ETHAN'S POV
When Tori finally started to stir, I leaned forward, relief flooding through me.
"Hey," I said softly. "Welcome back."
Her eyes fluttered open, confusion crossing her face before recognition set in. When she saw me, she immediately turned away, pulling the thin hospital blanket higher.
"What are you doing here?" she mumbled.
"Making sure you're okay." I tried to keep my voice casual, but the worry I'd been feeling must have shown on my face.
"I'm fine," she said, still not looking at me. "You can go."
"Tori—"
"Please, just go."
I sighed, standing up. "I'll get the doctor."
In the hallway, I flagged down Dr. Andrew, who'd been checking on Tori earlier.
"She's awake," I told her. "But she seems... upset."
Dr. Andre wnodded knowingly. "Athletes often struggle with injuries. Especially when scouts are involved."
My stomach dropped. The scout. I'd completely forgotten.
"How bad is it?" I asked. "Her knee?"
"Minor sprain, thankfully. No tears. She should stay off it for a few days, but she'll recover quickly with proper care." She checked her clipboard. "Her blood sugar was low, which contributed to the fainting. She needs to eat something and get some rest."
"Thank you," I said, relief washing over me.
Back in Tori's room, Dr. Andrew was finishing up her examination.
"Remember, ice it tonight and keep it elevated," she instructed. "And eat something substantial, Ms. Martinez."
After the doctor left, an awkward silence filled the room.
"What do you want to eat?" I asked. "I can grab something from the cafeteria."
Tori didn't answer, she just stared at the ceiling.
"Look," I said, running a hand through my hair. "I'm sorry about earlier. In class. With the question. I should have helped you right away."
She finally looked at me, her eyes tired. "I just want to go home, Ethan."
"I can drive you," I offered.
"No!" The force of her response surprised both of us.
"Okay," I said, backing toward the door. "I'll just... get you some food before you leave."
I walked out before she could protest again. In the hospital cafeteria, I grabbed a sandwich, fruit cup, and bottle of water. On my way back, I stopped at the billing counter.
"I'd like to take care of the bill for Victoria Martinez," I told the receptionist.
Five minutes later, it was handled. I knew Tori would probably be mad, but I didn't care. It was the least I could do.
When I returned to her room, she was struggling to get out of bed, wincing as she tried to put weight on her injured leg.
"What are you doing?" I rushed forward, almost dropping the food tray.
"Leaving," she said through gritted teeth.
"Not without eating first." I set the tray on the bedside table.
"Doctor's orders. Also, the bill's been taken care of."
Her head snapped up. "What?"
"The hospital bill. It's handled."
She opened her mouth, and I could see the argument forming. But instead, she closed it again, sinking back onto the bed.
"Why would you do that?" she asked finally.
"Because I wanted to help."
"I can take care of myself."
"I know you can." I sat in the chair beside her bed. "But sometimes it's okay to let other people help too."
She stared at me for a long moment, then sighed.
I nudged the food tray closer. "Eat. You'll feel better."
She eyed the sandwich suspiciously. "I'm not hungry."
Right on cue, her stomach growled loudly. She shut her eyes in embarrassment, and I couldn't help laughing.
"Shut up." she barked, which only made me laugh harder.
"Your stomach disagrees with you," I said, flopping onto the small sofa across from her bed.
Grudgingly, she took the sandwich and began to eat. I tried not to stare, but it was hard.
Even in a hospital gown, with her hair a mess and circles under her eyes, she was beautiful.
When she finished, I collected the empty wrappers and tossed them in the trash.
"Ready to go home now?" I asked.
She nodded, swinging her legs carefully over the side of the bed. I grabbed her clothes from the closet and handed them to her.
"I'll wait outside while you change."
Five minutes later, she emerged, moving slowly but steadily. Her coach had dropped off her things earlier, so I carried her bag as we made our way to the exit.
"My leg is fine, you know?" she said as we walked through the lobby.
"Really?" I asked, pretending to be surprised.
She shook her head at my lame attempt at humor. "I can walk, Ethan. I don't want attention."
"Everyone is here for one reason or another," I assured her. "So don't worry, nobody is going to look at you too much."
As if to prove me wrong, two girls walked past us, one nudging the other when she spotted me.
"Isn't that Ethan?" one whispered, not quietly enough. "Is that his girlfriend?"
"Ethan Harrington? Wow! He has a girlfriend?" her friend replied, equally indiscreet.
"Rumor has it..." Their voices faded as they continued down the hall.
Tori laughed softly. "I'm sure what they're saying is about how rumor has it that you're not just a tennis superstar but also a playboy."
I pretended to be hurt. "I wish."
The truth was, despite my reputation, I had never dated anyone seriously. And even that had fizzled out quickly.
We reached my car, and I helped Tori into the passenger seat, careful of her knee. She didn't protest this time, which felt like progress.
As I slid into the driver's seat, an idea struck me. A crazy, impulsive idea that I should probably think through more. But seeing Tori hurt today had clarified something for me, I was tired of pretending I didn't care about her.
I leaned toward her suddenly, making her jerk back in surprise.
"You know what, Tori…there’s only one way that I can prove to you that I'm not a playboy," I said, my heart pounding.
I reached out, my hand hovering near hers. Our eyes locked.
"Will you be my girlfriend?"