Isa slowly opened her eyes, the sterile smell of the hospital room hitting her senses. As she looked around, she noticed Edson and Kevin cramped together on a small couch, both fast asleep. Kevin had somehow ended up sprawled on top of Edson, making Isa chuckle softly at the sight. Her eyes searched the room for a clock, which read "5:27 AM." She knew the guys had practice and usually set an alarm for 5:20, but it seemed it hadn't gone off.
Reaching around the hospital bed, Isa found a small item and tossed it at them. "Edson, Kevin," she called softly. When they didn't respond, she raised her voice slightly, "Edson! Kevin!"
The guys stirred, groggily opening their eyes and looking around. When they saw Isa awake, Kevin shouted, "Isa!" He scrambled off Edson and rushed to hug her gently.
"Buenos días, Kevin," she said with a smile.
Edson followed, giving her a careful hug. "Así se van a ir?" she asked, noticing their disheveled state.
"A donde?" Edson asked, still half-asleep.
"Al entrenamiento," Isa giggled.
Kevin's eyes widened in realization. "Wey, tenemos entrenamiento!" he said, alarmed.
Edson checked the time and panicked. "Tenemos que estar ahí en 20 minutos," he said, looking at Kevin and then at Isa.
"Vayan, no se preocupen por mí," Isa reassured them. "Gracias por despertarnos, Isa. Ten cuidado," Kevin said, relieved.
"Gracias a ustedes, chicos," Isa replied with a grateful smile. Edson and Kevin hugged her once more before rushing out, eager to make it to practice on time.
____
After Edson and Kevin left, Isa found herself alone with her thoughts. The events of the previous days weighed heavily on her, but she tried to focus on the present and her recovery. The hospital room was quiet, save for the faint sounds of medical equipment beeping in the background. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing mind.
A nurse soon entered the room, checking her vitals and ensuring she was comfortable. "Good morning, Isabella. How are you feeling?" the nurse asked kindly.
Isa smiled weakly. "I'm feeling better, thank you."
"That's good to hear. The doctor will be in to see you soon," the nurse said before leaving the room.
Isa took the opportunity to reach for her phone, which was on the bedside table. She saw a few missed calls and messages from friends and family, but none from Santiago. She sighed, pushing thoughts of him aside for now.
A few minutes later, the doctor walked in with a reassuring smile. "Good morning, Isabella. I'm Dr. Martinez. How are you feeling today?"
"I'm okay, just a bit sore," Isa replied.
"That's to be expected. You had quite an ordeal. We're going to keep you here for a little while longer to make sure everything is okay. Is there anything you need?" Dr. Martinez asked.
"No, I'm fine. Thank you, doctor," Isa said.
Dr. Martinez nodded. "If you need anything, don't hesitate to call for the nurse."
As the doctor left, Isa's thoughts drifted to Edson and Kevin. She hoped they made it to practice on time and were doing well. She felt a pang of guilt for worrying them so much, but she was grateful for their support.
Her mind then wandered to Santiago. She couldn't help but wonder how he was feeling after their confrontation. Did he regret his actions? Was he hurting as much as she was? She shook her head, trying to push those thoughts away. She needed to focus on herself and her recovery.
Just as she was getting lost in her thoughts, her phone buzzed with a new message. It was from Edson, letting her know they made it to practice on time and that he would check in on her as soon as it was over. Isa smiled, feeling a bit more at ease knowing her brother and friend were looking out for her.
Determined to stay positive, Isa decided to explain what happened to her manager and when she approved she finally had another free day to rest and heal. She closed her eyes, letting the exhaustion take over, and drifted back into a peaceful sleep.
____
Edson and Kevin rushed into the locker rooms, still catching their breath from the hurried drive. Their teammates stared at them in confusion, murmuring amongst themselves. Edson avoided Santiago's gaze, trying his best to keep his emotions in check. He quickly changed into his training gear and called Kevin over.
As they stepped onto the field, they began their warm-up laps, talking in hushed tones about what had happened with Isa. "¿Te imaginas lo que podría haber pasado si no estuviéramos ahí?" Edson asked, his voice filled with concern.
"No lo sé, y tampoco quiero saberlo," Kevin replied, shaking his head. "No esperaba que le admitiera que durmió con Anastasia."
"Yo tampoco, pero si él no lo hacía, lo haría yo. De una u otra forma, ella se iba a enterar," Edson said, his jaw tight with anger.
They continued their laps, discussing how Isa had looked when they brought her to the emergency room, her arms turning purple from Santiago's grip, and the numerous blood tests the doctors had to perform. Their worry for her was palpable.
Jimmy, who was observing them from a distance, approached with a puzzled look. "¡Buen día! Veo que lograron llegar a tiempo," he said, trying to lighten the mood.
"Buenos días," they responded in unison.
"Estábamos preocupados que no lo haríamos," Kevin added.
Jimmy noticed their serious expressions and frowned. "¿Por qué esas caras? ¿Todo bien?"
"No tan bien que digamos," Edson said, glancing at Kevin for confirmation.
"¿Por qué? ¿Qué pasa?" Jimmy asked, concern etched on his face.
Kevin looked at Edson, who nodded. "Isa está hospitalizada," Kevin whispered, his voice heavy with emotion.
Jimmy's face fell. "¿Está bien? ¿Qué pasó?"
"Digamos que cuando usted se fue empezaron los problemas," Edson replied, recalling the events with a mix of anger and sadness.
Jimmy patted their shoulders, his expression serious. "Bueno, muchachos, me dicen al rato en mi oficina porque ya vienen los demás y ya saben cómo son de chismosos," he said before walking away.
As Edson and Kevin continued their laps, a few of their teammates approached, sensing something was off. Sebastián jogged up beside them, curiosity in his eyes. "Oigan, ¿todo bien con Isa? La noté rara la última vez que la vi," he said, glancing between them.
"Ha tenido unos días difíciles," Edson replied, trying to keep his tone neutral.
"¿Algo que podamos hacer para ayudar?" Gerardo asked, genuinely concerned.
"Solo sigan siendo buenos amigos para ella," Kevin said, appreciating the support from their teammates.
Arteaga joined the conversation, his expression serious. "No puedo creer lo que escuché sobre Santi. ¿Es cierto que le hizo daño a Isa?"
Edson's eyes flashed with anger, but he kept his voice steady. "Lo importante ahora es que Isa esté bien. Los detalles saldrán a la luz tarde o temprano."
The teammates nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. They offered words of encouragement and support for Isa, promising to be there for her however they could.
As practice continued, Edson and Kevin felt a small sense of relief knowing their friends had their backs. They focused on their training, but their thoughts remained with Isa, hoping for her swift recovery and contemplating the next steps in dealing with Santiago.
____
During the practice, the team was focused on taking long-distance shots. Edson and Kevin waited for their turn, watching as their teammates took their attempts. Santiago, however, seemed really distracted, his mind clearly elsewhere.
"¡Oye, Santi! ¿Todo bien contigo?" Memo called out, noticing Santiago's lack of focus.
"Ponte las pilas, wey," Henry added, his tone a mix of concern and annoyance.
Santiago rolled his eyes and sat down on the grass, clearly uninterested. He watched as his teammates took their shots, but his mind kept drifting back to his confrontation with Isa and the consequences of his actions.
Edson glanced over at Santiago, his frustration evident. "No sé qué le pasa, pero necesita concentrarse," he muttered to Kevin.
Kevin nodded in agreement. "Sí, pero no podemos hacer nada ahora. Tenemos que seguir entrenando."
Santiago zoned out, his eyes unfocused as he replayed the events in his head. He knew he had messed up, but the weight of his mistakes was now heavier than ever. Every now and then, he would snap back to reality, only to see his teammates excelling while he struggled to keep up.
As practice went on, Jimmy noticed Santiago's distraction and decided to address it. He walked over to Santiago, his expression serious. "Santiago, ¿qué está pasando contigo? Necesitas estar presente aquí y ahora. Si tienes problemas personales, resuélvelos fuera del campo."
Santiago nodded slowly, but his heart wasn't in it. He knew he needed to sort things out, but right now, everything felt overwhelming. He watched as Edson and Kevin took their shots, their determination and focus a stark contrast to his own scattered thoughts.
Hiii everyone, I think this is the last chapter I'll post today since I have things to do. Thank y'all so much for all of your support. Luv y'all lots💗