Page 58 of Tagging Bases

His face quickly appears on the screen, albeit looking rough. He squints at me, rubbing sleep out of his eyes. “Charlie. Do you know what time it is?”

“Hey, big bro! How’s it going?” I’m all smiles and cheerfulness with my fingers and toes crossed, hoping he won’t hang up on me.

His eyes flit off camera. “It’s still dark outside.”

“I need advice,” I blurt out before he can say anything else.

He raises an eyebrow, then sighs heavily. Sitting up in his bed, he says, “This better be good.”

“Remember when I texted you about Olivia and Daniel fighting?”

“Vaguely.” He yawns, closing one eye. A way for him to half sleep,I guess.

“Well, they broke up.” Roy’s closed eye pops open. “Turns out Liv believes Daniel and I are in love with each other.”

He doesn’t respond right away. He stares at me through the screen, probably regretting answering the call.

“Wow,” he finally says. “That must have been awkward for you.”

“It was!” I say too loudly for five in the morning. “And now it’s even more awkward because Daniel doesn’t know that I know.”

“So, what exactly do you want from me?” Roy asks.

I pause, trying to figure that out myself. “I don’t know! Tell me what to do?”

He chuckles dryly. “Talk to Daniel.”

“That’s your expert advice? Talk to him?”

“You’re not going to sort any of this out by talking to me at the ass crack of dawn.”

He has a point there, but I’m not ready to admit defeat yet. “Can’t you tell me something deep and wise first?”

Roy smirks, now more awake than he was a minute ago. “You mean do your thinking for you?”

“Please?” I give him my best puppy dog eyes.

He scrubs his hand down his face. “You’re gonna have to figure this one out yourself, little brother.”

I sigh dramatically but feel slightly better now. Maybe talking about it—okay, whining about it—does help somehow.

“Thanks for nothing,” I say with mock bitterness.

“You’re welcome,” Roy replies evenly before hanging up on me.

I stare at the blank screen for a moment.Talk to Daniel.Yeah, that’s easier said than done.

Three hours later,I’m at it again. I can’t help myself. This time, when Roy answers, he has a towel wrappedaround his waist, and water drips from his hair. I must have caught him fresh out of the shower.

“Charlie, what the hell?” He doesn’t even try to hide his annoyance this time.

“I still haven’t talked to Daniel,” I blurt out. “He woke up an hour after I called you. And…I’ve been hiding in my room ever since.”

Roy stares at me, his expression unreadable. “And you’re calling me again because…”

I fidget, picking at a loose thread on my comforter. “I don’t know, man. I just—how do you know if you’re into another guy?”

There’s a long pause as Roy freezes. For a second, I think the call dropped. I tap the phone to be sure, and it snaps him out of whatever trance he was in.

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