty of times before, the only difference being that a few of the girls were in different positions.  I was getting up on top to where I’m supposed to be, trying to brace my foot on someone’s hand, Kelly’s, when all of a sudden, it’s not there.  

I was falling through the air, a piercing scream escaping my lips, silenced when I hit the hard ground, my body twisting and flailing.  The spotters tried to grab me, but because I was falling at such an angle and such a speed, they just couldn’t.  

Everyone gathered around me as I lay there, a piercing pain in my abdomin.  Oh shit, this is bad.  

I whimpered, the pain starting to really hit me, making me really uncomfortable, squirming trying to escape the pain, only making it worse.  Dani pushed everyone back, making them move away, still in a little huddle.  

“Shay, look over here.”  She said, waving a hand in front of her face.  I did as she asked, looking into her concerned eyes.  “Good, that’s great, hon, now where do you hurt?”  She asked gently but urgently, trying to decide what she needed to do.  

“My ribs really hurt.”  I said, my voice barely above a whisper.  

“What do you want me to do?”  She asked, the same expression on her face.  I motioned for her to come closer with my eyes.

“I want you to go get Will and have him take me to the ER.”  I whispered once her ear was right next to my lips.

“Okay, that’s what we’ll do.  I’m going to go get him, Megan will stay here with you.  Okay?”  She asked.  

“Okay.”  I whimpered.  Dani called Megan over and told her to make me keep talking and to not let me move.  Megan leaned down towards me.

“What happened there?  You don’t really make mistakes this big, like, ever.”  She whispered.  

“Kelly didn’t put her hand up to support me.  I think she did it on purpose too.”  I whispered, the pain getting worse and worse as I lay there.  

“That girl has it out for you, I can’t think why, you’re nice to everyone so it’s not like other people are like this to you.”  She whispered back to me.

“Yeah well, Kelly’s not other people.”  I reasoned quietly.

(Will’s Point of View)

“Mr. Coleman!  Mr. C!”  I heard someone yelling as they ran through the back door of my classroom.  I turned in my chair and say Dani running towards me looking scared shitless.