Tightrope

27

NOW

BECCA

Going into the third period, both teams were tied. 

My leg bounced up and down and I fiddled with my fingers to avoid biting my nails. I had never been so nervous about a game before. 

Julie tried to distract me from the nerve-wracking game by asking me questions about the game that I knew she already had the answers to, but I still appreciated the distractions. 

I was explaining to Julie how the overtime would work in this game since it was part of the playoffs if it came to it when my phone rang. I glanced at the screen, and Nathan's name popped up. 

I picked up on the third ring. "Nate! Hey, where are you, you were supposed to be here like a whole period ago." 

"Becca, are you at the game?" Nate asked me, and I could hear him panting from the other side of the line. 

"Yeah, why? Is everything okay?" I asked, suddenly nervous for a completely different reason. 

Nathan never called me Becca. It was strictly Beck for him. 

"Promise me you won't tell Will. He can't get distracted right now." Nate practically yelled.

"You're scaring me, Nate, what is it?" 

"Promise me, Becca." 

"Okay, okay. I promise. What is it? Where are you?" I closed my eyes, trying to concentrate on his voice instead of the noise from the arena. 

"I was driving to the arena and this car came out of nowhere. I promise it came out of nowhere, Becca. It hit me on the side and we spun off the road." Nathan said, letting the fear creep into his voice. 

"Nathan, are you okay?" I asked, jumping up from my seat. 

"The driver... Becca, the driver isn't moving. I don't know if she's... oh God." His voice broke, taking my heart with it. 

"Are you okay?" I asked again. It was all that mattered to me in that moment, we could deal with everything else later. 

"My neck got the worst of it but I... I'm fine, I think. But Becca, she's not, she's not moving." Nathan's voice trembled. 

"Don't move, you hear me? Have you called 911?" I asked, my hands suddenly shaking. He didn't think there was anything serious about a neck injury from a car accident, but I knew it could be bad. 

It could be nothing, but it also could be really bad. 

"No, I called you first. Shit, I should've called 911 I'm sorry," He started rambling, and I shook my head even though he couldn't see it. 

"It's okay, Nate. I'll call. Where are you?" I asked in the most steady voice I could use. 

"Like thirty minutes away from the arena if you take South Boulevard."

"I'll be right there, Nate. Don't move, it's gonna be okay." I instructed him.

"Wait, Becca, don't tell Will. Please. Please, Becca." Nate begged. 

I looked at the ice and saw Will skating after another player. 

I could tell him. I was part of the staff, I could go over and ask the coach to talk to him. But Nate had specifically asked. 

"I'll see you soon," I told Nate and hung up. 

I turned to Julie, feeling my hands shaking still. 

"What is it? Are you okay?" She asked, a frown forming quickly.