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Chapter 6

If there was something that Mack hated, it was crutches. Although she preferred them to wheelchairs, she despised the objects that were helping her walk. They made her feel like a weakling. They also brought on sympathetic stares that she had hated for as long as she could remember.

She trudged through the front door toward her father's car, determined to go to school no matter what her mother said.

It wasn't that she liked school. It wasn't that she wanted the attention that her crutches would bring. She wanted to show that she wasn't going to let a surgery keep her away from things such as school. She wanted to show the students that she was strong. She wanted to show the teachers that she wasn't Troy.

Troy, the sweet, lovable jock, but also one of the worst things in her life. Sure she loved him, but she hated being his sister. She hated being compared to him and now, more than ever, she was being compared to Troy. They both played basketball, they looked the same, they liked the same music, talked the same way, ate the same food. Now she just added one more thing to the ever growing list.

Falling to the ground during a basketball game and missing the final high school game because of some stupid ailment.

Calum had visited her everyday. He held her hand, kissed her cheek, gave her comforting words. Like Troy had said, the boy had done anything she asked plus more.

"Are you sure you want to go to school today Princess," Jack asked as he sat in the driver's seat. She just nodded, climbing into the front seat. "If you need me-"

"Dad," she interrupted. "I'll be fine. I probably won't even be walking." She laughed. "Calum will probably carry me from class to class."

Her father rolled his eyes. "Do you have practice today," Mack asked.

"The game's tomorrow, how could I not have practice?"

"I don't know."

Jack pulled up to the school and stopped the car. "How much longer do I have to walk with the crutches," Mack whined.

"You're mom wants one more day," Jack said. He had seen her walking earlier that morning without them, so he knew she was ready. She wasn't walking perfectly, but she could manage enough steps to get from the couch to the refrigerator back to the couch. But, Elaine always wanted one more 'insurance' day to make sure that she was ready.

"Can't I just hide the crutches?"

"No," Jack said. "Have a good day."

Mack groaned and started to slowly make her way to the school. There was no doubt in her mind that Calum and the rest of her friends were already there. She turned, her father had disappeared. As casually as she could she dropped the crutches and picked them up so she could carry them.

She put some weight on her leg. Sure it hurt a little, but not much. She stood up tall and slowly walked toward the lobby. She was almost there when she felt muscular arms pick her up.

"What are you doing off your crutches," Calum said.

"I don't need them. I swear I'm fine."

"Then why do you have them?"

"Because my mom wanted me to! Ugh, I hate crutches!" She threw them to the ground and placed her head on Calum's shoulder.

"I know," he said. "How about I carry you instead."

She nodded and he smiled. Adam came up behind them and grabbed her crutches winking at Calum, who shook his head.

Calum carried her to homeroom and set her down in her chair before sitting in his own chair smiling. They had every class together and he loved carrying her around because she was so close to him. What he didn't know was that she liked it too.

hsmhsmhsmhsmhsm

Calum finished running his laps before everyone else at practice, Adam finishing shortly after he did.

"So about this plan of yours-"

"Cal, you're not thinking about not going through with it are you?"

"No," Calum said. "I was just thinking. What if the Eagles beat us?"

Adam burst into laughter. Calum looked confused. "What?"

Still chuckling Adam said, "with a captain like you? Are you kidding me, we have the best starting five since the 2006 championship team with Troy, Chad, Zeke and Jason. You're the Troy of the team. I'm very confident in you to uphold your duty and lead us to victory. Anyway how could we lose? I've never heard of the Eagles."

"I have," said Eddie, one of the forwards. "My brother played them once. If they're anything like they were when he played, they're big and scary."

"Well my cousin goes there and her boyfriend is on the team," said Carlos, the center. "He's a nerd."

"What is he then, the water boy?"

Adam laughed. "Dude, we'll be fine. And if we lose, Bailey has a back up plan. You don't need to worry, Mack will be yours again soon enough."

hsmhsmhsmhsmhsm

Mack was walking down the hall with her crutches under her arms, just in case someone walked by. The halls were empty for the most part since it was three thirty. She was stopped by Mr. Matsui in the hallway asking her how her knee was. She smiled and answered politely before she crutched into the gym to watch the end of the boys practice.

They were playing three on three and Calum, Adam and Teagan seemed to be ruling the court. At the moment they were playing keep away from the other team by staying in one spot and passing from the spot, not really paying attention. Calum heard her crutches hitting the court and turned around. She waved and he smiled.

"Calum!"

He turned back to the game just in time to get the ball in the face.

"Ow!"

Adam rushed over. "Dude, I'm so sorry. I thought you were paying attention!" Calum held his hand to his face as Jack rushed over. He gently moved Calum's hand away from his face and felt his nose.

"Just a little bruised. Eddie, go get me some ice!" When Eddie returned, Jack placed the ice on Calum's face. "With any luck, this won't swell too much."

"Will he be able to play," Adam asked, his gut churning. If Calum couldn't play, it would be all his fault.

"I think so. It will be bruised, but I don't think it's broken."

"Adam, you didn't throw it hard enough," Mack joked, walking over to them. She left her crutches on the bleachers so she could grab the first aid kit on her way over.

"Alright Calum, just keep the ice on it and take some of these," Jack said pulling out some medicine. "It will stop the hurt and the swelling. Just don't be surprised tomorrow if your nose is purple."

"Hey Calum, want some cover up," Teagan joked. "I'm sure Mack will let you borrow some."

Both Mack and Calum blushed, although you couldn't really see Calum's from under the ice.

hsmhsmhsmhsmhsm

Adam, Teagan, Bailey and Keisha were talking outside the school. Today was the big championship game and they were all excited, for the game and what hopefully would happen after.

"Purple was an understatement!"

Adam and Teagan's eyes widened, knowing the voice belonged to the one and only Calum Boucher. Giving each other a look, they turned. Calum was standing behind him his nose and an eye were dark purple.

"I can't believe you!"

"How did your eye get purple," Adam asked.

"I don't know! I looked in the mirror this morning and this is what I saw!" Calum leaned up against a tree. "I can't do our plan tonight. Look at my eye!"

"Look at your eye," Adam said in disbelief. "Look at your nose! Are you sure you put ice on that?"

"Positive."

Teagan walked up to Calum. "The reason why your eye is like that because the ball hit in this area." He pointed to one side of Calum's face. "That's why your nose didn't break because it didn't hit your nose with all its force."

"Thanks Dr. Teagan for explaining that to me, now explain to Adam how I'm going to bury him alive!"

"Look," Adam said. "We'll figure out a way to...fix this...plus, Mack won't care what you look like."

"By the way," Keisha said. "Here she comes now."

"Calum!"

Calum's eyes jerked open and he was breathing heavily. He patted beside him and noticed that it was his bed. He sighed with relief. Remembering his dream, he jumped out of bed and into the bathroom so he could look in the mirror. His nose was a little swollen and a shade darker than the rest of his face.

"It was just a dream," he said. "Just a dream. Calm down Calum, it was just a dream."

He walked back into his room and got dressed in the red suit they wore on game days; the red zip-up windbreaker with a wildcat on the back and the red matching pants. He looked in the mirror and shook his hair, which was still wet from the shower he had taken the night before.

He jogged down the stairs and grabbed an apple and a muffin. Calum always brought a muffin for Adam on game days, ever since middle school. The muffin gave him an energy boost that he really didn't need, but it was their good luck charm.

A horn honked outside and Calum looked up at the clock. He ran through the door and jumped into Adam's car passing him the muffin and taking a bite out of the apple.

"How's your nose?"

"A little swollen, but I think it's fine."

"Good," Adam said. "We're going to need you today."

Sorry if that part was a little confusing, Calum was dreaming about his face looking absolutely horrible. My brother did that once, the day before senior pictures were taken.

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