Page 113 of Call the Shots
“That’s a pretty regular trait for teenagers.”
“It’s still embarrassing. You ever wish you could go back in time and shake your past self?”
“No. Because I never make mistakes.”
“Mm-hmm.”
Grinning, he laid on the couch, an arm behind his head. “You thought King didn’t like you and…?”
I reached for a pillow. “King’s mom is a diabetic, and she can faint from it. She fell and hit her head, he was the first person she called. We were in Alabama for a game. King contacted the police but during the flight to Houston, he only knew she was in the hospital. Like…can you imagine?”
“No. I can’t,” Bear said quietly.
“I found out and got my family involved. My mom and I called these doctors, scheduled treatments—I had no idea diabetes was so bad.” I wrapped an arm around my knee. “Did you know your body can reject the medication you need tolive?She can’t even stay on the same treatment, it’s like a boomerangcycle.” I hesitated. “Mrs. King became my second mom and King and I got closer than I ever would’ve thought possible.”
There was something else I wanted to tell him.
Bear didn’t need to know, but I couldn’t talk about it with anyone. I picked at the seam of the pillow. “Elijah was wrong when he said King had charges from high school.”
“Yeah, I figured. It’s Elijah.”
“There weren't any charges because the…situation didn’t go to the police.”
I watched Bear stiffen through the screen. Both of us were quiet. I didn’t have to tell him, but I wanted to. Talking to Bear was weirdly comforting. Like a big hug, even if hugs weren’t Bear’s thing.
“You can’t tell anyone about this,” I said. “Do you understand? The NDA is expensive.”
“I wouldn’t do that to you, June,” he said softly.
“King’s dad was…physically abusive. When King was in high school, he threw his dad out of the house for good, but…”
There was a hard lump in my throat. King’s mom meant so much to me and thinking about this was painful. I couldn’t imagine how it was for King.
“His dad came to the house while he was gone and—um—attacked his mom. She had to be hospitalized for six weeks.” Silence lapsed, as I struggled with what to say. “King searched for his dad but his family was protecting him.”
“Protecting King?” Bear said, dumbfounded.
“No. Protecting his dad.”
“Holy shit.”
“He literally went through his family to find his dad.” I squeezed the pillow tight and told Bear everything.
“Fuck,” Bear whispered.
“King had his baby sister to think about, his mom in the hospital, and he didn’t want his dad to come back so…”
“Did he find his dad?”
I nodded slowly. “Yeah. King didn’t kill him, but he messed him up.” I bit my lip. “Our sophomore year, this police officer tried to blackmail King about the situation, but his coach intervened. The fake relationship was supposed to be done—Xavier was ready for it to be finished—but we figured keeping it going was the best move for King. It’d look so much better if stuff came to light. And I’d always be there for him, he knows that.”
“That’s why you kept it going.”
“Mm-hmm.”
“Fuck.”
“Yeah.”
