Page 72 of Chasing The Goal
I was about to grab my gear and head out when I caught sight of her.
Mallory.
She was walking down the back hallway, headed toward the lot by the surface entrance. Her hoodie was too big, sleeves pulled over her hands. She moved like she was made of glass—each step careful, cautious.
Something was wrong.
I stepped into the hallway just as she stumbled.
She caught herself on the wall with one hand, but the other went to her belly, and her knees buckled. She sank halfway to the floor, a breathy sound escaping her lips that didn’t sound anything like okay.
“Mallory!”
I was at her side in seconds, dropping my bag and catching her under the arms just as she slumped.
"I'm fine, I'm fine," she mumbled trying to slide back up the wall. "Just a little light headed,"
Logan came flying around the corner, Connor right behind him.
“Shit,” Logan breathed. “What happened?”
“She’s dizzy,” I said, heart racing. “She nearly went down.”
Mallory’s eyes fluttered. “I’m seriously fine.”
“No,” I said sharply. “You’re not.”
Connor was already on his phone, calling Eliza. Logan crouched beside me, pressing the back of his hand to her forehead.
“You’re burning up.” Her skin was clammy, her breathing shallow. She tried to sit up straighter, but I tightened my hold.
“Stop. You’re scaring the shit out of me,” I said, barely keeping my voice level.
“I just got lightheaded—” she started.
“Seriously, Mallory?" I moved my hand over her belly, "This isn’t a shrug-it-off situation.”
She looked like she wanted to argue, but her face crumpled instead. “I didn’t want to make it a thing.”
“It already is a thing,” I said. “And you’re not walking anywhere.”
Connor nodded at Logan. “Get the car. I told Eliza we’re going to the hospital.”
“No ambulance?” Logan asked.
“She’s seems stable, we can take her, but I want her seen now.”
Mallory buried her face in my shoulder, humiliated. I could feel the tremble in her limbs.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
“Don’t you dare apologize,” I murmured back. “Youre scaring the hell out of me. That’s all.”
Jaymie
Getting her to thehospital was a blur.
One second Mallory was slumped against me, pale and clammy and scaring the hell out of me—and the next we were crammed into the backseat of Darren’s ancient Honda Civic, barreling down Michigan Avenue like we were being chased.
