Page 86 of Fever Dream
“Hi,” I reply. “Did … everything go okay getting Harrison out?”
“Yeah, man. Nobody followed us or anything. I just brought him straight here to the club.”
“Good,” I sigh, quietly relieved. “Did he say anything to you? Harrison?”
“Nah, he was pretty quiet the whole trip. Looked a bit shaken.”
“Dammit,” I sigh heavily, leaning back against my car. Sonny is watching me and I feel like I owe him answers even though he’s not demanding them from me. I glance across at him, seeing the concern in his eyes. “It’s true, you know. All that stuff about me and Harrison. We are together.”
Sonny chuffs out a soft laugh. “No shit, Sherlock,” he says with an eyeroll.
“You knew?”
“Of course I bloody knew,” he says, lending me another of those shoulder pats, this one slightly more condescending.
“Do you think everyone knows?”
“I doubt it,” he shrugs. “I mean, I figured after our conversation from the Goldie trip that you took my advice. And seeing as you so clearly didnotleave Harrison alone, I assumed you took my other suggestion to heart.”
It’s my turn to chuff out a laugh. “Yeah, I took that suggestion to heart, alright. Many times over.”
“That a boy,” he replies, nudging me with his elbow.
“You think everyone else is going to be okay with this? Me being with Harrison?” I drop.
“I don’t know, man. I know how I feel about it though and that is fully supportive of you. Both of you. I’ve seen you two together and, I don’t know, it just seemed right to me even before you realised it yourself.”
“You do have a bit of a knack for that kind of thing,” I admit.
“You ready to face the music?” Sonny asks.
“Is that why you’re here? So I don’t have to walk in alone?” I ask, feeling warmth spread in my gut. “What’s the mood like in there? Is everyone talking about it?”
“Look, I don’t want to lie to you, man. Yeah, everyone’s talking about it, but we’ll be fine, okay?”
His confidence gives me the little nudge I need, and I nod as I reach for my sports bag and follow my friend into the club.
Sonny is right. There is definitely a mood in the club this morning. Silence descends when I walk into the cardio room but it’s like everyone is actively trying to pretend they’renottalking about me. Eyes ping my way and I feel another wave of worry hit before Sonny nudges me towards the treadmill.
We’re on recovery mode this morning so we set the pace to slightly above leisurely, Sonny a comforting presence at my side. James Langton looks up from where he’s working out on the elliptical bikes and our eyes catch before I look away. But then our illustrious captain carefully alights, wanders over our way like he has no concerns in the world and takes up the vacant treadmill beside me.
I feel his message of support and it clogs up my throat and pricks at the back of my eyes.
“Alright, Callie?” he asks conversationally.
“Alright,” I reply around the shards in my throat.
Just when I start to calm and my breathing returns to normal, Harrison enters the room, Ben at his side. If I thought the Fever guys were good at acting when I entered the room, it’s nothing on the way twenty sets of eyes suddenly ping between the two ofus like we’re the most interesting thing that’s ever happened at the club.
I choke up again when my eyes cross paths with Harrison. He looks tired, almost diminished and worried as he focuses back on the clipboard in his hands, clinging to Ben at his side. Coach enters a moment later and it’s like his energy alone brings the tension down, like our dear leader can save us all from this situation.
Coach’s eyes find mine and he nods at me, just a singular yet overwhelmingly reassuring move as he barks out orders to the team who are all too eager to comply. Soon we’re all pushed out of the cardio room to various activities, and I find myself in the hydro pool, James and Sonny with me keeping me from spiralling.
This is usually the part where Harrison finds me and takes me for treatment, but I have a growing suspicion that won’t be happening today. Sure enough, Coach enters the pool area with Ben and calls me over.
I towel myself down as I walk towards them, dread sinking in my stomach.
“You okay, kid?” he asks in a way that makes me certain he’s read today’s news. I just nod, aware of the way everyone’s eyes follow me. “Listen, I’ve asked McLean to take over your treatment this morning. Head to the showers and then make your way to the treatment room.”
