Do Not Fall For The Baseball Captains novel Chapter 19

Too Proud to Beg-

Saleb’s POV

50 Be

My room was too quiet. It was that kind of heavy, midday silence that makes you feel like you’re the only person left on earth.

I was stuck on my back, my leg propped up on a tower of pillows that never felt quite right.

just stared at the ceiling, tracing the same stupid patterns in the plaster until my eyes blurred, all while the tinny, looping audio from Lexi’s phone drifted in from the living room.

Every few seconds, there was that high–pitched, bubbly giggle of hers, followed by the sound of a video looping over and

over.

I shifted, trying to find a spot for my hip that didn’t send a hot pulse of blood down into my throbbing ankle. I reached for my phone.

The clock read 12:17. Noon already.

My stomach was starting to feel like a cave, empty and echoing.

Lexi had been awake since eight. She’d given me a distracted “morning, babe” before hogging the shower for forty minutes, effectively draining every drop of hot water.

Then she’d disappeared. When she finally came back, she didn’t have a bag of food or even a coffee. She had nothing. ‘You find anything to eat?” I’d asked, my voice a bit raspy from disuse.

She’d just shrugged, not even looking up from her feed. “I didn’t know what you were in the mood for, and honestly, the sun was already getting brutal. I just wanted to get back inside.”

That was four hours ago. Now, she was back on the couch, lost in the digital world, while I sat here feeling my blood sugar

bottom out.

My leg felt stiff, the skin tight against the bandages.

The discharge nurse had been crystal clear: I needed to take short, assisted walks to keep the blood moving and prevent clots.

‘d asked Lexi to help me hobble to the kitchen earlier, but she’d just made a face. “It’s so early, Caleb. Let me finish this hread first.”

She never finished the thread.

Thirty minutes had passed since then. She hadn’t asked again, and I was too proud to beg.

n the silence of my bedroom, Victoria’s face kept flashing behind my eyelids.

f she were here, I wouldn’t have to ask. She would have been through that door at seven, probably with a homemade breakfast and a list of stretches she’d researched the night before.

She would have nagged me until I was annoyed, poking at my leg and forcing me to move until I snapped at her, but she would have done it because she cared.

୮

t was strange–uncanny, really–that I hadn’t heard from her. Usually, my phone would be blowing up with check–ins from

ner.

But since the second she walked out of that hospital room, I hadn’t gotten a single text or call from her. Nothing.

Part of me figured she was just sulking because I’d spent my time in the hospital focused on Lexi.

Victoria was sensitive; she always took things to heart, but she also always came around.

She loved me too much to stay away for long. She always overlooked my rough edges, always played the role of the loyal best friend.

I told myself she was just buried in school work, but the silence felt uncharacteristically loud.

I pulled up my contacts and stared at her name. I wanted to call her. I really did. But for some reason, I felt… hesitant. I realized I only ever called her when I was bored or needed a favor.

I remembered her saying once that our friendship felt one–sided, and Iving here alone, staring at the ceiling, it was starting to feel like she was right.

Instead of calling Tori, I called my mom.

She picked up on the second ring.

Successfully unlocked!

Too Proud to Beg

“Caleb? Honey, is everything okay?”

Her voice carried that familiar mix of worry and readiness, the tone she always used when she thought something might be wrong

“Yeah, I’m… I’m fine,” I said, rubbing my eyes. Just still stuck in bed mostly. The ankle is giving me more trouble than I thought. I was wondering if you could help me fmd someone, maybe a nurse ora helper, to come by for a few days. Just until I can move around better on my own.”

There was a short pause on her end.

“What about Victoria, honey? I know she’s your best friend, and she usually has a better handle on your recovery than anyone else. I’d expect her to be there with you.”

“She’s got a ton of schoolwork right now,” I lied. The words tasted bad coming out. “Finals are kicking her ass this

semester.”

“I see. And your girlfriend? Lexi?” Mom’s voice went cautious.

‘I’m not saying it’s her job to be a private nurse, Caleb, you aren’t her child. But when you love someone, helping them when they’re down is usually an instinct.”

I looked toward the bedroom door, where the sound of Lexi’s laughter had just hit a new crescendo.

I felt a cold realization settle in my chest; Lexi didn’t have that instinct. Not for me, anyway.

‘She’s swamped too, Mom,” I lied, my voice dropping. “She’s actually off–campus right now for some external project.”

My mother sighed, a sound of profound disappointment that traveled perfectly through the line.

‘Is there something you aren’t telling me, Caleb?”

‘No,” I snapped, then softened my tone when the pain in my ankle flared. “I’m just frustrated, Mom. My leg hurts and being stuck in this bed is getting to me.”

‘Okay,” she said, though she didn’t sound convinced. “I’ll make a few calls and have a private nurse sent over this evening to help you change those dressings and get you moving. Try to get some actual rest.”

The line went dead with a soft click. I pulled the phone away from my ear and stared at the dark screen, the silence of the apartment rushing back in to fill the gaps.

I felt more isolated in that moment than I had before I dialed her number.

Right on cue, the door swung open. Lexi walked in, her eyes/bright and her movements full of a restless, buzzing excitement.

For a fleeting, stupid second, I thought she was coming in to apologize.

I thought she’d realized how much of a prick she’d been and was here to help me to the living room or at least bring me a glass of water.

I was dead wrong.

‘Matt’s throwing a house party tonight,” she announced, her voice bright and completely untethered from the reality of my

situation.

“Everyone’s going to be there. I’m heading to Amelia’s now to start getting ready.”

I stared at her in disbelief.

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