Playing With The Bad Boy

care bear

Chapter 5. Care bear

I've never been a terrible batter, I'm quite decent I suppose. Maybe that's why coach is making me bat, yeah that's why, just to improve, then go back to pitching.

Usually when the boys scrimmage I pitch the whole game while they switch on batting and fielding.

"I heard he's the best pitcher around"

"I heard his old team won state and he pitched"

I start to slightly panic at all the gossip going around as I put on my batting helmet. Of course, with my luck, I have to go up to bat first, mostly because nobody else would, scaredy cats.

I grab my bat taking a step out the dug out slowly making my way to base. I glance over at Axel as I make it to base so see a wicket grin on his face.

I get into my stance slightly squatting not feeling not too confident. The dip wad also gets into his stance and the way he's winding up and his technique, he already looks like he knows what he's doing.

I take a deep breath watching the fog from the cool air. I feel my cheeks and nose burning a bright red from this bitter cold air.

"Ready care bear?" Axel asks smirking and the catcher Jared chuckles, I feel my whole body tense at the nick name, I scrunch my nose in disgust rolling my eyes at it, "just pitch"

"Geez no need to be so pitchy" Jared the catcher teases and I can't help but giggle a little at the cheesy pun.

Axel throws a pitch and from his technique I was expecting it to be a really hard pitch, but to me own surprise I hit the ball right in between third and second base. I drop the bat sprinting to first base. I decide to stop there seeing how the short stop has the ball ready to throw to second if I decide to run.

I take a few breaths in complete shock, I hit the ball? I giggle to my self doing a bit of a happy dance that I actually hit it.

Out of my peripheral vision I feel eyes on me, I look up to see Axel who immediately looks away smiling to himself. Why's he so happy? I shrug it off getting ready to run as Justin walks up to bat.

Justin is by far a better batter than me so he'll for sure hit a double or single. Justin gets in his stand ready for the pitch.

Axel swings a mighty pitch, one way faster than the one he pitched to me, Justin swings and misses. What? I think to myself, this isn't adding up at all.

"Strike one!" Jared yells throwing the ball back to Axel.

This isn't making any sense how did Justin miss that, how did Axel out of no where get so good?

"Strike two!" Jared calls out throwing the ball back to Axel. Justin now has an irritated look on his face glaring at Axel who seems unaffected by this all.

I don't understand... how is Justin missing all of these? Justin is one of the best batters in the team and Axel is throwing heat, there's no way I just got lucky with this.

"Strike three!" Jared announces throwing the ball back to Axel again. How the-

"Looks like lover boy has a thing for you" a deep voice says from behind me. I spin around on my heels to see Ben Green.

"Pshh.... no way" I mutter to myself more than to Ben as I get back into my position to run, "how else do you explain that?" He asks and turn around again now facing him.

"Explain what?" I ask playing dumb, "the fact that you hit a single and Justin can't even hit a foul, he's way better than you at batting, no offense" he explains and I open my mouth to protest but then shut it, he's not wrong. But even thought he said "no offense" It still hurts.

"Gee thanks Green" I mumble and he smirks, "no problem squirt"

I've been playing ball with Ben for years, with his dirty blonde hair and grey eyes every single practice girls come to watch just for him. He's always been nice to me and one of my favorites on the team, well, was a favorite.

After two more outs, we switched sides, those two outs, were the next two guys that batted. After about a fifty minute scrimmage, coach's whistle blew and we all gathered in the dug out.

"Alright boys good practice today, don't forget we have a game this Sunday at the high school against the Gavin High Hornets" Coach explains and a few grumbles trash talking the hornets come from a few of the boys. "Also that means I'm doing a grade check Sunday morning, anybody failing will not play" Coach adds as all the boys peel out the dug out with their bags leaving. I see coach walking away and I quickly grab my bag running after him. I need to talk to him about who's pitching that game to see if he's replacing me.

I'm not sure how he walks so fast becuase by the time I get to him he's already in the parking lot.

"Coach!" I holler and he turns around giving me a blank uninterested expression, I open my mouth to speak but I suddenly forget everything, "Uhh.. hows your day?" I ask nervously.

"Good till now" He bluntly says unlocking his car door stepping into his red SUV. I stand there stunned for a few minutes then remembering everything. I knock on the window and he glares at me rolling down the window to his SUV.

"I remember now! Uhh...err...Who's pitching Saturday?" I stammer nervously, "you are kid" he sighs and I feel my eyes light up.

"Really?" I ask out of disbelief feeling like I'm on top of the world, "only because I know you you'll cry if you don't" He mutters closing the window driving away.

I let out a sigh of relief trudging over to my van. I unzip my bag grabbing my keys unlocking it as I step into my baby blue van. I love this thing, even though it's a ticking time bomb that may or may not explode one day.

I put my keys in attempt to start my car but the engine won't start. I try again in attempt to start the van but nothing happens. I jump in startlement as somebody knocks on my window. I immediately shoot my attention to the window to see Axel smirking on the other side of the window. Great.

I unroll my window waiting for him to gloat about today, "Need a ride?" He asks with amusement in his voice and I vigorously shake my head, "it's fine I'll walk" I open my door grabbing my bag stepping out of my van walking away from him.

"You can't walk home" He calls out but I ignore him and keep walking. Who's going to stop me?

As if on cue, a sound of thunder rumbles and rain starts pouring hard.

I stop walking slowly turning around to see a very amused Axel, "need a ride?" He repeats closing his eyes as the rain pours down even harder, "please" I sigh in defeat.

—————

I love the rain.

Qotd : "you stabbed me, then pretended you were the one who was bleeding"