Stronger (The University of Gatica Series Book 4) Read online

  "Elizabeth,” Chrissy said, her forearm resting against her forehead. “This is my older brother, Jason. He's a senior here at UG and captain of the ice hockey team. Jason, my new roommate Elizabeth. She just transferred in two weeks ago."

  "Mid-semester?" Jason asked, his brow lifting.

  "Long story. Leave it alone for now." Chrissy pointed to her bag on the floor, Jason having dropped it as they came into the room together. "Give me my phone and let me text Aileen. She'll be worried if I don't give her a heads up."

  Jason moved to get the phone, his lithe frame stockier than she remembered. A fight a few months back on the ice had left him hurting, so it was no wonder he was hitting the gym more often. He needed to bulk up. Some of the other hockey players were extremely strong. Luckily he wasn't missing any teeth.

  He handed her the phone and moved toward the door, pausing before opening it. "I'm out. You need anything else?"

  A smile tugged at the side of her mouth as her brother's eyes shifted over toward Elizabeth. His last relationship had ended in a fiery crash. He had sworn girls off for a long time.

  Guess that period’s up. Like a hockey period. She grinned. "Nope. Thanks for your help today. I'll call you later. You can come tote me to dinner." She laughed as he rolled his eyes.

  "You need a boyfriend. You're not a flower by the way."

  "Sensitive and pretty?" she questioned.

  "Light and easy to tote around." He laughed and slipped out of the room as a pillow came flying his way.

  Chrissy grumbled and looked toward Jani. "Thanks. Should have thrown a dresser."

  "I would have, but unlike you, I am a flower." They laughed as Chrissy settled down further in the comfort of her bed. Jani moved to work a pillow carefully under her knee, the slightest movement sending tendrils of pain down her leg.

  "Did they give you some meds?" Elizabeth asked. She stood and walked to the small cabinet of dishes in the room, grabbing a glass. "I'll go get a bottle of water from the machine down the hall if you have something to take."

  "I do. That would be great. It's in my bag."

  Elizabeth left the room. Jani turned her attention back on Chrissy, her head tilting slightly.

  "What the fuck? How did it happen? I know you, and making mistakes on your timing and rotation isn't likely."

  "I saw something move in my peripheral. I glanced to see what as I was mid-air. It threw off everything. I knew it the minute it happened too. I just couldn't correct it." She shrugged, a shaky breath lifting from her.

  "At least surgery wasn't the only option."

  "Agreed, but it's next on the docket if I can't heal on my own."

  "The doc’ll give you a good plan of action, just make sure you stick to it. Don't mess around with it at all. Do your workouts and strength exercises just like he prescribes. This freshman in high school a few years back had something similar happen to him and he overdid it, snapped the ACL like a rubber band under pressure."

  "Thanks, Jani. Always the one to help ease my nerves." Chrissy rolled her eyes and snorted.

  "What? I'm just saying. You need to be spot on with the doc's advice. No 'I can do a few more because I'm Chrissy Harris, a track goddess'."

  "Yeah, feels like I'm something special right now." She leaned her head back and closed her eyes. "I'm more nervous about having to spend Christmas here on my own than getting back on the track."

  "The holidays will keep this place quiet. You can focus on healing then. You won't have to deal with anyone."

  “Except sweet Jamie.”

  “Who?”

  Chrissy opened her eyes, her brow lifting. "The weight room coach, Jamie."

  "Oh, yeah. He’s sweet, though."

  "Sweetie isn't the name I would necessarily give him. He's a cool guy, but no teddy bear. He works with football players. He’s going to make sure I do absolutely everything I’m supposed to. No love."

  Jani reached out and squeezed Chrissy's hand in hers. "He’ll give you tough love. He’ll push you, but make sure you do it on your own time. It's going to make you stronger so this doesn't happen again."

  "Stronger? Why does that sound like a death sentence?"

  "You're just tired. Let's talk about something else. I’ve some juicy news."

  The door opened and Elizabeth walked in. She lifted the glass of water in the air and smiled. "I have victory. There was ice in the machine down the hall. First time since I got here a few weeks ago."

  "Get over here. Jani has juicy info to share with us."

  Elizabeth picked up the backpack and sat on her bed. Jani took the glass of water as Elizabeth dug out a small bottle of pills.

  "There are only a few in here. Don't you need more?"

  "The doc called them in. I'll get them later. I just needed a few samples to get through the weekend. Pharmacy on campus’ll open again on Monday." Chrissy carefully leaned onto her elbow, taking the pill and popping it in her mouth. A quick sip of water and the world would soon be right.

  "Juicy gossip time!" Jani announced, bouncing on the bed. Chrissy growled and reached down to push at her friend.

  "Watch the movement. Go sit with Elizabeth."

  Jani moved, the smile on her face contagious. She tucked her long legs under her and tugged at a short strand of brown hair as a knowing giggle spilled from her lips. "So there's a new hottie on campus in the athletic department. And guess whose son he is?"

  "Coach Phillips’?" Chrissy smiled, unable to help herself.

  "What? You already know? Damn..." Jani's smile dropped and Chrissy immediately wished she had just kept the information to herself. "It's because of Jason, right?"

  "Yeah, he was bitching about the new guy. He said coach’s son was coming here for a while, but he's injured too."

  "So, you're going to both be working in physical therapy in the gym over Christmas?" Elizabeth asked.

  "Sounds like a recipe for love..." Jani wagged her eyebrows and giggled again.

  "Or disaster. I'm not interested." Chrissy picked up her phone and sent a quick text to Aileen to let her know she was beat up, but still kicking... with one leg… sort of.

  "Chrissy, you need to get over Brent. It's been more than a year since you guys broke up," Jani spoke, crossing her arms over her chest.

  "I'm over Brent." Chrissy shrugged and let the phone drop beside her.

  "Who's Brent? Fill the new girl in." Elizabeth leaned back on the bed, her hands sliding behind her as she reclined.

  "He's my ex-boyfriend. We were together for most of high school. He went to NYC and I came here. We made it through about three months and then I found him cheating on me."

  "You found him or found out about it?" Elizabeth asked, glancing between Chrissy and Jani.

  "She found him. She went up to surprise him for his birthday last October and he surprised her. He's a dick. Not all guys are like him." Jani sounded hopeful.

  "Yes they are," Elizabeth and Chrissy spoke in tandem, Chrissy laughing at Elizabeth's quick agreement with her.

  "You've had a similar experience, I take it?" Jani asked.

  "I've had lots of horrible experiences with guys. I'm just glad to be away from NYC honestly. The guys there are trash, but most men are period." Elizabeth shrugged, the hardness of the comment and her reply not seeming to fit the tall, feminine girl.

  "I think we could start a club for men haters just with the three of us." Jani laughed and moved to the edge of the bed. "I broke things off with Carter because he's a selfish ass, but I can't stop thinking of him. Not sure hate would be the right word."

  "It's always the ones we're not supposed to want we end up craving." Elizabeth moved to recline on her bed, turning on her side and curling up.

  "I don't crave anyone, and I'm keeping it that way." Chrissy smiled, sleep pulling at her. "I think this medicine is about to work its magic."

  Jani moved to stand beside the bed, reaching over and brushing hair from Chrissy's face. "Good. Get some rest and I'll come over later toni
ght to see what you need."

  "You okay?"

  "I'm not the one that busted it in front of everyone at UG." Jani laughed and squeezed Chrissy's shoulder.

  "I didn't bust it. I landed beautifully. It was the vomiting in front of everyone that's the issue." Her cheeks burned as she smiled, the memory washing before her vision.

  "Vomiting is an MO for an athlete. No worries there. Get some rest."

  "I mean with the Carter thing. You okay?"

  "No, but we can talk about it later. Get some rest." Jani squeezed her shoulder softly and turned to leave. Chrissy closed her eyes, the soft mumbling between her friends getting lost on the fog that moved over her. Distant and growing warm with comfort she let out a slow breath and relaxed into the darkness as sleep took her under.

  CHAPTER 3

  "Hey, sleepyhead, get up." Jason's voice pulled her from her sleep. Him being in her room seemed out of place.

  Was she back at home in their small shack of a house in the heart of New York? Chrissy opened her eyes slowly, the weight of the medicine pulling her back toward rest. "Go away," she mumbled.

  "You need to eat. You were supposed to have food in your stomach for that pill. Leave you alone for a few minutes and you jack everything up."

  The bed moved beside her as Jason sat down. He carefully pulled the ice pack from her knee and stood back up. "I'm going to empty this. Wake up and let's go eat."

  "I'm not hungry and going somewhere sounds like a horrible idea."

  "Well, talk yourself into it. There isn't even a packet of crackers around here. You guys don't buy snacks or what?"

  "I'm an athlete. I'm not allowed to eat junk food, moron."

  "Be nice to the help or help yourself."

  "You need a new tagline. You've been saying that since we were little." Chrissy moved to her elbows, her eyes scanning the room.

  "Yes, well I wouldn't need to say it if you weren't a turd most days of the week." Jason turned from the sink and leaned against the counter.

  "Where’s Elizabeth?"

  "She left when I got here a few minutes ago. Mumbled something about needing to go to the store. I think me being here made her uncomfortable."

  "Did you do something?"

  "Nope. Just came in and said hi." He shrugged and moved back to the bed. "Let's get you up. Laying there is good when you're being iced, but you need to move a little or those muscles are going to get stiff, which will suck to work through later."

  "Ugh... just go away." Chrissy covered her eyes with her forearm. The thought of getting up and going anywhere seemed overwhelming. The pain in her leg was subtle, but still present.

  "Nope. Food for us." Jason stopped by the bed and reached down, slipping his arms under her and lifting.

  She let out a long groan as her knee bent slightly. "Damn that hurts," she barked at him.

  "You're tough. Stop whining and own it. You decided to eat it." He winked at her and moved toward the door, standing there awkwardly as if trying to figure out how he was going to go through the door with it closed.

  Chrissy sighed and looked up at him. "I'll open it. Just move closer and be careful."

  "I am being careful. Quit bitching at me." He moved toward the door, bending down slightly as she reached for it.

  Getting in the car was another adventure in futility. Chrissy leaned back as Jason shut the door, her heart racing as adrenaline pumped through her. The need to protect her knee overrode everything else and barking at her brother was her only release.

  She buckled her seatbelt and pulled the small visor down from the ceiling, checking her teeth and running her fingers through her hair. Jason got in and she turned to him. "I look like shit. I can't go anywhere on campus."

  "You look like you. Shut up and be happy that I'm here."

  She reached over and rubbed his shoulder, her mood settling as the hum of the car ushered in a bit of peace. "I am. Sorry I'm crabby. Just hurts like hell to move."

  "It's going to for a little while, but it’ll get better. I'll be here to help you."

  "You always are." She smiled sadly, turning to push the visor back up and refocus her thoughts to something more positive than her past home life.

  "Speaking of... I talked to mom an hour ago. Just gave her an update on you." Jason shrugged as Chrissy pinned him with her glare.

  "I don't know why you bother. It's not as if she gives two shits about me or you."

  "She's still our mother, Chrissy. I didn't want the school calling her and us not having told her about your accident."

  "Did she say she would be right up to help take care of me? Did she cry or seem worried about whether my scholarship—my future—would be affected?" The harshness of her voice stung her own ears. She hated lashing out at her brother, but he had started the conversation, and for what purpose?

  "She was drunk. I don't think she really knew who she was talking to." He sighed and pulled out onto the busy side street just behind the Woodlands dormitory. "Let's go to Pete's on the edge of town. No one really goes there, so we should be good for a quiet hamburger and fries."

  "Okay," Chrissy mumbled, turning to look out the window. It was freezing in New York, the temperatures dropping just after Thanksgiving and never really making a comeback. Speaking of comebacks... would she be able to strengthen this knee to return to the track by mid-January? Or at all? It was just a matter of time before her knee gave out completely. Having the same reoccurring injury a few times in her life left her with no doubt that she would end up on the operating table and off the track before too long.

  "I'm sorry for bringing up mom. Just no one else to talk to about it, I guess."

  "There really isn't anything to talk about, Jason. She's an alcoholic on her good days, half a whore on the bad ones. She's not a mother by any definition of the word. I know you wish she was or would be, but that ship sailed a long time ago for me." Chrissy glanced over at him. "We're just lucky that Uncle Marc helped to raise us. Not sure what we would have done without him."

  "Speaking of Marc," Jason cleared his throat, his features pinched with hard emotion, "he wants us to come to Manhattan for a big family dinner. It's just dad's side of course, but all of our cousins are coming."

  "When?" Chrissy reached up and turned the heater down, the air becoming increasingly difficult to breathe.

  "Christmas Eve. They want to have dinner and then go to the Christmas Eve service at their church."

  "They want all of us to come to church with them?"

  "It's an open invitation, but I think we should go eat with them for sure."

  "I'm fine with that. Are you planning on trying to spend Christmas with mom again this year?"

  Jason pulled the car into the open parking lot, a couple of other cars dotting the almost empty space. "Yeah, I guess so. You know they close the campus for three days at Christmas. Are you going to come with me or going with a friend somewhere again?"

  "I don't know yet. I'm not staying with mom, but I might see if Uncle Marc would be okay with me staying there. Or I’ll ask Jani if I can stay at her and Aileen’s house. I’m guessing they’re both going home for the holidays."

  Jason got out, a soft sigh leaving him as he did.

  Chrissy closed her eyes as sadness washed over her. Her mother was trash and had been for as long as she could remember. Jason would forever hope that the woman would get it together, but she just didn't care enough to even try. Chrissy reached for the handle, opening the door and pushing it hard with the anger that built up in her. She hated that her brother wished for something that would never happen. He was once again setting himself up for disappointment.

  "I'm going to try and hobble. Just help me up and I can hop." She unclipped her seatbelt.

  "No. I'm going to carry you. You don't have crutches yet."

  "We'll look ridiculous with you trying to carry me into the restaurant."

  Jason bent down and slid his arms under her, pulling and lifting her as if she weighed nothing. He grun
ted for full effect as his lip lifted in a smirk.

  Chrissy reached over and pushed the door shut as she grumbled at him.

  An older man held the door for them, his eyes moving across the bandage on Chrissy's knee. Her athletic shorts a bit too short to be appropriate anywhere but at a meet. She reached down and tugged at them as they moved into the restaurant.

  "I should have changed."

  Jason helped slide her into a booth, the sharp pain in her knee raring to life as she scooted.

  Dizziness washed over her again. She held her hand up to stop him from helping. "Wait... just give me a second."

  Jason moved to his side of the booth and slid in, a frown on his mouth. "Take all the time you need. I’ve nowhere to be but here."

  She pressed her fingers to her eyes, emotion rushing along her senses. After breaking up with Brent she hadn't really let anyone else into her life. Her brother and Jani were all she had. What a comforting and heart-breaking thought.

  Jason's hand touched her arm, his voice soft. "Hey, it's okay. Just take your time. You're going to heal and be better than you were before."

  Her voice cracked as she spoke, tears threatening to roll over onto her cheeks. "I'm sorry. I just hate being a burden on you. I should be able to deal with this myself."

  "Hush. I love you. I'm here because you're my sister and the only real family I have."

  "And I've been nothing but a bitch about it." She pulled from his grasp, reaching for the small white napkin to her left and shaking the silverware from it before blotting at her eyes. "I'm sorry."

  "You're hurt. I’d be a bitch too, well, probably a bastard but let’s not get sexist.” He grinned. “How about we not focus on that? Let me tell you what I found out about this limp-dick idiot that’ll be messing around in my locker room for the holidays." Jason blushed as the waitress walked up, a look of distaste on her elderly face at his language no doubt. "Uh sorry, ma'am."

  "What do you kids want?"

  "I'll have a Coke and a cheeseburger." Chrissy picked up the menu and handed it to the woman.

  "I'll have the same, but make it three cheeseburgers and add double bacon on them." Jason smiled and handed her his menu too. She took them and turned, her movement stiff.