A vice had clamped down on Sammie’s lungs, keeping air from entering or exiting her body until she felt as though she might burst from the pressure. The grip on her wrist released.
“I need to get down there.” Kai’s voice was quiet, too quiet, even for him. His wide eyes were panicked, unfocused, glued to her brother on the court, his face drained of color. He stood up suddenly, ready to make a break for the floor.
“Hang on,” Sammie said, wrapping an arm around his shoulders, tugging him close. It was as much for herself as it was for him. If Kai was still here with her, she wouldn’t have to face whatever happened alone. “Let them do their job, they’ll take care of him.”
Kai was shaking, a slight tremor that rocked through him in waves. She’d never doubted his feelings for her brother, but the despair painting his face now was enough to reassure her thatnothingmattered more to Kai than Atticus did.
He stopped resisting her, letting Sammie hold him in place as they both watched the scene on the court play out. Shecaught a glimpse of her brother through the mess of bodies, his expression still wound up with pain. Dr. Young was doing a cursory exam of his ankle, which seemed to be the root of the problem.
Sammie’s view of her brother was blocked as the group around him shifted, and her eyes scanned the rest of the court. Kieran still sat where he had fallen to his knees at Atticus’ side, his face a mask of shocked despair that made Sammie’s heart ache. It had been a mistake, one any player could make. Atticus had approached from his periphery, and they had both been determined to keep the ball from getting past. Players collided all the time. Kieran had just thrown himself a little too hard, a little too far, just enough to put Atticus off balance as he tried to recover.
“I feel like I’m gonna puke,” Kai murmured as Sammie’s phone vibrated in her pocket. She tugged it out, desperate for any sort of distraction.
Ivy: he’ll be fine <3
Sammie looked up, finding her friend on the court. Ivy gave her a small, sad smile as Sammie showed Kai the message and they both sagged with relief. Kai snatched Sammie’s phone out of her hand, typing quickly, asking when they could see Atticus, but Ivy was already back in work mode, laser-focused and ready to help the team’s physical therapist in any way she could.
“She’ll let us know soon,” Sammie said, finally releasing her hold on Kai now that he looked less likely to spring over the seats in front of them to get to his boyfriend.
A few minutes later Atticus was limping off the court to cheers from the fans. Kai had just settled back into his seat when Sammie’s phone rang, causing him to jump into the air like a startled feline.
Sammie answered the call. “How bad is it?”
Ivy sighed. She’d left the court as well. “Doc thinks it’s just a sprain, but he wants to do a more thorough exam without a whole team of mother hens leaning over his shoulder.” She chuckled, and the sound relaxed something in Sammie. If Ivy could laugh about the situation, it really would be okay. “Kieran’s out for the game, though. Guy’s pretty torn up about it all.”
Sammie watched him lower himself onto the bench below, his head sinking into his hands.
“It wasn’t his fault.”
“Tried to tell him that,” Ivy said, a fond exasperation coloring the words. “But he’s the worst mother hen of them all. He’s having a bad night, Sammie.” A pause, as though Ivy were waiting from a response that Sammie wasn’t ready to give her. “Can I talk to Kai?”
Sammie handed the phone over. Kai listened as Ivy gave him what Sammie assumed was the same update on Atticus’ condition. Kai’s shoulders sagged with relief.
They chatted on Sammie’s phone a bit longer before he ended the call. “Ivy said to meet her in the hall and she’ll take us back to see him.” Kai was already squeezing past her. “You coming now?”
Sammie watched Kieran on the bench. Frustration and shame lined his posture, had his shoulders curling in. His eyes were vacant, unseeing as the rest of his teammates tried to settle back into the game.
Atticus would be fine. It was just a sprain.
Sammie finally spoke when Kai looked as though he would simply leave without her. “You go ahead. I’ll find you after this set.”
Kai followed her stare, his gaze landing on Kieran with a wince. “See you in a bit,” he said, before hurrying off toward the nearest exit.
The rest of the crowd had already moved on, ready for excitement that wasn’t laced with tragedy, ready for the rest of the game they’d paid to see. Sammie’s eyes were glued on Kieran.
She watched helplessly from the stands as Kieran hung his head in defeat when the Sharks took the third set and the win.
A sink dripped somewhere in the locker room, a gentle, staccato rhythm that Kieran’s mind stayed fixed on as he sat alone.
The mood had been generally morose after the loss. Sure, they had one more chance, one more game in the regular season to snag their spot in the tournament. But that just meant the pressure would be higher.
And they’d lost their starting setter.
Drip drip.
The trio that Kieran was beginning to think of as his own set of stooges had tried to cheer him up. Aaron had simply sat next to him quietly on the hard metal bench. He was so different from Atticus. Quiet, calm, collected at all times. But Aaron would be setting for them next week. Maybe even into post-season, if they could pull off one more win.
Bowen, bless his heart, tended to resort to bad jokes whenever he felt awkward.
