Say When

T H I R T Y - T W O

Pain stayed with me through the night. The sun rose and with it another round of painkillers. I wished they were stronger. Every move was partnered with an aggressive sting that started in my head and shot down the back of my neck. Or started in my abdomen and spread through my chest like fire. Or started in my heart and ached through all my senses. I was physically and emotionally spent. School was not an option in my condition so I was home again. I lay across the couch with my head resting on a pillow and my feet in Rita's lap. Chris sat on the chair across from us.

"The strip club!" Chris yelled out.

"Nasty." Rita shot a repulsive look at Chris before turning back to the television. "A zoo!" Rita yelled at the TV. Family Feud was on. We watched the families struggle to name places where you are not allowed to touch anything.

"A hospital?" The gray-haired grandmother of the family answered unsurely. We rolled our eyes as her family looked up at the large animated screen hopefully for the answer. Only a few short seconds passed before the buzzer rang out accompanied by a huge red 'X'.

"Idiot." Rita shook her head.

"Stupid," I said. Berating random cousins and loopy grandmothers on TV was cathartic.

Chris and Rita both decided to stay home with me. Chris claimed he couldn't concentrate at school knowing I wasn't there. He was worried about me. I took his concern and the company graciously.

For Rita it was just a continuation from yesterday; she'd never left last night. She was keeping an eye on me. Her care was equal parts giving me my pain meds every four hours and also making sure I didn't answer my phone. She refused to let me talk to Jax since I spilled everything to her.

He called at least once an hour. It was tough for me not to take my phone while she was sleeping and sneak outside to return his calls. But there was no way I could move quickly or quietly enough to pull that off.

And I was afraid to go out on my own. No police report had been filed. These girls were still out there and that was unsettling to me. No matter how much I wanted answers, comfort, or closure I wouldn't put myself in harms way again. After fifteen missed calls she blocked his number.

There was a knock at the door and I jumped. Rita rubbed my leg sympathetically. Chris got up to answer it.

"You have a visitor," Chris said as he entered the living room. I peered over the back of the couch to see Yuri round the corner. He looked like he'd just come from the gym; his bag slung across his chest. He cradled a teddy bear beneath his right arm. The bear held a helium balloon between its furry tan paws that read Get Well Soon.

Chris returned to his seat but Yuri hung back just beyond the entrance to the room. He seemed afraid to approach me. I could see the worry in his eyes. I smiled and waved him over. He walked over with short careful steps. Nothing like the long strides of his usual gait. He lowered himself onto the arm of the couch and handed the bear to me. It smelled of spring air and Yuri.

"Shouldn't you be in school?" I asked him, raising an eyebrow.

"I had to come check on you. Make sure you're okay," He said.

"It's a regular old party in here." I chuckled and winced.

"Oh, I brought something for that." He reached into the gym bag and pulled out a large blue plastic rectangle that sagged limply in his hands. I eyed it suspiciously.

"It's an ice pack. I took an elbow to the ribs last season and this saved my ass. You just put it on-" He gestured toward my shirt. I looked over at Rita who watched the whole exchange with a tiny smile on her face. Chris buried his head in his phone but shot his eyes over every now and again to take in the scene.