Page 74 of I Hear You

“Hey, tonight is a quiet night. We’ve had some much more wild nights here,” Taylor fires back.

The group shares stories of some of their favorite memories in the barn. Sometimes I’m a little sad I didn’t get to meet all of them sooner. They’re more than friends to me now, even in such a short time. All of these people are like family to me, which I was in short supply of before moving to Easton. Even Bev, Joy and Chuck–who has officially warmed up to me–treat me like family. I’m really lucky to have found such a great support system and I wouldn’t have made it through the past few weeks without all of them.

Taylor has been my shoulder to cry on and my voice of reason. Jesse has made me laugh so hard when I was down for too long, I’ve nearly peed my pants more than once around him. I don’t think I could ever repay Emmett for letting us use the plane to go to California. He’s also never complained once when I ask him a million questions from the sidelines of practices. Then there’s Ender–Ender is everything.

He’s given me back my best friend, he’s given me back my greatest confidant, and he loves me through all of my emotions. He loves me fiercely and deeply, without judgment or criticism, even when I allow my anger at my mother to cloud my judgment. He’s my biggest supporter, but he also pushes me to do things that terrify me. Like his encouragement for me to go to therapy even though I’m more than hesitant. I never doubted Ender’s care for me in all the years we were just friends online but now, being able to feel and hear his love for me daily. My world has changed.

“You know, your boy Enderrrr, had many of his own nights making a fool of himself here,” Jesse says, dragging out therin his name.

When we told them all our story, everyone instantly started calling him Ender. First as a joke, poking fun that Ender was his sexier, brooding, alter ego. Eventually, the name I love him as most, stuck with everyone. Jesse still likes to tease him about it.

Chapter thirty-six

Henderson

“Youknowguys,we’regoing to make so many wild memories in Mexico next month,” Emmett says.

The trip Emmett told me he wanted to take is actually happening. We all have a week off classes for some professor training week, so we’re taking advantage of it.

“I can not wait!” Taylor squeals, raising her red cup in the air. “I’m the last one to get to ride in the family jet!”

“You’re not missing much,” Madison groans, “The things a death trap.”

“Oh, I don’t know–I thought it had some pretty awesome perks,” I say, winking at Mads, not so subtly.

“Y’all did NOT get it on in my plane,” Emmett scoffs.

“No,” Madison starts, “I mean, we’re not official mile high club members.”

She giggles and buries her face in my chest. I stroke her hair, loving the way my fingers feel gliding through the soft strands. Emmett rolls his eyes and Jesse goes to give me a high five. I shake my head at him and slap his hand away. I would brag all day about how amazing sex is with Madison, but I know it embarrasses her, so I try to keep it to myself.

“I don’t think we’ve ever gone on a trip, just us before,” Taylor says, “Why the urgency to do it now, Emmett?”

I haven’t told anyone about our trip to the water tower, not even Madison. As much as I want to tell her everything, there’s something that’s telling me, that adventure should be kept between just Emmett and I, for now at least. Everyone else has noticed that Emmett hasn’t quite been himself and now they’re questioning why he pushed us all to go on this trip. He’s footing the bill for the whole thing, or rather, his parents are. He even offered to make up for Madison’s wages she’ll miss out on when she tried using that as an excuse to not go. Of course, she would never in a million years let him do that. Jesse, Taylor and I were all quick to joke that he could send us checks for the hours at work we’ll miss.

Emmett doesn’t answer right away. He must be lost in the video game he’s still playing. Eventually he answers her, though.

“It’s just time is all.”

“Well, as long as you don’t get so wasted, you injure yourself more,” I tell Emmett, “I need you on that field with me sooner rather than later.”

“Well, Henderson, you may need to start thinking about trusting your new tight end.”

There he goes again, calling me Henderson like he’s my mother.

“Why? Is the doctor not going to release you?” Madison says in a panic.

Emmett puts down the video game controller and wipes his hands on his jeans. He takes a deep breath, exhaling loudly.

“No, he’s not going to release me because I’ll be in treatment at least until the end of the season, if I make it that far,” he says, looking down at his hands.

We all look at each other. What the hell is he talking about?

“You’ll need to rehab the injury that long? What the hell?” Jesse says.

Emmett looks up at us and his eyes are glassy.

“No, not rehab. I have cancer.”

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