Love Outside the Box

EPISODE 12

Aaron

I was pacing the hall as I waited for Coach Shelby to come back out and tell me Austen was going to be okay. When I got here, they didn't know if she was having surgery or just getting a cast. 

When the door opened, I stopped pacing and looked at her.

"Does she have to have surgery?"

She shook her head. "No, just an ugly boot. The break is more toward her ankle than above the knee. She'll need to be off her leg for a while and do some rehab to help heal faster."

"Good." I let out a relieved sigh. "When does she get to go home? Does someone need to take care of her?"

She smiled a little. "In the next hour she does. And I'm sure help would be appreciated. And I don't mind looking after her," she said quietly so the rest of the squad didn't hear. "I know things will be weird."

I ran a shaky hand through my hair. "No. I'll watch out for her. It's okay."

What. The. Hell. Why was I doing this to myself? 

She motioned for me to follow her. "She wants to see you."

We walked down the hall and Coach looked like she wanted to say something but wasn't.  I put my hands in my pockets.   

"Coach?"

She smiled. "Yeah?"

"I still love her." My voice was barely above a whisper.

She reached up and touched my shoulder. "Then you both will find a way to make it work." She looked at the door when we stopped at it. "Now, go in, but be warned, my husband made her extra loopy." She chuckled and walked off.

"Are you okay?" I asked not being able to stop the words or the worry behind them from coming out as I walked further into the room.

"I will be." She smiled sleepily. "Sorry. I didn't have a chance to tell you I wasn't gonna make it to your house tonight." She yawned. "Did Jacob tell you?"

I walked closer to her. "Yes, he told me." I looked at her and couldn't help my surprise when I saw her wearing the necklace I gave her. It made the knot in my stomach lessen but just a little.

"I was worried about you so I came."

"Tell him not to come." She looked past me and squinted her eyes.

"Why?" I asked confused. "He's your brother, and he's worried."

Her eyes semi-focused on me again, but something behind me had her attention. "Because it's just a broken leg. I'm not dying. And then my parents will ask questions, and I don't want them to know about... ya know... not yet." Her eyes focused on whatever was behind me again, and she squinted.

I turned my head to look behind me before looking back at her. "What are you squinting at?"

She pointed. "That picture on the wall. Who put a picture up of us?"

There wasn't a picture of us.

I walked closer to the bed. "Umm...Austen there isn't a picture of us up there."

She closed her eyes and smiled. "I like it. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy."

I shook my head. "I think that's the medicine making you feel all warm and fuzzy."

She opened her eyes and looked at me. She held her hand out to me. "Nope. It's you. You always make me feel happy."

I hesitated before taking her small hand in mine. I ran my thumb gently over her knuckles.