Thalia was beginning to grow annoyed by Johnny's tactics seeing as how they were only used for his benefit. But she didn't expect anything less. They watched Miguel step up on the planks again. Odessa watched carefully with elbow pads on her elbows and knees this time so she wouldn't end up with more bruises.
Johnny threw the ball at him again and Miguel caught it swiftly. His crutches fell but he was able to stand straight, his legs not falling out from under him.  
Odessa gasped loudly and looked at her mom. "Keep going, Miguel!"  Thalia said happily.
He threw the ball back and quickly shuffled his feet across the planks to the other side with the adults.  "Yes!" He exclaimed.
Odessa jumped up and down, squealing, and wrapped her arms around his neck. He picked her up and spun her.  "Yes! I knew you could do it!" She yelled. 
Thalia hugged Johnny. "Always a method to your madness." She said with a smile. 
He faked a hurt expression. "You still doubt me?"
She didn't say anything back. 
"Yeah, I would too."  






















Odessa was nervous for Miguel to come back to school. It's been weeks since school fight but it was still fresh on everybody's mind. While everyone at school was excited for Miguel to return, his close friends were worried. She could barely handle the whispers she was still hearing from them all about how her ex boyfriend caused Miguel to end up in the hospital in the first place. She just didn't want him to come back if it was too soon.
"Odessa, I can see the wheels turning in your head."
She rolled her eyes and huffed. "Don't you think it's too soon? I mean, you just started walking again. What if something happens and you fall? What if I'm not there—"
Miguel stopped walking and grabbed her arm, laughing. "Nothing's going to happen."
She gave him a look. "You don't know that. None of us expect the fight to break out. I just don't want you to get hurt again."
He smiled at her. "And I love you for that. But it's not gonna happen again. Tory's gone. Robby's. . ." He paused when her face subtly dropped. "I'm ready to be back, Dess. Okay? I promise."
The blue eyed girl stared at him for a few minutes, silent, to see if he was lying. He wasn't. Giving in, she sighed. "Okay. Let's go, superstar."
When they walked into the school, Miguel was greeted with a large Welcome Back, Miguel banner that was hanging from the staircase. Everyone started clapping when they saw him walk in which boosted his ego even more. They welcomed him back with open arms. Her nerves decreased. "Okay, not as bad as I thought it would be." She said out loud.
He grinned. "Told ya."
Hawk came walking into the corridor. "El Serpiente!" He shouted. 
Miguel grew a smile when he saw his friend. "What's up?" He greeted back and they hugged. 
Odessa looked away, feeling awkward and uncomfortable in Hawk's presence. "I'll see you later,  Miguel. Come find me if you need anything." she told him and smiled. She squeezed his arm and avoiding Hawk's stare when she walked away. She walked down the hall and found Demetri standing at his locker with Oliver, the long cast still on his arm. "Metri!" She exclaimed
Demetri  smiled slightly her way. "Hey, Dess."  
She gave him a hug and wrapped one arm around his neck. "I'm so happy you're back. Do you need anything? I can carry your books? We have the same classes—"
Oliver scoffed. "Where was this treatment the time I broke my arm playing basketball?"  
"You bet Gray that you could climb to the top of the backboard and sit on the net and you ended up breaking it and falling off."
He opened his mouth to retaliate but ended up just narrowing his eyes. 
Demetri laughed. "Don't worry about me, Dess. I've been hearing it all morning already." He emphasized and slowly looked back at Oliver. He mocked him and wrapped his arm around his shoulder. The bell rang and Miguel came around to the corner, seeing everyone at Demetri's locker. "Hey, the comeback kid!  Welcome back." 
"Look at you with that model walk. I bet those legs still look ravishing." Oliver added with a dramatic flare.
Miguel chuckled and looked down at the cast on Demetri's arm. "What's up with the cast?"
"Proximal radius fracture"
"If you smell lemons, he shoved a lemon rind down it to mask the smell." Said Oliver. 
"Isn't that uncomfortable?" Odessa asked.
Demetri shook his head. "Not really. Just giving me a rash." 
They looked at him weirdly but didn't question it. 
"So, uh. . . How'd you break your arm?" Miguel asked.
It clicked in their minds that he had no knowledge of anything that's been going on. He was in the hospital and in recovery. He had no idea what happened with Hawk and Demetri. Oliver and Demetri looked at each other. "We've got a lot to catch up on." Said Demetri.