Andie POV
7th July
Today's the day; I have to leave early because Aunt Helen won't give me a lift. It's weird that my last game is the one I'm not going to be able to play. I'm so nervous but I don't know why, it's not like there's going to any pressure on me seeing as I'm not actually playing. Aunt Helen isn't coming to watch, she never does and I wasn't expecting her to. It's better that way, she doesn't bother me about baseball and I don't ask her about whatever dull thing she does everyday, she probably cleans that already spotless house.
I have to leave now; Coach Lonston will kill me then and there if I arrive at the stadium late.
I'm at the stadium; I thought I might as well bring this diary since all I can do is watch my team loose. Anyway it's not like anyone will notice me and whisper about how uncool I am since they do that even without the diary. No one will notice me anyway, no one ever does. All I have to do is keep this hidden from Coach Lonston. If he manages to get hold of it then the whole world will know my deepest secrets, not that anyone would be interested. But I can't give him another reason to humiliate me.
We've switched over now and my team is batting. The Forelander Boarders have 22 runs and we only have 17, plus Georgie has already been put out. Anton has the bat and I'm dreading what will happen next, I can tell how nervous he is from all the way over here. He'll get a scolding from Coach for that. Coach Lonston is very strict about looking casual and non-caring, probably because we always loose. Anyway, Anton is running for first base, he's hit the ball right into a crowd of fielders as usual but surprisingly hasn't been caught out. Although things aren't looking good for him, one of the fielders has managed to get the ball on it's second bounce and is determined to make up for his fault and put him out anyway. Both of them are racing for first base. Anton's strong point is usually running, it's because he's so fast that Coach Lonston picked him for our team in the first place, but the Forelander is closer. I can't watch! If Anton goes out we don't stand a chance. We never did in the first place but everyone hopes for success, don't they? We've lost so many games that you would think we'd get used to loosing but every time we do it still comes as a blow. I wish I'd stayed home since this is yet another lost game, I just know it is. There's no chance Anton will make it, luck like that just doesn't happen when I'm around. I may as well leave now but if I do everyone will think that I'm a bad looser and I need to clutch onto whatever pride I still have left, how ever little that may be. I have to watch my team loose, even though it kills me. But life's harsh; no one can deny that.
I can't believe it! He did it! Anton made it! The Forelander is stalking off in a huff! We might still have a tiny chance of winning this game after all! Hang on, something's wrong, there's a crowd of players surrounding the base and I can see the referee's yellow shirt through many pairs of legs. Coach is pushing his way out of the crowd, his face like thunder. Out of the gap he's formed I can see Anton sitting in the dust clutching his left leg, the ref is checking for broken bones and judging from the expression on his face it looks as if he may just have found one. Coach Lonston is beckoning to me; I have to play after all.
"The girl clutched the baseball bat in her sweaty palms. Her teammates stared desperately, praying that she would not lead them to their doom.
The pitcher pulled back one arm and prepared to throw the ball. The girl readied she and stared at it, she was swaying slightly and even from the stands the spectators could tell she was struggling to breathe.
The pitcher threw the white baseball and the girl focused all of her attention onto it. As it spun towards her the sun rose and it's beams leaked over the slanted roof of the stands. She staggered backwards and turned her face away from the blinding rays of golden sunlight that spilled into the stadium. It was as if the sudden sunlight had pushed her away, all the while the ball zoomed through the air. The girl's team drew their breath and all believed that she had missed and that they were out.
Then at the last moment the girl swung the heavy baseball bat and sent the ball flying in the opposite direction. The spectators all stared in disbelief all wondering the same thing. The same question everyone in the whole stadium was wondering. How could a girl so small possess such strength? But they only had a matter of seconds to ask themselves the question for the girl wasted no time in running for the first base. The other two members of her team on the second and third base were jolted out of their trances and joined her in the run for victory. The opposing team barely had time to run for the ball before all three players passed over the final base. A homerun."
Andie POV
You will never believe what happened! I'm not sure I even believe it myself! I feel as though any minute now I'll wake up and this wonderful day turns out all to be a dream.
It all started just after my last entry, when Anton broke his ankle and so had to play. I was standing behind Dan and he had just picked up the bat. The pitcher chucked the ball and Dan whacked it easily, then things went horribly wrong. The ball bounced once before a fielder scooped it up and lobbed it at base number one. Defying all rules of physics (well it may not have defied all rules of physics seeing as I have no idea what the hec they are) the ball somehow managed to hit the base. Dan was out before he even had a chance to drop the bat. He turned, disbelief spread all over his face. Dan has only ever been out once in a match before and that was when a player with anger management issues had broken his nose with the baseball bat. He dropped the bat into my out stretched hand and the sudden weight was imposed o me. Not only the weight of the heavy bat, but the responsibility. If I made one tiny mistake and was put out that was it for my whole team. The last two runs had been disastrous and hopefully this one would be better, third time lucky. I lowered my cap over my eyes and tried to look more confident than I felt. My breathing was becoming difficult and I felt dizzy. I staggered forward and concentrated on getting my stance correct. The pitcher was rolling the baseball in one large hand and the white ball seemed to be mocking me, laughing cruelly. He threw the ball and at that moment the sun peered over the stadium. That was when it hit me. Like a huge ball of energy, it burned into me, into my soul. It was a brand new life and I was living it for the first time. I felt a new strength like I could lift the world onto my shoulders as if it weighed no more than a feather. I swung the bat, using all of my new energy and watched as the ball sailed threw the air, and then I bolted for first base, passing over it in a matter of seconds I was passing it and moved onto the next. My new energy felt everlasting and all I wanted to do was run and jump. I wanted to do everything! And I felt as though I could do anything too! I ran past the last base, the Forelanders didn't even have time to reach the ball. I came to a halt, panting slightly although I didn't feel the slightest bit out off breath. Everything was quiet; my teammates all stood gaping at me. The audience all sat silently in their seats, unsure how to react. Then came the first cheer, it was closely followed by another and another. In no time at all the whole stadium was erupting into cheers and wolf whistles. Cheers for me. A whole crowd of people were applauding something I had done. I felt a feeling I have never felt before, I felt proud. For the first time in my life I was the best at something, well not the best, but I had done something worthy enough for applause. And it wasn't something like winning a school certificate for topping my class; this was something worth applauding for. I felt like I could burst with happiness. The alarm rang signalling the end of the game, leaving the score 22 for the Forelanders and 24 to us, Dunkeld High School. Everyone was happy, well not the Forelanders who stalked of the grounds sulkily. Coach Lonston looked as if he wasn't sure how to take our victory, he wasn't sure if he should be rejoicing that we had won or sulking because it had been because it was I who had won it. Anton was waving over from the bench; his smile was so huge I thought his face might split in two. I probably looked like that as well and my cheeks were beginning to hurt, but I couldn't stop. We made our way of the pitch in a blur of high-fives and slaps on the back. We had actually won out of skill for once, I felt as if I was dreaming and I never wanted to wake up.