Better off Friends

“Cool” was the only lame response I could come up with.

Relief flashed across her face. “Yeah, he’s really nice. And I didn’t even think about the dance when we were talking, but he brought it up. He asked who I was going with and when I said nobody, he …” Her cheeks flushed. “He said it was an egregious crime, which he felt it necessary to correct.”

She giggled.

I wanted to barf.

“You like him, right?” she asked.

Did I think Alex Curtis was a good guy? Sure.

Did I want to punch Alex Curtis in the face at that exact moment in time? You betcha.

Why couldn’t I tell her that? Why couldn’t I just tell her how I felt? Why did I fight something I wanted — no, something I needed so badly?

But then I flashed to Macallan leaving after I’d confessed my feelings for her. How awkward she’d been when she first came back from Ireland. How I hadn’t wanted to drive her away.

But maybe things were different now?

I opened my mouth, daring myself to finally man up. “Macallan.”

“Yeah?”

The buzzer on my stim machine went off. Kim came over to remove the ice and pads.

“Levi?” Macallan looked at me with concern. “Was there something you wanted?”

“Never mind.”

Time was up.

I began to focus on what I did have: A wonderful family. An awesome best friend. A group of guy friends. And a girlfriend.

That was what I needed to concentrate on.

Stacey insisted on having some people over the Saturday night before my, as Keith had put it, “legendary return to South Lake High School.”

“There’s my bro,” Keith greeted me now, gently putting me into a headlock. “Dude, we missed you at school. Who else am I going to cheat off during trig?”

I smiled and played the part of the happy guest of honor. When I maneuvered my crutches and leg brace to the closest couch, Stacey sat down next to me.

“What can I get you?” she asked. “Do you want something to drink or eat?”

“Just some water, thanks.” I knew I was being grumpy, but I was on some serious painkillers, and even soda made my stomach woozy.

Stacey got up to get me some water. I watched her move across the room, greeting everybody, being the perfect hostess.

I realized there was a line of people there to talk to me. I felt like it was a funeral for my football career, with people offering their condolences. Even though the guys kept telling me I’d be fine, I was the one who was speaking to the doctors. They’d confirmed it was going to take several months to get back to somewhat normal, and even then it would be hard for me to pivot and switch directions easily. The best hope I had for senior year was track. Running straight should be fine. At least I hoped it would be.

I was itching to run so I could clear my mind. And if there was a time in my life when I needed to get focused, work out issues, it was now.

I smiled politely and thanked everybody who came up to me and told me they hoped I felt better and that I’d be back to running in no time.

All I could do was sit there. Stacey had disappeared, probably talking to someone else in the kitchen.

I really needed that glass of water.

“Hey there,” Macallan said, setting a glass of water and a plate of brownies on the end table. She sat down next to me. “Enjoying your audience?”

“Oh, I am so happy to see you.”

“You’re happy to see my brownies.”

I’d been hesitant when Stacey brought up the idea for the party. In the middle of me giving her reasons for why it wasn’t a good idea (I wouldn’t be up to it, I didn’t want people feeling sorry for me, they’d see me in a few days, I didn’t want a big deal made out of it), she cut me off with “Macallan will be there. She thinks it’s a great idea.” She didn’t say it in a way that led me believe she resented Macallan. She had always understood about my relationship. She knew how things were with us.

Well, she didn’t know everything about us.

But Macallan knew Stacey loved her double-fudge brownies.

“This is fun.” Macallan tried to cheer me up.

“I guess.”

“Oh, pardon me.” She sighed exaggeratedly. “Everybody wanted to get together to celebrate that your surgery went well, and they’re happy to see you. It must be so hard to get up in the morning.”

“Actually, it is hard to get up in the morning.” I gestured at my leg brace.

She stood up. “I think I’m going to talk to anybody or anything that isn’t so negative. That wall looks tempting.”

I reached out my hand. “Please don’t go.”

Stacey came bounding for the couch. “You made it!” she said to Macallan.

“Yeah, I brought you these.” Macallan gestured to the brownies. I grabbed two more before Stacey took the plate.

“Yu-um!” Stacey exclaimed. “Thanks so much!”

“You’re welcome.”

They looked at each other, neither sure what to say next.

“Um …” I stammered.

“Hey!” Stacey said brightly to Macallan. “I hear you’re going to the dance with Alex. That’s so cool!”

“Yeah, it should be fun,” Macallan offered.

“Awesome!” Stacey looked like she was going to explode from either happiness or nerves. I could never read her right.

“Is that food?” Keith came over, then stopped in his tracks when he noticed Macallan next to me.