I walked up to my coach just before we started the last part of practice. After I get her attention I ask, "If I am genuinely worried about my shoulders should I go back to the doctor soon?"
"If they hurt that bad then yeah you should."
I groan and try to stretch again. Walking over to my lane I twist my shoulders all kind of crazy ways trying to get the pain to stop. I do the first hundred in the set and rest on the wall. I pull back on my shoulders as hard as I can and twist around. My coach comes over to see me.
"what was your time?"
I look at the clock. I had forgotten to look, and I didn't hear what she said.
"I didn't hear it,"
She looks slightly concerned. I get irritated with myself, "but I know it was slow."
She sighs and looks at her stop watch. "Ready... go!"
I remember to get my next three times, and as my shoulders start hurting more and more, my times get slower and slower.
By the end I was furious with my self and I was about to cry because of the pain in my shoulders. I kept thinking about how I should have gone to the doctor before and I was insanely stupid for not doing so. Our coach has a short meeting after practice, halfway through I cant stand it anymore and I twist and stretch some more. I basically run up to my coach as soon as the meeting dissolves into some debate about switching practice times. "Do you have Advil or something? anything?"
"They may have some in the infirmary. Go change, I'll get you some."
After I changed and my coach found the medicine and then looked at my shoulders, my friends were taking me home. I had a Gatorade cup in my hand, and as we were walking to the car I began crushing it. "Braces?" I look up from the cup at Clare who asked.
"no its not that,"
"what is it?"
"my shoulders."
Clare's brother looks behind him at me. "Thats not good is it." I don't respond. They pile their bags into the trunk and I get into the backseat.
"Any preference about music?"
I look up, I had been sitting with my head on my knees. Clare had gotten in and was buckling her seatbelt. "Not really."
Michael gets into the driver's seat and starts the car. After sitting upright for a few seconds, I fall over and lay on the seat. Michael looks into the rear view mirror and turns around.
"What are you doing- oh yeah that ok."
I groan and after a while I sit up. Clare and Michael were talking about some movie at this point. I twist my arm at an odd angle and grab the handle above my seat and pull back to try and stretch, then I fall back down to having my head on my knees.
"Try not to die."
Clare adds, "your almost home."
They proceed to talk about how monday was awful and it was for everyone."
"It hasn't been this bad in years." I was talking about two years ago. I had to stay out a whole season due to my shoulders.
Clare and Michael look at each other, "It must be really bad."
I sit up again and try again to twist and stretch, and end up sprawled out on the seats again.
"Are you okay?"
"No."
Clare laughs, "Is it bad that we just get a muffled no from her?"
I was talking into the seat and thats why it was muted.
"Don't die."
I groan and twist awkwardly while still laying down. When they get to my house I get out, "I might be at practice tomorrow-" I get ready to close the door then stick my head back again. "And if I'm not there I'm dead."
You like long writing assignments, don't you? And the description of scenes helps one picture what's happening. I like the ending as well.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds really painful, but this is a well-written scene that combines dialogue with action and description. I hope your shoulders feel better!
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