I sit looking down at my hands. For some reason, today I am so nervous. I have done this so many times. Today shouldn't be any different, right?
"Torres. Get that sexy arse out there" Mark says coming into the change room seeing me sitting down looking at my hands. I look up at him and plaster on a smile.
"Hold on. God to get my head in the game" I answer him, standing up and grabbing my mitt from the bench beside me. Mark Sloan. Sex god and annoying pain in my ass. How do I know he is a sex god? Well we have slept together a few times, but who hasn't. Most of the girls on the team have slept with him, along with others on opposing teams. With a smack to my ass I run out of the change rooms and out onto the field where the rest of the team are throwing balls to warm up.
"Christina, Izzy, with me" I call as I grab my own ball and head away from everyone else. The three of us are the outfielders. Christina Yang is the left fielder and Isabelle Stevens is our right fielder with me being the centre. I throw the ball to Christina and she throws it back. I then throw it to Izzy and she throws it back. We do this until our arms are warm then they move further out. Being an outfielder means we have to be able to catch the high balls as well as throw a great distance. I am the centre fielder because, not bragging or anything, but I am the only who can throw from outfield all the way into home plate. I take a quick glance at the other girls warming up. Sorry, I should say women. The youngest being Lexi Grey who is 25 years old. She our main pitcher with my good friend Teddy Altman being our back up pitcher. Both of them are warming up their arms with Arizona Robbins. The pitcher. I like to call her the blue-eyed dragon. I call her that because, well to me she is a dragon. She never gives me her dimpled smile, never gives me a word of congratulations, never a pat on the back. Nothing.
"Hey Torres, you there?" I hear Izzy call as she is waiting to throw the ball back to me.
"Throw it" I tell her. After another twenty minutes of warming up and stretching we are all in the dug-out listening to the line up from Hunt. Owen hunt, our coach. I have to say, for a guy in his thirties, he surely does know what he is talking about when it comes to women's softball.
"You got that. I want a tight in-field. Out-field eyes on the ball and back each other up" Owen orders. We all nod. I can feel Arizona's eyes on me.
"Perhaps lets work as a team this time and not try to be the star like last time" she said coolly. I turn and look at her. I go to retaliate but Teddy, my good friend Teddy steps in.
"Hey now. We are always a team. Now hands in" she says putting her hand out in the middle of the group. I smile and place my hand on top of hers. Soon everyone's hands are on top of ours.
"Gooooo Storm" we cheer to pump ourselves up. No matter how many games we play we still get nervous and still need that little amp up to get us going.
So we have lost the coin toss and must bat first. I have always been confident in my batting, but today for some reason I am nervous. Perhaps it's because the blue-eyed dragon has just sat down next to me. She may be a dragon but she is gorgeous. I have to close my eyes to rid my head of those kind of thoughts.
"You're up after Lexi, Calliope. Try not to get caught out" I hear her say. I open my eyes and look at her. She has a grin plastered on my face. I stand up and grab a helmet.
"Never Arizona, but I think I need to remind you of who hit a home run last game and who struggled to get to third" I snap back before turning and grabbing my most prized possession. Stella. Stella is my bat. I have used her for going on four years now. Before I step out of the dug-out Teddy grabs my arm.
"Hey, don't listen to her. You play like you always do. You are a star, now go show them why you are on this team" she gives me an encouraging smile and a smack on the arse as I make my way to the batter's box.
"What is it with everyone smacking my arse today" I say to myself, but I think the umpire and the catcher heard me as they give me a look. I shake it off and get into my stance. This pitcher is fast but she is also not very accurate. The first one is a ball. I watch her hands closely. The second one strike. I hear the cheer from the crowd. I grip Stella tighter and dig my feet in. Swing at the next one. If it looks close, swing, I tell myself. It is always my mantra while in this box. The ball leaves her hand and I swing. I hear and feel the ball connect with the bat and start sprinting for first base. I take a quick glance and see it fly past third base and out to the left fielder. I hear Owen screaming at me to go to second as I look and see Lexi halfway to third already. I push forward and round the base heading for second. I see the left fielder throw it towards me, the second base player already standing at the ready to receive it. Without a second to lose I slide into second. I feel my foot touch the base and wait.
"Safe" the base umpire calls and I get up and dust myself off. I look at Owen who gives me a nod as he lets out the breath he had been holding. I think I have aged that man about ten years. Well not just me but this team. We like to take big risks. Most of the time we know we will come out on top, and if we don't. Well it's just another one of life's lessons.