You Have My Heart

Fourteen

That afternoon during last hour we had a pep assembly. The Homecoming court was going to be announced and the cheer team was doing a routine to kick it off. We were getting ready to line up in the gym as the rest of the student body was finding their seats.

"Dani! Wait!" I called, running to catch up with her. She didn't even look at me as I stopped beside her.

"Look, I know you pretty much hate me right now. I don't know what else to say besides I'm sorry. You're my best friend and I can't lose you." I told Dani. I had been trying all week to get her to talk to me, to at least look at me. I couldn't stand her silence anymore.

"Maybe you should've thought about that before you started screwing my brother." Dani glared at me, anger crossing her face. I took a step back, like I'd been slapped in the face.

"You think Zach and I had sex?" I asked, clearly offended.

"Knowing my brother, yeah. And it's not like you're so innocent yourself." Dani told me. I couldn't believe this. Dani of all people should know that I'd never had sex before.

"What are you talking about?" I demanded, now I was angry too. I could feel the eyes of our teammates glued on us, but I didn't care.

"We both know you've been pining over him for years. At sleepovers you'd ask a million questions about him and you were always staring. We both know you were only using me, just like everyone else." Dani said the words as harshly as she could. I stood there, speechless. I didn't even know what to say.

I didn't get a chance to say anything though because right then the music cued and the team was walking out in front of the crowd. I took my place at the end, feeling numb.

During the routine, I knew my heart wasn't into it. I was distracted and I knew that was a dangerous thing but I couldn't bring myself to snap out of it. My best friend in the world thought that I was using her to bang her brother.

When the girls threw me into the air, I wasn't expecting it. I had been going through the motions, not really paying attention. So when I was tossed into the air I knew it was too late. I came down way too early, landing hard on the hardwood floor. The last thing I remembered was the music stopping, the crowd going silent. The only sound in the entire gym was the sound of my pained cries. Then I must've blacked out.

When I came to the first thing I noticed was the light. It was blinding when I opened my eyes and I had to blink a few times before I could make anything out. Then there was the smell. It was of chemicals and cleanliness. Just like a hospital. When my eyes finally focused I saw my brothers and my aunt at the foot of my bed, listening to a man in a white coat talking. He had a clipboard in his hand and looked important.

"Her ankle is severely sprained and she'll be on crutches for a little while. We're going to give her some strong pain medications but there's no way she'll be able to finish out the season." The doctor was saying. Paige and I brothers nodded and I felt my heart sink. I tried to say something but my throat was too dry and I ended up in a coughing fit instead.

"Don't try to talk. Just drink this slowly," the doctor handed me a glass of water from my bedside table and when I stopped choking long enough I took it and poured some of the liquid down my parched throat. It tasted so good that I ended up chugging the rest down and choking again. The doctor gave me a disapproving look and took the glass from me.

"Ms. Parker, how are you feeling?" The doctor, Jared according to his nametag, asked me. He was a middle aged man with a receding hair line and a tanned face.

"Like crap," I told him, being completely honest. My leg was being propped up and I saw that it was completely bruised.

"Well, that's to be expected. But as long as you listen to us your ankle is going to make a full recovery." Doctor Jared told me as if that would make me feel better.

"Except that it won't happen before cheer season is over." I said, disappointed. How could I have been so stupid to go in front of the entire school, distracted, and try to perform a routine?

"That's true. We're going to prescribe you with some pain meds but you'll be on crutches for a while." He told me, pointing to the other side of my bed. There was a pair of crutches leaning against the wall and I groaned and leaned back against my pillows.

"When can I be released?" I asked him. He smiled slightly.

"Now that you're awake we can get you casted and send you home. I suggest you take it easy, don't strain yourself too soon." Doctor Jared told me. He started toward the door, gave us one last smile, and disappeared.

A few hours later and Paige pulled into the driveway. Gavyn opened my door and he and Grant helped me out. Grant handed me my crutches and I took them, leaning against them. I started slowly toward the house, hating the crutches with every step.

"For the time being you won't be able to use your bedroom so we set up the guest room," Paige told me once I was inside. I knew she was right, the stairs would be too much for right now.

I crutched down the hall and opened the door to the guest room. The bed was neatly made and some of my clothes had been brought down from my room. My laptop was sitting on the bedside table and my bookbag was at the foot of the bed.

"The doctor said to keep your ankle propped up as much as possible," Paige said once I'd set down. She piled some pillows and placed my foot gingerly upon them and I grimaced slightly.

"He didn't say anything about bed rest," I told her as she pulled a blanket over me.

"He said rest is important. If you feel good enough today then you can go to school tomorrow," she told me and I groaned. I was secretly hoping I wouldn't have to go back. I'd already embarrassed myself enough for one year.