Brain v. Brawn

@ diamond sword
"Stephen King is hands down one of my favorite writers." She said seeing that he was reading his book. Not only was she a horror movie fan, but horror themed books were quite amazing to her.

"Did you know that the average yawn lasts about 6 seconds?" She said, another yawn leaving her lips.

Wiggling her way onto the bed, she looked at Everett. She then nodded and took some of the cover and relaxed into the comfortable bed.

You then could see Izzy studying Everett a moment, her eyes not leaving him before she spoke. "I predict that you are quite a bed/pillow/blanket hog." She finally said after a bit, a teasing grin on her lips.

She then thought a moment. "Wait. Do your parents mind that I am staying? I don't want them to feel like I am intruding on their home without permission." She spoke nervously.

Everett shifted and got comfortable, looking over into Izzy's eyes. He watched her as she studied him, wondering what she was looking for. When she stated her prediction, he rolled his eyes and touched his forehead to hers. "Depends on the dream," he admitted. Everett was one of those people whose unconscious body engaged in his dream. He sleepwalked very often as a kid.

"I was going to warn you that I might shove you off the bed," he said with a chuckle. He wasn't surprised that she was able to read him. Everett was usually pretty readable.

"Well I offered," Everett said. She was being silly again. He smiled a little. "So you have permission."

Everett was especially content because his bed sheets were cool against his bare back. He liked warm weather - but preferred a cold house. "Goodnight Izzy," he murmured softly.

He closed his bright eyes. Even though his dad had been rough on him all day, he was relaxed with Izzy's help. Except it would be a while before he was able to fall asleep.

@ diamond sword
Izzy smiled softly, scooting closer to him. "Well then. One of us may end up on the floor after all. I am prone to the same thing. As a child I once slept walk outside and sat on the swing till morning." She stated with a quiet laugh.

Izzy rolled her eyes. "Okay. I guess that sort of count." She said, laying her near his. Her skin was still warm from the shower so the cold sheets were welcoming.

"Goodnight Everett." She spoke as a yawn escaped her lips once more.

Though izzy moved in her sleep some, she also was one to cuddle to the nearest thing she could grab, usually that being a large pillow. Right now though that happened to be Everett. As sleep slowly began to take her over, her arms lazily found their way draped across Everett's torso.

As Everett laid there peacefully, he thought about everything his dad had said. Then he started to dream - but it was the kind of dream where he was still awake, and his brain was just inventing scenarios. Bright white lights made the field glow, and then the play began. Everett's legs churned and he launched himself forward at incredible speeds.

Dennis whipped the ball into the ideal spot. The football spun in the air above him, a perfect spiral. Everett raced ahead of the defenders, leaping into the air and snatching the ball clean out of its arc. His feet connected again with the ground and he tucked the ball under his arm, sprinting with everything he had. Suddenly his brother tackled him, and then he was in his backyard.

His dad cheered for his brother, and Everett squeezed his eyes shut as he remembered the inferiority he always felt playing with his brother when his dad was around.

Everett was lifted out of his dream when he felt Izzy's skin on his. He opened his heavy eyes and looked over at her, but he realized she was sound asleep. He smiled a little and closed his eyes again.

When he woke in the morning, she was still asleep. Overnight, she had wrapped her arms around him completely and tangled her legs with his. Everett turned to her and rubbed her side gently. "Hey Iz," he said softly. "We gotta go if we're gonna go to your house and make it on time," he mumbled.

@ diamond sword
Izzy began to slowly dream as well. It wasn't a dream where she was very aware, but she could vaguely sense what was going on.

It was a nightmare about the accident. The way the car crashed into them, sending their vehical sliding and spinning. The way she woke up in the hospital with a crying a father and her mother looking at her like she was the devil.

Tears fell as she slept, something she didn't realize she did considering they usually dried before morning.

Soon she felt herself be pulled from her sleep. Opening her eyes, she was met with Everett's blue ones. Yawning, she shielded her mouth with her hand, knowing he wouldn't want to smell her horrible morning breath.

"Yeah let's go." She mumbled, but didn't move quite yet, knowing he would have to get dressed order before they left. It would give her a bit of time to wake up. She did however carefully untangle her legs and arms from him.

"Sorry about that." She said with a quiet, tired laugh.

Everett could hardly see, but he noticed tear tracks on her face. Scrunching his eyebrows, he reached out and touched her face, which was still slightly damp from her tears. "Were you crying?" He asked, his voice croaky.

As she removed her limbs from his body, he sat up and rubbed his face. "Don't say sorry, it's pretty freaking adorable," he said under his breath. He forced himself to get out of bed and pulled his sweatpants down, replacing them with boxers and nice jeans. He threw on a shirt and walked over to where she still lay on his bed.

He shook her shoulder gently. "I'm leaving," he announced, grinning. "Just gotta put contacts in," he added as he went to the bathroom and popped them into his eyes. He peeked back into his room. "Iz." He said firmly, smiling. She didn't seem like a morning person in the least bit.

@ diamond sword
Izzy felt his hand on her face and shit bit her lip, looking down. "Just a bad dream. I didn't realize I cried though." She said with a shrug.

Hearing him talk under his breath, she blushed a little, something she didn't do very often.

When he was finally out of the bed, she felt her eyes slowly shut once more. Sleep was coming over her again. She felt him shake her shoulder again and she opened her eyes, moving just a little. "I'm up. I'm up. I swear I'm up." She rambled, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

When he left the room again, she didn't fall back asleep but she was now sprawled across the bed.

"Your bed is very comfortable and I really do not want to get up." She complained with a small pout.

He saw she had hardly moved and rolled his eyes. Then, mischief crept into his head. He remembered whenever he refused to get up in the morning, his brother would scare him to his feet. Everett wouldn't pour water on her or anything too rude like his brother would do - but he did intend to make her jump.

Everett grinned and walked over to her. "Get up!" He yelled, tickling her ribs.

@ diamond sword
Izzy sighed and then noticed him getting closer to her. With big eyes she soon burst out into a fit of laughter.

"Stop. Oh my gosh. Everett! I'm going to kill you!" She said between her giggles as she attempted to make him stop.

When he finally did she glared.

"Fine! I'm up!" She finally said, defeated.

Standing up she smiled. "Come on jerk." She said grabbing his hand to pull him outside.

(Wanna skip ahead a month where his brother comes to visit? Thanksgiving break maybe?)

Everett laughed, the sun shining down on his back. It was the day before Thanksgiving, and the weather was beautiful. His brother had even come home to visit, saying he refused to go without their mother's special pumpkin pie.

"Hike!" His brother said forcefully. Everett blasted across the yard, pivoting to catch the football and run backwards. His brother switched from quarterback to defense, and came charging at Everett. Everett dodged his brother with quick and skillful footwork, sprinting to the edge of the yard where the play began again.

Their dad was watching from the small patio, alongside their mother, who was talking to Izzy. Though he hadn't yet made anything official, Everett was extremely close to Isabelle, and even his dad had accepted her presence.

Running at his brother once more, this time he couldn't quite get around him. His brother rammed into Everett at full force. That was when Everett's leg twisted under his body. Excruciating pain shot through him and he crumpled underneath the weight of his brother. A string of curses flew from his lips, the amount of pain unbearable. He began to get dizzy and lightheaded from the burn of the nerves in his leg. Tears streamed out of his eyes. He looked down at his leg, and closed his eyes tightly when he saw his shin bone had broken through his skin.

@ diamond sword
Over the last month or more, a few things had happened to Izzy. Her dad had came back and her parents were now going to therapy. They have tried this before but her father insisted. Izzy didn't think it would work though. Her mom hadn't changed. Still the same person who loved to blame izzy for everything. It was easier with Everett though, and she was grateful for him.

Right now she was over at Everett's house, having a lovely conversation about some of the things that his mom would be cooking for tomorrow. Izzy had even volunteered to help her considering she enjoyed cooking and wasn't half bad at it.

Everything was okay. That was until she heard a commotion and she immediately looked out at the hard where Everett and his brother was playing football. She saw Everett on the ground and already knew something had had happened.

Izzy and Mrs. jones got up immediately rushing over to Everett. The closer they got, she could see how much pain he was in by the look on his face. Seeing his leg she almost felt sick to her stomach.

This was bad. This was really really bad.

Everett grabbed the grass of the lawn, clenching his jaw, squeezing his eyes shut tighter. Everett's brother immediately grabbed Everett's arm and lifted him off the ground, supporting Everett as he rushed him to the car. "Sorry Ev," he said simply.

Everett was hardly aware of what was going on as he was put in the back of a car. He heard somebody crying with them, but didn't know or care who it was. He just continued to hold his jaw clenched until it ached. "Holy fuck," Everett groaned, as he looked at his leg.

His knee was purple, his shin was split, his ankle was discolored and already swelling. He tilted his head back and ran his hand through his hair, tears clouding his vision. His ears rang, and it suddenly became a struggle to stay conscious.

The moment that he was in the hospital, relief rushed over him in waves alongside the pain.

@ diamond sword
Seeing Everett be scooped up, she almost felt the pain he did and wanted to cry with him. However, his mom was already panicking and she's a few tears herself.

His dad was stoned face, well to everyone else. Izzy could see that under it all he was worried and it became visible at how fast he drove to the hospital.

Izzy sat beside Everett, her heart pumping quickly in her chest. She gently played with his fingers. She knew he probably wasn't even aware, but it calmed her.

As Everett was carried in by his brother and father, izzy scurried behind beside mrs jones. His mother was a nervous wreck and izzy carefully squeezed her hand. "It's going to be okay." She said gently and she felt Mrs. Jones relax and soon nod.

Izzy then made herself comfortable in the waiting room along with Everett's family as the doctors took care of him.

Apparently, Everett had done a real good job of messing up his leg. His leg was in a splint. Little black stitches snaked across his skin.

Now that he was medicated, the only thing he could think about was football. He knew he wouldn't be able to play, even before the doctors confirmed it. It was his last season as a senior on varsity, and he was extremely disappointed that he wouldn't be able to play.

He laid in the hospital bed as the doctors figured out how to get him in a condition to return home. Everett groaned and pressed his palms to his face. Why did this happen to him?

He looked up at his mom, who was rubbing her eyes and trying to calm down. His dad frowning, probably blaming Everett for his bones being too weak.

@ diamond sword
As the doctors finished him up, Izzy was still extremely nervous, she was just better at hiding it. She was just happy it wasn't an accident that could have killed him on the spot like a car crash or something.

After a while they let people back to visit him, but izzy stayed behind, not wanting to be rude. She would see him in a little while.

As time ticked on, izzy became restless. Soon his mother returned. "Honey you could have came with us earlier. I would have told you that but I was a mess." Mrs. Jones said, looking a lot better than what she had, though she was still teary eyed from earlier.

"It is quite fine Mrs. Jones. I understand that the situation gave you a bit of a scare. I can see him now though?" She asked the last part just to be sure.

"Of course." His mother said softly as she led them back. Walking in izzy noticed that Everett's father an brother had gone to eat and his mother soon excused herself.

"Hey Ev. How are you feeling?" She asked him softly as she stood looking at him.

His family left, and Izzy walked in. Everett was pissed. He tightened and relaxed his jaw repeatedly.

His eyes snapped to hers, his stare cold and icy. "I'm feeling fucking amazing," he said harshly. Everett felt a rush of regret in his heart, but it was overpowered by blind anger. "Never been better," he said with a grimace.

Everett looked away from her, his fingers drumming against the bed. A scholarship for football would've been amazing, the feel of the turf under his foot was amazing. He'd lost his last season of high school football in one swift moment. He couldn't even begin to think about his dad, who would have absolutely no reason to respect Everett now.

He pulled the sheet to the side, displaying his colorfully mangled leg. Everett closed his eyes, wishing this was all some dream. He wanted somebody to feel as shitty as he did. And so he turned his eyes back to Izzy, waiting for her to say something he could dissect.

@ diamond sword
Izzy knew how upset he must be. He basically just lost the only thing that he had in common with his father. It didn't do much for their relationship but it was something.

She winced a little at how mean and rude his words came out but just ignored it. She knew he didn't mean any of this to upset her. She knew what is was like losing something you held so dear.

"Bad things happen Everett. You'll get through this though." She spoke softly, keeping her tone even and caring. She then walked closer, readying herself for more mean words that would probably leave his lips without him even realizing it.

She soon let her eyes scan over his leg. Without thinking she sat on the edge of the bed carefully and grabbed his hand, giving it a small squeeze. With the way his face was twisted she wouldn't be surprised if he jerked away. She would understand though.

"Get through it, sure," he muttered. "Why did this have to fucking happen?" Everett began listing his thoughts on his fingers. "One, this was my senior season. Two, say goodbye to football scholarships."

His blue eyes drilled into hers. Over the last month, his dad had been struggling more and more with alcohol. Everett was genuinely worried about how fast his relationship with his dad was going down the drain. "Three, my dad will fucking hate me even more. Four, I can no longer make him happy at all because football is the one thing he's proud of me for. Bad things fucking happen, Iz."

Everett caught himself from listing a fifth reason - that homecoming was in two weeks and he was going to ask Izzy. But now that he would have to be on crutches, he wasn't sure that was a good idea. Thinking about that made Everett realize that he was being a selfish and mean. Losing two siblings was much worse than breaking your leg.

When she squeezed his hand, he squeezed hers back too hard. Everett tried to cool down.

@ diamond sword
Izzy listened to every word he said. Honestly he had really good reasons to be so mad right now.

"Ev. You were an amazing football player, but you are also so, so smart. I understand football is what held you and your fathers relationship together, but you just have to think. Not everything is taken away from you." She said softly, her green grey eyes starring back into his.

When he squeezed her hand a little hard, she winced. She was tiny and he had crushed her fingers together some.

"I know you didn't see it, but your dad was worried when you hurt your leg earlier. He didn't show it to anyone but I could tell by his eyes and he got you here so fast. Your dad has issues, sure, but he does care about you, even if you don't think so." She said gently, taking he other hand and placing it on his face that was actually hot with the anger he was feeling. She then moved some of his hair out of his face and kissed his forehead.

"One day soon you really just need to talk to your dad. Tell him how you feel. It may end good and it may not. Feelings shouldn't be bottled up though Ev."

He reminded her of herself when she cried to him on a bench. She had let out her feelings after so long. He needed to do the same with his dad.

"You're gonna be okay." She said quietly, running her hand through his hair calmly.

"No he wasn't, and no he doesn't," Everett said under his breath. He hadn't really even meant to say it aloud. Her words soothed him, even though they didn't make him feel any better about his dad. When she kissed his forehead, Everett closed his eyes and sank into the pillow.

Talking to his dad wouldn't solve much. If Everett were to approach him, the likely response would be something along the lines of Everett acting like a girl. His dad wasn't keen on being diplomatic. Everett was smart, which he got from his mom, who couldn't throw a ball of any sort. He was also athletic - which he got from his dad, who was rough and not by any means understanding of how Everett's brain worked a little differently from his own. But the fact that Izzy was guiding him through this was all Everett needed.

As she ran her hand through his hair, Everett sighed softly. He lifted his arms slowly so he didn't mess with the machines, and wrapped his arms around Izzy and pulled her to his chest. Everett kept his eyes shut so she wouldn't see them getting watery. Holding her was therapy in itself.

He heard his mom enter the room: "Evvie, I brought you some McDonalds and - Oh you're still here, Isabelle." Everett tightened his arms around Izzy for a second but then slowly released her.