The Catcher's Dreams (FEATURED)

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN - he's bonkers

Drake woke up in the morning to Tall Bun's insisting that he now had to be accompanied at all times by his new friend – the bulbous Band-Aid wrapped around his index finger.

It hurt when he turned the doorknob of the classroom. Fairly quiet and empty, that was all he noticed. He was too busy thinking.

Home. He wanted to go home. When had he left home? Since the diary began? His mind was jumbled up. Within, the wasps were feasting on the goldfish, but they were all covered in fog. Confusing, confusing fog. There was a shadow looming behind it all, but Drake couldn't tell what it was just yet. He searched, wondered, pushing it all aside in his memory to try and find something. He had no idea how he even remembered, but it was certain.

"Hey, Hirsch."

"Hey, Sagan," Drake replied automatically without turning around. Something that smelled like pistachio ice cream enveloped him. Then he gave a start, spinning around on one foot. "Cody?"

He waved, sap shimmering, hair chasing down curlicued playground slides. "That's my name."

"Cody!" Drake exclaimed. His finger throbbed, its wasps turned their head, giving one quiet screech as they, along with the last inklings of the goldfish, were swallowed by fog. Nothing hurt that much anymore. Drake ran forward and enveloped Cody in a hug. The glow danced around them both, weaving past his consciousness. It smelled beautifully of pistachios and conditioner.

Cody gave him an awkward pat on the back. "Nice to see you too, dude – but do you mind?"

"Oh. Sorry." Drake stepped back and starting fidgeting with his fingers.

Cody laughed. "Chill, it's fine."

Drake smiled sheepishly. "You alright? How are you feeling?"

Cody shrugged. "I don't even know. I was pretty out of it for the past week. Feels like it was a dream. I don't even remember what happened that day, after lunch, you know, Tommy had prepared to – "

"That's alright." Drake grinned. Cody laughed again, grinning back. When Cody laughed, Drake felt like floating. "Tell you what. Let's see if Tommy's here yet."

They both turned around with a pitter-patter of footsteps, seeing a peek of glowless, a head of dulling golden hair peeking through the door, followed by a smug constellation of freckles. He was followed by the blank, close-cropped Zachary. Tommy turned around, seeing Cody and Drake.

"Cody," he shouted. "Come over here. And bring Drake with you."

Cody frowned in distaste. "Um, why?"

Tommy blinked. "Excuse me?" He shuffled uncertainly to the side, tilting his head. "How...how?"

"What?" Cody asked.

"You're...you have a...shine," Tommy muttered. He looked at Drake sharply. "I didn't know you could do – What did you do?"

"Why would I tell you?" Drake muttered. "Come on, Cody. Let's go."

"Shine?" Cody repeated.

Drake cupped a hand over his mouth and whispered loudly to Cody, "Don't mind him. He's bonkers."

Tommy was three shades mildly offended and two shades confused.

#

"So. What do you want to do during recess?" Drake asked.

Cody squinted at him.

"What?" Drake asked. He opened the door and they both walked out. Tommy wasn't anywhere in sight, not even on the football field.

"You're acting weird," Cody said.

"Me?" Drake asked. "How come?"

"Haven't talked to Tommy at all since this morning," Cody said. "More importantly, he hasn't talked to you. He usually clings to you, you know? He's extremely clingy. I remember when I first came I noticed how you guys were best friends – "

"Yeah," Drake said, settling on the fake greenness on the corner of the field. He started picking at the blades, filling his palms with soft black and white bits underneath. "We've had a bit of an unfortunate...fall out."

"Not that unfortunate," Cody said matter-of-factly. "He was a jerk."

"That's true," Drake said, dumping the black and white foamy bits onto the grass. His hands now were lightly stained black. "Don't think we're making up any time soon."

"Probably was a horrible friend. Can't wonder why you liked him," Cody said, before coughing up an awkward cloud of nothing. "Um, no offense."

"No offense taken," Drake said. "I agree wholeheartedly."