c h a p t e r • 37

-"Don't you dare close your eyes or I will kill you in your sleep."-

Lili's POV

I sat on the side of the field where the reserve players were sitting while coach was standing up with his arms crossed.

Our team won the last two games and this is the final game.

The players jogged to the middle of the field and practically glared the hell out of each other.

Why do they hate each other so much?

"What's up with you guys and this school?" I ask one of the guys which I think his name was Tom.

"We never got along because of their snobby and self-absorbed attitudes. Ryder and Kyle is a while other story." He explains.

"Oh." I nod. "Thanks, Tom."

"Actually, it's Jack..." He mutters but I wasn't paying attention to him. "Guess I'm Tom now."

The whistle blows and they start throwing the ball in all sorts of directions.

The ball kept switching from our side to theirs, a couple of times until time out.

The boys jogged over here and huddled together as coach said some teamwork or some sort.

"You morons better make the school proud. Don't let all your hard work go to waste. You guys are stupid but I'm sure you're not that stupid." Coach gives a little...pep talk. "If you don't win, you'll have more intense trainings."

The boys nodded and they did their cheer.

I locked eyes with Ryder for a second before he turned around and they all made their way to the field.

Don't get hurt. Please.

The whistle blows and they start playing again.

Ryder and Kyle kept having trouble with that bad news guy and if you looked closer, you could see they were trying hard not to kill each other.

The ball kept being thrived in different directions and when Ryder was about to score, I saw that stupid mr-whats-his-name smirk and he tackled him to the ground but it looked serious.

Before Ryder hit the ground, his helmet thing flew off his head as he hit the ground and I could've sworn I saw that guy knee his thigh.

My heart skipped a beat as I watched in fear.

The crowd went silent for a few seconds before people started panicking again.

"Hey, you! Don't you see an injured player?! Go help him!" Coach urges one of the guy nurses.

I gulped, paralysed standing.

I watched as that guy got up with both his hands up in surrender.

I was shaking and I couldn't stop.

Ryder still wasn't moving which made my heart beat faster.

Please be okay.

Kyle yelled at that guy who was still smirking as some people carry Ryder in a stretcher.

The referee separates the both of them as the two went either ways.

I rushed over to Ryder who was laying on the stretcher, half-conscious.

"W-what happened?" I stammered.

"He hit his head pretty bad and we need to get him to the hospital." The nurse says.

My eyes widen a little as I gulp in fear.

"Can I come with?" I ask.

"Who are you to him?" He asks with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm the team's manager. I need to be aware of the members health." I say, straining my voice.

He nods as I follow him, staring at the half-conscious Ryder.

I walked to his side and held his hand in mine.

"Don't you dare close your eyes or I will kill you in your sleep." I deadpan trying to keep myself from breaking down.

He chuckled softly but it was a throaty chuckle.

"Don't move or talk idiot." I scold him but he squeezes my hand in return.

I'll be fine. I hope that's what he was trying to say.

I'm gonna murder that asshole.

If he thinks that he can get away with what he did to my man then he's wrong.

Very wrong.

-•-

"You guys stink. Please go back to the hotel and get a shower because I doubt someone who got a concussion and is in a coma wants to smell something that people might mistake for a trash can." I say to the stinky humans in front of me.

"It was a mild concussion and he's sleeping, Lili." Kyle rolls his eyes.

"I don't care. It has the word concussion in it doesn't it?" I deadpan.

"She's right, though. We need a bath." Will says.

Kyle grumbles and nods, shooing them.

"You're following us." Kyle says and turns around.

"Thank you, next." I say waving my hand in dismissal.

"I wasn't asking. I don't want you alone with Ryder." He says gritting his teeth.

I raise an eyebrow at him.

"When was I involved in your boy drama?" I ask, rolling my eyes.

"I'm not kidding, Lili." He deadpans.

"Neither am I. I'll be staying. I'd rather not be stuck in a bus with a bunch of stinky boys." I say.

"Lili." He says in a warning tone.

I clench my jaw.

"Fine." I say through gritted teeth and walked in front of him and smirked.

You really think I'm still that naive little good girl, don't you?

-•-

I put on a hoodie and took my phone with me as I shut the door behind me.

I walked down the hallway into the elevator.

It was 11 something at night and I'm on my way to the hospital.

I walk out of the elevator and saw my Uber waiting for me outside the hotel.

I hop in the car and scrolled through Instagram as the driver started driving.

Once I reached the hospital, I pay the driver and walk in the entrance.

The hospital was quiet and that scared the shit out of me but there were a few people lingering around.

I got in the elevator and made my way to his room.

I opened the door without knocking and saw Ryder in his phone but he turned to me.

"Shortcake." His face lit up.

"Giraffie." I smiled.

"What are you doing here?" He asks as I make my way to the bed where he was laying on. I sat on the edge.

He put his phone away and stared at me.

"I missed you." I say, caressing his cheek. "How are you doing?"

"Better now that you're here." He smirks and pats the spot next to him "Lie with me."

I do as he say and he pulls me closer before kissing my forehead.

We're not even dating yet and he's this sweet.

"What are you thinking about?" He asks.

"Nothing." I say, way to fast and chuckle nervously.

I look up at him and see him smiling.

"You scared the shit out of me when I saw you unconscious." I frown.

"You care." He states and I nod confidently.

"I like it when you do these things." He comments.

"What things?" I ask, confused.

"When you show affection. When you're open about your feelings. You're so closed off all the time but when we're alone, just us, away from the world, you make my heart melt all the damn time." He says making my heart skip a beat.

"You think I'm closed off most of the time?" I ask and he nods.

"I know you think the same about me but we're all fucked up in one way or another. That's one of a million reasons of why we should be together. We both are two fucked up people looking for peace. But I stopped looking. Have you?" He asks and I bit the inside of my bottom lip.

Have I found peace yet?

"I think I did. And he's in front of me." I smile softly.

"Too bad she's not." He says making me frown. "I'm kidding." He grins.

I hit his shoulder hard.

"Hey, I'm an injured man, okay." He says.

I roll my eyes at him.

"You know, this longest time I've ever heard you talk." I say. "Why the sudden change?"

"Because someone visited me and told me to open up to who I think is special." He smiles.

"Who?" I ask, furrowing my eyebrows.

"My Shortcake, of course." He smiles.

"I know that. Who visited you?" I ask.

"Anna."

-•-