by Sonya Jesus
Robins backs up, but just enough so he can study my face.
I look towards Blaze, silently pleading with him to leave but he doesn’t budge.
“I think we are all set with pictures Blaze, thank you.” Robins dismisses him. Blaze nods and moves on to Harper and the girls.
“When did you see me?” He puts his hand on my lower back and ushers me to the bleachers. I take a seat and cross my legs, careful not to show anyone my spanks as he sits next to me. His hand glides up my back to rest on my shoulders. I peek at Meg, who is talking to Jaime. Robins follows my gaze and drops his hands, bringing them to his lap. He rubs at his knees as we look out on the court. “You saw me at the science building, didn’t you?”
“I was heading to class. I didn’t say anything because you were busy.”
“She knew I was there to see you. That was after we broke up. After you left, I went over to her place and told her I couldn’t do it anymore. I told her about all the different girls.” My mouth forms an “o” shape. They broke up? “She told me she knew and that she didn’t care.”
“She knew?” That I didn’t expect.
“Apparently, she knew a lot. But I told her that I couldn’t be in a relationship with her anymore, and she told me I could continue screwing my way through Westbrook as long as once we graduated, we ended up together. I asked her if that’s what she wanted, an open relationship?”
That sounds perfect for Robins. I don’t know why he turned it down. So, I ask him, and he just smiles at me for a while before saying, “I have no clue. But an open relationship turns into an open marriage, and if I ever settle down, I don’t want that. I don’t want to worry who my wife is sleeping around with. I want monogamy from both ends.”
“You used to say you would never settle down. She’s offering you exactly what you want. I don’t understand what’s changed.”
“I did,” he states, not offering any more explanation. “I saw things differently for the first time. I actually talked to my Mom. She says hi by the way, and that she wants you over soon for some Lasagna and fried Oreos.”
I smile. I love that woman. She gets my obsession for deep friend anything.
“What did Mamma Robins say?”
“She said it’s about freaking time.”
I giggle because I can picture her saying that.
“Then she told me, ‘Nothing is worth anything without someone to make it your everything’.”
I repeat that in my head a few times to get the meaning, but he clarifies it for me.
“Which means, Pooh Bear, no matter what Meg Montaine has to offer, she doesn’t have what it takes to make me want to settle down.”
“Well, that sucks for her,” I say softly. “Does that mean you are really over?”
“I’m as free as a Robin.” He nudges me with his shoulder.
. This is going to be hell. The Montaine sisters saw me as an enemy. I’m just racking up those ‘like’ points.
He catches me staring in his ex’s direction. “If she bothers you, just tell her to fuck off. She’s afraid I found someone else, but I am going to try to be a single college guy for once.”
I roll my eyes at him, “That’s how you have been acting this whole time.”
“No, this time it’s different.” I don’t bother to ask him why, because, in the end, he didn’t break up with Meg for me. He wants to sow his oats and plant his seed out in the open.
The coach calls him over, and I nod him off.
I remain on the bleachers, watching as Jaime shoves Meg. I wish I could hear what they were arguing about.
The gym doors open again. Blaze waves the Coach over, and I watch as the whole soccer team strolls in. They look even better when not dirt-faced and their uniforms aren’t grass stained. They line up at the opposite end of the wall. Two of the guys were carrying a huge piece of fabric rolled out. Coach Reid must be cutting them a break for picture day.
Chapter 10: Collapse
Hawk
The gym is full of athletes running around and getting distracted by short skirts. This is why the soccer coaches have issues with cheerleaders; they distract their team from their objectives. Christian is off flirting with Natalie, Dylan watches Amelia and Robins on the stands, and Aiden gives orders on how to hold up a banner. While I wait for them to figure things out, I focus on Jaime and Meg, who are also watching Amelia. I position myself with my back to them, pretending to be working.
“Your stupid plan didn’t work,” Jaime whines in a hushed voice. “Connor is still with her. They didn’t break up!”
You have got to be kidding me! How is it possible? I rub at the constricted muscles on my neck. My inner Killer, alive in my veins, tells me I knew what needed to be done.
“Your plan sucked! Robins broke up with you. Not even bribing him worked.” Another thing I was not aware of. The wrong couple broke up.
“Who says my plan is over? I admit I didn’t think Robins would turn down a spot in the NBA for her. He didn’t even admit it, but I know he’s obsessed with her. Knowing him, he’ll come crawling back to me.” Meg’s pointedly harsh comment insinuates Amelia is beneath her, and reminds me of a conversation I had with Christopher a couple of weeks ago while I went on rounds.
At the time, I suspected Christopher was using Meg for her father’s basketball connections. Tobias Hugh Montaine is a wealthy team owner who grants all his daughters’ capricious whims. Now, Meg confirms my suspicions: her doting father would do anything for his baby girls, even give Christopher his dream life. Makes more sense why Christopher refuses to give up Meg so easily.
No Meg? No dream life.
“You’re insane, Meg. There’s nothing there. If he was obsessed, he’d make a move. No, instead she’s still with Connor. I’ve had about enough of your meddling. You told me to trust you! You told me you’d make sure Connor was available.” Jaime speaks like a spoiled child used to getting her way.
“I’m reconsidering Connor. You aren’t even dating. At least if she’s preoccupied with your boy toy, she will stay away from Christopher. Didn’t you see the way he was holding her? I don’t want them together. If they end up dating, then that’s it. He will never come back for me. I need to think of something else to get him back, and right now I need her with Connor, so don’t do anything stupid, Jaime.”
“Hell fucking no. I’m going to march right up to her and tell her exactly what happened between me and her boyfriend. I’m going to let her hear all of it.” My ears perk to attention, and I shift my head slightly towards them.
There is a recording of their night together. It calms the Killer part of me. It may be that Connor’s death is unnecessary after all. Unfortunately.
“You can’t!” Meg howls. “I got you there. If it wasn’t for me nothing would have happened!”
“I don’t care, Meg! Your life isn’t better than mine. At least I know how to deal with my own shit and come up with alternate plans. I always knew you were going to let me down. You only care about yourself. What was in it for you?”
Meg laughs. “It’s not about me. I could care less about Connor or who he ends up with. I just figured I’d throw you a bone. I’ve always kind of pitied you. Just because Daddy dear humped your trash mother doesn’t mean he will ever see you as anything different. You’ll always be illegitimate. When my mom died, he didn’t bother to marry your mother. He just paid for her services with a hefty sum and brought you home. If you ask me, he could have at least picked a prettier whore.” Meg laughs derisively. “Now run along little sis, but if you so much as interfere with my life, I will have you removed from it.”
The semi-empty threat is impressively convincing, but not enough to deter Jaime.
“You think I don’t know how you really feel about me? It’s just appearances to you. I may not look like you, or carry myself like you, but I sure as hell learned a lot from you. I’m smarter than you, Megan.”
“Run along little girl, before I have you kicked off my squad and
going to community college.”
Just when the conversation is getting good, my name called for a picture. By the time I catch a glimpse of the sisters again, they are both smiling at each other. You would never think they didn’t play nice. Except for the occasional shove, they covey a normal sisterly bonding. Since I know the truth, I maneuver my way towards them again, my intuition telling me to keep a close eye on them.
They speak of nothing important until Jaime steps forward and Meg grasps Jaime’s arm, her nails digging into Jaime’s skin. “If you send Lia the recording, I will have Daddy cut you off in a heartbeat. Your high school years can come back to haunt you, lil’ sis, so don’t cross me.”
Jaime tugs her arm out of her sister’s grasp. “I don’t need to leak it to get the job done. So, don’t worry, Lia won’t ever hear it. I promise I won’t do anything that will make Lia dump Connor, but I guarantee they won’t make it until the end of the month.”
I like that conniving little girl. I smile and watch as she walks over to the bleachers, taking a seat next to her friends as if nothing happened. Perhaps she took my erstwhile advice about the Mad Lib Auction and has a plan in motion. I could care less what the consequences are for Jaime or how Meg will retaliate.
What I do care about is Meg and Christopher’s break-up. Granted, they end often, but not at such a pivotal moment in Amelia’s life. I encouraged Christopher to get closer in order to push her away from Connor; the last thing I need is my own plan backfiring on me. Robins needs to go back to Meg before he ends up as Amelia’s rebound. I will remind him how important living up to his dreams is.
Now, to another pressing matter: Dylan and Amelia’s lunch date. The soccer teams’ interest in my Amelia perplexes me. On the one hand, I doubt they will ever win her over, and on the other, her unpredictability has me on edge. I used to use it to my advantage, but now it’s out of control. Like, her picture with the soccer guys.
Taking the opportunity to inform myself, I walk over to Dylan, who is trying to roll up the large team banner with Aiden.
“Need help?” I ask, stopping in the center of the red banner that had Westbrook Knights Soccer stitched in bold letters. Aiden is to my right holding one end, and Dylan to my left. Both looking annoyed that I just interrupted.
“No,” Dylan scoffs. “Aiden and I are discussing something.”
“I’m not discussing shit,” Aiden growls. “I’m done telling you to stay away. I put her up.”
“Yeah, and you’ve been hiding behind that for two years.”
Hmm. I wonder if this has anything to do with the wall. He mentioned the rules and referred to the wall once when he was talking to Christian.
“You also said you were going to talk to Reid,” Dylan says, folding his part of the banner so that the two edges meet.
Aiden does the same on his end. “We haven’t had a meeting yet.” They hold it upward again and shake out the wrinkles. They resemble two old ladies bickering as they fold laundered sheets into neat squares.
“You honestly think Reid is going to give you permission to go after her during the season? Are you insane?” Christian holds the banner in his hand, just now remembering my presence. “We aren’t supposed to have relationship distractions.”
“Hey, I’m not going to say anything,” I say, easing both of their discomforts. “Is this the girl you guys were talking about last time?” We all search her out. “The redhead?”
Aiden seems hesitant, so Dylan answers respectfully, “It’s always about her lately.”
I’ve heard enough. I take a calm, soothing breath and imagine the punching bag in my room. Amelia’s complicated love life is undeniably pissing me the fuck off. I need to get the hell out of here before I unravel. “Let’s get the rest of the shots in so we can all go home and relax.”
After a series of individual photos and a few team photos, everyone complains about being tired. Coach Reid pauses the photography session and asks Marcus to get a soccer ball. He’s just punishing them more, keeping them out late, so they are exhausted for six a.m. practice tomorrow. Unfortunately, by punishing them, he punishes me as well.
This is going to take a while. I pull out my phone and check the time: it’s past midnight. I message the dispatcher telling her I’m running late. Administration won’t be a problem, since they’ve been informed of the impromptu event, and Public Safety would do my first set of rounds.
I glance over at the cheerleaders, checking for Amelia. Meg is off to the side with the other captains, partaking in a stunt of their own. They’ve recruited Harper to help throw one of them in the air. Natalie and Avery are probably the only ones not caring if they get in front of the camera. They’ve sprawled out on the floor. Avery lays on her stomach, using her jacket as a pillow while Natalie uses the cheer bag.
I don’t see Amelia, though. Most of the Basketball team is gone, a few stragglers were talking to their coach. I walk forward a little until I get a view of the other door. I spot Amelia in deep conversation with Christopher, again. I frown at their proximity. They both have their backs to the wall, shoulders touching. Amelia sips her water as Christopher is telling her something. He doesn’t notice her hand curl around her stomach. She winces slightly before stretching her back out. Does she have cramps? No, she just had her period a couple weeks ago.
Christopher points to the door, and Amelia nods before leaving. I swivel my eyes around; everyone is doing their own thing. No one will notice if I slip out for just a second. I hold up my hands and point out the door, signaling a bathroom break.
No one cares.
I walk out to find Amelia by the water fountain. She’s up against the wall, looking down at the floor, shoulders sagging. Her face is white, and there's a tiny trickle of sweat on her upper lip. This causes me to worry; I have never seen that girl sweat. She sways and steadies herself.
She’s going to collapse. My heart clenches in fear, squeezing my trachea and making it hard to breathe. I run over to her, hoping my relationship with Harper makes this more appropriate.
“Amelia?” Her head jerks up as I approach her slowly, careful not to get too close. “Are you okay?” I notice a slightly bluish color to her lips. Her skin an unhealthy hue instead of her perfectly fair complexion. Her hand curls around her water bottle as she drinks the last few drops then straightens up. She wobbles.
Something is wrong. My body’s telling me this isn’t right. I get closer, putting my hand on her skin. She’s cold. “Amelia?” I call to her. “Amelia?” As I say her name again, her body sags against the wall, her legs giving out. I reach out to catch her, helping her fall to the floor. She faints again.
I lay her flat on her back and turn her face to the side. I drag her bag and place it under her legs for elevation. “Amelia,” I plea, checking her pulse.
It’s low.
I seize her hand and push against her nail; it takes a while for the white to clear. There’s a slight blue color to the nail beds, a clear indication that this isn’t good.
“What happened to her?” Coach Reid comes barreling out, probably to come get me for the photo. I shake my head, panicking for the first time in a long time. How could I let this happen? I think back to these last couple weeks. I’ve been distracted by Bruce and the Knights, I knew she was sick, but I thought she was doing better.
Coach Reid kneels down beside her as I get up. I relinquish control because his wife is a doctor and he can probably help Amelia more than I. “Okay, first go to the bathroom, fill her bottle up with cold water, grab me a few napkins and then get back out here. If you can, go inside, tell Aiden to give me the Gatorade in his bag. One of the boys should have one if he doesn’t. She may be dehydrated.”
I pick up her bottle, clearly panicking and take less than a minute to get what he asked. Then I run in and call Aiden. When I relay the events, his face goes nearly as white as Amelia’s. He grabs his bag and heads out.
I want to head out there, but Harper spots me. Not now. I turn towards her, t
orn, but Harper is Lia’s roommate, so I wait for Harper so I can tell her about Lia. We walk outside together, and Harper kneels down next to her and the Coach. Aiden is on the phone with Public Safety. I feel helpless.
“She fainted? I knew it! I knew we should have called the doctor. She said she went to the doctor, and he said it was an ulcer.”
“Ulcers don’t cause fainting.” Reid tries to calm Harper down unsuccessfully.
“They do if she doesn’t eat properly,” Aiden says after he gets off the phone. He addresses Harper. “She looks like she lost weight?”
“Yeah! She’s not hungry when her stomach hurts. The doctor told her to lay off caffeine, and she drank three cups today. She kept sipping on the water all through practice, and she hates water. She drank so much she started puking.”
“Is she pregnant?” Reid asks. All three of us say no at the same time, surprising each other. Coach Reid eyes Aiden and I, scowling.
Now was not the time for sermons or explanations.
Apparently he agrees. Returning his attention to Harper, he asks, “Are you certain?”
“Unless she’s lying to me, I’m a 100% positive that she isn’t.”
He nods his head. “Well, she’s unresponsive. Pregnancy spells don’t usually last this long. Has she been taking anything? Any drugs?” Again, he receives a collective no. This time he addresses both of us. “I doubt you two are as informed about Ms. Martins as the person who lives with her.”
Aiden and I both step back. Aidens worry mimicks mine. I clench my fists at my sides and focus on Amelia. Now isn’t the time for jealousy.
Coach Reid asks Harper about illegal drug use, and she nods fervently. “No, she barely even drinks.”
“Okay, well then let’s get her to the hospital. The ambulance should be here soon.”
Harper grabs Amelia’s hand and squeezes it, looking at me for some sort of moral support. I don’t go to her. I’m limited in what I can do in front of Coach Reid. Aiden breaks the silence. “Wait! Doesn’t she have family at the hospital?”
