Total pages in book: 32
Estimated words: 30472 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 152(@200wpm)___ 122(@250wpm)___ 102(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 30472 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 152(@200wpm)___ 122(@250wpm)___ 102(@300wpm)
So I got in and pulled the blanket over us. “Are you gonna share your pillow or what?”
Alex laughed, his breath ghosting against my cheek, making me tremble.
“Your wish is my command,” he said playfully. “Anything else you need?”
I didn’t know what came over me, but when Alex scooted the pillow toward the middle of the mattress and we put our heads down, close enough to touch, I said, “Promise me we won’t ever change. That our friendship will be just like this forever.” That you’ll never leave me. I kept that part to myself, though.
Alex was quiet for a minute, and I wondered if maybe I said something wrong. If he was going to tease me or call me a wuss. But he just whispered softly, “I promise. I’ll always be your best friend, and I’ll always be here for you, no matter what.”
“I promise the same.” My eyes were beginning to feel drowsy, so I closed them and let myself fall asleep, knowing Alex would always be by my side and I’d always be by his.
CADEN
Fourteen years old
I watched Alex get into position at home plate. The score was tied, it was the ninth inning, and we had two outs. Did I mention this was a championship game?
“Come on, A! You got this!” I yelled. His back was to me, but somehow, I knew he grinned when he heard me yell that.
The pitcher was on fire—the first throw right in the zone with so much heat, it smoked. Alex swung and missed.
“Strike one!” the umpire called out.
Shit. He was all up in his head. I knew it. Alex got that way sometimes, stressing and overthinking things instead of letting go. When he did, nine times out of ten, things went his way. There wasn’t anything Alex couldn’t do. Sometimes I was jealous of that, but most of the time I was stoked I had such a badass best friend.
The pitcher wound up a second time, and the results were the same as before.
“Strike two!”
Alex turned, paced, his eyes seeking until they landed on me. I gave him a small nod and a smile, mouthing, “You got this.” I put both arms out, flexing playfully, which made him grin, the fear melting from his expression, as if my actions were the sun and Alex’s worries were made of chocolate.
The thumbs-up he gave me said he knew he had this and we were going to win this game.
I didn’t have to watch to know what would happen. I just knew, or maybe I just believed it and I’d be wrong, but there was no one in the world I trusted more than Alex Bailey.
The pitch was faster than the last two and right on target, but this time, when he swung, the bat connected with the ball, sending it flying into center field and over the fence for a home run.
He was already rounding first base when he jumped in the air, realizing what he’d done. I was the first out of the dugout, and the second Alex crossed home plate, he turned and ran toward me. Alex was smaller than I was, but not by much. Being similar in size didn’t stop him from jumping on me, legs around my waist, arms around my neck. The rest of the team rushed us too. They clapped his back and cheered his name while I held on to him.
Our eyes met, the rest of our team circling us, patting us both and celebrating. It took me a minute to realize how close we were, our mouths inches apart, and…was I supposed to be holding him like this? Was it normal? I didn’t see any of the other guys doing this.
“Good job. It was me, huh? ’Cause you looked at me and that helped,” I teased. And Alex…blushed. He turned away, then shoved out of my arms, and I let him go. He landed on his feet, the coaches and the rest of the team congratulating him while I tried to figure out why I felt like I was going to pass out.
The next little while passed by in a blur. We thanked the other team and received the trophy, our parents right there on the field with us. When I saw Lynn and Kendall waiting by the stands—two girls our age who were best friends like us—I nudged Alex. He looked over, and Kendall waved at him.
“Dude, she totally likes you,” I said in his ear.
Alex rolled his eyes. “Whatever.”
“She does! We should see if they wanna hang out tonight.”
Alex frowned, but then nodded. “Yeah, we totally should. That’d be cool.”
“I’m so proud of you guys,” Dad said to me.
“Thanks, Dad!” He and Mom were still fighting like always. I hated being home. “Can I stay at Alex’s tonight? We’re gonna try and hang out with Lynn and Kendall.”