"Are you sure you're okay, sweetie?" she asks. I take the ice pack back. I nod, but it hurts. My brain feels jostled by the littlest movements. "Yeah," I gasp, holding in any acknowledgment of pain. "I'm fine. Thanks." She glances down, and I catch her eyeing my bruised shins. They took the brunt of the impact. "Football," I explain. She nods. "That's a rough sport," she says. A pause. She walks back to her desk. Then, she stops. She turns around. She looks me in the eyes. Her face is…
