Page 21 of Side Out

I open the passenger door to find averyhigh Jackson. “I’m one lucky bastard. Is the hot neighbor here to get me from the car? Emmy, did you do this for meeeee?”

“Ignore him; he’s on pain meds.” Emerson chuckles as he instructs Jax on what to do. “Come on, we’ve gotta get you inside.” He grunts while pulling Jax’s bad leg out of the car while I put my arms out to pull him up to stand.

Emerson and I get under each of his arms and hobble him inside. After way too much fussing and fighting, we finally get to the living room. Jax leans in and whispers in my ear, “This isn’t how I wanted you carrying me for the first time.”

“Shh, you don’t know what you’re saying.”

His hand that’s slung over my shoulder grabs the bottom of my neck and runs up into the hair on the nape of my neck, and he gives it a gentle pull. “But I do know what I’m saying…”

I can see the couch, and I’m hoping to god he stays quiet until Emerson is at least out of earshot. He’s behaved as we get him on the couch with his leg propped up under a couple of pillows.

Emerson heads out of the house to grab the rest of his things from the car. Not even seconds after Emerson leaves Jax says, “Get your cock out again.”

I hiss, “Jax! Please, for the love of god, stop. I came to help get you in here and make sure you were okay. You can’t be saying stuff like that.” I hate shutting him down, but it wouldn’t take anything for Emerson to overhear what he’s saying. I’m sure I could blame it on the drug-induced haze he’s in, but still.

“You justhadto wear the gray joggers, didn’t you, Mr. Young?” The smirk on his face has my hand covering my mouth to suppress my groan.

Before he can say anything else, I stand up straight and take a step back from the couch, creating some much needed distance. “I’m going to head out. You rest and listen to your brother.”

I leave Jax, with his leg propped up, and a list of instructions for Emerson to follow. And with one last lingering look at him already asleep on the couch, I walk out his front door and back across the street.

Alone.

Again.

STRAY - jxdn

CHAPTER14

JUST ONE LOOK

JACKSON

“Are you sure you don’t want me to stay with you?” Clay asks as he drops me off in front of the athletics facility.

“Don’t you have class?”

He rolls his eyes. “It’s just my Business Analytics class. I can do that shit in my sleep.”

As much as I wouldn’t mind having someone there supporting me today, I also don’t think I can think of anything worse than someone witnessing the humiliation that is about to occur.

It’s my first day of physical therapy post-surgery, which I thought was going to be further out than three fucking days post-op. However, my doctor told me that with my activity and fitness level, there should be no reason I shouldn’t heal up faster than most.

Whoopty-fucking-doo.

It’s safe to say I’m absolutely dreading whatever is about to happen.

?*Be that as it may, I know Clay is just as disappointed about the entire situation as I am. Me being out our senior year has not only put everything I’ve worked for at risk but all of his work is at risk too. He’s going to have to learn how to work with a brand new partner in hopes that their skills will be enough to not only win a championship but pull the attention of the Olympic scouts as well.

And cherry on top of the cake is that his new partner is the one person on the team that Clay can’t seem to get along with.

Rocky Campos.

So, instead of making his life even harder and asking that he miss class, I give him a weak smile and say, “Thanks, man. But, I’m good.”

I can tell he doesn’t believe me, but he nods anyway. “Alright. I’ll pick you up out here after class.”

I tried to align most of my physical therapy appointments with Clay’s schedule, considering I can’t walk very far with my brace and crutches yet, and I’m not allowed to drive a car. I’m just thankful our school has a slew of physical therapists on staff for athletes, and Clay didn’t have to schlep me across town to see someone else. I’d hate to be more of a burden than I already am. “Sounds good.”

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