Full Count (The Catcher Series Book 1) (25 page)

            After reaching for her shampoo, I lather it in her
long brown hair. It
’
s kind of weird to be washing so much
hair. The most I
’
ve ever washed is mine when I had a
stupid bowl cut as a kid, but this is obviously significantly longer. I run my
fingertips from the edge of her forehead along her scalp and all the way down a
few times before making tiny circles to massage her head.

             “Sky,” she moans, and I wonder if she knows how
sexual it sounds.

             “Yeah, B?” I answer, continuing to lightly knead my
fingers on her scalp.

             “You can rinse it,” Buzz orders with her eyes
closed.

             “I know,” I laugh. She has no idea that I can see
how much she
’
s fucking loving the massage and the
attention I
’
m giving her. After everything she
’
s been through, she deserves to be spoiled a little bit. But I
also don
’
t want her to fall asleep like that and fall off
the stool. “How does your head feel?”

             “
Mmmmm good,
” she mumbles with
a small grin.
Aw man, she needs to stop doing that
.
I use the cup
to rinse the shampoo out of her hair and watch her breathing steady after her
long exhales when I was massaging her head. I do the same thing to her with the
conditioner, making sure to give her a little extra massage since it seems to
help her relax.

            I
’
m careful not to brush her
stitches when I wrap the towel around her hair and help her sit up. Water
droplets trickle down her face, so I reach for a hand towel to dab them dry
before they moisten her stitches that are a strand across her entire forehead.

             “Thank you,” she mentions.

             “You don
’
t have to thank me,” I
remind her, resting my hand on her knee. She flinches to stand up, but I guide
her back onto the stool. “You were just lying down for a while. You can
’
t just stand up that quickly; you
’
ll
fucking black out.”

             “When did you become a doctor?” she giggles.

            Raising my eyebrows at her, I say, “
I
just don’
t want you passing out on me, alright?”

             “But you always catch me,” Buzz teases with her
bright smile.

             “Come on,” I suggest, reaching my arms out for her,
one behind her back and one underneath her knees as she drapes her arms around
my neck. I pick her up and carry her while passing Alex in the hallway.

             “Rex,” she acknowledges him quietly.

             “B,” he returns with a softer glare at me than
normal.

            After setting her on her bed, I inform her, “My mom
needs me to pick up Savannah in a little while, so I
’
m
gonna go. Call if you need anything.”

             “This is kind of tight on my head,” she complains
about the towel wrapped into an updo.

            I reach to loosen it, but not completely so her wet
hair soaks into her pillow. “Better?” I hope. She nods and grins her fucking
pretty smile at me, and I almost forget I have to leave to go pick up my
sister. My phone buzzes in my pocket, which I know is a reminder from my mom.
Sighing first, I tell her, “I
’
ll see you later,
sweetheart,” and gently kiss her hairline just above her forehead, purposely
avoiding her stitches.

            When I leave her room Alex is waiting for me down the
hall so we
’
re out of Buzz
’
s earshot.
I
’
m not sure if it
’
s going to be
cordial or not, but I do need it to be a quick encounter so I can be on my way.

             “How was the park?” I ask him, a little upset that I
wasn
’
t invited to play ball with everyone even though I
was already busy. I
’
m helping out his sister; it
’
s not like I
’
m fucking hooking up with
someone instead of hanging out with the boys.

             “It was good. We didn
’
t really
have enough guys, so it didn
’
t last long,” he tells me.
Just as I
’
m about to slide past him to go downstairs and
leave, he adds, “How is she?”

            With a stern face, I say, “She still has a long road
ahead of her.”

             “It
’
s good that you
’
re there for her,” he musters out, fidgeting around like he
’
s trying to deny what he just said. I know I fucking heard him,
and it
’
s not like I need his permission to be here, but I
raise my eyebrows at him out of surprise. “I saw you with her.”

             “
Alex, for fuck
’
s
sake, get over it,” I snap at him.

             “Will you just listen to me for five seconds?” he
exclaims. I really have to get going to pick up Savannah, but I figure he
’
ll make it quick, so I wait with crossed arms. “It
’
s weird for me that you like her because we grew up together. I
thought you saw her as your sister or best friend, like I do.” He pauses, and I
remain quiet since he told me to just listen to him. Plus I don
’
t
really have anything to fucking say. I don
’
t feel like it
’
s the right time to pronounce my
love
for his sister. “
I guess
… somewhere along the way you two became closer, and I
stepped back-”

             “When you started dating Leah?” I point out.

             “Yeah, okay. Maybe it was when I started dating
Leah,” he agrees, rolling his eyes.

             “Yeah, so don
’
t pull that ‘
bros before hoes
’
shit on me,” I argue.
Brushing past him to go downstairs, I say, “I have to go. I
’
ll
see you later. Take care of your sister while I
’
m gone.
”

25 Bianca Ferrari

I
’
m not entirely sure why Skyler picks me up
and brings me to my bed considering I just took a nap at his house and it
’
s only 7:00 p.m. but a few minutes after he leaves my brother
walks into my room. He seems to be wearing agitation every time I
’
ve
seen him since my accident, which I infer to be a result of Skyler hanging
around me so much.

             “You need anything?” Rex asks me, taking a seat next
to me on my bed.

            Shaking my head beneath the towel, I tell him, “Not
really.”

             “Well, what do you ‘not really
’
need?
” he questions further. The beauty of growing up together
so close in age is that he picks up on my moods very easily. We
’
re
not just siblings; we
’
re also friends.

             “Just stop giving Sky a hard time, please,” I plead,
giving myself away that I heard their conversation in the hallway regarding me.
My brother
’
s stern eyes relax into ones that showcase a
little bit of guilt.

             “I
’
m trying. He won
’
t even let me,”
Rex argues.

             “Nothing is going to happen with him and me, so you
don
’
t have to worry,” I sigh. The truth of hearing my
statement out loud hurts me more than I thought it would. I
’
m
starting to feel nauseous.

             “Um… what?” Apparently my declaration surprises him.
“It
’
s not because he was driving the boat, is it? Because
you know it was an accident.”

             “I know,” I mutter, my eyes starting to sting. It
’
s nice to hear it from Rex though. I
’
m not
sure where the stinging feeling comes from, but I just can
’
t
stop thinking about Skyler
’
s “pity me” face. I can
’
t look at that every day for the rest of my life. I
’
m so conflicted though because I like him so much otherwise.
However, I hate seeing Rex and Skyler not getting along. I don’t want to come
in between them, no matter how right it feels to be in Skyler’s arms. “I know
he would never purposely hurt me, and I
’
m not mad at him.
It just… it can
’
t happen.
”

             “But why?”
Rex presses.

            The pressure radiates from him, causing my head to
feel compressed and the room to start spinning. “I need a garbage can,” I blurt
out, looking around for one. It only makes my condition worse.

             “What?” he shouts, and I think he
’
s
trying to find the little one I have in my room, but my vision is all blurred
so I can
’
t completely make him out.

             “Please hurry,” I whimper, trying to sit up and lean
over the side of my bed. My towel hair wrap tries to weigh me down but it doesn
’
t last. The force of my puke is stronger. I hurl over the side
of the bed and hear a rustling noise like it hits a plastic bag. I groan as my
stomach contracts, trying to feel if anything else is going to come up.

             “If being with Skyler makes you sick, you should
tell him that,” he chuckles, brushing his hand across my back. It
’
s
a mean comment, but it
’
s still funny.

             “You
’
re hilarious,” I snark at
him. My mouth instantly feels disgusting, like mud. Skyler would bring me
mouthwash, but I give Rex some slack since I won
’
t have
anywhere to spit it anyways. “I need to stand up, but it has to be slowly. I
’
ve been lying down too long,” I recall Skyler
’
s
advice. I reach my arms out in front of me, and Rex stands up, shoulders square
to me so he can be my post. My vision goes black for a moment as my head
settles on the idea of not resting against something, but I squeeze his hands
tighter to remain steady. I can feel the apprehension in his breath; he
’
s worried I
’
m going to fall over right in
front of him.

            After walking over to the bathroom down the hall, I
rinse out my mouth and then ask Rex, “Can we do a movie night tonight with
everyone?”

             “
Oh, um,
” he stutters, still
holding onto one of my wrists. “Leah was going to come over to hang out.”

           
Some things never change.
I knew I didn’t have
a good relationship with my brother’s girlfriend when she wouldn’t stop begging
him to leave the hospital. She didn’t bother coming to see me, but she
needed
him to come home and hang out with her after only one night away. “She
can join. Besides, it
’
s about time she starts hanging out
with our group if she
’
s planning on being around for a
while,” I petition, knowing I can
’
t be the only one who
thinks that.

            Rex complies with my request and calls everyone to
come over to watch a comedy, since I can
’
t manage the
suspense of a thriller. It feels like it
’
s a rainy day at
the cabin without having to suffer from the two hour drive through barn
scenery. In our basement we have a giant cushioned multi-colored piece of
furniture that feels like a couch but folds out to take up the majority of the
room to fit everyone comfortably. Pillows line the wall as backrests, but
Skyler lets me lay on his lap instead. Leah and Alex are all cozied up to each
other at the far end with Baylee and Benny and Tiffany and Sam also paired off.
Seeing Baylee sit between Benny
’
s legs as he wraps his
arms around her shoulders makes me want to vomit, but I don
’
t
have the energy to make a big deal about it if Rex or Skyler aren
’
t.

            Everyone lets me choose the movie since it
’
s my idea to have everyone over. Because I
’
m
the vegetable of the group that
’
s hypersensitive to loud
noises, I choose Accepted, a funny movie that will make all of us laugh, break
some tension in the room. At least that
’
s my intention.
Leah looks nervous as all hell to be sitting in a room with all of us, like she
’
s the ugly duckling and we
’
re all going to
gang up on her, which is ridiculous because we each individually like her. Kind
of. Well, maybe not Skyler. Rex is watching The Leah Movie almost the entire
time. Benny on the other hand is at least trying to watch Accepted.

             “Bay, stop,” he demands, but I can feel the
flirtatiousness in his voice. He likes whatever it is she
’
s
doing. I move slightly up on Skyler, my head resting on his chest so I can
witness the BenBay show. I’ve been aching for some good entertainment.

             “I told you before Bianca put the movie in,” she
whimpers. Her hair is getting tousled from fidgeting in Benny
’
s
hold, and it
’
s starting to annoy her. She combs her hands
through her almost waist-length ombre hair and bats her eyes up at Benny like
she
’
s begging for a bunny. I really hope she
’
s
begging for anything else, just not a bunny. Okay, or sex. She
’
s
way too fucking young for that, but her eyes tell a different story. I
’
m not sure where or when she learned to look at someone like
that, but I
’
m a little jealous of the way Benny returns
it.

             “Okay, I know I lost part of my memory, so how long
has
that
been going on?” I whisper up to Skyler. His eyes are already on
me when I look up, which gives me butterflies that maybe someone
is
looking at me the way Benny is admiring my little sister.

             “Longer than it should be,” he mumbles, his eyes
flickering towards the shady scene before us. “Hey… you guys know we
’
re all right fucking here.” He says this directly at Benny and
Baylee who are playfully fighting and tickling each other; then Skyler kicks
Benny in the side in hopes of making him stop flirting. Skyler
’
s
what-the-fuck expression takes all of the air out of the entire room. I
’
m trying my hardest not to laugh because I know it will piss
him off, but I
always
laugh in awkward situations.

            Luckily Tiffany butts in and does it for me. “You
’
re kidding, right?”

             “No, I
’
m not fucking kidding,”
Skyler argues.
“He
’
s five years older than
her. It
’
s disgusting.”

             “We
’
re not doing anything more
than you and Bianca,” Benny tries to defend them.

             “Buzz and I are only a year apart,” Skyler yells,
shifting behind me, which results in jostling my head more than necessary. “I
didn’t see Baylee in the hospital last week either.”

             “Sky, please,” I beg for him to stop moving.

             “Now someone has to be in the hospital for me to be
nice to them?” Benny defends himself. He has a point. I don’t think Skyler’s
complete reasoning is because I’m physically hurt. He’s just using it as his
excuse - not that I’m going to argue it.

            The room is starting to spin, and I
’
m
not in the mood to be throwing up all night. I reach for Skyler’s arm that
’
s draped over my side and squeeze it as hard as I can to prop
myself into a sitting position.

             “B,” I faintly hear Rex
’
s
voice.

            I close my eyes to help with the nausea, but I can
now feel everyone
’
s eyes hovering over me.
Just
breathe. It
’
ll be okay.

             “
See? You
’
re
literally making Buzz sick,” Skyler hammers into Baylee and Benny but mostly
Benny.

             “Sky!” I exclaim, and I open my eyes to my brother
at my feet with a garbage can ready for me. As I take deep breaths, my stomach
contracts again like it
’
s just released vomit, but I
manage to calm it down and keep my grilled chicken dinner in my stomach. Both
of Rex
’
s hands are in front of me, one on my knee and one
holding the garbage steady, so I
’
m confused how my hair is
being pulled back. Baylee is across the cushions looking at me with worried
eyes, like she doesn
’
t want to see her big sister like
this. I wouldn
’
t want to see anyone else in the room like
this either, so I guess it works out that it
’
s me.

             “I
’
m sorry, Bianca,” Baylee
mumbles as a lone tear drops onto her cheek. When Benny hears her shaky voice,
he gently turns towards her and wipes the tear off. For a moment I think it
’
s sweet, and I
’
m happy that someone wants
to look after my baby sis, but I just kind of wish she was a little older.

             “Bay, it
’
s fine,
”
I promise, sending a small smile in her direction. It
’
s
then that I realize whoever has been pulling my hair back since I almost threw
up has begun massaging my head. For the second time today, and actually
probably in my life, I
’
m fully enjoying having my scalp
gently massaged. Just before I
’
m about to let out a little
moan, I twist my neck to see Skyler behind me and see it
’
s
his hand comforting me.

             “You okay?” he whispers like we
’
re
the only two in the room, like our entire group of friends isn
’
t
staring at us. I have never seen someone look so sorry before, and that says a
lot considering my last week. He has to know he
’
s just as
guilty, if not more, as Benny for the flirting he constantly does with me, but
I know he doesn
’
t care. His dark eyes only see me, not my
brother standing in front of me awaiting my response. I can barely think with
his fingers kneading my head so gently; he
’
s practically
putting me to sleep. The concern and care that Skyler has for me in this moment
makes my heart ache in the best way.

             “Yeah, I
’
m sorry,” I announce
to the group.

            In the most compassionate tone I
’
ve
ever heard come out of his bad ass mouth, Skyler tells me, “Don
’
t
fucking apologize.”
Oh, right. Our deal.
I have made good on my end of
the deal thus far; that
’
s my first slip up that he
’
s noticed. But it
’
s mostly sorrow towards
everyone else for interrupting the movie night. Skyler continues massaging my
head as everyone returns to their spots to watch the rest of the movie since
the commotion is over. I can
’
t risk lying down and
upsetting my stomach or head again, so I sit next to Skyler on the cushion
furthest from the TV. “Hey,” he examines my unusual body language of shying
away from him. “
I
’
m
sorry.”

            Squishing my eyebrows together, I ask him, “For what?”