Page 34 of Net and Chill

“Just dull throbbing. Fuck. Uggghhh.”

“Do you want an aspirin?!”

“No. Fuck aspirin. I eat pain for…fuck!”

“Okay, I’m leaving the room so you can calm down,” she says. “Five minutes. I’ll be back in five minutes. Close your eyes and breathe.”

Easy for her to say.

Fuck.

I would risk more pain to touch her boobs.

I would risk everything to touch her boobs.

Fuck.

It’s still dark.

Fuck.

Did I fall asleep?

Where is she?

“I’m here.” Her hand’s on me.

“Hi.”

“Hi. You want some water?”

“I told the posts your name. Every game. I don’t know when it stopped being about hockey. Maybe year two.” Feels good to tell her.

She squeezes my hand. “Okay.”

“I’ll tell you everything.”

Fuck.

I fell asleep again.

“I’m here.”

She’shere.

In my bed.

In my arms.

Here.

“Do you know what day it is?” she asks.

She’s measuring me again. “No. Tell me.”

“Same day as the last time you woke up.”

“Still no sex, then?”