Page 138 of Full Body Hit, Part 1

“Hey.” Charlie’s voice was the same as always. Maybe a little quieter, but the cadence soothed Auston’s nerves, a Pavlovian response.

“Hey, baby. How are you doing?”

“Urgh, definitely better than yesterday.”

Auston’s stomach roiled around like a caught snake. “Oh, were you feeling poorly?”

There was a pause. “Okay. Don’t be upset, I just didn’t want to worry you.”

Auston’s mouth was dry. “Okay.”

“My phone didn’t actually break. I had a little fall and hit my head and got, like, the smallest concussion ever, so…”

Charlie was still talking, but Auston had stepped out of himself. There was his body standing beside his unmade bed, phone pressed to his ear, but it was all so far away.

There was an odd ringing sound.

He sat down.

“Aunix? Daddy? I’m sorry, don’t be mad.”

Those words managed to pierce through the fog. “I’m…I’m not mad.”

“Sorry I lied. I just couldn’t talk a lot.”

Auston had to take several seconds to realise what Charlie was even apologising for.

Right, he’d said his phone was broken, but that wasn’t true.

How many people got concussions a day in New Orleans?

“No, it’s…it’s okay.” Auston searched for something normal to say. “But you’re okay? Is someone helping you out?”

“Well…okay, this is gonna sound weird, but I’m actually at my co-worker’s house. The one who doesn’t like me, but he’s been surprisingly nice. So I’m totally fine, promise.”

Auston wasn’t sure he was breathing.

The co-worker who doesn’t like me. The co-worker who had made Charlie cry, who had made him feel worthless, who Auston had argued was an asshole and an idiot.

Fuck. Oh, my God.

This was insane. This wasn’t happening. He was in some weird nightmare.

It wasn’t like Auston had even suspected. There should have been clues. A slow progression of epiphanies that had led to a final one. Auston had glanced at Chase naked in the locker room. He’d seen Chase dressed in casual clothing. He’d played with him for fucking months.

Hadn’t he ever asked Chase about his family? How didn’t he know if his dad was dead? About his mom?

No one could be this stupid. This was all…this was all a coincidence. This wasn’t a movie; this was real life, and life didn’t go like this.

Auston cleared his throat. “I’m glad you’re okay. You probably shouldn’t be on the phone if you have a concussion, though. Gotta rest up.”

“I am,” Charlie grumbled.

“We can talk later, okay?”

“Okay.” Charlie sighed. “But you’re not mad?”

“No. I just want you to be okay.”