Brake My Bones ✓

03 | Sixth Sense

"Lie or not," He turned his head to speak to the entire team, stretched out on the field in their positions. "Get your asses in line! We got some drills to run."

Hours of running and being out of breath passed, and the sweat that collected on my long-sleeve shirt clung to me more and more. But I enjoyed having my mind focused on something else. I liked my heart racing and my muscles aching after practising for something I loved. The good sort of pain after that followed, and it always felt like a reward.

"Nice job," River walked up to me when I was hunched over, trying to catch my breath. "Like always."

"Thank you," I reached out to the water bottle he handed to me and gulped down more than half of it.

"Aren't you feeling too hot?" He drew his eyebrows together and I watched his dark brown eyes lower to my shirt.

"I'm alright," I stood straighter and felt the cool water that slipped from my bottle trickle down my face, cooling it.

"Sure?" He reached a tan hand out to touch my shirt, but I narrowly dodged it, feeling more on edge at his action. "Woah, sorry."

Exhaling heavily, I glanced away from him and up at the darkening sky. I didn't want him to see how hurt I was. The fear of him touching me where she did would tell him everything I didn't want him to know. No one knew, and it was better that way.

"It's not your fault," I murmured. "Bad week, that's all."

Bad few weeks. Something was clawing at my chest all the time, and I didn't want to acknowledge it. I knew I was making it worse, but how else was I supposed to make it stop? I couldn't speak to anyone about it. They had their own burdens. How was anyone going to understand me when I say that I feel something bad is about to happen any second?

"It'll get better." Although River didn't physically touch me, I felt the emotion in his words. "Bad weeks or months don't last."

I nodded because if I disagreed, he'd want me to open up.

"Come on," He walked ahead of me and grabbed my gym bag, throwing it to me. "Zion's on curfew. Don't wanna make his ankle monitor go off."

That made me cackle. It faded when I thought more about Zion. He always knew how to talk to people. Before being charged with breaking and entering and attempted robbery, he was easy to talk to, and everyone felt his charming energy wherever we went. Now he only lets his best friends talk to him with ease, and I'm grateful he didn't cut us off completely after his stupid stunt.

I wanted to tell him. The thought was a little shocking. It was abrupt and a quick decision I couldn't back away from because, by the time Zion dropped River off at home, it was just us in the car. In silence.

"You're never this quiet," Zion murmured, turning down the music playing from the radio.

"I think I need to tell you something," I let the words slip out so easily, there was no time to take them back.

He was quiet for a second. I thought he must've guessed what I had to say.

"Okay," He said carefully.

"It might be difficult for you to hear," I kept my voice quiet as my heart almost went up to my throat. My eyes never strayed from the windshield. "Or you might not believe me-"

"Shut up," Zion cut me off harshly. "You know I believe everything you have to say."

I exhaled sharply, fisting my hands to stop them from shaking.

"I always feel like she's watching me."

The music had stopped, and all I could hear was the humming of Zion's car. Even his breaths were still and quiet.