AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Ihate gym.
“Choke up on the bat, Lennon! We’re not fishing here, straighten up!”
I would love to yell at whoever came up with Landry High’s requirement that students have to score a run to pass the baseball unit of twelfth grade gym class.
“I’m holding the grippy part of the stick,” I reply.
Our physical education teacher, Mr. Evans, gives me an encouraging look before tossing the baseball at me once more. I miss, again.
“Okay, give someone else a turn. We’ll try again next week.”
“Wait a minute.”
I freeze when I hear his voice. Tense when I hear the whispers from everyone watching my humiliating attempts to hit a baseball.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” I hiss at Caleb as he appears beside me.
“Helping you pass gym. I’ve gotten the sense grades are kind of important to you.”
“I don’t need your help.” Or the scrutiny.
Caleb Winters is not the guy who offers his help freely. As evidenced by the undivided attention from our previously disinterested classmates that feels like a spotlight. He’s the guy who’s untouchable. Unbothered by the problems of mere mortals. Hot and rich and popular, with the whole world within his reach.
I’ve avoided him ever since the accidental sleepover, and was finally making some headway in fading back to normalcy.
With three words, Caleb eradicated that progress.
“I’ve got about thirty witnesses who would say differently,” Caleb replies. “Stop being stubborn. I’m good at baseball, okay?”
I can’t help the small smile that forms in response to his massive understatement. “Fine,” I agree.
Aside from the unwelcome attention, it’s not like I have anything to lose.
At least I didn’tthinkI did, until Caleb steps behind me, close enough I can feel his body heat. Until he grasps my elbows and readjusts my stance.
I’m grateful my long sleeves hide the goosebumps appearing on my skin. I’m struggling to keep my breathing even, but Caleb doesn’t seem the least bit affected by my proximity.
“You’re holding the bat all wrong,” he informs me. “Move your hand a little down here.” His instructions are unnecessary, since he shifts my grip himself. Ripples of heat race through me, relentless and confusing. “Okay, angle it a bit more, lean forward, and…yeah, right there. Just swing at the ball, okay?”
“I know that much, Winters.”
“I wasn’t sure, after your eleven strikes,” Caleb retorts.
I’d love to roll my eyes at him, but I can’t turn to look at him without messing up what I hope is a gym-passing posture.
“Okay, one last try,” Mr. Evans states.
He’s not looking at me. He’s looking at Caleb, just as confused by him helping me as the rest of the class undoubtedly is.
Mr. Evans tosses the baseball again, a slow, easy toss that I would knock out of the park if this were a movie. But this is my actual life, so I only manage to graze the edge of the ball, sending it skittering harmlessly in the direction of the dugout. Not exactly the home run I was hoping for.
“Progress,” Mr. Evans congratulates, since the bar was low. “We can try again Monday. We’ll get you there by the end of the unit, Matthews.”
I nod, distracted by the unfamiliar emotion overshadowing my annoyance with the stupid requirement. I didn’t think there was anyone in Landry whose opinion I cared about, besides Gramps’s.
Turns out there might be.
And he tried to help me, which makes me feel worse. I’m worried I let Caleb down somehow, which is a ridiculous, inconvenient thing to feel. I know it is. But that knowledge doesn’t allow me to shake it.
