CHOICES (Completed)

SEASON SPECIAL

“Someone get him some water. Scott, how are we doing?”

I dart my eyes up to find an unconscious Hardin lying on the ground and the boys surrounding him.

Fudge. I dash over to him with a quick run as a gripping worry encloses me. What the hell happened?

“Move!” I shuffle past the players and get a look at him. I kneel down to get a better look and his face is excessively sweaty and his hands are shaky as he holds on to his forehead.

At least he’s conscious, then.

“Hardin, can you see clearly?” He just grunts in response and I immediately realise the trouble. He has been skipping meals again.

I fish into my pocket with a desperate shred of hope, and fortunately find a chocolate bar.

I move closer to him and I sense Trevor’s eyes on me as he sat on his other side rubbing his hands.

“Hardin, eat this. Just don’t do this right now, okay!” He shoves away my hand as I reach out the bar to him after shouting.

“Tessa, are you sure you know what you’re doing?”

“Yes, Trevor. He does this all the time. His sugar level has gone down, and he needs to take this now!”

Trevor immediately helps Hardin up to sitting position and his head falls on to my shoulder reflexively. He breathes heavily into my neck as I unwrap the chocolate quickly.

Be okay, Hardin. Please be okay.

I give him a bite and this time he takes it. His eyes are closed and I gently remove the hair off his face that has stuck due to too much sweat.

Hardin’s hand falls tiredly onto my knee and I continue to pat his hair gently.

“It’s all good. It’s fine. Just calm down.” I whisper lightly to him as he continues to eat with deep breaths. Josh brings over a bottle of water and Trevor forwards it to Hardin. Whose eyes are closed.

“Open it, Trevor.” He complies immediately and I pause my caressing to move my hand forward, cupping it, where Trevor pours some of the water.

My palm shakes a bit, and I internally scold myself for panicking.

I splash it on to Hardin’s face and rub it gently. Trevor pours some more and this time I rub his head and his neck.

He visibly relaxes as he finishes the chocolate. I rub him arms once again before finally speaking up.

“Okay? You okay?” Hardin nods lightly, his head still buried in the crook of my neck and eyes closed.

“Get him to the infirmary, boys. Come on.” Coach Priestley speaks up and they help him up. Trevor props up his weight onto himself as I remove his head from myself.

Josh accompanies him and all three make over to the infirmary.

“Thank you Tessa, that was helpful.”

“Not at all, Sir. Excuse me.” I pick up my papers hurriedly and follow them to the infirmary.

I just want to check if Hardin’s okay. And then I’m gonna give him a good lashing for skipping meals again.

My neck has become all wet, partly due to the water and partly due to Hardin’s sweat.