Away Game: A Bully MM Romance (Willow Bay Book 1) Page 11

  “Coach,” Oz called out as he made his way over to him. They talked in hushed whispers for only a moment before Coach clapped Oz on the back and walked out.

  “What’d he say?” Ford asked as he jerked his pads over his head.

  “He said he was going to call Fin’s parents on his way, and if we wanted to go, we could, but we needed to represent the school while we’re there.”

  Ridley rolled his eyes. “What does he think we’re going to do? Run up and down the hallways shouting or some shit?”

  “No clue, but if you want to come, hurry up and get dressed because I want to be there when he finds out the news.” Oz pulled a blue t-shirt over his head and started to shove his tennis shoes on.

  “I’m coming, but I doubt they’ll let you back there with him,” Ford said while walking backward toward the showers. “Give me five minutes, and then I’ll be ready.”

  Fuck. I wanted to go and be there for Fin, but I wasn’t sure if I’d be welcomed or not. Still, I wanted him to know I was there to support him.

  Oz dumped his uniform in the laundry and was walking by when I stopped him with a hand to his arm. His blue eyes were worried as he looked down at me.

  Tapping my fingers on my leg, I worked up the courage to speak. “Do you mind if I tag along?”

  Oz’s brows rose for only a second before he looked me over and shrugged. “Sure, if you’re ready to go when we leave. Fin’s going to need all the support he can get,” he muttered the last part, and I wasn’t sure if I was meant to hear it.

  I understood being disappointed about not being able to play, but I had a feeling there was more to Oz’s statement. I wished I knew Fin better, but what little I did know was an enigma.

  The only times I’d seen Fin since our kiss in his room was in the classes we shared and practice. The rest of the time, Fin stayed holed up in his room and didn’t hang out with anyone. Not even Oz.

  Not wanting to be left behind, I quickly stripped out of my sweaty uniform, did a quick rinse off, and got dressed. I was tying my last shoestring as Ford and Ridley were leaving the locker room.

  The second I stepped out of the locker room, a reporter was in my face.

  How had I forgotten about them?

  Forming a line, we pushed through the waiting crowd with our eyes on the ground and continued a mantra of ‘no comment’ until we made it to Oz’s car and piled in. I sat in the back with Ridley, and even though there should have been room for three easily, it was a tight fit with how large he was.

  We were all quiet as we made our way to the hospital. When we arrived, I was surprised to see a news van sitting outside. Was Fin’s injury bad enough to warrant news coverage, or was it because we’d been kicking ass all season with Willow Bay’s new coach? Either way, I didn’t like it, and even though I didn’t know Fin well, I knew he wouldn’t appreciate all the coverage on his injury.

  “Fuck,” Oz gritted out. “Maybe we should find a different way; there’s no way we can all walk in and go unnoticed.”

  “I hate hospitals,” Ridley said lowly while looking out at the building.

  “I don’t think anyone likes them,” Oz said as he turned off the car and got out.

  Ford took the lead and nodded his head to the left. “Let’s go around the back.”

  If anyone saw us, it must have been comical watching the four big guys trying to be stealthy as we walked around the side of the hospital. Once inside, we for sure looked like a bunch of idiots as we tried to read the signs and have them direct us to the ER.

  “What if they’ve got him somewhere else?” Ridley spoke up when we saw the entrance to the emergency room.

  He only thought of this now?

  We all stopped and stared at him. “What? Coach said they had all the best doctors looking at him. He could be on some special floor for rich people.”

  Oz scoffed and then continued to walk toward the ER. I didn’t look back to see if Ford and Ridley followed as I stepped inside the waiting room. I spotted Coach sitting in the corner with his phone up to his ear. When he spotted us, he said a few more words, got off the phone, and then made his way over to us.

  “It’s good of you boys to show up.” He clapped Oz on the back and gave him a grimace of a smile.

  “Have you seen him?” Oz asked. The amount of worry came off of him in waves.

  “No, but his parents told the doctors to speak to me. They—”

  “Won’t be coming,” Oz finished for him. “I’m not surprised, but it’s still shitty hearing it.”

  No, shit. Who didn’t want to see their child after he or she got hurt?

  “Yeah, about that, maybe we can evade the truth until we know more about Fin’s injury,” Coach said, looking at each one of us in the eye.

  Letting out a bitter laugh, Oz moved to where Coach had been sitting and sat down on one of the vacant chairs. “I think Fin would be more surprised if his parents showed up rather than not.”

  “Well then, we’ll be the family that he needs,” Coach said as if it was the most natural thing in the world. I loved how much he cared for his players, especially after last weekend and offering his support.

  We all sat down in the line of chairs, waiting for someone to come out to give us any information on Fin. After several long minutes of silence, Ford broke the quiet. “I’m surprised you’re here.”

  I knew he was talking to me, but I didn’t care what Ford thought, so I continued to watch the door that led back into the restricted area.

  A hand shot out, and then Oz grumbled. “Leave him alone.”

  Turning my head to give him a grateful smile, I found Oz staring in the same direction I’d been. I knew Fin and Oz were close, but up until the moment Oz said Fin’s parents wouldn’t come, I never realized how much. I had a feeling they were more like family.

  “He’ll be alright,” I said, as much to reassure him as it was for myself.

  “Not if he’s out for long. You don’t know Fin’s father, he’s…” Oz sighed, and when he spoke again, there was so much sadness and anger in his words. “There’s nothing good about him.”

  “Sometimes I think it’s good I never knew my dad,” Ford murmured. His head hung low. “I can’t be disappointed by him since he was never in my life.”

  I watched as Oz frowned. Ridley was once again looking off into space with a blank look on his face except for the frown that had formed, letting us know he was listening to what we were saying.

  It felt like my turn to share since Ridley wasn’t going to. Maybe he had a happy childhood like Oz. “My dad took off when I was three, and my mom was pregnant with my little brother. No matter how hard I try, I can’t remember a single memory of him. My mom has a few pictures, but it makes her so sad to look at them that I don’t ask for her to pull them out.”

  “My family no longer speaks to me,” Coach Kyle shared just as a doctor came into the waiting room.

  “Mr. Kyle?” the doctor called out, looking around the room.

  We all stood at the same time. Coach stepped past us and shook the doctor’s hand. “How is he?”

  “It’s not good, but we won’t know how bad the tear in his shoulder is until the swelling goes down. He has an appointment with a specialist who will look at it next week. Until then, he needs to keep his arm in a sling and not use it under any circumstance. We’ll also give him a prescription for some pain meds and an anti-inflammatory.”

  Coach nodded along with everything the doctor said. When he looked up, there was a deep V between his brows. “Do you think he’s out for the rest of the season?”

  “I think it’s a good assumption.” The doctor placed his hand on Coach’s arm. “I know he’s an important part of your team.”

  “He is, but I’m more worried about his mental state if he can’t play. These kids…” He choked up and swallowed loudly. “When can he go home?”

  “After a therapist comes in and talks to him about mobility, he should be able to leave.” The doctor looked ov
er Coach’s shoulder to us. “I assume all of you are his friends. I know it can be difficult, but you need to try and make sure he doesn’t move his shoulder as much as possible.”

  “He’s going to kill us,” Oz grumbled but nodded to the doctor.

  Coach crossed his arms over his chest and widened his stance while looking back at the way the doctor came out. “Can we see him? Maybe if a couple of us are there when the therapist tells him what he can and can’t do, it will help us know what to do.”

  “That’s a good idea.” The doctor nodded. “You and two others can come back with me. I don’t need to tell you boys to behave, do I?”

  “No, sir,” we all answered simultaneously.

  Ridley immediately stepped back and looked off in the other direction while Ford looked uneasy.

  Stepping up, I looked at our group. “I can help Fin when he needs it. It helps that I’m on the fourth floor with him.”

  “True, and you’re his BFF,” Ford added, smirking at Oz.

  “Follow me,” the doctor said and didn’t look back.

  Oz and I stayed behind Coach as we made our way back into the emergency room. I tried not to listen to the sounds and smells, but it was hard when there were a few people lining the halls while in their beds.

  “Do you have a death wish?” Oz chuckled under his breath. “I don’t know what’s going on between you and Fin, but I’m starting to think bringing you here wasn’t the smartest idea.”

  I couldn’t look at him when I answered. I wasn’t sure why Fin felt like he had to hide his feelings from Oz, but I wasn’t going to out him. “Nothing is going on. Fin helped me when I needed it, and I’d like to do the same for him.”

  “That was surprising coming from him, especially since it involved you. Don’t get me wrong, I like you, but Fin—”

  “Doesn’t,” I supplied.

  “He’s not all bad under there; otherwise, I wouldn’t be friends with him, but it’s his story to tell why he is the way he is. Maybe one day, you’ll find out.”

  I couldn’t say I had a good idea why Fin acted the way he did toward me. While he was an asshole to most everyone, I got the brunt of it.

  The doctor stopped in front of a door and knocked before he turned to look at us. “Why don’t the two of you stay back and give your coach a minute before you come in.”

  Now that I was only a few feet away from Fin, I was second-guessing my decision to be here. Not because I didn’t care, I did, but because I was afraid of what Fin’s reaction would be.

  It didn’t take me long to find out I was right. The moment I stepped through the door and Fin saw me, I knew I was going to have to put up an extra barricade to get through this with Fin.

  “Why are you here?” Fin growled, his eyes narrowed on me.

  “I came to make sure you’re okay, and I’m the only guy here who lives on the same floor as you, so if you need—”

  “I don’t need your help. I’ll go stay down in Oz’s room before that happens.”

  “Um,” Oz’s eyes widened as he looked down at his friend in the hospital bed. “As much as I love you, bro, you’re not living down in my room until you can use your shoulder. If you need help, you can text, but I won’t always be there, and West offered to help if I can’t.”

  “I just bet he did,” Fin gritted out. I was surprised he didn’t break a tooth on his words.

  17

  Fin

  Letting out an annoyed sigh, I stared up at my ceiling. I needed to get a TV in my room because after the long as fuck weekend, I was tired of trying to maneuver my laptop around on my bed and have it not overheat after about thirty minutes of watching a movie. I was bored as shit.

  Getting myself more comfortable, which was nearly impossible with my shoulder, I hissed out a breath when pain shot down my arm.

  I heard a shuffling of feet outside my door, but I didn’t give a fuck, nor did I bother to look to see who it was. “Are you not going to class?”

  Of course, it was West. He had stopped by my room every day to see if I needed anything, and my answer was always a resounding hell no.

  Turning my head so I could get a good look at him, I answered. “I’m pretty sure it’s frowned upon to arrive to class without a shirt on, but if you think I can get away with it, I’ll give it a try.”

  West smirked, causing a stirring deep in my stomach and in my pants. “If anyone can, it would be you.”

  At first, I wasn’t sure if I should take that as a compliment or not, but when I saw the way West’s eyes roved over my sculpted chest. It took everything in me not to flex my pecs and get a rise out of him.

  “No, seriously, if you don’t get dressed, you’ll be late for class.”

  Rolling my head to look back up at my ceiling, I spoke what I knew wasn’t true. “Maybe tomorrow.”

  “Fin, you don’t want to fall behind in Mr. Randall’s class. He’s an asshole that won’t give you a break.”

  It was true Mr. Randall wouldn’t give me any sort of pass. He thought football players at Willow Bay and colleges, in general, were given special privileges, so he made it a point to be especially hard on us.

  “Are you saying you won’t take notes for me?” I smiled to myself, knowing no matter how much of an asshole I’d been to West, he wouldn’t leave me hanging.

  Lifting his chin, he stepped inside my room. “I won’t. Now get up and get dressed because I’m going to be pissed if I’m late.”

  “No one told you to wait for me, nor did they say you had to be my babysitter.” I turned back to look at him with my eyes narrowed, hoping he’d forget about me. “I’m a big boy and can take care of myself, so scurry along and leave me alone.”

  Squaring his jaw, West moved further into my room until his legs brushed against the edge of my bed. When our eyes met, mine hardened as I watched West’s soften. “Talk to me. Why are you really not going to class?”

  “Besides the fact that my shoulder is fucked up and hurts like a bitch without me doing anything? I can’t raise my arm enough to pull a shirt over my head.”

  “Oh,” he answered, looking abashed.

  “Are you happy now? I can’t even dress myself, so I’m going to stay home—”

  “And mope,” he cut me off.

  “I’m not moping. I’m…” Trying to figure out what I was going to do if the doctor said I couldn’t play for the rest of the season. With the amount of pain I was feeling, I knew there was a good chance I wasn’t going to receive great news when I went to see the doctor later this week.

  “You are moping, and I don’t blame you, but you need to suck up your pride and let me help you. I can help you put your shirt on.” West held his hand out for me to take.

  Was he joking?

  Glaring at his hand, I slapped it away. “I don’t have anything I can wear, anyway.”

  West nodded and then walked out of the room. I thought he’d finally gotten the hint and decided to leave me alone, but a minute later, he was back with a light gray, short-sleeved button-up shirt in his hand.

  “You can wear this. It will be easier to put on, especially if you let me help you.” He stood in front of me and waited for me to respond.

  It pissed me off that I was reduced to having West help me dress. “Why are you doing this?”

  “Because it’s the right thing to do.” He cocked his head to the side. “Just like when you helped me after I was drugged.”

  “Fine, you can help, but only because I don’t want to give Mr. Randall an excuse to be an even bigger ass.”

  West didn’t say a word as he watched me slowly sit up, grimacing because of the pain, and then stand. Looking me up and down once, he moved to my injured arm and slowly pulled the short sleeve up my arm before moving onto the next side. I trained my eyes on the way West bit his bottom lip as he slowly moved and started to button up the shirt.

  Each move was purposeful so he wouldn’t touch me. I wasn’t sure if it was because he was afraid of what I’d do if he touch
ed me or what he’d do. Finally, after several moments, West took a step back.

  I looked down at myself and had to laugh. I looked like an idiot with athletic shorts on and West’s short-sleeve button-down shirt.

  “What?” West asked with amusement in his tone.

  “Don’t act like you don’t know. Look at me.” I used my good arm to indicate my appearance. “If it wasn’t such a pain in the ass, I’d change into jeans, but at this point, I don’t care.”

  “If you don’t care, I don’t care either. Now, what do you say we head to class?”

  Picking up my backpack, I put it over my good shoulder and then stuffed my phone in my back pocket. Last, I grabbed my keys and threw them in West’s direction. “Do you think you can drive my Rover and not wreck it?”

  Catching the keys, West rolled his eyes at me but smiled. “Despite what my truck looks like, I’ve never been in a wreck in my life, so your baby is safe with me.”

  I thought about correcting him, but in the end, I saw no point. I normally didn’t give a shit about my car, except it got me where I needed to go and after the phone call from my father after my game, I knew I’d never get anything from him again. I wasn’t even sure if he’d be paying for next semester at Willow Bay University, so I couldn’t risk my only transportation.

  “If you fuck up my car, I’ll kick your ass,” I threatened, trying to bring us back to our usual.

  “I’d like to see you try.” He flashed his fucking perfect smile at me.

  Pushing down the way his flash of teeth made me feel, I shoved my feet into a pair of sneakers and headed out. West picked up his backpack that was set by the stairs and made his way down to my car. I swore I saw him pause by the passenger door. If he thought I couldn’t open the goddamn door by myself, I really was going to lay into him. I wasn’t an invalid.

  My first class of the day was with West. Still, we didn’t speak as he drove us and then walked to the building Mr. Randall’s class was in. I wasn’t sure how none of my friends were in any of my classes, but West managed to be in three out of the five. I guess I was unlucky like that.