Page 98 of Don't Brake My Heart
Snatching up my phone to send him a message, the screen flashed up before I’d even unlocked it. A message from Colin, but all he sent was:Sorry.
My stomach flipped as my negative brain immediately assumed he was out of the race.
What are you sorry for?
Biting my lip as I read over the message, I wanted to rush down the corridor to the room he was sharing with Amir to make sure he didn’t misunderstand, but I didn’t want to disturb the doctors and realistically, he was probably butt-naked again by now.
His reply arrived mercifully quickly:Everything.
Are you finally apologising for all the insects?
Don’t eat the cornflakes tomorrow.
I grinned, even though nobody could see me except maybe the five spiders that were within three feet of me at any one time, now relieved we seemed to back in Banterville, our home town. I didn’t know what to do with a serious Colin.
I wasn’t sure what to write back. Asking him how he was sounded trite by text.
Can you please tell me you were impressed today, Magda?
In Banterville, I suspected a joke would pep him up more effectively than the truth of my nail-biting.
Just a sec. I’m bidding on your race-worn.
The fan auction of today’s ripped and stained jersey would probably go higher than my annual salary.
His reply came immediately:Stop making me laugh. It hurts.
After more hesitation, the dots coming and going a few times, he wrote:You can have the race-worn. Put it under your pillow when you sleep.
That sounded more like the Colin I knew.
I’m glad you’re mostly conscious now. For a moment there, I thought you wanted to retrain as a marine biologist.
The jellyfish thing is kind of hard to explain by text.
I figured as much. Shouldn’t you be listening to the doctors or something?
They’re whispering about me in the corner.
The shot of nerves was cold when I thought about the medical advice from the team doctors.
I’m bored actually. Wanna come keep me company?
There was no way I could say no to that casual invitation, but I strung him along for a moment.I’m not entertaining you already?
Just get in here.
Will I be mentally scarred by the sight of you?
You weren’t before. I’m waiting!
So bossy!
I wouldn’t let him guess that I skipped down the corridor, but I slowed my steps when I saw Tony standing outside, speaking to Alan. They looked up – guiltily, if I had to judge – when they saw me.
‘He, uh, asked to see me,’ I volunteered before anyone asked.
‘O’ course he did,’ Tony said, his smile tightening.
