Page 64 of Faking the Play

“What the hell?!”

The other announcer’s curse shocked me, but not as much as what I saw when the camera angle changed, cutting to the sidelines just in time to catch number 44 slamming headfirst into Ryan’s back and the two of them falling to the ground.

Chapter thirty-five

Ryan

Trying to wake up felt like swimming in cement. Not that I’d ever swum in cement, but it sounded like it would be hard, and getting my eyes to open now that I knew they were closed wasn’t easy. Instead of forcing it, I took a minute to think, because that seemed to be hard at the moment too, which was different than when I normally woke up…because I hadn’t fallen asleep.

Everything came rushing back all at once.

Hearing that asshole player from the other team say that he was going to take Logan down a peg or two.

Seeing my friend in pain after that asshole sacked him.

Ethan running to Logan’s side.

Me going to tell the ref what we heard and the ref saying he’d talk to the coach.

Then the solid thump and pain as something hit me from behind.

Pain that exploded across my back and made my legs go numb.

That memory sent a bright jolt of panic through me, giving me what I needed to open my eyes.

I grimaced at the light, blinking rapidly as I became aware of a loud beeping noise.

“Dude, relax. You’re okay.”

The familiar voice had me turning my head to see Ethan sitting in the corner of a room. A hospital room, I realized. I was in the hospital. He pushed himself up and came over to me. As he stepped out of the shadows, I realized he looked exhausted.

“Areyouokay?” I asked, my voice rough.

Ethan nodded. “Here. Drink some water.”

“My mom?” I asked as he handed me a cup with a straw. I managed to flip him off before I took it, but he didn’t smile.

“She was in Florida visiting your grandparents,” Ethan reminded me. “They were watching the game.”

I winced. “Shit.”

“Yeah, well, I grabbed our phones before I came because I had a feeling I’d be keeping everyone updated. Good thing you never changed your password because she’d already texted three times about renting a car. I told her to stay put until we found out more because you wouldn’t want her trying to drive upset.”

“Thanks,” I said. “Once I talk to a doctor, I’ll call her.”

“I’ll go get someone.”

By the time I finished the whole cup of water, he came back with a skinny Asian guy in blue scrubs. When Ethan turned to go, I stopped him.

“Stick around. I might need help keeping shit straight.”

Ethan nodded, staying standing, but keeping out of the doctor’s way.

“I’m Dr. Chin,” the man introduced himself as he pulled a penlight from a pocket.

He quickly went through checking whatever he needed to check and asking me questions about how many fingers he washolding up and all that shit. I didn’t really care about any of it until he went to the end of the bed and asked me to wiggle my toes. Then I remembered how my legs had gone numb, and I zeroed in on my toes.

The relief that went through me when they moved had me sighing out loud. I did it again when the doctor started poking my feet and then up my legs and I felt every single thing.

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