Page 42 of Quarterback Crush
“Hey, I’m sorry Maya. I really am. You don’t deserve this, bestie.” She squeezed my hand. “You know, when I saw him at your house on Sunday, I could have sworn he had it bad for you.”
“He was acting,” I said.
“Well, he’s definitely Oscar material then.”
My phone rang and picking it off my lap, I saw Mom’s name on screen. “Yeah?” I said, expecting she’d say she left a folder in the backseat and could I bring it to her office.
“Where are you?”
“In the car. With Sammy.”
“Okay, stay right there. I’m coming now.” There was an urgency to her tone, one that made my heart rate soar. My thoughts immediately raced to Dad and Lizzie.
“Why?” But she’d hung up already. “Mom’s coming,” I said. “Something’s wrong.”
“What?”
“I dunno. But she sounded stressed.” I flung my makeup back into its purse and zipped it up. “Something must be wrong. I hope it’s not Dad.” Dad was a roofer. Mom was always worried that one day he’d fall off a roof, even though he never compromised his safety standards.
“I hope not,” Sammy said, clutching my hands and offering up a quick prayer, “Please let Mr. Shelton be okay.”
As Mom came into view, my heart clenched. Her walking was definitely at a fast pace and she carried a tote bag overher shoulder. Visualizing that Dad was lying on the ground somewhere, I got out of the car, as did Sammy, and we met her on the curb. Only then did I realize that I hadn’t put my shoe on yet.
I was frantic. “Mom, what’s wrong? Is Dad okay?”
Mom nodded, greeting Sammy. “Your dad is fine. I just had a phone call from Mrs. Blackwell.” Her brief pause sent my mind into overdrive and in that millisecond I pictured an angry Mrs. Blackwell (who I’d only seen from a distance at football games) blaming me for coming between Savannah and Oliver. But then Mom said, “Oliver’s in hospital.”
“In hospital?” I parroted back.
“He had a car accident last night.”
“Is he hurt?” I said at the same time that Sammy asked, “What happened?”
“I don’t know all the details, but it was a collision near town. It seems a car went through the stop light without stopping.”
I gasped and my eyes brimmed with tears as I pictured Oliver injured and unable to play in the final. “Is he hurt bad?”
“He has a broken leg.”
I gasped again, covering my hand over my mouth. Oliver would definitely not be playing football on Friday night.
“Maya,” Mom said, placing her arm around my shoulder, “Mrs. Blackwell called to say that Oliver wants to see me.”
“Me?” My first thought was that he had amnesia. Perhaps he’d lost his memory and had forgotten that he was back with Savannah. “Why me?”
“I’ll take you,” Mom said calmly. “I’ve already signed you out.”
Sammy waved as Mom drove off and I held my knees together to stop them from shaking. “I don’t know why he wants to see me,” I rambled, once again fighting back tears. But now they were due to genuine anguish over Oliver’s condition.I didn’t want him to have a broken leg or amnesia or to be suffering in any way. “He’s going to be devastated he can’t play in the final. He’s worked so hard and he wants this for Coach Gregor and his dad. And I don’t know why he wants to see me. Where’s Savannah? Unless he wants to tell me our fake relationship is over. But he could just text me that.”
“Maya?” I turned to Mom. “Just shush,” she said with a small turned-up smile.
I pulled on my sneaker and as we walked through the main hospital doors, I lamented not having something for him. “I should buy him some candy,” I said, but Mom walked straight past the gift shop.
“Maybe later. I only signed you out for first period.”
“I should’ve brought my crutches back,” I said, “I’m not using them now.”
“Maybe Oliver will need them,” Mom said, walking with authority like she knew exactly where to go.
