Through the Dark

Chapter 34

I had figured out that it was a sprain as I saw the swelling in my right foot. I have had sprains before and it was not a new thing for me. However, it was the first time I was so angry and agitated about having one.

Jason came towards me and took my foot to examine it.
"Can you get up?" he asked instantly.
"Of course I can get up. It's a sprain not a spinal cord damage," I half yelled. I knew he was only trying to help but I was already furious.

I got up and stood by putting all my weight onto my other foot.
"See I can get up," I added not in a polite way.
"Okay, we need to put ice on it right now," Jason added ignoring my mean comment.

"And stating the obvious is helping in what way sir?" I asked. It was at that point when Jason looked at me directly in the eye.
"Vianna I'm just trying to help and it would be really helpful if you kept your mouth shut for once," he added with a straight face. I did not reply with anything. Well, I was just following his orders to keep my mouth shut!

"Now see if you can walk," he added while he wrapped his arms around my shoulder to support me. I tried to put on a little weight on my other leg. The pain that was still present was bearable but I had to walk a lot slower than I usually did. It was not walking actually; with my left foot I kept on skipping while I mostly dragged my sprained one.

"It will worsen if you keep on dawdling," Jason stated as I kept on moving with the slowest pace.
"For one I know and secondly, I'm not dilly-dallying on purpose," I stated firmly.

"You know what I'll just carry you," Jason stated as he picked me up with a swift movement. He placed one arm behind my back and the other was under my legs and began to carry me like a groom carrying his bride.

I must say that it was a way faster process of getting home. Even though the court was only a few yards away I would have taken a couple of minutes if I had walked.

Jason somehow opened the door while he still carried me. I did not know how but I did not question about it further. Laying me down on the couch inside the living room, he rushed towards the kitchen. Within a few seconds Jason arrived with a pack of ice and a soft cloth. He wrapped the cloth around the ice saying that it should not be placed directly onto the skin.

"Is it any better?" Jason asked as he placed the ice against the swelling in my foot.

"If it was any other day I would have said that it was but now I'm not so sure," I replied truthfully.

"I'm so sorry," he added after a long silence.
"What are you sorry about?" I asked not sure what I was expecting as the reply.

"I shouldn't have told you to play on the first place. I could see that you were not having the best day and you were getting distracted while we were playing. I should have told you to just lay if off and not play while you were distracted by whatever was in your mind. Now you have a sprained ankle just before the big game," he said and looked down with embarrassment.

"Hey! It was not your fault," I added immediately. Not even in a million thoughts I would have blamed Jason for the sprained ankle.

"I'll call Livia and ask her if you need to go see the doctor," Jason said while getting up.
"No it's fine. The swelling is not much and I could put some weight in my foot, which implies that it's not severe," I stated.
"I'll ask her anyway," he added as he left the living room.

I was seated on the couch and held the pack of ice against the part where it had swelled before. The ice had a dramatic effect in reducing the inflammation and relieving the pain.

In my lifetime, I had sprained my ankle quite a number of time and knew very well that it would heal by itself provided that it was not severe. The problem was that I was certain I would not be able to play for the Final game the coming day. I was saddened as I thought about it but I knew that there was nothing that could be done to alter the predicament I was in.

Jason came inside the living room with his phone in his hand. I assumed that he had called Livia by then.

"Mom said that she's on her way home and as you are able to bear the pain it's not worrisome," Jason stated.
"That's good to know," I heaved a sigh.

"You want to stay here or do you want to go to your room?" Jason asked gloomily.
"I was just about to go to my room," I said and got up carefully. Even before I said anything, Jason approached me.

"Don't put any pressure on that for sometime now. At least let mom come and examine it before you put any pressure on it or anything to make it worse," Jason added while he put his arm around my shoulder just like the previous time.
"Okay," I simply stated. Jason made sure that I had my right foot up the whole time. He even insisted on carrying me to my room but I denied as it was surely not necessary.

Once I was inside my room, I changed into more comfortable clothes. I even took a quick shower by avoiding the right leg from getting in contact with the lukewarm water.

I could hear Livia's voice right when I came out form taking my shower.
"Vianna?" she called from outside of my room.
"Yeah in here," I answered back.

Livia came inside and checked my foot. It was a perk to have a doctor inside the house. I did not need to go and visit one at the hospital because Livia, being the doctor, knew all about it.

"It's Grade I sprain. No reason to worry," she stated.
"Thanks," I said.

"However, you would not be able to put pressure on that foot for a week at least to let it heal properly and prevent further damage," she added the part what I dreaded.
"That means that you can't play tomorrow," she said while looking at me pitifully.

"It's fine," I stated.
"Vianna I'm a girl too. I know when the 'it's fine' is actually not," Livia said as she heard me use the common phrase. I let out a weak laugh but did not say anything else.

She left the room after kissing me on the forehead, a gesture which Reese used to do.
Reese!

Oh God! I just realized that I had completely forgotten about all of it for the past few hours. Honestly, it felt good when I did not have those thoughts burning me inside.
It was as if all of the agony came back all at once when I thought of Reese.

In the evening I called Thea to throw the bomb on her.
"Hey, what's up?" she asked as she picked up the call.
"You know I won't be playing tomorrow," I simply stated. Hearing that Thea laughed loudly because she thought that I was joking.

"Good joke," she said once she was sobered.
"Wait for real?" she asked with a form tone when she realised that I was not making fun out of it.

"Yeah!"
"Sprained my ankle," I added. For a whole minute the only thing I could hear was Thea's breathing. She was dead silent otherwise.

"You're not joking?" she asked again.
"Nope," I stated.

"Shit! Tomorrow is the Final Game Vee," she said with a dispirited tone.

"Have you told Mr. Cruz yet?" she asked.
"No. I was contemplating if I should tell him now and cause him to have a sleepless night tonight or just show up tomorrow and let him figure out that I won't be playing," I joked.
"Not funny," Thea added blandly.

"Okay seriously? Do I tell him now?" I questioned.
"Yeah I think it's better for him to know now than later cause he has to know at some point. At least he would be able to think off a better strategy without you as the forward," Thea stated which made sense to me.

"So I'm just going to call him and say that I've a sprained ankle?" I asked again.
"Yes Vianna. At least he would not get a heart attack when he sees you tomorrow," Thea said.
"Wait. You are still coming tomorrow right?" she asked.
"Yeah, I'll come in time," I replied.

I had informed Mr. Cruz immediately after talking with Thea. Initially, he was in a state of shock, but later managed to control himself. He told me to still be present there the coming day with a deep voice. At least  I would be able to watch the game if not play it!

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Things are already pretty messed up for Vianna. Stay tuned to know what happens next. Also, don't forget to vote and comment. Your support means more than I can explain ❤️