“Ryan, let’s get you X-rayed.”
I resisted moving forward, and the trainers stopped and looked questioningly atme.
“I don’t think I need the X-ray. I’m sore, but that’sit.”
“Ryan, I saw the bruising that was already on your body this morning. We need to get those ribs lookedat.”
I stared at them but took a step forward. It was like they knew my hesitancy was for a reason, and I didn’t want them to figure anything out. I slowly moved forward with them to the medicalroom.
The dim room with the X-ray machine was intimidating to me. That machine might tell them something that would be a cause for unnecessaryconcern.
“Take your uniform off, and we’ll get a look at those ribs,” the team doctorinstructed.
I began unbuttoning my jersey and stalled by folding it and setting it on the table. I faced away from them and bit the flesh inside of my mouth as I carefully pulled off my undershirt. I looked down when I heard them whispering now that my back was exposed.Fuck.I turned around slowly and the doctor was walking closer and took my t-shirt from myhands.
“Pants too,Ryan.”
I didn’t look up at him but began undoing my belt. Wait. Mypants?
“Why do I have to take the pants off?” Iasked.
I wasn’t trying to be a dick, but if I had to remove those too, I could be in sometrouble.
“Ryan, it’s just so the metal from the belt and the snap closures don’t obstruct with the X-ray,” the doctorexplained.
I still hadn’t looked at him and hadn’t continued with undoing my belt. I held the ends of the belt in my hand, trying to figure out how to get around this. They’d see the marks on the backs of my legsand—
“Ryan.” I snapped out of it and looked up at the doctor and glanced quickly at the trainers that stood nearby. “Is everythingokay?”
“Yes, I just don’t want to take my pants off,” Iadmitted.
There, I said it. The doctor looked at me and then nodded atme.
“Keep your pants on, but remove the belt and roll the waistdown.”
I agreed and quickly removed it before they changed their minds. The doctor led me to stand in front of the machine and guided my arms to a restingposition.
“All of these marks from yourbrother?”
“Yes,” I lied and concentrated on not making eye contact withhim.
He continued to position me how he needed me to stand and walked around behind a wall to take the X-ray. When he came back to me, he asked me to hold my arms out, perpendicular to mybody.
“The trainer mentioned that you got into a fist fight with your brother last night?” The doctor took a step back and looked at me. I nodded and looked down as he brought the machine close to my body again. “All of these marks are from lastnight?”
“Yes,” I confirmed without looking at him. Could he tell that someweren’t?
“Hold that position for a fewminutes.”
The doctor disappeared behind the wall again and I heard the machine charge up and take the pictures of my torso. When he came back, I lowered my arms and he explained we’d do the same positions, but with my back facing him. When I turned away from him, he grew quiet.Fuck, what was he lookingat?
“Do you and your brother fist fight alot?”
I nodded but then realized that he may not have been able to see me nodding in the darkenedroom.
“Yes.”
“What do you guys fight about? Or what was the fight over lastnight?”
