Full Impact by Suzanne Weyn Read Free Book Online Page A

worth having my brain scrambled. If I have to sit out the season and let my brain heal, then that’s what I have to do, even if it means losing my scholarship. That would suck, though.”
    â€œI know,” Norval agreed.
    Kadeem shook his head. “We should have said something. But we didn’t.”
    Coach Green approached them from the sidelines. “I hope you boys are happy now,” he said.
    â€œUs?” Norval shouted. He could no longer control himself. “We’re not the guys in charge! You are. You’re the one who made the call.”
    â€œNorval’s right,” Kadeem said. “It isn’t right to put all that on us.”
    â€œFace it! You wanted the win, so you played Arnie. I hope you’re happy!” Norval shouted.
    Coach Green’s face turned red with anger. “Watch your mouths, or you won’t play for the rest of the season. I don’t care how good you are.” With that, he turned away.
    Norval watched Coach Green go, cursing him under his breath. Then he and Kadeem headed to the locker room in silence.
    Once inside, Norval called the hospital. He learned that Arnie was being kept overnight for observation. He could have visitors, though, from six to eight.
    â€œWant to go see him?” Norval asked Kadeem.
    â€œLet’s go tomorrow and give the guy time to rest,” Kadeem said.
    Norval nodded. He got dressed and met up with his parents, who had come to see the game. “You’re not going out with your friends?” his mother asked.
    â€œI wouldn’t have any fun,” Norval told her.

T
    he following afternoon Norval and Kadeem went over to the hospital. Maritza and Lara were leaving Arnie’s room when Norval and Kadeem arrived.
    â€œHow is he?” Norval asked.
    â€œPretty messed up,” Maritza replied.
    Arnie’s parents and his doctor were at Arnie’s bedside, watching as Arnie drew on a pad. Arnie looked up as Norval and Kadeem came in, but he didn’t acknowledge them. It was almost as if he didn’t know who they were.
    Glancing at Arnie’s paper, Norval saw that Arnie was drawing clock faces. At least, Norval guessed that they were supposed to be clocks. The one Arnie was working on had the squiggly, irregular shape of an amoeba. Some of the numbers floated inside the clock face. Others were completely outside of it. He had forgotten to draw in the hands of the clock entirely.
    The doctor, a petite, dark-haired woman, took the paper from Arnie and showed Arnie’s parents. “We’ll need to run more neurological tests,” she said quietly. “The MRI later today will give us a better sense of what areas of the brain have been injured.”
    â€œHow do we fix this?” Arnie’s father asked. His brow was creased with worry. “Lots of rest and rehabilitation,” the doctor said. “I suggest keeping him in a rehabilitation center until he stabilizes. Then he can get help as an outpatient.”
    â€œWhat kind of help?” Arnie’s mother asked.
    â€œHe’ll work with a physiatrist, someone trained in brain injury recovery. There are exercises that can help the brain recover function after a trauma. The brain can rewire itself. He’ll need to be where his brain has the ideal conditions to do so.”
    Norval jumped into the conversation. “Will he recover completely?”
    â€œWe don’t really know,” the doctor replied. “He’s young. Young people have a remarkable ability to recover. On the other hand, his youth makes him even more vulnerable when it comes to concussion.”
    â€œWhy is that?” Norval asked.
    The doctor asked Arnie’s parents if they minded Kadeem and Norval being there before she answered any further questions. Arnie’s parents said they didn’t—the boys were Arnie’s friends.
    â€œHigh school athletes suffer more from the damage of concussion than even college