Picasso's Promise

Episode 52| Being Yours

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PICASSO'S POV

Pain. Sharp pain coursed through my left leg.

Air hitched in my throat.

Muscles flexed.

Sweat dripped down the side of my body, running through me like a river. 

After it happened, I couldn't make sense of the movement around me. Voices, people, hands. They were all intermingled with one another.

Before it happened, I was looking at Sydney. She wasn't looking at me.

A glimpse of her frown, deep and sincere, burned in to the side of my brain like an unwanted memory. I tried to shake off the impulse of wanting to kiss at her pouted lip, draw out any sadness from her face with the look of a smile, quick and honest. I would peck her plump lower lip, trap it between my teeth, and force a moan out of her eventually. She deserved to be happy - so why didn't she look happy?

Because you haven't prioritized the plan, my thoughts ran out. But I couldn't sense that as the true reason she was annoyed with me.

In that split second, as that thought settled into my head, my body crashed on to the hardwood floor with such force, it rattled the ground and caused the audience to roar in shock.

Later on, I would be informed that my ACL was to blame - and that I'd be lucky if I got to play again like I used to.

****

Sydney came to visit me. Not on the first day after the injury, but on the second. I teased her about ignoring my texts, and she didn't find that funny. She kept saying that she was behind on school work - which I believed. She has a learning disability, making my reading not that enjoy about for her. I think it was dyslexia that she had. I wasn't entirely sure. She told me once, and it must've slipped my mind.

I smiled at her. My happiness could be accredited to seeing her, but also because of the pain medication they gave me. I felt more relaxed than usual.

"Sit with me," I suggested. "You're so far away from me."

Sydney was seated on the edge of the bed, looking at her phone.

"I have to leave. I've been here long enough."

"Damn, you just got here."

"I told you - I'm behind on some reading, and I need to get to that."

"Just stay for a few more minutes." I begged. "Just a little bit more time please."

"You aren't even talking to me."

"You've been on your phone for the last couple of minutes. I don't want to talk to the back of your head," I said, "Turn around and at least look at me."

What had I done wrong? She was acting like I deserved the cold-shoulder treatment. What was getting into her? She wasn't like this before. Had I done something to piss her off? Had she sensed something off in the relationship?

"Sydney, do you want to leave me?"

I wasn't sure if it was the drugs talking or the fact that she hadn't looked at me for the last few minutes, even when I asked her to turn around.