The Emancipation of Shania

Third Wheel?

Liam’s POV

Shit! f**k! i***t! Jerk! I can’t stop berating myself internally. The guys and I were just goofing around as usual, when that dickhead Brian shoved me. I tried to turn to steady myself, but my elbow connected with a nose. Shania! Oh, God what have I done? She fainted shortly after impact, and I had caught her before she hit the floor. She has been in my arms since. A small crowd had gathered to witness the c*****e. Somehow an ice pack had been placed in my hand, and I can’t recall by whom, but I am holding it to the bridge of her nose. The bleeding has subsided but not stopped.

She is moving around in my arms, and gurgling, like she is having a bad dream. I keep calling her name. Looking at her awful condition, makes me want to cry. Suddenly she raises both arms in front of her face and turns her head away.

Oh my God! Does she think I’m going to hurt her again? I would never! Not on purpose anyway. This time I can’t stop the tears from forming. I don’t even care right now if they fall, and the whole f*****g college laughs at me. I am hurting so much for her. My precious beautiful girl. I can’t believe her soft body is in my arms. She looks directly into my eyes. Her gaze is penetrating. Hypnotic. I want to stare into those eyes when she is under me, in the throes of passion, as I..

Stop thinking with your d**k, d**k. You broke her already! I clear my thoughts.

“Shania, thank God you’re awake. I’m sorry. So very sorry” I really want to cry. Don’t humiliate yourself. Big boys don’t cry!

The petite red-haired girl, Riley, who has had my buddy Adam in knots for months, who is also the only person I see Shania interacting with had just stopped sobbing. She is genuinely concerned as she asks “Shania, you OK?”

Shania looks straight at her with no hint of recognition “wh…who are you? Where am I?”

Riley gasps, and I cringe.  Amnesia, Oh No! I hurt her bad!

I tighten my grip around her, and Shania catches my gaze again :”what the f**k dude? You broke my nose!”

It takes me a while to realize she is kidding, because if she remembers I was the wrecking ball that destroyed her face, she couldn’t really have amnesia…  I breathe. I am in a daze for a little while, as the two girls talk.

We guys get injured on the field all the time, so blood and gore doesn’t really faze me, but this is my beautiful Shania, my most perfect fantasy. Please let her be OK. I’ll do anything God! Anything! Nobody would peg Liam Neale for a praying man, but for Shania…

Riley’s sudden screeching brings me out of my daze, and I realize she is addressing me. “Liam, we have to get her to the infirmary. Or to the hospital. Did anyone call 911? Shan, can you stand? Are you hurt anywhere else? God where were you looking! Look at all this blood. I won’t eat for a week now….”. Adam shuts her up effectively by kissing her. That’s my boy! Seriously though, he is. Adam Park is my best friend since before Kindergarten. He’s been crushing on Riley for months, but being an awesome bro’, he decided not to make a move on her until I was ready to make a move on Shania. There goes that agreement! Traitor!

After getting cleaned up and getting the bleeding under control at the college infirmary, the nurse advised us that although she didn’t think the injury is as serious as it looks, we should go to the hospital and get a scan and a doctors opinion

So that’s where we are headed now. Adam, as expected, is with me, in the front passenger seat of my jeep. Shania is seated behind Adam, hiding behind a scarf. Riley is behind me, uncharacteristically quiet. I have a better view of Shania, this way, than of she was seated behind me. I steal several glances in the mirror. Her face is mostly hidden, but her gorgeous eyes aren’t, and they captivate me. I’m disturbed by how oblivious she is to me, considering how I am gawking at her now, and have been since the start of the year. I won’t pretend …I am somewhat insulted that she is so oblivious to me …I am Liam Neale, rising football star. Every other girl in the college besides the two currently in my car, have tried, or at least thought about getting with me.

We are at the hospital for a few hours. Shania is examined by a doctor, and gets scans done. When she comes out of the radiology unit, she sees me. Our eyes connect for a moment, but she turns away, looking uninterested. We realise at the same time that Riley and Adam are missing. I see realization dawn in her sparkling grey-blue eyes, and her shoulders sag. She sits on the bench, not even looking at me. I leave my spot by the vending machine and walk over, sitting next to her.

I swallow nervously, not sure how to start a conversation with her. “So, I think those two like each other”  I offer, not needing to say who I’m talking about. She raises her eyes slowly, without lifting her head much, and looks at me through thick, long, black lashes.

‘"Whatever gave you that idea?” She asks sarcastically, but hr smile is genuine, and my heart melts a little bit more. She sounds nasal and my insides cringe with guilt again.

“Well I know for sure Adam is crazy for her …has been for a long time. I don’t know Riley well enough to speak for her”

“Oh I’m pretty sure she likes him too,” she says it in a strange way, making me think there’s more to the story. I don’t push.

“I’m really sorry…” I want to beg for her forgiveness, but she cuts me off.

“You already apologised. More times than I can count. I’m not a moron. I know it was an accident”

I love her sassiness. I laugh nervously. “At least let me make it up to you” I tell her.

“How? Are you going to unbreak my nose?”

“So, you’re pissed at me, huh” I retort.

We both laugh, and she lifts the scarf to her face self-consciously.

“Shanneee. You’re done! What’s the verdict?” Riley’s animated shrieking interrupts us. We both turn toward where she and Adam are approaching, still hand in hand. That developed fast, I think enviously

Riley plants her ass in the space between Shania and I, and takes her hand. I glance at Adam and raise my eyebrow questioningly. He places his palms over his heart and droops his shoulder, while making a lovelorn face. I wink at him, and smile. He shrugs his shoulder and gives me a ‘please-forgive-me-I-couldn’t-help-it’ look. Ah well…its done now. I’m happy for Adam. But I know it won’t be as easy to get my girl. I did just break her nose after all.

“Shan, Adam asked me out to this Saturday. But you know how cautious I am, so I said I wont go alone for our first date. You have to come.” As Riley talks, Adam winks at me cryptically, and waggles his eyebrows.

Why is this fucker happy to get a third wheel on his first date with a girl he’s been waiting for long? I wonder.

Shania seems to be wondering the same and asks “Why would you want a third wheel on your date? In fact, why would I want to be the third wheel on your date?”

“Because you’re my sister, and you have to help maintain my honor!”

“Pfft!” Shania smirks

“Shanneee…”

“Rileee…what honor?” Shania teases.

Riley’s shoulders sag, and her head drops forward. I can’t see her face, but I believe she is employing puppy-dog eyes. Shania relents slightly.

“I cannot go out in public with this face” she says, pointing to her face.

“Then we’ll stay in. Movies….popcorn..:” She turns toward Adam. “You ok with that, Adam?” Shania can’t see her wink and smile, but I can. And it hits me. These two are plotting something.

Adam smiles sweetly. “Anything to get close to you babe”.

Shania huffs. “All the more reason for me to not be there! How will you get to know each other if I’m in your faces? Just go out somewhere public, if you’re so worried about your honor.”

Riley, still gazing gooey-eyed at Adam, changes to a crying face as she turns to Shania. “Nooo…I think a night in is good. And you wont have to be a third wheel. Liam can come and give you company!” Bingo. She swivels toward me. “Right Liam?” She looks at me as if daring me to say no. Damn! This chic is kind of scary. I quickly swallow and nod yes.