Chapter 10: Trust

As we headed toward the hospital, I couldn't help but think about the power he had over me. I have no doubt in my mind that nobody else could have gotten me to think rationally and go to the doctor. It was times like these when I got scared. I knew I was close to him, but now I couldn't help but think maybe a little to close. I mean people always leave, some just have better timing than others. But when I looked over at him, I couldn't stop a feeling of security from arising in the pit of my stomach. I had know him for quite a while now, but my stomach still did flips when I saw or even thought about him. I couldn't help but think that maybe he was different. That maybe he cared just enough to stick around...

It was then that we arrived at the hospital. I started to get out of the car, and to my dismay he helped me walk again. I hated having to accept help from people. It made me feel so useless.

I went and sat in a chair while he checked me in. Soon enough he was sitting right next to me. I had my had resting on the handle on the chair, and I think he could sense that I was nervous about the outcome of this visit, so he grabbed for my hand, and just held it. Once again my stomach was practicing gymnastics. What the hell was wrong with me? I had always been fine on my own. And now, one look from him and I'm jello. I wanted to trust him, wanted to give into him and open up completely with him. And better yet, I wanted to know what it felt like to kiss those pouty lips of his... I was brought out of my daydream as I was called in for my x-ray. I looked up at him and couldn't believe what I did next.

"Come with me?" I pleaded. WTF... I thought to myself.

He didn't respond, just gave me that goofy smile of his and stood up. They brought me a wheel-chair, and I neglected to use it by just walking past it. The nurse looked at me confused, and then started walking me back toward the room I was dreading to enter.

Geno's POV

I could tell she was tense by the intensity of the death grip that she currently had on the chair she was sitting in. I chuckled to myself before reaching for her hand, and to my dismay, she let me hold it. I saw a small smile creep on her face as she moved just her eyes up to look at me for a quick glance, before going back to concentrating on the magazine she was reading while trying to past the time. But I could see the look of trust in her eyes, even if it was only momentarily. The moment was broken up when the nurse came. When she asked me to come with her, I almost wanted to break out in song and dance, but I held myself in check and just stood up and smiled at her before following diligently. Naturally she wouldn't use the wheelchair... that is so like her.

I waited in the small sitting room outside the x-ray center. She emerged in about 5 minutes ready to go. She was using crutches, and I could see the disgust on her face.

"They said they wouldn't be ready to read until after 6," she said simply, trying to explain.

I nodded my head and looked at my watch. It was only a little after 3.

"Well do you want to go get something to eat, or do you wanna go back to our place? I'm sure the guys are wondering how you are..."

"Yeah you are probably right. Colby is probably spazzing out..." She laughed. "Yeah we can just head back to your place, I'm not really in the mood for going out."

And with that we made our way to my car. I could tell she was definitely stressed out from today's events. I couldn't blame her though. For the 2nd time in her life, everything she knew was taken away from her.

After we had gotten to the house and went inside, it was only a matter of seconds before all of the guys had emerged from their various locations throughout the house to see how she was. After she assured them she was fine, she laid her crutches up against the bar in the kitchen and proceeded to make her way to the couch. I could only shake my head.


"I can't seem to get it through to her that it's not going to get better until she stops putting pressure on it," I signed in defeat.


"Did they find out what was wrong?" Kris spoke up.

"They took x-rays, but won't be able to read them until 6. So we have to go back then." I replied.

The doorbell rang breaking up our conversation. "That's the Chinese," Colby said while coming around the corner. "Aren't you gonna go pay for that Geno?" he said with a huge grin.


"I didn't order it, I'm not paying."


"Yeah but we knew that it's her favorite, and that you guys would be coming back here soon, so I think it's only fair you pick up the tab," he replied.


He turned around, and I took that as my opportunity to send him to the ground. With one swift movement I had tackled him and was holding him down. "This isn't fair, you outweigh me by a good 40 pounds!" he screeched in his defense.

"It's not our fault you are scrawny," Sid chuckled as he stepped over us to get to the fridge.


"You are seriously just gonna stand there and watch him beat my ass?" Colby asked a little offended.


"First of all you probably deserve it. And he could beat my ass too, so sorry you are on your own," he stated while going to get the door. Luckily for Colby, Sid paid for the food.


Colby managed to get up, and looked at me as if he was proud. "Foods here everybody!" he yelled with a content smile on his face. "Ty we ordered some for you too, so get your butt in here and eat it, wouldn't want Sid's money to go to waste you know," he finished with a chuckle.


Everybody grabbed their food and made their way back into the living room. The Steelers were playing tonight, and while in Pittsburgh we had all became fans and hardly missed a game. We were all watching the game while eating our food when Max spoke up.


"You know Ty, you should just move in," he stated bluntly.


She gave me a quick glance before answering. "And why do you think that?"

"Well, you are always here, and plus we have an extra room."

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean I should move in," she said quietly.

"Sure it does," Jordan insisted. "We have the room, and besides, you are a damn good cook," he finished with a devilish grin.

"You guys can't seriously--"

"Yep. We are," Colby interjected. "Most of us have been discussing it for a while now, and we think its a good idea."

"And when were you intending to let me in on the plan?" I asked, while trying to sound hurt and betrayed.

"We knew you wouldn't have a problem with it," Marc said with that smile of his. "You don't have to give us an answer tonight Ty, we just thought we would let you know that you have the option, and that we want you here."

"If I agree, I'm not going to be your guys' personal maid... you are going to pick up after yourself," she answered with a small smile.

"Is that a yes?!" Max shouted.

"I don't see why not, I do spend most of my time here," she replied calmly.

Everybody just smiled and went back to watching the game.

Ty's POV

I almost chocked on my Lo Mien when Max asked me to live with them. I knew they were fond of me, but not this much. And yes, they did have the extra room. But I still couldn't shake the feeling that I was imposing. I had wanted to live in an actual house for the longest time though, and I knew that their extra bedroom was a good size, and had a balcony with an awesome view. Why none of them wanted it I'll never know. But I also knew that it was right next to Geno's and that the two rooms were joined by a bathroom. I definitely could get use to the silence around here though. Okay so maybe it wasn't exactly all that quiet, but it was definitely better than listening to the little kids screaming at the home all the time. Yes, I would be done with high school in the next few days, but I was already enrolled in summer classes at Pitt so it's not like the homework would stop, it would just get harder. If I still had a scholarship there, that is. And with that, I accepted their offer.

We all sat around and finished watching the Steelers, and pretty soon it at 5:30 so we headed back to the hospital. Once again, another waiting room. We sat around waiting for probably 5 or 10 minutes before I was called back. I was happy to see that Geno got up to follow me, instead of me having to ask him to again. Yes, we were just friends, but I didn't know if I could handle this without him. It had been bothering me all day since it happened. I was suppose to get to college to play ball for my dad. In remembrance of him. It was all I had left of him, and I could have possibly lost that today. I was brought out of my thoughts when the doctor came in and started talking.


"Hello Miss Robinson, let me take a look at these real fast, and then we will discuss what's wrong," stated the doctor.


I didn't reply, afraid that nothing audible would come from my mouth. The longer and longer he took, the more scared I became. Finally, he started talking again.


"Well, I have some bad news, and some good news. Which would you prefer first?" He asked.


That sentence alone made me cringe. "Go ahead and give me the bad," I answered.

"I do indeed think your tore your ACL, and possibly all the other tendons and ligaments in your knee," he told me. "But, there is a surgery to correct that. I'm not 100% positive that that is what you did, so we will have to get you scheduled for an MRI. Until then, I want you to use the crutches, keep it elevated as much as possible, and stay off of it at all costs. I don't want you to make it worse," he stated.


With that we made our way to the front desk to get an appointment. We were done in a matter of minutes and on our way back to his car.


"It's not the end of the world, he said that there was a surgery to correct it," he offered trying to comfort me.


"I know, but there is no guarantee I will ever play like I use to again," I answered while tears began to form in my eyes.


"It's going to be okay, sports aren't the only way you can get into college."


"No, but it was the best option I had," I said as the tears started to fall from my eyes and down my face.

Before I had my whole sentence out, he had pulled me into a hug and my stomach once again started doing its newly acquired tricks. Ahh shitt... I thought to myself.