Loxley's POV...

"I still don't get why you want to go to the game," Liam's been berating me about this decision all afternoon.

I barely have enough energy in me after the day I had; having to explain my reasons to him again will be too exhausting. I already told him I just want to see one game, the women's game. He's definitely confused about that, but I'm not going to tell him my reason for it.

"It's going to be crowded and you don't do well in crowds," he reminds me. I'm well aware of my insecurities and if I'm going to make it through this year, I need to rip off the band aid.

"Aren't you afraid of people noticing you, they might ask questions," he reminds me again. He really doesn't want me going to this game for some reason. I thought he'd be happy that I want to try new things.

"I..I..I can't h..hide f..f..for..ever." That part is true no matter how difficult. "Get th..the hu..hu..mil...fuck!" I can't even get the word out.

"Humiliation?"

"Yes, g...get it ove..over w..with."

"If you say so," he shrugs.

We arrive at the field and I instantly regret my decision to come here. This place is packed, I know we have a lot of school spirit, but the stadium isn't usually sold out for a women's game. No offense to the women's team, they're probably great and all.

"Are you sure about this?" Liam waits for me to back out. I shake my head. "H..have t..t..to try." I tell him. I didn't think ahead of how I'm going to make it up the bleacher steps, it's not that I can't, it's just another difficult obstacle for me.

"Do you want your cane or crutch?"

Fuck no. I shake my head at him again. I'll regret how tired my muscles are later, for now, I'm not ready to show everyone how crippled I really am.

We make the slow and tedious climb up the steps. Right leg up and then bring up my left, one step at a time. No one seems to be concerned with me and I'm glad. We decide the 3rd row up is good enough and happens to be the only two seats available. Liam sits on the inside of me so I can have the aisle.

Liam decides to strike up a conversation with the guy next to us. "Do you know why this game is sold out? Is it usually like this?" Liam asks him.

"Yeah, a national coach is here to watch Greya Matthews, she's number 9," the guy answers. Liam's face contorts into something I can't explain. Almost like the way that guy Jasper looked at me this morning.

"W...w...what's wro...wrong?" I whisper stutter.

"Nothing, I'm fine, let's watch the game."

The game wasn't what I expected at all. Greya was more than amazing. The moves she can do with that ball, is something rare. Her teammates look to give her the ball every time because they automatically know that she's untouchable. Where did she learn to do all that? If my body was 100%, she'd still walk all over me with the way she plays. It doesn't even look like what she does requires any effort. Every move is so natural. She's fast and strong and completely engulfed in the joy of the game. This girl is totally out of my reach, I don't think I could even be friends with her. Not that she'd want to be friends with me anyway.

Right after she scores an unbelievable 2nd goal, she looks up in my general direction and points her finger. Shit! I try to hide myself until I realize she's pointing to the boy sitting near us. He's clapping and jumping around again, and the guy with him is explaining in detail what just happened, like the boy missed it or something.

Just when I think I'm in the clear, her eyes lock with mine and she freezes right there in the middle of the field while the other girls run around her. And exactly like all the other weird things that have happened to me today, my brother looks to his left and makes some kind of gesture towards the guy with the kid and then he stands up and climbs over my legs towards the stairs.

"We're leaving," he says to me. I also look to my left and the guy tries to pretend he doesn't notice me. What the fuck is going on? Greya is back to playing, if you can call it that, now that she's jogging around the field without any real purpose. Maybe it's me? Maybe my messed up brain is messing with me and making me all paranoid.

"I don't feel well Lox, I think I ate something bad, I need to get home before I yack all over the bleachers," Liam clarifies to me, gripping his stomach to show me he's serious.

Okay, maybe that's why he's acting strange.

I nod my head and grab his arm for support while I secure my feet so I don't fall onto the innocent girl in front of me.

I quickly peer out from under my hood one more time to see that Greya's back into the game like her normal self. My brain's definitely messing with me. "L..let's g..go."

I'm actually glad we're getting out of here before the crowd has a chance to run me over. Bad leg first followed by good leg. I remind myself how to get down the stairs as quickly as is possible for me without making a scene. Luckily, it's been a great game, so no one cares about the cripple leaving the stands early.

Once in the car, Liam turns to me. "Want to tell me what that was all about?"

I'm confused again. I'm probably over tired and nothing works right when I'm tired. "Wh...what?" I ask him.

"Did we come to the game tonight so you could watch Greya Matthews?"

"N..no!"

Yes of course I did, along with everyone else apparently.

"Do you know her?"

"Y..y..yes. N..no!"

"Yes and No? Should I be concerned?" He asks.

Ha! Probably. I know I'm concerned. Concerned that this beautiful and extremely talented girl will see the real me since we share a class. The guy with half a working body, who's afraid to be near anyone, who can't speak without sounding like a complete idiot.

"How do you know her? Have you spoken with her?"

I glare at him. Is he crazy? "Y..you w...want m..m..me to em...barr..ess m..my..self?"

"Of course not. I'm only curious."

Stomach illness or not, he's acting unusual tonight.

I type into my phone and have it read what I wrote out loud. This text to speech app comes in handy. The voice doesn't sound like a robot either, so it's not too alarming when someone new hears it.

"She was in my first class this morning. Some asshole bumped me and knocked my book out of my hand and she picked it up for me. She looked at me like I scared her or something and somehow I made her cry."

"What? What do you mean? What did she say to you? Did you say anything to her? Did you know who she was?"

I type again. "What's gotten into you? What's with the interrogation?

He sighs a long frustrated sigh.

I keep typing. "Am I supposed to know who she is? She's pretty and nice and tried to help me. I felt horrible for making her cry and something told me I should go to her game tonight." My phone does the speaking while I shrug my shoulders.

"N...no I...I...I didn't say...say anything to...to her." I remind him how ridiculous I sound when I try and speak.

"You like her." Liam confirms to himself and smiles at me.

"It...t...t doesn't mat...t..ter." I wave my hand around my body. I'm not normal. Not my brain or my arms or legs. It doesn't matter if I like her or not because I can never have her and she would never want someone like me.

Liam's brows scrunch and he shakes his head. "Of course it matters, whether you think so or not, Lox. You deserve to get to know someone like her, who's nice."

I cross my arms while I watch my left leg spasm and scrunch my brows at him in return.

"Hey, I'm just saying maybe give her a chance , try and talk to her next class, see what happens." My eyes roll from how absurd it would be.

"I can't be your only friend the rest of your life, Lox. I love you and all, but it would be great to have a few friends to hang out with, feel more normal.

Normal. What does that even feel like? He's right, I can't rely on only him. Isn't that why I'm going to college, so I can take some of that pressure off him? So I can feel more normal.

I'll th...think about i...it."