Healing Gabriel (BoyxBoy)

✠ Chapter Eighteen ✠

Healing Gabriel: Chapter Eighteen

                                                                        〒|〒Evan's POV〒|〒

      When we arrived at Clydesdale Hills, the others were already there. Alana was digging through the trunk of Axel's car, pulling out different types of sleds.

      "Ugh, this is so stupid," Slater groaned from next to me as I took my place next to him. We were a couple yards away from everyone else. Gabriel was helping Alana, seeming much better than before from our talk.

      "I told you we shouldn't have stopped by the vending machine before our escape," I told him, shaking my head and chuckling.

      "Dude, I was fricken' starving. What was I supposed to do? I'm a growing quarterback who needs his Takis in order to fulfill the hunger."

      "Well, you better lay off those extra calories. Football practice is gonna be cancelled for a while with all this snow."

      Slater sighed, his breath making a cloud in the air. "Clydesdale usually has the best weather. It hadn't snowed in years. That's why the school decided on year-round sports."

      "I couldn't care less about football. I'm glad for a break."

      He scoffed, lightly shoving against me with his shoulder. "You had your break already. You skipped almost a month's worth of practice. I seriously thought Coach was gonna kick you off the team. He probably would have, but you're the best wide receiver we have . . . But, anyways, what's up, bro? Why the no show?"

      I sighed. "Well, in all honesty, I just haven't been feeling 100% lately. My throat and chest have been killing me."

      Slater arched a dark brow. "Really? That's not good. How long have they been acting up?"

      "Since the middle of January, I think. Give or take a few days. I thought it was just a sore throat or strep at first, but then my chest would feel really tight every now and then, especially if I was lying down."

      "Does it hurt to breathe?" Slater sounded kind of worried.

      I hesitated, then shrugged. I didn't want to worry him. I didn't want to worry anyone, that was why I didn't bother to tell my parents or Gabe. "Sometimes, mostly after strenuous physical activity. That's why I've been avoiding practice. I'm fine, though."

      "Don't lie to me, Evan. You sound like shit. Did you try Vix?"

      "Yeah, it didn't do much. But I'm fine, really. It'll go away soon."

      Slater gave me a disbelieving look. "Sounds serious, bro. You should tell the 'rents."

      I shook my head. "I don't want to worry anyone, it's just a bad case of, I don't know, asthma or something. Keep it on the down low, okay? You're the only one to really know."

      "Evan, Slater, come on!" Jurnee called over to us. She waved her puffy pink arms in the air. Huh. She really did look like a typical rich girl with that jacket and matching headband.

      "I don't know . . . "

      "Please, dude." I started to regret telling him. Dammit, I should've kept my mouth shut. He sighed, putting his hands in his jean pockets and started to walk off. "Aye! Give me an answer," I said, doing a light jog to catch up with him.

      "Alright, alright, I won't tell anyone," he said, shrugging me off him.

      "Are you mad at me?"