Unconditionally

Chapter Seventeen

"You had a bet. You couldn't lose a bet. If you had a choice between me and winning, you'll choose winning every time. It's still true." -Jennifer Echols

I've been back in Arkansas for a total of three days and I'm already at work. My blonde hair is up in a bun, and I'm wearing my work uniform consisting of the usual blue shirt and khaki shorts. Amy just clocked out, and Sill is in the back giving the animals their regular shots.

For the whole day, no one has called or came in. That pretty much means I haven't done anything today. I've swept and mopped the floors, changed the light bulbs, and groomed the cats. As I said, nothing.

I have mostly been playing Candy Crush whenever I have the time. My lunch break was over an hour ago. I got a muffin and water. My phone vibrates in my pocket, and I pull it out to check the message.

Ashton: if you aren't doing anything would you want to come to one of my baseball scrimmage?

Locking my phone, I head to the back to ask Sill.

"Hey, Sill!" I call out, trying to grab Sill's attention.

My aunt drops the large bag of dog food and covers her chest with her hands. Her hair is pulled back with a clip and there's a stain on her pants. Sill shakes her head and picks up the bag while laughing.

"Mackenzie, you should know better than to scare me like that." She scolds playfully. I roll my eyes. "I was wondering if I could clock out early and do something."

Aunt Sill cocks her head to the side in confusion.

"Does this offer have to do anything with Ashton?" She asks me.

I groan loudly. Of course she would ask about him. My aunt is able to pick up on things easily. I'm not surprised she was able to figure out he is the reason, but it aggravates me when she give me the look, just like she is right at this moment.

"Yes, Sill. He just asked me to come watch him play baseball." I tell her.

I watch her as she looks at her wrist watch then back at me. "Sure, but don't come home too late, okay?"

A smile breaks across my face, and I give Sill a kiss on her check before I clock out. Inside my car, I pull out my phone and text Ashton back.

MC: what time does the game start?

Ashton: In ten minutes. .

Rolling my eyes with a smile on my face, I place my phone in the console cup and head to the park. When I pull up to the park's parking lot, I see guys in baseball gear. This can't be an actually game. I lock up my car and walk to the wired fence to watch them warm up. All the guys are wearing our school's baseball team uniform, but half of them wear a practice jersey over the dark blue shirt. Standing right on the pitcher mound is number 14. I smile and watch Ashton as he pitches to the catcher.

Whenever it was tournament season, the softball girls always had to bus with the loud baseball players. I was usually in the middle of the bus with Haze sitting right next to me. All my teammates, excluding Haze, would swarm around the baseball players, flirting till no end. I always thought the drive to the tournament was horrible, but the drive back home was even worse. The guys would be rowdy, hollering and yelling out plans for the bonfire since they usually won, and the girls would squeal in excitement. I most likely didn't go to the bonfire.

So while watching Ashton pitch, I'm not surprised that my old class mates are seating in the bleachers, watching the baseball players like a hawk. I roll my eyes. Ashton laughs at something the catcher says before bending back his arm and releasing the ball. With a blink of my eye, the ball hits the mitt with a loud thud.