"Stop! You're going too fast," Everly complained as I kicked the soccer ball away from her the next day in the school field. In protest, she stopped running and put her hands on her muddy knees.
"You wanted to practice. This is going to get you prepared for the spring tryouts," I chuckled as I scooped up the ball in my hands.
I was in a surprisingly great mood even though it was freezing cold, gray, and otherwise icky day. When Everly texted me earlier today saying she wanted to practice after school, this was the only thing I could think of. I was grateful for this instead of stressing about Miles.
"But I need a break," she breathed.
When I met her on the field, she looked cute, with her hair in a loose bun and short shorts and an off the shoulder t-shirt. She looked like she was going to the mall, not to the field, but now her hair was a mess and mud was up to her thighs from falling on the soft ground.
Sweat had barely formed on my forehead as I ran circles around her. We had only been out here for 15 minutes, so no break was needed.
"And they call cheer a sport."
She pouted. "You did not just go there." She stomped her now muddied white sneakers.
"Hey Everly, Isla," Isaac's voice rang out.
My blood ran cold as I heard his voice. If school wasn't enough, he had to find me here. Could he just leave me alone for one moment? I thought about how he tripped me in the hall today, causing me to spill all the books in my hands. The entire hall laughed while I was struggling to get all my things together.
I watched as his friends followed him to the field. A smirk apparent as he looked at me. He wanted to make a scene. Disappointment flooded over me. He wouldn't leave me alone, not at school or elsewhere. He was making a point, and I was the example. No one stood up to Isaac and got away with it.
Isaac strutted closer as if he owned the place. "Isla, why don't you step off the field and we'll show you how it's done?"
I shook my head. Enough pretending like he didn't exist. I needed to stand up to him. If I wouldn't, who would? Isaac wasn't untouchable, he wasn't king. "No. You can be a wonderful group of boys and wait until we're done." I shooed him away with my hands.
Some of his friends chuckled at my response, but none said a word.
Isaac glared at me, warning me.
"How about, if you can steal the ball from me, you get the field? You have three tries," I smirked. "Unless you are too scared to do that."
He looked at his friends to make sure they heard that. They nodded, wanting to see a show. Isaac frowned at me. He couldn't back down now. "You're on," he said, although there was uncertainty in his eyes since we both knew who played soccer better.
Excitement buzzed through me like a bee in a flower field. This would be the first time I made him look like a fool. It was about time. I kicked the ball around as Isaac tried to get it. He lunged as I pushed the ball out of reach, causing him to fall to the ground, making his friends laugh.
"Come on, you got this." I smiled. "Show off. You're king after all."
He got up from the ground and tried to take the ball again with no luck.
"Three strikes and you're out, my friend," I said as I saw the crowd we drew. With eyes on me, my footwork became fancier as I moved the ball down the field.
He lunged again and fell into a pile of mud as he missed the ball, soiling his white sweatshirt. With fury, he scowled at me. He hated me, but maybe I hated him more.
I shrugged casually, even though I was jumping for joy inside. My heart raced as I stopped kicking the ball around. I won and all these people saw. "Better luck next time." I took the ball from the ground and with that, went over to Everly.
"Wow! That was amazing!" Everly gushed.
I nodded as I looked back at Isaac, who glared at me. If looks could kill, I would be dead already. I just made him look like a joke in front of at least 25 people. Word would spread and soon everyone would know that Isaac was outshined by his ex, the one that can't do anything right.
As excited as I should have felt, a serious tone settled around me. I tried to swallow the golf ball in my throat as my stomach tied into knots. The gravity set in as I understood what I just did. I didn't dethrone him; I made the war between us worse. "Let's get out of here."
"But you just won the field. You have the right to stay."
She wasn't in high school, she didn't know what Isaac could do. I just wanted to leave.
My phone buzzed, making me jump. "Hello?" I answered.
"Hey, um, Isla," Miles said uncomfortably as he spoke into the phone.
"Hey Miles, what's up?" We had texted back and forth for a little today but hearing his voice made my heart flutter.
Right now, any excuse to pull me away from this hole I just dug myself into would be great.
"Can you pick me up from the hospital? They're releasing me."
I stopped in mid walk as a small smile appeared on my face. Right now, any excuse to pull me away from this hole I just dug myself into would be great. But more importantly, he reached out to me. Out of anyone he could have called, he trusted me. "Of course. I'll be there in 40 minutes."
"Thanks," he said and hung up the phone.
I turned to Everly as I put my phone back into my pocket. "I have to go."
"Where?" she pouted.
"I'm going to meet up with Miles." He didn't want anyone to know about his MS and I planned to keep that secret to the grave.
"Can I come?"
I shook my head. Hell no. "No can do this time around. Maybe next time?" I asked.
She frowned, not happy with my response. "Fine."
We got into the car and some folky song popped on.
"NO! ISLA! Turn it off. This is terrible."
I chuckled as I changed the song to whatever the top 40 was playing. "Miles didn't think so." If only she knew he was the one that recommended the song.
"Miles is tone deaf."
A laugh to bubble up within me.
"Are you dating Miles yet? You're spending a lot of time with him." She wiggled her dark eyebrows.
My cheeks got hot. I wished. But Miles hadn't brought up the kiss, and I wondered if he ever would. And as much as I wanted to bring it up, I was too scared to find out the actual answer. Did that kiss mean anything? "No, I'm not."
"Ok. I like Miles. And I'm not just saying that because his music is the bomb. He's good, Isla. If you want him, let him know. Sometimes guys can be clueless," she said as I drove into our neighborhood.
If only it was that easy, but I wasn't sure if I had the guts to tell him about my feelings. I was afraid of putting myself out there. I was afraid of losing him as a friend. "Yeah, maybe. Look, I'll see you later." I pulled up into the driveway.
"Thanks for hanging out," she said and with that, left the car without another word.
Minutes later, I was walking back into the hospital, willingly. This time, I didn't linger on all the negative memories I had here. Instead, there was a spring to my step and a smile on my face as I thought how I was the person he reached out to.
I walked into his room and saw his empty bed. It made me wonder if I took too long and he already left. All worry faded though when I heard the bathroom toilet flush in Miles' room.
"Miles, are you in there?" I asked as I tapped on the door.
"Yeah. Just give me a minute," he coughed out, then turned on the sink and coughed again.
I leaned against the wall casually. My eyes scanned the leftover hospital equipment and slowly, I felt my heart speed up. Without Miles here, memories of my father crept into my mind.
To distract my thoughts, I pulled my phone out just in time to hear Miles vomit over the sound of running water. That was why the water was on. He didn't want me to hear that. I wanted ask if he was alright, but I had a feeling he wanted to keep this to himself, so I stayed quiet
The toilet flushed again, then finally the sink turned off as Miles coughed, opening the door, forcing a smile at me, even though bags were under his eyes. He looked exhausted, as if he pulled an all-nighter a few times over.
"Thanks for picking me up," he said as he took slow steps towards the bed to pick up his bag that laid on the blankets.
Without making it a big deal, I took the bag from him and shrugged. "It's not like I had anything better to do," I smirked, trying to keep it light. Right now, he didn't need pity, he just needed to be treated like nothing changed.
He chuckled, although it seemed more like a cough. "I thought you were a busy girl."
"Lucky for you, not today," I said as we walked out of the hospital room.
Miles walked slower than normal. His steps were heavy and lagging as if he just ran a marathon. "How was school?" he asked as we got into the elevator.
I thought about Isaac on the field. Tomorrow I would have to face his fury, but for now, I didn't want to linger on it. My issues with Isaac were nothing I wanted Miles to worry about. Isaac was my demon to fight and there was nothing Miles could do about it. "Not exciting," I said as the elevator door opened.
"I don't believe that."
I sighed as we walked through the hospital to get to the car. There were no lies that went by him. "I'm getting bullied at school, it's taking a toll," I said before I knew what came out of my mouth.
"By who? I need to talk to them?"
I chuckled. This was why it wasn't worth sharing. "I'm working on it. This is my battle," I said as I unlocked the car and dumped Miles' bag in the back.
He got into the passenger side of the car and frowned.
"It's fine. Trust me." I turned the car on, already wanting to drop the topic.
The ride to Miles' apartment was quiet, probably because we were both either too tired or too busy thinking.
Before we knew it, we were in front of Miles' apartment door. He fumbled with his house keys, trying to open the door. As much as I wanted to help him, I knew he needed to do this on his own. He needed his own minor victory today. Finally, the door clicked opened and Miles stumbled in with me on his heels.
I put his bag of clothes by the entryway and watched as Miles crashed into his couch. He shivered, and he pulled a blanket off the back of the white couch, then placed it over him, snuggling into it.
I walked over to him with a frown. He looked even worse now than when we had left. I put my hand on his hot forehead. "You're burning up."
He nodded as if he already knew. "Happens. Don't worry."
This was a reaction to the treatment he got, and he was ok with it? This wasn't something to be ok with. He looked like hell. I did not like seeing him suffer like this.
"Can you please stay?" Miles begged as he held onto my hand.
I nodded as I looked at the night sky. My heart was leaping, he wanted me to stay. I thought about the homework to do still, but that didn't matter. "Of course I will." I moved his feet so I could sit on the edge of the couch. I put his feet on my lap. "This will pass."
"I know." He closed his eyes for a moment before opening them to look at me again. "You know, once I moved here, I thought I would get instantly better. I'm supposed to have sun, vitamin D, so what better place than Redding?" He felt broken, defeated, useless, it was written all over his face.
"Maybe you just need time. Or a new treatment." I rubbed his back to comfort him.
"But it's been a year, and nothing is getting better," he mumbled.
Minutes ticked by as I watched him sink into the couch, until finally, he fell asleep.