Page 8 of Honeysuckle
“Sorry, Logan. We play as a family, and we eat like one. If you want dinner, you sit with us.”
I looked her over, disdain pushing through my typical mask. I didn’t understand the constant need to help the people around them. It was like they couldn’t help themselves.
“You’re bossy.” I turned away from her.
“I’ve been told,” she hummed. “It’s just dinner.”
“I have a feeling with you guys it’s never that simple.”
“Maybe, but you still can’t eat alone. Rules are rules.” Ella led the way back to where she was sitting with five guys I never wanted to be stuck with.
“You look like you’re going to be sick, Logan,” Dean quipped with a bright smile that made me wanna punch it off him.
“You can sit here.” Cael tugged on the back of the empty chair next to him, and it slid across the dining hall floor noisily. “I don’t bite.”
It was a strange feeling pretending we hadn’t spent the last six months sitting across from each other in shitty diners off campus, with Cael trauma dumping into greasy burgers. But it was better for everyone that they didn’t know. It wasn’t any of their business anyway.
Four years sober, I had stopped craving the smell of vodka. I stopped enjoying the numbness of an entire bottle being dumped down my throat. I didn’t need to be numb anymore, and as much as I hated feeling the world around me on my skin, it was better than dying face down in my puke.
I flexed my hands at my sides and sank into the chair, my shoulder brushing against Cael’s. I shifted closer to the end of the table to put space between us. Only one thing bothered me more than this stupid team, and that was being touched.
Cael stared at me for a moment before letting ignorance wash over him. His hair was cut close to his scalp, and the dirty blond peach fuzz only accentuated his pretty boy features.
“Here.” He slid me a plate with a pile of salad on it before shifting the bowl of tomato sauce in my direction. “It’s chili, Josh,” he said, handing me the spoon. “ It’s not poison…”
I went to argue that it wasn’t the food bothering me, when Tucker stood up at the other end of the table.
“Say thank you for dinner,” Tucker said—more outburst than speech, but the entire hall erupted in thank-yous before quieting down again. “I made the schedule for meals the rest of the time we’re here. Outfield, you’ll cook odd days, infield…you have even.”
Groans filled the space loudly, and the sound was overwhelming, making it feel like more than just one baseball team was occupying it.
“Whoever cooks doesn’t clean so,” Dean said with a smile as they groaned even louder, “after dinner, you have time to yourselves. Try not to get into trouble.”
“Sure thing, Tucker!” One of the guys yelled. “As long as you promise the same thing.”
Dean laughed and chucked a roll in his direction. It bounced off the table, but the kid caught it in his fingers and brought it back down to his mouth.
“Alright. Enjoy dinner. Hard work starts tomorrow. We have a season to win, and that journey starts in a month for other teams, but we’re working with a disadvantage and…” He pinned his shoulders back, the only sign that he was uncomfortable. “I don't know…” he sounded defeated, like he was still unsure of being captain. “We just have work to do. Dig in.” He brushed off the team and sat back down.
“Eloquent, Dean,” Van snorted with a mouthful of food.
Dean stared down the table at me. I was well aware that on top of losing Arlo, I was the disadvantage he was referring to, but what he didn’t understand was that for all my flaws, the only thing in my life that mattered to me was baseball.
So, despite my hatred for the team, I’d work harder than anyone for the win.
TUCKER
Themorningbellpiercedthe perfect veil of sleep.. The sound was so loud that it scared Cael from his bunk, and he crashed onto the floor. The curse of swear words that left his mouth was enough to wake me.
“Are you okay?” I laughed as I rolled over in bed to find him still lying on the floor. The siren blaring so loud it was rattling the shitty single pane windows.
“Spring Camp is actual hell.” Was all he said as Baker shuffled down from his bunk.
“Liam, stop. What are you doing…” Cael cried out. “Stop walking around. It implies we’re getting up, and I’m not leaving my bunk for at least…hey, where the hell is Logan?” He sat on his elbows and stared at the empty bunk before looking at me.
“Dunno.” I scowled and flipped my comforter back.
His bed was made so neatly it looked untouched.
