SIX
1419 Words
Justin’s POV
The door clicked shut behind her, and the room felt too quiet for a moment.
Annabel had barely said goodbye, just a polite nod and a quick smile before slipping out. I watched her leave, not realizing I’d been holding my breath until I let it out slowly. She was… different.
And now that she was gone, I couldn’t stop running the entire encounter back through my head like I was watching instant replay footage. Only this wasn’t a game film. This was worse. Because it wasn’t about strategy or performance; it was about the fact that I felt like my brain short-circuited every time she looked at me.
What the hell was that?
I leaned back against the pillow and stared at the ceiling, trying to shake the tension in my chest. It wasn’t pain from the stitches. It was something else. Something more annoying.
The sound of sneakers squeaking across tile cut through the silence, and then Caleb appeared in front of me, holding a drink tray with two sodas and a grin like he already knew something I didn’t.
“You good?” he asked, stepping inside. “Nurse said you were all patched up."
“Yeah. Nothing major.” I replied dryly, not wanting to think about the awkward moment between Annabel and me anymore. It was beyond embarrassing for me.
He handed me a drink and sank into the chair Annabel had been sitting in just ten minutes earlier.
“So…” Caleb said, drawing the word out like it was the start of a joke. “You gonna tell me what that was about, or should I just assume you’ve completely lost your mind?”
“What are you talking about?” I frowned, pretending I didn't know what he was talking about.
He leaned forward, elbows on his knees, eyebrows raised. “Don’t play dumb. You were weird the entire time I was gone. When I returned, your ears were red, man. Red.”
I scoffed, taking a sip of my drink. “It’s just… she's a bit intriguing, and I was taken aback, that’s all,” I mumbled, but I knew I wasn't telling the whole truth. She was more than intriguing; she was captivating and had caught my attention. She made me pay extra attention to myself and the environment, and I couldn't act normally and naturally around her. No girl had ever made me feel this way.
“You? Off guard? You get tackled by guys twice your size, and don’t flinch. But put Annabel in the same room, and suddenly you forget how to form full sentences?” Caleb snorted, and I frowned at him.
I shook my head, trying to make sense of it as well, “I don’t know, okay? She’s just… different.” I said, letting out a sigh defeatedly.
Caleb raised an eyebrow. “Different?”
I stared at the floor, trying to find the right words, even though none felt big enough for the weight in my chest. “She’s not like the other girls. She doesn’t try. She’s not fake. She didn’t even look impressed or anything and didn't try to hit on me. She just… looked at me. Like she actually saw me, not the jersey.” I said, the last part coming out as a cowardly whisper.
Caleb tilted his head, a slow smile spreading across his face. “Dude.”
I glanced up at him, already regretting opening my mouth.
“You’ve totally fallen for her,” he said with a laugh, slapping his thigh. “Holy crap, Justin. I didn’t think it was possible, but here you are. Mr. ‘I-don’t-do-relationships’ is out here getting flustered over a girl who didn’t even flirt with him.”
I gave him a look. “I’m not flustered,” I argued back at him.
“Bro, you leaned away from her when she got close. And your ears were all red because of her. Hell, you even blushing, man!.”
"What? No! I'm not blushing!" I spat out, and he looked at me with a mischievous smile. I rubbed a hand over my face. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I’ve hooked up with girls without even thinking twice. But with her… my heart just—” I paused, hating how soft my voice sounded. “It won’t shut up.”
Caleb whistled low. “Wow. That’s bad. You’re actually gone.”
“I can’t be,” I muttered. “I’m not like… that. I’m not the guy who gets hung up on someone.”
“Well, you are now,” he said with a shrug. “You caught feelings, man. And honestly? It’s kind of nice to see you human for once.”
I shot him a glare, but he just smiled wider.
“What do I even do?” I asked quietly, more to myself than him.
Caleb stood and clapped me on the shoulder. “Lucky for you, I’m a romantic genius. I’ll help. We’ll figure something out.”
I didn’t answer. There wasn't anything I had to say. I bit my lower lip and looked away.
"Yeah, right," I mumbled, closing my eyes shut, but all I could see was her. "Damn it," I cursed under my breath, but Caleb only laughed out, looking amused.
"You're so done."
*****
The night passed really quickly, and soon it was morning; I found myself staring up at the same ceiling, still thinking about one person.
What if she doesn’t come back?
Not that she said she would. Annabel didn’t promise anything. She barely looked back when she left. But something about the way she’d fidgeted in that chair, asked about my hand, held the gauze with shaky fingers—something about her had stuck with me.
The door pushed open with a creak, and I looked up, expecting a nurse or maybe the doctor for a check-in. Instead, Caleb strolled in like he owned the place, wearing a size-too-oversized hoodie and a grin like he’d won the lottery.
I raised an eyebrow. “You’re way too happy for someone who hates hospitals.” I shot at him; I knew he was up to something mischievous with that smile.
He ignored the jab, dropping a brown paper bag on my side table—probably food because Caleb believed in bribing me into recovery. Then he clapped his hands together once and said, “You’re not gonna believe who I ran into.”
My chest tightened—already guessing, already hoping. “Who?”
“Annabel.”
The name hit me like a jolt of electricity, and my eyes widened.
“She was walking across campus. I pulled the whole concerned-friend act,” Caleb continued, smirking. “Told her how the team doctor was being a complete i***t and left you alone right after the stitches. Said I felt bad and didn’t want you to be totally abandoned.”
“You blamed the doctor?” I said, narrowing my eyes.
“Hey, creative storytelling. I did it for you.”
I leaned back, trying to act casual, even as my heart kicked into overdrive. “And?” I blurted out.
“And I asked her if she could check on you again. Just for a bit. I said you might still need help, like… eating or whatever.”
“She’s coming?” I asked before I could stop myself.
Caleb grinned. “Yep. Said she’d drop by later this afternoon.” He announced happily, and I felt my heart skip a beat.
My hand wasn't too bad, honestly. I didn’t need help. But that didn’t matter. What mattered was I was getting a second chance.
Last time, I barely looked at her. I was cold. Guarded. That was muscle memory—defense mode. But the truth was, I wanted to talk to her. I just didn’t know how. Not when my brain short-circuited the moment she was close.
This time had to be different.
“I think I’m gonna talk to her,” I said suddenly.
Caleb blinked. “Like, actual words? More than one syllable?”
I glared at him. “Shut up.”
He laughed. “I’m proud of you, man. Seriously.”
I looked down at my bandaged hand, flexing my fingers slowly.
“She’s different,” I said, almost to myself.
Caleb nodded, the teasing gone from his face. “Yeah. And I think she might just be exactly what you need.”
- Writer
