Read Catching You for Free Online

Balancing on a pair of crutches was the
cutest guy I’d seen in a while. He had jet-black hair, one stray piece curled
under his ear, and eyes as dark as midnight. He grinned.
    The elevator doors opened a few minutes later. My dad pulled
the wheelchair in backwards and moved over closer to the wall so that the guy
could get in. I felt my face getting hot as his arm brushed mine. I stared at
the doors the whole ride.
    When we got to the car, I started to get up but my father
nudged me down.
    “I’ll help you, give me a second."He came over and helped
me out of the seat and into the car. The feel of leather against my skin felt
so good. I took in a deep breath to smell anything but hospital stench. He
threw my overnight bag in the backseat, got up front, and started the car.
    As my dad drove away from the hospital, I glanced around.
This may sound cliché, but everything around me seemed brighter, newer since
the accident. I didn’t think I’d be taking anything for granted anymore.
    As we pulled into my driveway, I noticed an unfamiliar car
parked there.
    “I didn’t know we’d have company.” I said turning to my dad,
a confused look on my face.
    “I didn’t, either. Let’s go see who it is,” he said getting
out of the car. I followed slowly; noticing that after a week of sitting in a
hospital bed it was a little hard to get my legs to obey my brain. I wobbled to
the door. I walked in and heard my mother talking to someone in the kitchen. I
couldn’t place the voice at first, but as soon as I turned the corner I knew exactly
who it was. Nick was sitting in my kitchen, drinking a pop with my mother.
    She glanced up as we walked in.
    “Here she is. Well, it was nice talking to you, Nick,” she
said getting up. She motioned to my father to follow her out of the kitchen.
    I stood there, not sure what to say. Nick had changed his
hair since his hospital visit. His long, blonde hair was gone and it was styled
in a military cut.
    “You didn’t tell me you were going to cut your hair off.” I
chided quietly. I didn’t know what else to say.
    He shrugged. “I didn’t know I needed your permission.”
    “You don’t. It’s just I liked your long hair, that’s all.”
    He chuckled. “I was kidding. I just came to see if you were
all right after our conversation at the hospital. I know Ryan’s funeral is
tomorrow.”
    I nodded. “I know. My parents are coming with me.” I didn’t
know why it was suddenly so hard to talk to Nick. It felt almost awkward after
our conversation at the hospital.
    “That’s good. I wouldn’t want you to go alone.” He blushed.
“I guess I’ll see you there, then,” he said walking over to the trash to throw
his empty pop can away.
    “Why are you here, Nick?” I asked, harshly. I hadn’t meant
for it to come out that way, but I was still a little on edge with everything
going on.
    “No reason. I just wanted to check on you,” he said, walking
away. I stood there, not knowing what else to say.
    “Thanks for coming to visit.” I began closing the door, but
stopped when he turned around.
    “Lauren, I’m sorry about Ryan.”
    “Thanks.” I did appreciate the fact that he came over when I
got out of the hospital.
    I felt my mother’s hand on my shoulder, “Nick’s a nice boy,”
she said. I hadn’t even heard her come up behind me.
    I turned to her. “If you think Nick’s nice, you don’t know
him at all.” I said.
    “Well, you may think differently if you get to know him
better.”
    I turned and ran upstairs, tears of frustration threatening
to spill over. I slammed the door, threw myself on my bed, and started to cry.
I cried until I felt like I was going to drown in my tears. My purple silk comforter
felt damp where I laid my head, but I didn’t care. The last few days hadn’t
exactly turned out how I thought that they would.
    A week ago, I’d been getting ready to graduate high school.
I was excited about starting college. I had a boyfriend that loved