Tessa Keene was a sweetheart through and through- pure-hearted, kind, and incapable of cruelty. She didn't have much, but she had Robby, and that was all she needed. He was her rock, her safe place, the one person she could always count on. But when...
Miguel ran a hand frantically through his hair, heart hammering in his ears. "Okay, okay—uh—uh—do we reset it?!"
Tessa's head snapped up so fast it was a wonder she didn't hurt herself more. "WHAT? NO! DON'T TOUCH ME!"
Miguel flinched hard, like she'd slapped him. "Right! Right, not touching it! Bad idea, very bad idea—okay, um—" His gaze flicked desperately toward the door of his apartment, mind racing. "My mom. I—I'll get my mom! Stay here—uh, I mean, don't move—uh—"
Tessa let out a half-sob, half-yell. "JUST GO!"
Miguel didn't need to be told twice. He bolted, flying down the stairs, feet barely touching the steps. He practically kicked the door open. "Mamá!"
Carmen, startled, turned from the kitchen. "Miguel, what—"
"It's Tessa—she fell—and her arm—" He made a wildly unhelpful gesture that did nothing to explain the severity of the situation.
Carmen's eyes widened. "Where is she?"
Miguel didn't even answer—he just turned and sprinted back outside, Carmen hot on his heels. The second Carmen saw Tessa on the ground, curled in pain, she shifted into full-on nurse mode, calm but quick. "Tessa, mija, let me see," Carmen said gently, kneeling beside her.
Tessa whimpered but loosened her trembling grip just enough. Carmen leaned in, her mouth tightening into a firm line when she got a good look. "We need to get you to the hospital," she said, voice steady but urgent. "Miguel, help me get her up—carefully."
Miguel nodded, heart still pounding as he crouched beside Tessa. "Okay, okay—I got you." He gently wrapped an arm around her good side, letting her lean on him as they helped her up. Tessa gasped in pain, her whole body shaking.
Carmen hurried them toward her car. Miguel helped Tessa into the backseat before sliding in beside her. The moment the door shut, Carmen started the car and peeled out of the complex.
Tessa sniffled, her breathing shallow as she cradled her broken arm. Miguel sat close, his knee bumping hers as he turned toward her. "Hey, you're gonna be okay," he murmured, voice softer now.
Tessa let out a ragged breath. "If I die, I'm haunting you."
Miguel huffed out a laugh, though he still looked pale. "If you die, I die. Johnny would definitely kill me."
Carmen's voice cut in from the driver's seat. "No one is dying! Miguel!" she scolded.
Miguel nodded, shifting a little closer. "Okay, uh—so, worst-case scenario, you're in a cast for a few weeks. Maybe I'll sign it with something embarrassing."
Tessa sniffled. "Like what?"
Miguel smirked. "I don't know. 'Tessa Keene, undisputed Nerf champion—except when she trips over air and breaks her arm.'"
Tessa groaned miserably, leaning her head back against the seat. "You suck."
Miguel nudged her gently. "Yeah, yeah. Just hang in there, okay?"
Tessa exhaled, leaning slightly against his shoulder. "You owe me ice cream after this."
Miguel smiled, even as worry still flickered in his eyes. "Deal."
Carmen glanced at them in the rearview mirror, her face softening. "Almost there, mija. Just hold on."
Tessa cradled her arm against her chest, wincing every time the car hit a bump. She didn't say much, just stared out the window, her face pale. When they arrived, a nurse quickly checked them in and led them to a hospital room. Carmen helped Tessa onto the bed, careful not to jostle her injured arm, while Miguel left to make a call to Johnny.
Tessa wiped at her tears, but they wouldn't stop. Carmen's heart ached as she watched the girl break down again, her chest rising and falling with uneven breaths. "Your dad is on the way," Carmen said gently, trying to soothe her. "Miguel is calling him now."
But Tessa shook her head, another sob escaping. "No," she choked out. "I want Robby."
Carmen blinked in surprise. Robby.
They hadn't spoken properly in months. Whatever had happened between them had built a wall too high for either of them to climb. But now, in the middle of this sterile hospital room, hurting and scared, Tessa wasn't thinking about that. She just wanted her brother.
Carmen squeezed her good hand. "Tessa..."
Tessa let out a trembling breath, eyes squeezing shut. "I just—I want my brother."
The sheer rawness in her voice shattered something in Carmen's chest. Without hesitation, she pulled Tessa close, rubbing her back in slow, comforting circles. "I know, mija. I know." For a moment, Tessa just cried against her, clinging to her like a lifeline.
Miguel stood just outside the doorway, his stomach twisting as he watched Tessa break down. She looked so small, curled into Carmen's arms, shaking with every breath. He'd seen her upset before—frustrated, annoyed, even teary-eyed—but never like this. Never this broken.
His grip tightened around his phone. He had barely managed to stammer out words to Johnny, but now, hearing Tessa sob for Robby, something heavier settled in his chest. He had been the one looking out for her these past few months, the one cracking dumb jokes when she was down, the one making sure she ate when she "wasn't hungry" but obviously was. He knew how stubborn she was, how much she hated asking for help. But now, when she was hurting, scared—when it really mattered—she didn't want him. She wanted Robby.
Carmen's voice was soft, gentle. "Do you want me to call him?"
Tessa just shook her head, her lip trembling. "He wants nothing to do with me anymore." Her voice cracked, and she sucked in a sharp breath. "I think he hates me."
Miguel felt his chest tighten.
Carmen pulled back slightly, brushing Tessa's hair from her tear-streaked face. "Oh, mija," she murmured. "He doesn't hate you."
Tessa let out a wet, hollow laugh. "Then why hasn't he called? Or texted? Why doesn't he even look at me?"
Miguel swallowed hard, shifting on his feet. He knew things had been bad between them, but hearing Tessa say it out loud, so full of hurt and doubt, made it real in a way that hit him straight in the gut. He wanted to say something, tell her she was wrong, that Robby still cared—but he didn't know that for sure. And right now, the last thing she needed was another empty reassurance.
Instead, he just stood there, gripping his phone, feeling completely and utterly useless.
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authors note!
Bye bye to tess in the tournament! I'm so ready for the Keene kids reunion though...
