I feel like hell on my way to the dining hall to get my daily granola fix. The café is bustling this time of the morning and although I look as bad as I feel, I don’t have to worry considering I only know a handful of people in Alabama. As I sit alone at a corner table, I find myself eyeing each person as they exit the line mentally cataloguing which of their features I want to steal. There’s no shortage of good looking people on this campus, that’s for sure. So far I’ve taken the brunettes long legs, the blondes amazing green eyes, and the wardrobe of the red head. All put together, I’d be a dream.
It keeps me busy enough that I almost forget about my test results. They can’t be great considering the thumping in my head refuses to go away for more than an hour or two at a time. Taking it easy would be the smart thing to do, but it’s killing me not being able to train. Since I can’t show up sweaty to see the doctor who put me on restriction, I power walk instead of jogging to his campus office. He said no running, but if my feet never leave the pavement entirely, I’m still technically following the rules. And it’s cardio regardless.
The office is just opening and I step aside a few window washers already working hard. I nervously clamber inside, waiting my turn at the front desk.
“Can I help you?” The receptionist asks.
“Yes. I need to see the doctor about my test results. My name’s Sophie.”
She smiles warmly. “He’s expecting you this morning. I have your papers right here.”
Before she can buzz his office, I notice him chatting with another student athlete in the small waiting area. As soon as he finishes, he acknowledges me. “Sophie, you can come back.”
“Thank you.”
He eyes me up and down, making me nervous. “I saw you hustling by my window and figured you were on your way in. You’re not pushing it are you? You look tired.”
I’ll have to be more careful. “No. I’ve been taking it easy.”
“Okay. Have a seat.” He opens my file and pulls out the transcribed report from my CT scan. “The test results were as I suspected. No fracture or anything serious to worry about, but you’re still consistent with a concussion. I’d like you to remain out of practice for the rest of this week and the next.”
“Shit,” I mutter. I was expecting this news, but it doesn’t make it any easier to hear. There’s no way I can afford to miss that much time. Coach won’t like it.
“I promise you it’s standard. You won’t see any of the football players back in action for a few weeks after sustaining the same injury. With your permission, I’ll send a leave of absence form to your coach so he has your diagnosis in writing. It won’t affect your standing with the university as far as scholarship money is concerned.”
“Sure, that’s fine. Is there anything I can do in the meantime?”
“Take the rest of the week to rest as I already said. Next week you can resume your workouts, but scale them down.”
This isn’t the news I was hoping for. “Okay.”
“I’ll check in with you in a few days. I have your contact info and please come in right away if anything changes or worsens.”
“I will. Thanks for seeing me.”
“You’re welcome, Sophie. That’s what I’m here for.” We shake hands before parting ways.
As soon as I’m outside, I pull out Coach Evans business card and dial his number. He asked me to call him and as much as I’d rather not, I know I have to face the music. Hoping I get his answering machine, I’m nervous when he actually picks up his phone.
“Hello.”
“Hi. It’s Sophie. From the team.”
“Hi Sophie. What can I do for you today? Are you feeling any better?”
“I was just calling with my test results. The doctor is sending you paperwork, but I wanted to tell you myself like you asked. With my concussion and all, I have to miss this week and next. I’m really sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry. Accidents happen. Did he find anything else on the scan? I assume it was negative?”
“Yes. It was. It’s just a waiting game now until I can come back.”
“We look forward to having you back.”
“Thank you.”
“Call me anytime to check-in. Okay?”
“Sure, I will. Thank you.”
“Talk to you soon, Sophie. Take care.”
“You too. Bye.”
Although that once again went better than expected, I’m still totally bummed I’ll be missing more time than I’d wanted. Tempted to give my body a test, I want to show Coach Evans I’m a hard worker despite the warning from the doctor. I’m sure he’s being overly cautious considering the danger of gymnastics.
Once the doctor’s office is out of view, I start to jog slowly. When the coast is completely clear, I concentrate on each stride, digging deeper the farther I go. With the wind in my hair, I live for the exercise I’ve missed out on.
Considering my condition, I make good time for the first half mile of my run, but I stop moving altogether when the pounding in my skull is back in full force. I rest in the grass under a shade tree and wish I had thought to bring some water with me. I’m a long way from the dorm, so I know I need to start walking back or I’ll miss my next class. I’m wobbly when I get back on my feet and reach out for the tree trunk to steady myself. “This was stupid,” I say to nobody but myself.
After walking for a solid five minutes, I look around and realize I’m not sure which direction I came from. The store fronts on each corner are identically designed creating further confusion. Having only been in this town for a short time with little time to explore, I have to go with my gut and take the street to my right. I walk for a few more blocks and things start to look vaguely familiar. This has to be the way I came. Two more blocks and I stop directly in front of the wrestling house where Kipton lives. That explains why the street looked familiar. From what I remember, if I take two rights and a left, I should run right into my building. Or would it be two lefts and a right? Stomping my foot in frustration, I decide to go right.
“Are you here to see me or dance on the sidewalk?”
I jump, startled by the company I wasn’t aware I had. Kipton’s leaning over the railing of his porch watching me with an amused expression on his face. This day just keeps getting better. “Which way is my dorm?”
“You’re lost?” he questions.
“Yeah. I went to the doctor’s office for my test results.”
“Sophie, the doctor’s office is on the other side of campus. How did you end up over here?” He looks concerned and walks down the porch steps to meet me on the sidewalk.
I shrug my shoulders, afraid to state the obvious. “I went for a run.”
“Did he clear you?”
I kick around a stone on the ground with my sneaker so I don’t have see his less than amused expression when I tell him the truth. “Not exactly.”
“What did he tell you?” His voice hardens ever so slightly and I know he won’t like the truth.
Refusing to lie to Kipton, I fess up and admit my wrong. “To take the rest of the week off and next week I can start working out in the weight room.”
He crosses his arms and forces me to look at him with his body language alone. He’s angry. “So, you didn’t care for his news and did your own thing instead.”
I hate how childish he makes my decision sound. “Something like that.”
He nods his head knowingly, aware that I didn’t follow instructions. “I can’t tell you what to do, Sophie, but you need to listen to him. I don’t want to worry about you roaming the streets all because you got mad.”
My natural reaction is to get defensive. I’ve always had to fight my way through conversation at home. “I’m trying, Kipton.”
“Are you?” he challenges.
“Yes!”
“You sure about that? You look really tired.”
“I didn’t sleep well, not that it matters.”
“Of course it matters, Sophie.”
I want to ask him why. But I don’t. “I have a class to get to.” I start walking in the direction I’m facing, not caring if it’s the right way or not. I’ll find the dorm one way or another.