Page 125 of More To Us

Chapter Twenty-Three

Kira

I wake up when I hear Amber's door close. She must be going in there to rest. She wasn't feeling well when we were at the hospital and yet she stayed with me the whole time. I didn't tell her what happened. With everything else going on, I couldn't handle one of her lectures. But I know I'll get one later when I tell her I've been training with Austin. She's going to be furious at me for not telling her the truth, but she'll get over it.

But I'm afraid Austin won't. I wasn't honest with him, even after he repeatedly told me how important honesty is to him. I'm hoping he'll forgive me, but I don't know if he will. I still don't want to tell him about the accident, but I know if I don't, that Amber will, and I'd rather have him hear it from me.

I throw the covers back and look down at my leg. There's a big ugly boot wrapped around my calf. Two stress fractures caused by overuse. That's what the doctor said. I pushed myself too hard. My leg wasn't ready for all the force I put on it and now I can't work out again until it's healed.

My leg is throbbing. It's time to take another pain pill but my glass of water is empty. I'll have to go to the kitchen. I take my crutches from the side of the bed. I only have to use them for a week or two but I already hate them. They just remind me of all the months I spent hobbling around on the damn things as I waited for my leg to heal.

When I get to the kitchen I see Austin sitting on the couch. He has his back to me and he's leaning over, staring down at the floor.

What is he doing here? And why didn't Amber tell me she let him in? I don't want to talk to him right now. I'm not ready to. But he's right there and I can't avoid him.

"Austin?"

He stands up and turns around. "Kira. What are you doing? Shouldn't you be in bed?"

"The doctor said I need to get up and move around. It helps with the blood flow." I hold up my pain pills. "And I needed some water so I could take this."

He hurries over to the kitchen. "I'll get it." He grabs a glass from the cupboard.

"Thanks, but I can do it myself." I lift up one of the crutches. "I'm pretty good with these."

"Maybe I just wanted to help," He fills the glass with water and hands it to me.

I half-smile. "Thanks." I take my pill, then nod toward the couch. "Do you want to go sit down?"

He agrees to it, then watches as I make my way over there on the crutches. I'm feeling sick to my stomach because he's not acting like himself. He's quiet and distant and seems mad. I get why he's mad. I pushed him away. Made him leave the hospital. But I just couldn't have him there. I didn't want him seeing me like that. Weak and injured, and not the strong athlete he thinks I am. But I'm going to get that side of me back. I just need more time.

Once I'm seated on the couch, he sits down on the chair that's next to it. So he won't even sit next to me. That's not good.

"How are you feeling?" he asks with zero emotion in his voice. It's a tone I've never heard him use before.

"Better. It was just a stress fracture. Well, two. But at least it wasn't broken."

"How long before it heals?"

"A few weeks. I won't need the crutches the whole time, but I'll have to wear the boot for a while."

He's quiet again, staring at me. I don't know what to say to him.

After a few moments of awkward silence, he folds his arms over his chest and asks, "Were you ever going to tell me?"

"Tell you what?"

He huffs as his shoulders shrug. "I don't know where to begin. How about we start with Dylan? Anything you want to tell me?"

"About Dylan?" I'm surprised by his question. I thought he was going to ask about my leg. "Why would I have anything to tell you about Dylan? He's your friend, not mine."

"Oh. So because he's my friend and not yours, you thought it was okay to lie to him?"

I'm feeling nervous, anxious, my heart beating fast. What's going on here? Why is he asking about Dylan? Shit. I promised Amber I wouldn't say anything.

"I'm not lying to Dylan," I say. "I don't know what you mean."

He stares at me, his arms still crossed. "Amber. Your roommate, Amber."

---