Page 41 of The Golden Receiver

Evander was the first person to run over to me. One minute he was across the field from me, and the next, he was by my side. He knelt beside me. “Can you get up?”

“Not sure. Don’t think I want to risk it,” I winced out.

He nodded and motioned toward the sideline. A pair of medics ran out to the field. They did the quickest examination possible on my ankle before giving Evander and the other team’s cornerback the all-clear to help me up. My arms wrapped around both of their shoulders, and they helped me to the sideline and into the medical tent.

As I went in, I noticed Willis and Hopkins sitting on the bench. Willis looked exactly like Evander had said a few days before: like all his Christmases came early.

I was left alone inside the medical tent for less than a minute. The same pair of medics that had examined me on the field came in to give me a more thorough examination. They tested me for concussion, though I hadn’t even hit my head. They checked over my ankle. After a few minutes, they ducked out. I heard them talking, but I couldn’t see who they were talking to. It wasn’t until I heard Coach Erikkson’s low voice that I had my answer.

Another few minutes passed before Coach Erikkson was looming at the door. “The medics said you’ve twisted your ankle,” he said in that grave way of his. “You’re out for the rest of the game. I want you to rest tomorrow. We will see how you’re doing on Monday to determine if you can join us for practice.”

He didn’t wait for me to answer. He just walked out and let the medics come back in to do their work. They wrapped my ankle in an ace bandage and passed me a pair of crutches. I went back to the bench to watch the game.

The game I should have been playing.

And just like earlier that week, I knew it wasn’t a coincidence. If it was, Hopkins would’ve come over to help. He wouldn’t have looked so smug when I went down. He wouldn’t have looked gleeful at the idea of Willis joining him on the field.

I was starting to second guess this whole Creelin thing.

Chapter Fourteen

Evander

Even though I hadn’t expected to see Kieran on Sunday morning, I was still disappointed when I set out for my run alone. I missed him. I missed his quiet company and the sound of his footsteps on the trail behind me. I missed the way we ended up racing, pushing each other to go faster, even when it wasn’t always the smartest idea. I even missed his grumpy, one-word answers when I tried to start conversations before the sun was fully over the horizon.

It felt like something was missing the entire run.

I wanted to see him.

When I finished my run and got back to Karloff Hall, I thought about going to check on him, but it was still too early. He might have been up with the sun most mornings, but I doubted his roommates were. He might not even be up yet, since he couldn’t work out. Maybe he was on medication that knocked him out, and then if I knocked on the door, I’d be bothering him. I didn’t want to bother him and make his healing take any longer than necessary. So, I just went to my room and took a shower.

I had breakfast. I tried to study, but I couldn’t focus. I ended up playing video games in the common area until Preston came out and took up his post in his usual chair. Then, I tried to talk to him a little. His single syllable answers made me think of Kieran, and once again, I wanted to go check on him. Was ten in the morning a good time to check on someone? It was a Sunday, so maybe his roommates were trying to sleep in.

I groaned.

“Something wrong?” Preston asked. The surprise of his question caused me to crash my virtual car into a wall. Preston’s laugh filled the small room. “Besides the fact that you’re not great at video games?”

“I’m good at video games!” I protested as I paused the game. I couldn’t carry on this conversation while trying to focus on not killing my little digital driver. “I was just shocked that you were using more than one syllable.”

“You ramble. I’m perfectly capable of having a conversation when someone lets me get a word in edgewise.”

Did I do that? Oh. I hadn’t realized. “Sorry.”

Preston waved the brightly colored highlighter in his hand, like he was brushing off my apology and my rambling at once. “So is something wrong?”

“Kieran got hurt during last night’s game, and I’m wondering if it’s too early to go check on him. I mean, most people are awake at ten, right? Or is ten too early to go see someone on the weekend? Or⁠—”

“Rambling again,” Preston interrupted me. He capped his highlighter and put it on the arm of the chair with the others. “First, who is Kieran?”

“The guy I run with.”

“And he’s on the football team?”

I nodded. Had I never mentioned Kieran to Preston? Actually, that shouldn’t have surprised me. I hadn’t spent a lot of time chatting with my roommates. I was always busy with football and pretending to care about my classes and hanging out with my packmates or trying to learn things about Kieran. It didn’t leave a lot of time to get to know them or tell them about what was going on in my life.

“So, is it too early to go knock?” I didn’t need to waste time thinking about how I was living with strangers who I barely knew anything about, even after a few months. That wasn’t important. That was just a part of college life sometimes.

“I don’t know Kieran or his roommates, but I think ten is an acceptable time to knock on a door.” He looked at me for a moment before pressing his lips together in a thin line. “I don’t think that outfit’s going to do you any favors, though. Maybe change out of your pajama pants.”