the sidelines when the other team is set to receive the ball.
At this point, I’m standing at the edge of the field, slightly away from the cheerleaders to get a better view of the game. I don’t think I could sit even if I wanted to.
Maybe I actually like football. I know. The horror.
Uriel would piss himself laughing if he ever heard.
The running back from the Hawks begins to return the ball, running down the edge of the field near where I’m standing. The visitor’s side of the stadium cheers raucously, still hopeful that their team can win, even when they’re behind by five touchdowns. I can see our defensive players racing forward as well, hoping to tackle the dude before he can score. I’m bouncing on my toes, a wide grin on my face, when the Hawks’ player veers in my direction, hoping to get out of bounds before he can be tackled.
I squeal, attempting to run to the side, but I’m not quick enough.
The next thing I know, a two-hundred-pound man barrels into me, knocking the air from my lungs and forcing me to the ground. My head careens against the grass as stars dance in my vision, pain reverberating through my scalp from the impact. I’m dimly aware of the ref blowing his whistle and Mariabella’s startled scream. I can see Helen’s shoes in my peripheral vision as she jogs towards me, but I can barely breathe.
“Get the fuck off of her!” I hear Karsyn shout, and a moment later, the heavy body is all but ripped away from me. The ref once more begins blowing his whistle, but Karsyn ignores it as he kneels beside me, panic etched onto his handsome face. “Are you okay? Peony, are you okay?”
I try to manage a weak, feeble nod, but my body feels as if it’s been run over by a semi-truck. Or just a very big and muscular dude.
“I’m sorry,” the football player begins, but Karsyn throws him a look so frosty and full of loathing, that the guy immediately turns and jogs back towards his team.
The athletic trainer races forward and very gently begins prodding my body for injuries.
“I don’t think anything is broken,” she murmurs to my coach.
“Karsyn!” someone shouts, yanking at the quarterback’s shoulder. Karsyn quite literally growls at the man who I now recognize as the head football coach. “Get your ass away from them, and let them work.”
Face contorted in pain, as if leaving me is the last thing he wants to do, Karsyn allows his coach to steer him back towards his team, though his eyes refuse to leave mine.
“Can you sit up?” the athletic trainer asks, pulling my attention away from Karsyn. I nod once, feeling like a giant, nasty bruise, and both she and Helen help me into a sitting position. I twist my neck from side to side, attempting to alleviate some of the pain that radiates there, as tears prick my eyes. Fuck. I hate crying.
Helen slings one of my arms over her shoulder and helps me limp away from the field. As we turn, facing the bleachers, I see that almost everyone is now sitting, except for three people. It’s almost as if they jumped to their feet when I first got hit and haven’t been able to move a muscle since.
Lucas’s jaw clenches tight as he stares from me, to the Hawks’ football player who tackled me, and then back to me. Dozens of emotions dance across his face, like he can’t decide which one he wants to settle on. Cassian is standing as well, hands balled into fists and teeth clenched as he watches me like a hawk. Mrs. Town is staring at him with a tiny crease between her red brows, jealousy distorting her features. But he doesn’t pay any attention to her, focused on me.
And then there’s Elias. He’s still standing at the fence, still leaning lazily over the top of it, but his hands are extended as if he wishes to reach for me. His eyes are wide with fear, and I swear his chest doesn’t move, as if he’s not even breathing. When we make eye contact, he releases a noticeable exhale, muscles slumping with relief.
Why is he staring at me like that? Like I’m the only person he sees?
Confusion swirls in my gut, causing bile to rise up my throat, before I force myself to look away. Isn’t that my go-to answer? Look away.