Page 105 of Home Field Advantage
“Sounds good to me.” She nods. “Is everyone ready to go outside?” she asks the class.
They all cheer and line up by the door, ready to go.
As soon as they’re out the door, I circle the room and begin cleaning up. I place all the colored pencils, crayons, and markers in their designated spot before piling the drawing paper all together and wiping down the table. I put all the books back in the mini bookshelf and the puzzles away on the shelf. By then, I make my way to my desk to sit down to finish organizing that.
The phone on my desk rings, and I pick it up quickly.
“Hello?”
“Poppy,” Rachel says, sounding frantic. My nervous system is on high alert as I stand from my chair. “Sage fell off the swing and hit her head.”
I hang up the phone and run to the playground. My hand grips my badge to prevent it from bouncing all over the place as I fly through the double doors leading to the playground.
“This is all my fault,” I mutter.
I never skip outdoor recess, and the one time I do, something happens.
The cold hair smacks me in the face, and the only sound I hear is screams and cries coming from Sage. Snapping my head in their direction, I run some more, my heart in my throat, unable to breathe.
No. No. No.
Sage sees me running to her, and I watch her break down even more. I sit next to her on the bench, completely out of breath as she wraps her arms around me and sobs.
“Shh. It’s okay. I’m here,” I say calmly, even though my insides are screaming in panic. I look down, brush her hair out of her face, and see the bump already forming on her forehead where she hit it. “You’re okay.”
“It hurts, Miss Barlow. Is my head bleeding?”
“No, no blood. But you already have a little bump forming. Let’s get you to the nurse to have you checked out.”
I look up at Rachel, and she nods. “I have the other kids. Go.”
Sage doesn’t let go of me when we walk to the nurse. I have my arm around her shoulder, and her arms are around my waist as we walk together. I’m terrified she’s going to pass out and fall to the ground at any given second.
This is all my fault.
I sit on the chair next to the desk in the nurse’s office while she looks over Sage. My leg bounces, and my hands feel clammy while I wait. I know she’s okay. She has to be okay. It’s just a bump.
“She’s going to be okay,” the nurse says. “She’s just got a little bump. No immediate signs of a concussion. I’m going to call her dad to come pick her up, though.”
“I’ll do it,” I say a little too quickly. “I mean, I can do that. I can call him.”
“Okay.” She shrugs. “I’m going to grab her an ice pack.”
Pulling my cell phone from my pocket, I find Dallas in my contacts and press connect with shaky hands.
“Hey, Poppy,” he says with a relaxed voice.
“Dallas,” I nearly sob when I say his name out loud, but Iclear my throat. “Sage had an accident on the playground and hit her head. I’m?—”
“I’m on my way,” he says quickly, cutting me off and hanging up the phone.
I close my eyes, letting my head fall back against the wall behind me.
I need to breathe.
But I can’t.
I have to get out of this room.
