Catch My Fall | ✔

12. You're Afraid of Everything

The light from Romeo's phone burned my eyes when he turned it on.

The power was out and, from the sound of it, the rain had picked up. Heavy raindrops hit the roof. The wind howled. How'd I miss that slight drizzle turn into a full on storm? My answer was sitting right across from me.

It was easy to forget when he was around.

I couldn't think about that right then. "The kids." I hopped to my feet, turning on the flashlight of my phone before rushing up the stairs. Romeo followed, checking in on Carter while I checked on Kennedy. They were both, surprisingly, still asleep. The storm outside probably sounded no different from the one that played over their white noise machines. Hopefully, they stayed asleep until their parents got back.

Romeo stood in front of a large window across from the top of the stairs. Fat rain drops soon turned into balls of ice pinging off the windows.

"I don't think I've ever seen hail before," he said, staring out at the backyard.

The hail gathered on the bright blue pool cover and bounced off the glass. The sound was loud, like rocks in a washing machine. "I hate it." I tore my gaze away from the window and started down the stairs, stopping to take a seat on a middle step.

If I was at home, I'd have the tv turned up so loud it'd drown out the storm. Romeo was right, something wasn't normal with the Wrights for putting a lock on their tv. For now, I just buried my face in my knees.

Romeo sat beside me, his arm pressed against mine. Having him close momentarily distracted me from the weather.

"It's really not that bad." He shifted, placing his hand on my back. It was there only a second before he snatched away. "Think about the weather in the mid-west or east coast. This is probably nothing to them."

What was it with guys acting like touching me was going to give them some incurable disease? Or maybe it was for my benefit. They didn't want me getting the wrong idea from a touch. They didn't have to worry about that. I got the message loud and clear.

"Come on." Rome stood, tugging a reluctant me with him by the sleeve of my hoodie.

"Where are you taking me?" I asked as I allowed him to pull me down the stairs, our phones lighting the way.

When we got to the front entrance of the house, he grabbed our shoes from the shoe rack. "Outside."

"What?" That time I didn't budge when tried to lead me away. "I'm not going out there. I could get a concussion."

He flashed the light in my face like I was being interrogated. "You're joking, right?"

No. "Maybe."

"They're tiny balls of ice."

"You have tiny balls of ice."

From the way his eyes narrowed at me, I knew I messed up. He lifted me over his shoulder before I could even think about running. When did he get so strong?

"Where's the back door?" He asked, trying to navigate the dark halls of the Wrights' oversized house.

"At the back of the house." I deadpanned.

He pinched my thigh. I pinched his side, causing him to jerk to the side and almost drop me.

I snorted a laugh. "Someone's ticklish." I went for his side again, but he expected it and his reaction wasn't as intense.

"Keep playing and I will drop you." The sound of hail got louder the closer we got to the backdoor. The noise intensified when he slid open the glass door.