Page 8 of Catch Me
“Yeah, that’s cool. And then, let me know, I guess.”
He smiled again before he passed me his phone. “Add your number, and I’ll text you when I know.”
Cautiously, I took the phone. His wallpaper was a picture of him and a golden retriever. He was crouching beside a river in just a pair of shorts. It looked like a selfie, and since it was up close, it showed how drenched he was, as if he’d gone for a swim with the dog.
I navigated to his contacts and plugged in my information. After I passed it back to him, I focused on the tablet.
He was right about the commission. It would be huge to create something for a Major League Baseball team. My art could be displayed in people’s houses or on their phones. I’d also get to meet the whole team, which was insane to think about. My dad would be jealous. He’d also tell me that I’m wasting my potential on frivolouspieces of art when I could be putting it on people’s skin instead, like he did.
I looked to the left, trying to be inconspicuous. Til was sitting in Brooks’ lap with his face tucked into his neck. After a second, I realized that he was sneakily puffing on a dab pen. I pursed my lips to smother a laugh.
Before I returned my attention to the art, I looked at the side of Travis’ face. He was wearing a baseball cap, and his sandy brown hair came out the bottom of it. If it was the same length as in his picture, it covered his ears on the sides and reached the back of his neck.
When I realized I’d been staring for a while, I tore my gaze away and considered how feasible his offer was. I didn’t even know if they’d be interested yet, so it was pointless to start feeling hopeful about it. He’d text me when he got an answer, so I’d just wait to hear from him.
*****
“How’s school?” Ross asked.
I pushed my fork through the green beans on my plate absently. My stepdad was nice enough and he was good to my mom, but we’d never really connected. Maybe it was because I’d bullied his sons when I was a teen.
Really, Til should’ve just punched me in the face if he wanted to get me off his back, but he was too unassuming. He had horrible anxiety, but I also knew that his antisocial ways were mostly a choice. He showed the world his middle fingers at all times and wasn’t afraid to fuck shit up. He was always high as fuck, so maybe that was part of why he stayed pretty chill.
The way I pushed him should’ve bothered him more than it did, but he’d just roll his eyes and tell me he was going to sacrifice me someday. It was kind of funny.
“School’s good,” I replied. “My professors have been really helpful this quarter.”
“You should show us what you’re working on lately. Are you still making the same things? For the cartoons.”
“Yeah, and it’s character design, not really for cartoons.”
I pulled out my phone and showed them one of the pieces I made for a class. The typical compliments went around the table.
So talented.
That’s amazing.
As we started eating again, I tapped on the messaging app, even though I knew that I hadn’t received anything new. It had only been a day. Travis might still be in Seattle, hanging out with all the guys. The group was strange, and I wasn’t sure how he fit into it, but they seemed close. I wondered how they’d met. Maybe he used to date one of them or something.
Navigating to the piece I’d been working on, I thought about what he’d said. Nobody but my teachers had ever made recommendations or asked to look closer. He’d studied it like he was taking in each individual part and seeing it as more than just a picture on a screen.
If he told me they wanted to do the commission, I might actually take it. The amount of work I’d have to put in would be worth it. As long as I could schedule things around my classes, I’d be able to manage my time and make it work.
I started imagining how I could make the subtle logo around the pitcher’s mound. Nothing was sticking, but I wanted to figure it out. Maybe I’d show it to him when I got it down and see if it matched what he’d envisioned.
What he thought about it didn’t matter, so I shook away the idea. It was only to commemorate my first time going to the World Series. It was for me, not anybody else.
Chapter 3
Travis
“Look at you!” I exclaimed, dropping into a crouch. “You’re a better baseball player than me.”
Tessa let go of the ball, then tackled me. I laughed and dropped my head back onto the grass, staring up at the sky. Even though it was cloudy today, it was pretty nice out.
Georgia wouldn’t be my first pick to make a life in, but I didn’t mind it here. I’d thought about getting a place somewhere else for the off-season, but there were always things to do with the team, and the back and forth was annoying. I did enough of that for games.
When Tessa laid beside me with her head on my stomach, I stroked her ears. It was nice to be home with her more. Sometimes, I took her with me, but when I didn’t, she stayed on a really nice farm with other dogs. The family there was all about offering a better alternative to boarding animals. They got to be outside, playing with each other and getting a lot of human interaction. She was never upset to be dropped off there.
