Full Count (The Catcher Series Book 1) Read Online Free PDF

hat.
                “Who, Barbie? My bad. I thought she dressed like that
so people would play with her like a doll,” I joke, trying to hide my evil
smile. I just insulted Barbie.
                “Not everyone can be naturally good looking like us,”
Benny implies that he agrees with me. Then he wraps one arm around my neck,
takes my hat off, and messes up my hair with his free hand like true brotherly
love, even though we aren ’ t really siblings.
                “ Thanks, bud, ” I groan, pushing
him away and trying to comb through my hair with my fingers. At least there ’ s no more pictures for me tonight.
                “You still look better than her,” he compliments me
with a stern face, generously offering my hat back to me. Benny is very much
like another older brother to me. He constantly jokes with me about having a
crush on Skyler. Once this past summer he announced in front of a whole group
of their teammates, siblings, parents, and Skyler himself that Sky was coming
over to my house before the game the next day so I better get my binoculars
ready. I still want to kill him for exposing me like that.
               
     
                One fall night after my mom picks me up from my
softball team ’ s open gym, I determine that I need to
practice pitching faster and more accurately if I want to make the Junior
Varsity team as a freshman next year, which is my own personal goal. With
Skyler ’ s expertise in catching, he ’ s the first one I think of to talk to about making
improvements.
                “Hey, are you busy?” I call him when I reach my
bedroom so no one can hear me.
                “No, why?” Skyler asks coldly.
                “Meet me at the park in five minutes,” I blurt out
and hang up before he can say no or ask me more questions.
                As requested of him, Skyler meets me at the
neighborhood park down the street from our houses. I hand him the softball
catcher ’ s mitt that my dad bought for when I first started
pitching and then start counting out the correct distance from the rubber home
plate and pitching plate I brought with me.
                “You didn ’ t want to play catch
with your dad or brother?” Skyler wonders, walking over to stand behind home
plate. After I measure out the distance, we start casually throwing the
softball back and forth to warm up our arms.
                “No. I need you to help me pitch,” I tell him. “Rex
is studying anyways.”
                “So typical. What do you need help with? You ’ re one of the best pitchers I ’ ve ever
seen,” he compliments me with a harsh look like this will be wasting his time.
                “I want to make JV as a freshman, so I need to start
throwing better,” I explain. He ’ s the first person that I
actually told that this was my goal, and I hope he won ’ t
take it lightly.
                “In case you haven ’t noticed, I don’ t
play softball, sweetheart,” he reminds me as if I don ’ t
already know.
                “I know,” I reply, throwing the ball extra hard at
his chest. “But you ’ re a catcher. And I know you critique
every pitch I ’ ve ever thrown. You might as well put those
criticisms to good use.”
                “You warm enough?” he asks, his brown eyes somehow
shimmering in the moonlight.
                He ’ s talking
about your arm, I remind myself when my immediate thought is more on the
romantic side.
                “Yeah,” I answer, taking my spot on the pitching
plate as he squats behind home plate.
                “If you fucking hit me in the balls… well,
just don’ t even think about it,” he half threatens, and I realize I
probably should ’ ve warned him to bring a cup so I won ’ t hurt him.
                “Really, what