3 Strikes And Your Out

Ch 2~ First Inning

   
Authors note: this chapter may have a few grammar errors it was pretty long so pls excuse that, but I hope you enjoy and I should have another two chapters by the end of the month! 🫶

     My heart sunk and suddenly stoped.   My internal being entered this spiraling sensation of being squeezed and battered as I saw Peter walk away from  Laura Jean and tell her to her face that "he couldn't do this anymore." I screamed into my pillow, shoved my face full of sherbet ice cream and threw my pillow at the tv.
Every Saturday I treat myself to a little movie night with all the goods. I get out the old popcorn machine, set up a little ice cream bar and drown myself in chick flicks. Tonight's movie was To all the Boys I loved Before pts 1-3.
Usually I invite my friends to accompany me in my romantic sorrow, but Skyler and Zoey were at some senior party even though we're only juniors. They asked me to go but I told them I wasn't in the mood to hang at some strangers house playing truth or dare and possibly but not limited to, getting high and end up toilet papering some teachers house. Although I've never been to a senior party I could only imagine that's what it'd be like, if not then my expectations have been let down.
As I got off the couch to get another tub of sherbet ice cream, my phone began to ring. "Incoming ft call from Josh Josh troll emoji" Siri said. Oh shoot I look like a mess but whatever, he's seen me look like garbage before I thought.
"Hey"
"Damn you look like shit," Josh said with a slight smirk.
"Yeah well it's nice to see you too" I said while rolling my eyes.
"Another one of your movie nights?"
"You know it"
"What was on schedule for tonight's romantic homicide"
"Hey, hey I can't help it if I start to ball my eyes out and my mascara starts running"
"Yeah I don't know why you girlies go to get all dramatic about that kinda stuff. Like so what? they kissed, move on."
" first off imma pretend you didn't just say that and secondly tonight was To all the Boys I Loved Before 1-3"
"Again? You watched that last week"
"How did you even know that"
"I could hear you from my room singing on the top of your lungs beginning, middle and end."
" It's such a beautiful song. After the fifth time of hearing it and watching LJ and Peter dance to it, the lyrics really gets to you."
"I could only image" josh stated sarcastically.
"Oh please, you were crying like a lil baby when Brady left the Patriots and went to Buccaneers."
"Slow your roll lil miss, alright, that was a traumatic event for me and all the good people on the face of America."
"Of course, of course" I said scoffingly.
"Anyways, did you finish the movie yet?"
"Im halfway through with part 3 , why?"
"Cuz I'm coming over to join you and your little romantic homicide" Josh said with a smirk.
"Would you stop calling it that, I'm just a very emotional soul."
"Mhmm"
"Yeah yeah"
"See you in 5 princess"
"See you then troll" I said with a smile.

After processing the fact that I will never cease to smile when he calls me princess, I got up and tried to tidy up the living room. Regardless of the fact that it was only josh coming over, I knew my mom would die if people came over and the house didn't look presentable.
Just after I fixed up the pillows and vacuumed up the scattered popcorn on the carpet my mom asked me to help her set up the triplets bottles. " The bottles are in the dishwasher hun", mom mentioned from upstairs. "Sure thing mom I'm going right now," I said while I put the vacuum away in the mud room closet. As I was scooping the formula into the first of the three bottles, the door bell rang.
"Stella get the door!" my dad shouted from the toilet. Stella, my older sister, refusing to get out of her room simply turned up the volume on her speakers and pretended she couldn't hear. "George, stop shouting from the bathroom it's weird" mom said from upstairs. "You're shouting from upstairs!" Dad replied. "There's a difference!" Mom said impatiently . "Woman-" dad began but got cut off by moms response, " Call me woman one more time and your changing diapers solo for the next week!" The door bell rang again. " I'll get it!" I said before any more ruckus could begin. I opened the door and there was Josh with his SpongeBob pjs and a jumbo tub of sherbet ice cream.

"Well I see someone came prepared," I said with a small laugh.
"Why of course my fair maiden" josh replied with that little cute side smile of his.
"You know I really do adore your family" josh said as he put the sherbet in the freezer.
"Is that so" I said with a lil glimpse.
"No really, they're so cute. The way you guys all interact with each other and stuff" Josh said while he hopped up to sit on the edge of the counter.
"Ever since Bobby died and dad left, ma's been so drained from the hospital that half the time it's only me and Bacon at home. It gets real quiet yk?"

  I honestly didn't know how it felt to lose a brother in war or to see your father walk away from your family or to have your dog as your only companion half the time or to see your mothers tired yet strong front everyday. So I did the only thing I did understand to do. I gave him a hug.
Josh wasn't really one to share his feelings like that but I could only imagine holding all that trauma in for 3 years without really talking about it is bound to seep out of you.

"Thanks Kate" he said as he held my hand . "Anytime" I replied softly. After staring in his royal brown eyes for about 37.5 seconds I quickly returned back to the bottles.
" I've gotta finish prepping these bottles for the triplets real quick" I informed him.
"Can I help?" He said almost excitedly.
"Sure but do you know how?" I mocked.
"Well I guess you'll have to teach me" he replied as he hopped down from the counter and  rolled his sleeves up.
"Okay then" I said with a smile. "So first you fill the bottle up with water to about 8 ounces and then you just put in 2 scoops of formula," I said feeling quite sophisticated.

  Josh took the bottle and walked up to the sink and begun to fill the bottle with tap water.

"No,no not sink water" I said as I ran over before he scooped the formula in.
"What are you talking about, you said fill it up with water," josh said confused.
"I meant from a water bottle stupid. Tap water isn't filtered, babies need pure water for they're little systems," I said in a duh-manner.
"Hey hey it's my first time alright, I've never made a bottle before miss nanny" josh said in a wimpy tone.
"Okay fine I'm sorry your not stupid, just a ding dong," I said giggling. After I said that, josh threw a pinch of formula at my face.
"Haha looks like your the ding dong donut now, josh said.
I almost had a panic attack as I heard my mom foot steps down the stairs as he was shushing one of the triplets.
"Oh shoot mom coming and I've still haven't finished the bottles."
"Hide!" Josh said as poked my head behind the island.
"Kaitlyn Marie Thompson you get your behind out from that island and show your face right now." Mom said with her motherly tone.

I knew I was toast she used my full name- that was it, as I poked my head up I ran through all the possible punishments.

"Heyyy ma" I said shakily.
"Joshua Connor Eden, up now before I call your mother," Mom said as if she were a judge sentencing him to 10 years in prison.
Josh hesitated to get up but he eventually rose after I kicked his leg. "Heey Mrs.Thompson, you know your looking quite fabulous for birthing triplets." He said in a flattering manner.
"Mhmm, I know" she said like a prima-donna.
"You two hurry up and make those bottles already I've got swelled feet, an aching back and 3 screaming children that I need to to attend to," mom scolded.
"Yes ma'm," we said in unison.

After we finished up making the bottles I offered to feed the triplets. Dad took benny, I grabbed Emilia, and josh took Vivi while we let mom take a rose petal bubble bath. We sat on the couch and began to give Benny and vivi their bottles.
"You've gotta support their head," I said gently. "Like this?" josh asked paying close attention to how I was holding Benny.
"Yeah, exactly good job." I said admiring his close efforts.
"You know this is good practice you know for the future that is." Josh said looking straight at me.

I just stared at him as I could feel my blood rushing to my checks. I don't know why he says little things like that to me. Why does he looks at me like that? like I'm the one person he wants in the world. It gets me kinda angry honestly because I know that we can't be anything. Or at least I don't think we can.

Idek anymore its invading my sleep, my thoughts my whole being. But I want him. I want to rush my fingers through his golden brown hair, I wanna wear his hoodies and say to myself that I'm wearing my boyfriends' hoodie. I wanna hug him tight and smell his sweet cologne. But I can't. I just can't. But why? what's stopping me from confessing? What's stopping us from become more? Fear that's what. But I'm done letting fear stop me from taking a risk. A risk that I'm ready to take and I'm 100% sure that imma love the results. I guess you could say that my heart has entered the first inning.