Page 35 of Stick Side
Melody repositioned her cellphone on the bedside table and fell back onto the pillow. It was crazy how much she missed him considering they hadn’t even known each other for a full week. She wasn’t sure if absence really did make the heart grow fonder, but it certainly made her aware of just how much she was starting to care for him.
Ben had just left this morning, but she was already counting the days until he came home. She could only hope he was doing the same.
Chapter 14
From the texts of Ben & Melody
Ben:If you could transform yourself into any oneanimal at will, which one would you choose?
Melody:Well, that’s certainly an interesting question. What made you think of it?
Ben:I was chatting with a young fan about a book series she loved in which a girl was able to speak to animals and then eventually shape-shift into them. It made me curious which animal you would choose to shift into if you could only pick one.
Melody:Awww.It was really sweet of you to talk books with a fan.
Ben:Nah. It was sweet of her to care enough to want to talk to me about her favorite books.Now, back to my original question. Which animal do you think you would choose?
Melody:Hmmm. . .That’s a tough question. Let me think.
Ben:I’m happy to observe you’re giving this decision the gravitas it deserves. I think Millie, the little girl I was talking to, would approve.
Melody:I love that you know her name.
Ben:It seems only right since she knew mine.
Melody:<3
Melody:It’s a tough choice, but I keep picturinga Pegasus. There’s something about their magic and mythical beauty that appeals to me. They possess a purity, but also a great strength.
Ben:I can see that about you. It’s fitting.
Melody:Thank you. *blushing emojiHow about you? Which animalwould you choose?
Ben:While I think it would be really cool to explore the skies as a bird or survey the ocean as a dolphin or something,giventhat the Challengers’ team logo features two white-tailed deer battling for dominance withantlers locked, I think I would choose to be a buck.
Ben:I’ve wanted to play for the team since I was a little boy. So, I don’t know. Being a buck just feels right. Like it’s what I’m supposed to be.
Melody:Considering you were also born and raised in Illinois, it does seem kind of appropriatethat you would choose to be the state animal.
Ben:You took the thoughts right out of my head,Pegasus. Clearly, you really are magical. :-)
Melody:*blushing emoji<3
Chapter 15
Melody
Melodyhummedtoherselfas she moved through the halls of The Winchester. She smiled as she brushed her hand over the outline of her cellphone in her pants pocket.
Ben had been texting her more often than she would have thought a professional athlete would have time for since he’d flown out to San Jose earlier in the week. Sometimes, it was just a smiley face emoji or a single sentence commentary, but it let her know he was thinking about her. It was enough to put a spring in her step and an extra-bright smile on her face.
Her workdays were full helping to rehab her patients, but she still had to consciously fight the impulse to glance at her phone every chance she got. For the first time in her life, she felt like a giddy schoolgirl in the throes of her first big crush.
“Hey, Sam,” Melody greeted as she approached the front desk. “Have you seen Captain Thom? He was supposed to meet me for physical therapy ten minutes ago.”
Samantha furrowed her brow. “No, I’m sorry to say I haven’t.” She looked down at the papers in her hand before continuing. “Ihave to run this file over to Dr. Mehta, but I could try to help you locate him afterward?”
Melody gave an appreciative smile. “That would be great. Thanks, Sam.”
