Page 123 of Finding Fate

When the cup was empty, she filled it again, more parched than she’d realized, and looked around the small waiting room, finding it deserted except for her friends and family.

Her mother’s head was resting against Jenna’s shoulder. The platinum blonde rested hers against the dark brunette’s. They held hands. On both their cheeks, there was evidence of dried tears.

To their right, she saw Tucker fidgeting between Jet and his father, his foot tapping impatiently against the off white linoleum, his hands constantly moving, grasping together, clutching the arms of the chair, then moving up to his face where he’d swipe at tears that would occasionally escape his red eyes.

He looked like he was going insane with worry. Annie’s heart went out to him. He truly loved her sister. She’d known that, had heard him say it before, but it wasn’t until tonight that she was able to fully grasp that his love for Izzy was just as deep as the love she held for Jet.

She noticed Jet watching her and tried to smile, but it turned out more like a grimace. Jet smiled back, understanding, and turned his head to whisper something to Tucker.

Annie looked over at Chuck then. The large, quiet man had a hand on his son’s shoulder in silent reassurance. She was a little surprised at the sudden ache the sight brought to her chest. By now, they were all past her father’s death, but she found herself wishing he could be here with them. She turned her eyes away, not wanting to think about it anymore. Her father was gone. There was no changing it.

On the other side of the mothers, she saw Hector sitting in the corner next to Emma. He was staring solemnly at the ground, his hand placed gingerly on Emma’s thigh as she leaned forward with her head buried in her hands. Her elbows rested on the baby blue tulle at her knees, the silver tiara on the chair next to her.

“Wow,”Annie thought to herself, “Did the Homecoming game really just end hours ago?” Emma didn’t need to be here. She should have been out celebrating this night. With Hector. “How did that even happen?” she wondered.

The night had been bizarre, the entire day, actually. A fantastic afternoon with Jet, her sister’s engagement to their best friend, two unlikely friends, possibly starting a relationship, the most exciting game of the season… She didn’t want to go any further down the list. She preferred the numb, unreal feeling she held about it now to actually thinking about it.

“How’s the water?” she heard a deep, unnaturally rough voice ask from behind her. She jumped as Tucker reached past her to grab one of the small paper cups, and shrugged in response.

“It’s water.”

He nodded and lifted the cup to his lips, but she was pretty certain he hadn’t really needed the drink. He was just looking for an excuse to get up and move.

“How’re you holding up?” she asked, though she already knew the answer. She just didn’t know what else to say.

His brow crumpled in pain. “Terrible. You?”

“Numb. I’m trying not to think about it too hard.”

“I wish I could feel nothing,” he whispered. He quickly downed his water, smashed the empty cup in his hands, and tossed it into the small trashcan on the floor.

Annie tossed her cup in after his and waited for him to look back at her, but when he didn’t, she said, “She’s going to be alright, Tucker.”

He closed his eyes, and a few tears trickled out the corners as he replied, his voice so weak she wouldn’t have recognized it as his if she hadn’t seen him speak. “She has to be.”

The meaning behind his words was strong in Annie’s ears. She took the small step over to her friend and put her arms around him, hugging him tightly. He hugged her back, but there was resistance behind it. She lowered her hands on his back as she pulled away and heard his loud wince from above her ear.

“Tucker, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” he replied a little too hastily, but she didn’t miss how he had to stop himself from reaching to his backside. Stepping behind him, Annie pulled up his T-shirt to reveal a long, horizontal, purple bruise right below the middle of his back.

“Oh, my God! Tucker!”

He yanked his shirt back down and prayed no one else had seen. “Fat chance,” he thought to himself. Annie had just revealed his sore, aching back to everyone in the waiting room. If the bruise he was certain had formed hadn’t caught their attention, Annie’s exclamation sure would have.

“What happened, sweetie?!” his mother gasped and rushed to his side.

Tucker groaned and shot his friend a dirty look. She ignored it, waiting for his answer.

“It’s just a bruise,” he explained, turning so his mother couldn’t lift his shirt, too.

“From what?” his overprotective mother demanded.

“I told you I fought with Wesley,” he said in frustration. Why were they worrying about this? His back was nothing compared to Izzy…and possibly Destiny. His stomach churned again with the revolving thought.

“Man, I know you screwed up his nose pretty bad, but your back looks horrible,” Hector said from the corner.

“Thanks,” he grumbled.

---