Chapter Six

Shakir's POV

I haven't seen Cook in a few days. A few days ago, I overheard Hollins say that he's in the hospital, and that he's getting better. Everyone on the team has gone and visited him, except for me. I can't bring myself to face him. After all, I'm the fucking reason he's in that goddamn hospital bed right now.

I try to shake thoughts of Cook out of my head, but they keep seeping back into my brain like some sort of infection. I keep seeing his bloody face...his long gorgeous locks...his smile...what is wrong with me? Why am I thinking about him like this? Is it because of my guilt? No...it's something more than that...

I can't focus during practice, and Coach Marx notices this. This goes on for a few more days, until he drags me over during practice one day, and...slaps me across the face!

"What the fuck?!" I yell.

"Kahlil, pull yourself together!" Coach Marx orders, "You aren't focusing on practice, and whatever is on your mind-it's bringing you down."

"What?" I ask, confused on what he was talking about. Did he know about what happened at the pool party? But..how did he know? Did that damn Hollins tell him???

Coach Marx knew better than to listen to someone else's empty words however, and told me, "I don't know what's bugging you, but it's clear as day that something is wrong. You need to go and deal with that problem head on, or you'll never be the same again."

I stare at Coach Marx for a while, listening to what he had to say. He was right, if I didn't pull myself together, if I didn't deal with my feelings now...then I wouldn't be in shape for the upcoming game...and I wouldn't be able to look at Cook the same ever again...

"You're right Coach Marx," I triumphantly say, "I'm going to visit James."

Coach Marx nods, satisfied with my response, "That's the spirit. Now, go on!" He pushes my back lightly, signaling that it was time.

After practice, I immediately run for my cybertruck, parked nearby. I tug on the doors, (why are they so hard to open????) and turn on the car. I start speeding down the highway...but soon it starts snowing, as we are in Buffalo, snow is natural.

"God fucking dammit," I say under my breath, as the road begins to disappear in the cloud of snow.

It's getting harder to see, and now it feels like I'm driving blind. This is bad. My car starts to tweak, and I fear that it's breaking down because of the weather. I knew I shouldn't have bought a cybertruck!

There was no time to complain about my stupid ass car, I need to see Cook-no, James before it's too late. I need to be by his side.

The hospital isn't far. I can make it. But not like this.

I get out of my car, and I start to run. I run as fast as I can. I pretend I'm running in practice, I pretend I'm on the field. This is the only way I can endure the cold. My face feels numb, my limbs are tired, but I keep running. I keep running and running until I can't anymore. I nearly pass out in front of the hospital.

I frantically run in, where I see Hollins standing in the lobby. He notices me and glares at me...what the fuck??? This guy seriously is a pain in the ass...

I compose myself and make my way over to him first. "Hey Hollins."

He scoffs, "Hey. Shakir."

"Hollins," I say, "What's with the attitude?"

"Why're you here?" Hollin asks, getting straight to the point, "You shouldn't be here."

I feel a pang in my chest, "What do you mean by that?"

Hollins doesn't reply, and that pisses me off. But I'm not here to see him, I'm here to see James. I push past him and walk up to the front desk.

"Excuse me," I say, "Where's James Cook's room? I'm here for a visit."

The lady at the desk smiles at me and goes on her computer. I hear her typing away vigorously until she answers, "Room 143."

"Thank you." I take a look back at Hollins one last time, and I give him a smirk. Heh.

I make my way to room 143. I take a deep breath before going in. This..this is it. I'm going to tell James what I'm really feeling. All of the pent up anger, annoyance...all of the times I felt strange about him...my guilt. All of it, I'm going to tell him all of it.

I slowly open the door, and look inside....

________________________

Cook's POV

I lay in the hospital bed, tired, in pain, and feeling bad. I haven't seen Shakir since the fight at the pool party. All of my teammates have come to see me, especially Mack, who has come with almost every single day, everyone except Shakir.

That guy...he always made me mad and he really waxed my back, but still...was he mad at me? Did he not want to see me after I fought that freak...? Wait...why did I even care if he was mad? Why did I even...

I groan, annoyed with my feelings. I didn't have anyone to talk to about this. Not even Mack, who I knew disliked Shakir. I also thought I disliked him...but now...

Speaking of Mack, he burst through the door of my hospital room, with more flowers and snacks. He looked happy to see me, but also a bit exhausted.

"Mack!" I exclaim, surprised.

"James! Hey man," Mack grins, "Look, I brought more things. Your favorite snacks and...new flowers." He placed the vase of flowers on the table beside me, along with the basket full of snacks.

"Thanks Mack," I happily accept the gifts. "What's been happening with the team lately?"

"Oh, y'know. We've been practicing like usual," Mack recalls, "But it's been pretty chill. It's not the same without you, though."

I sigh, "Sorry I can't be there right now."

Mack immediately reassures me, "No! No, don't be sorry. This whole situation isn't your fault anyways. It's that Shakir guy's fault."

Something doesn't sit right with what he's saying, and I usually wouldn't say anything. I know Mack doesn't like Shakir. I know he doesn't. But yet...I can't help but feel...angered with what he's saying.

"Why would you say that?" I blurt out, catching Mack off guard.

Mack's shoulders drop, "What? What do you mean?"

I clench my fists, "I know Shakir isn't your favorite guy, but this...this wasn't his fault. I'm the reason I'm in the hospital right now...It was my own dumb anger issues..."

Silence falls upon us for only a moment, until I hear Mack start to speak.

"Tch," He clicks his tongue, "I think that Brad guy hit your head too hard. What are you even saying right now?" He seems completely different now. This isn't the Mack Hollins I met that day. This is a different Mack, a different side of him I've never seen before. Then it hits me, when Shakir...when he tried to warn me about Mack. About everything. About how he was trying to tear us apart, now I knew. Now I knew that he was right all along. I'm such an idiot!

"I'm saying..." I bit my lower lip in frustration, "I'm saying that I don't want you speaking about Khalil like that."

Mack scowls, "James, what's up with you? Why're you defending that...that jackass?"

"He may be a jackass to you...but to me..." I trail off, unable to find the right words. The words that were the key all along. What was Khalil Shakir to me? Was he an enemy? No...too harsh. Rival? Well, yeah...but there was something more. Something that was bothering me...

My thoughts are interrupted by a huge door slam. My head jolts up to see the door closed, and Mack gone. Whatever. He was being a meanie pants anyways. I had more things to think about...alone...is what I wish I could say, but not even a few moments later, I hear the door open again.

Is Mack coming back to apologize...? I don't want to talk to him right now. But who I see coming through the doorway slowly is...Shakir. No, Khalil.

He looks exhausted, and he's all wet. I look out the window. It's snowing. Badly. But how did he get this...tired out? Didn't he have his cybertruck...? Or...I have so many questions. But those will have to wait.

"Khalil..." I accidentally say under my breath. I realize what I had just said, and cover my mouth. But when I look at Khalil, he doesn't seem to mind. In fact, it almost looks like he liked what he heard.

"Hey, James," He replies back, breathing heavily. I motion for him to sit down on the bed beside me. He does so, and plops down with a huge sigh.

For a while, we sat in comfortable silence. I have a feeling Khalil has a lot to say, but I don't want to pry. We take small glances at each other, but none of us say anything. Eventually, I can't take it, and I speak up.

"Khalil, I'm sorry." I have no idea what to say...this seemed like the best start.

"What? Why're you...why're you apologizing?" Khalil sounds almost offended that I would even say that, but not in his usual, annoyed way. This time, he sounded more concerned.

I shake my head, "I don't know...I just thought you were mad at me and all..."

"I would...I would never be mad at you," Khalil shakes his head, "Sure, you piss me off a lot...but...I'm not angry with you at all. And why would I be? You...you saved me. You defended me. No one's ever done that before."

"I...I thought that was the reason you were angry with me," I admit, "I thought you didn't want to see me after...that."

Khalil takes a deep breath, "Well, actually, I was avoiding you. But not for the reasons you think..."

"Huh?"

"I know you're going to get annoyed with me again...but it's true. Mack made me feel guilty about this. About the fight, about not stopping you...from preventing this."

I shake my head, "No. It's not your fault. And I know now that it's not mine," I say slowly, "And you were right...about Mack. I'm sorry I didn't listen to you sooner."

Khalil chuckles bitterly, "Well, to be fair, I didn't expect you to believe me, a guy who you hate, over your best friend."

"A guy you hate...huh..." I repeat thoughtfully, "That would've been true a few weeks ago. But now...I think it's something different."

I make eye contact with Khalil, and now, for the first time, I can see how beautiful he is. How his eyes shine...his face glows. He looks like a masterpiece. And now I know what Khalil Shakir is to me.

"You're...you're the guy that I love," I blurt out.

This catches Khalil off guard, and he lightly hits me on the arm, "What the fuck was that!? You can't just say that and..." Then I see him blush. It's...it's really cute actually.

"Sorry! I'm so sorry! I just...it needed to come out," I explain, "I've been thinking about it, about you, all day..."

Khalil turns away, "I...I've also been thinking about you. All this time."

Now it's my turn to blush. Wow...he's been thinking about me too...? Are these feelings mutual...? Did that mean...

"Let's kiss."

We both speak at the same time.

"What?"

We say again in unison.

But that's all we needed. Our feelings combined. Into one kiss.

And so we did.