Aloha!
Before anything, I just want to say a HUGE thank you to everyone who, not only took the time to review last chapter, but to those who took the time out of their day to compliment me on my writing. I wasn't looking for validation, but a lot of you left lengthy reviews assuring me that you enjoyed my writing and that it has gotten much better since "Getting The Girl" (which I agree wholeheartedly).
I'm still struggling, but reading your guy's sweet words helped ease some insecurities. So thank you, really.
But anyways, I hope you all enjoy this chapter!
Ally was off; something was wrong.
Austin knew as soon as he arrived back from walking his dad to the stadium gate that something had shifted, even from across the field.
All the color had drained from her face; her cheeks that had been as bright as a rose twenty minutes ago now reminded him of hospital walls. The smile that adorned her face was so forced that Austin was worried she would break her teeth. Her arms wrapped over her mid-section as she tried to fold in on herself, no longer speaking, just looking around with, what looked to be, fear.
Austin began weaving through the crowd of people to reach her. And even when he placed himself directly in front of her, she didn't look up to acknowledge him; her eyes were distance, her brain consumed completely by whatever it was that bothered her.
"Als," Austin questioned, reaching for her hands. She nearly jumped out of her skin.
When her mocha colored eyes locked with his, they were petrified. Protectiveness covered him like a blanket, and he pulled her into him, resting his mouth by her ear.
"Hey, what's the matter?
Her body shook like a leaf in the wind, and Austin looked around – he wondered if the crowd was getting too much for her; that maybe she needed a break. As he went to pull back ask her just that, her fingers gripped his shirt for dear life; he knew then that it wasn't the crowd.
"Ally, baby."
"I want to leave," she said fiercely, pulling away from him and glancing around the stadium once again.
Austin furrowed his brows. Who was she looking for? What was she looking for? This was her graduation and she wanted to leave, right now in the middle of everyone congratulating her.
"I," Austin trailed, trying to understand. "I don't think..."
"Austin, please," she snapped, but Austin didn't miss the way her voice cracked while she looked down at her hands.
Austin just nodded, placing a hand on the small of her back before kissing her head. "Okay, okay, let's let everyone know we are leaving," he assured, leading them to Trish and Dez.
Once Trish laid eyes on Ally, her posture straightened immediately, and she began walking to meet them halfway. When Trish was in arms reach, her hands were on Ally's forearms before gripping her hands. "What's wrong? What happened?"
Austin shook his head with a shrug of his shoulders when Ally didn't answer, and she looked at him. "I don't know, she wants to leave. Could you let everyone know that she'll send out thank you letters and everything?"
Trish nodded while keeping her eyes on her best friend. Her head stood still, but her eyes danced around her surroundings; Austin couldn't help but wonder what the hell she was looking at. Instead of questioning her again, Austin just thanked Trish on Ally's behalf before leading her across the field.
They walked in silence the entire way, Austin occasionally trying to get Ally to talk, but she didn't utter a word until the doors to Austin's truck shut and locked. He watched as she pulled her cell phone from her clutch and handed it to him without uttering a single word.
He stared at her for a moment with bent brows before looking down at the screen – then, everything he ate earlier felt as if it were about to make a reappearance. With his heart in his throat, he read and reread the message, his fingers gripping around her phone until all circulation was cut off.
He glanced up at Ally to see her bent forward, head in her hands as her elbows rest on her knees. She was still trembling, and Austin reached over to grasp her face in his hands. And when her terrified features filled his sight, Austin wanted to murder Elliot White. Hell, he would gladly dig his grave.
"Als, he isn't going to touch you," Austin reassured, thumbing her cheek, and Ally closed her eyes, leaning into the comfort. "Is this the first time he has contacted you since you left?"
Ally shook her head, clearing her throat before pulling away. She rested her hands in her lap, staring down at them like they were the most interesting things in the world.
"No, he used to text and call me all the time when I first left. Trish basically grounded me from my phone those first six weeks because I would get so upset whenever I saw him name," she said, running her fingers through her hair, separating, what used to be, perfectly styled waves. "I don't know why I never blocked him. I guess even though he put me through hell, a part of me stilled loved him. He was my first love, and I was so heartbroken that I couldn't force myself to do it."
Austin nodded in understanding, rubbing her knee.
Everyone experienced heartbreak in some form or fashion. Austin remembered his first heartbreak at the age of seventeen whenever he was a junior in high school. Kira Star, the head cheerleader, had been his girlfriend for nearly a year until she broke it off to be with the football star as soon as football season rolled back around.
He tortured himself by keeping up with her on social media, staying in contact and occasionally texting with her, and fell right back into her trap when she wanted him back after getting her heart broken. He was convinced he had been in love with her, and those weeks following her leaving the second time flipped his entire world upside down – he knew now that it had been a young love, a infatuation of sorts, but never the less, it was something that happened at least a few times in everyone's life. Only once if they were lucky.
Some, like the girl in front of him, however, went through more hell than necessary when their first love broke their heart. And it was simply because a first love was the hardest to walk away from, no matter how toxic. A piece of their heart would always belong to that one person because they had been the first hands to hold it.
Austin just hated the fact that the one that held that small piece of Ally's heart had been the same reason she was covered in scars; both mentally and physically.
"Can we go to your place," she whispered, and Austin could tell by the way her shoulders slumped and her eyes drooped that she suddenly felt exhausted. He nodded, squeezing her knee once more before starting the engine and pulling out of the stadium.
Nearly an hour later, Austin ran his hands through Ally's hair as she slept soundly on his chest, her little breathes fanning across his neck. He reveled in the peace of having her in his bed, sleeping soundly, knowing that she was completely content and safe in his arms.
Austin didn't whether he should be worried about Elliot's text to her. It wasn't unusual for ex's to text their former partner when something big was happening in their life, and it more than likely wasn't hard to figure out she was graduating considering all the graduates had been blasted all over the school's social media for the past week.
But seeing the way Ally reacted to his kind words caused his stomach to churn.
Ally had admitted Elliot was very persuasive and manipulative; one minute he could be the best partner a woman would ever have, the sweetest words falling from his lips, him making her feel like the only girl in the world – then the next he was dragging her across the floor by her hair.
What was Elliot's intentions? Was it truly just to wish her congratulations? But then Austin recalled Elliot telling her that he would like to catch up. Austin couldn't help the scoff that escaped from his lips at the thought, but then he froze when Ally stirred, cursing mentally to him self as he soothed her back to sleep.
Was it just to pop back into her life, to throw her off guard, see if he still had a hold over her anymore? Austin pursed his lip as that thought crossed his mind, a harsh realization that, that was his intentions. It was the only explanation as to why he would text her on a day like today, to ruin it for her and throw her off kilter.
Ally's phone rang from his bed side table, and Austin tensed before reaching over quickly to grab it, silencing it before it had the chance to wake Ally. He relaxed at the sight of Trish's name flashing across the screen and answered.
"Hello."
His voice was so soft that Austin worried that she wouldn't hear him.
Austin? Hey. What's going on? Why did you two bolt out of here so quickly.
Austin sighed, glancing down at the girl in his arms to assure she was still asleep. "Elliot texted Ally while at graduation. It really freaked her out and she wanted to leave." There was a silent pause.
You have to be fucking kidding.
The sigh that left Austin's mouth was the only answer she seemed to need.
That bastard would text her on a day like today. I should've blocked his number while I had the chance.
"Should we worried?" Austin asked, "Should I be worried?" He hated how insecure he sounded.
No, Aus, I don't think you should. He does this from time to time, pop into her life to see if she'll answer. There was a pause. Is she okay now? She didn't look so good when leaving earlier.
"Yeah, surprisingly she didn't panic or anything, just got really overwhelmed and shaken up. She's sleeping right now; we came back to my place."
Good. Keep me updated.
Austin assured her that he would before bidding her a goodbye. With a sigh, he turned on his side, cradling Ally into his chest, deciding to turn his brain off for a while as he closed his eyes.
An entire month had passed, and before either of them knew it; the College World Series was two weeks away – the text from Elliot being the furthest thing from Ally's mind.
For a week after the message, Ally walked on eggshells, and would hardly look at her phone. So much to the point that Austin personalized his ringtone and would only call in order to keep in touch when he wasn't with her.
Eventually, Ally broke down and blocked him. That night Austin had entered her apartment to find her sitting on the sofa in total darkness, the only light coming from her phone as she stared at his contact.
He hadn't said a word as he sat beside her, pulling her into his side as he stared at it with her, patiently waiting to see what she would do next. And when she finally hit the button labeled block with a shaky thumb, a single tear falling down her cheek, mourning for a past that she never thought she would rid of; one that she was finally ready to let go off. And Austin just kissed her head, whispering how proud he was of her as he rocked her.
Since then, everything seemed to fall into place, and Ally couldn't remember a time where she was more content with her life. She had a new routine, one that she quite enjoyed. Every day consisted of her waking up later in the morning, sometimes wrapped in Austin's arms, before she would get dressed to head to work.
She smiled every time thinking about that word; work. Not only did she have an amazing opportunity right out of college, she got to watch the man she loved play the sport he loved, every single day.
Each morning, Ally would head to the field house, where she would begin working on reports in her own office, something she was still giddy about, goof off and gossip with Mitchell, and then the real fun began when practice started. And if she thought they were busy during the regular season, getting athletes in top shape for something like the College World Series was more daunting than she expected.
The boys were practicing harder than ever, and each day following practice was filled with ice baths, soft tissue work, massages, checkups, etc. Mitchell and herself divided the roaster in order to keep up with each player and their reports; both were working harder than ever to make sure the boys were in the best shape of their lives for the biggest game of their lives so far.
"Hey, Al, how's Austin's UCL doing?"
Ally looked up from her computer screen to see Mitchell leaning against her office's door frame grasping a packet of papers. She leaned back in her chair, turning from side to side.
"He's doing a lot better than I thought. The swelling and bruising are completely gone, and he says he has no more elbow stiffness. They started throwing motions at physical therapy two weeks ago."
Mitchell nodded, reaching from the pen behind his ear before writing something down in the packet.
"I'm thinking of releasing him to play first base for a couple of innings during the game," Mitchell admitted with a sigh, looking up at her. "What do you think?"
Ally's eyes were wide, and she tongued her cheek. "Do you think that's a good idea?"
Mitchell scratched the light, sandy colored scruff that peppered his jaw.
"Well, if he is making progress at this rate, I think it wouldn't hurt from him to play first. They don't have to throw very much unless they are doing a double play, and this is his last season, so this is the only chance he will ever get to play in the College World Series."
Ally nodded.
This would be the last season Austin would ever play baseball since he would be graduating at the end of the fall semester in December, and it was one of the main reasons he had been so upset about his injury earlier in the season. Once finding out that the team would be attending the College World Series and the excitement wore off, Austin admitted later that night how upset he was that he wouldn't get to play in it.
"Let me see how his physical therapy session goes this week, and I'll talk to his doctor, see what she thinks. Then we can make a decision," Ally said with a heavy sigh. "As his girlfriend, I want to release him regardless just so he can play, but as his trainer, I can't without being practical and checking with his doctor first."
"I know, that's what makes you a good trainer and girlfriend." Mitchell grinned, tapping his knuckle against the door. "Just let me know."
Ally threw herself back into reports until her phone rang a little later. Glancing at the caller ID, Ally didn't recognize the number, but at the middle three digits Ally noticed it was local, so she answered.
"Hello."
Ally.
Her entire life, Ally always laughed at anyone who referred to their blood running cold at something they didn't want to hear or see. She could never understand how anyone could experience an emotion that physically made them feel as if ice was running through their veins.
But when Elliot White's chilling, low voice broke through the speaker, instantly everything around her stilled and she was sure that every ounce of blood rushed to her feet. She understood then, that mixture of fear and pain forcing every nerve ending to stand at attention; it was then she understood how the body reacted when being blindsided.
"Elliot."
Her voice came out in a croaked whisper, and she almost didn't recognize it.
You didn't return my text from graduation and when I tried calling you, it went straight to voicemail.
She should've hung up. She should've told him to leave her the hell alone and never contact her again. She should've ended the call and blocked the number. She should've cussed him for everything he was worth, let him know that she wanted nothing to do with him.
There was a lot of things she should have done. But she sat there, her fingers frozen around the phone, completely unaware of anything going on around her.
"What do you want, Elliot?" Those were the only words she could manage, and the dark chuckle from the other end of the phone made the knot in her stomach tighten even more.
I want you back, Ally. I miss you. I love you. I've given you space. I honestly figured you would've come back to me by now, but it seems you are more resolute than I thought.
Any air that Ally had left in her lungs left at that. But it wasn't because the words were shocking, if anything, they were more than expected from him. What took her breath was the anger she felt. Rage creeped up her spine like a lion sprouting from its crouched position to attack its prey.
"I don't want you, Elliot," she spat, her words firm and furious. "You were horrible to me, and you are delusional if you think for a second that I would come back to you. I have a life now. I have friends and my family, a career, I'm happy." That last word spat from her lips with so much pride that a smile spilt her face.
You think you are happy now until that blonde, baseball player boyfriend of yours gets tired of you being a good fuck and moves onto something better.
It should've been the harsh words that caused Ally's heart to sink, but it was the fact that he knew about Austin – how, she didn't know. But it was quickly replaced with the same anger as before.
"Your words don't affect me anymore, Elliot," Ally sighed, feigning boredom. "Lose my number. Don't call me again. Forget I exist, because as far as I'm concerned, you are nothing to me."
Ally –
Ally ended the call and turned her phone off before he could call her back. Then, she leaned back into her chair, her hands covering her face as focused on breathing.
She didn't know what had just happened. All she knew was mentally, she felt taller, untouchable. Since meeting Elliot, she had been reminded a thousand times that he had the upper hand when it came to her and her feelings, and the fact that she had just stood up for herself allowed a smile to cross her face.
But in an instant, panic caused her to stand directly to her feet. How had he known about Austin? He was blocked on every social media she owned, and every single one was private. She made it clear to family and friends that she wanted nothing posted about him if Elliot was still able to see, and they respected her wishes.
Elliot White should have been completely cut from her life when she left him, the only contact he had being her phone number. She changed colleges when moving across the city with Trish, and he had never met her or known where she lived. Her parents wouldn't have said anything either, so how in the hell did he know?
Running her fingers through her hair, Ally paced around her office. She needed to talk to someone, and the only person that came to mind was Trish.
Grabbing her purse and keys, Ally quickly made her way down to Mitchell's office. She barely knocked before slinging the door open. His eyes were on her, and from the way his brows furrowed, Ally knew that he knew something was wrong.
"You okay," he asked, concern lacing his voice as he began to stand, but Ally stopped his with a nod.
"Yeah. I'm okay. I'm just gonna go on lunch, I have to go see my roommate about something. Just coming by to let you know and asking if you wanted anything from anywhere while I'm out." She hoped the explanation came out as believable as she wanted it to be.
Mitchell studied her for a moment, and it was clear he didn't believe her, shook his head anyway. "No, I'm okay, thank you though."
Ally gave him a tight smile, sending him a wave and reassuring him that she would be back before practice at three. Mitchell didn't even get to say bye before Ally was out of the door.
When Ally burst through the door of her apartment, Trish nearly tossed the textbook in her hands across the living room from her studying place on the couch, and she went to yell. But at the sight of a frazzled Ally, her mouth snapped shut.
"What are you doing home? What's wrong," Trish claimed, standing to her feet.
Ally dropped her bag on the ground and walked to stand in front of Trish in the middle of their living room. And for once in her life, Ally got straight to the point.
"Elliot called me."
In that moment, Trish looked as she wished Ally would've started at with a buffer. Her eyes with wide, full of dread but her lips pursed as she seethed, "he what?"
Ally sighed, nodding as she plopped into the chair, grasping her hair in her hands.
"I got a call from an unknown number, it was local, so I answered," she sighed, "I had no idea it would be him."
Trish sat down slowly on the end of the sofa closest to the chair, staring at her best friend, and for the first time in a long time, she had no idea what to say. Ally knew Trish was scared, scared to know what Elliot had said, scared to see how Ally would react.
"What did he say?"
Ally clenched her teeth, closing her eyes as she repeated the words Elliot said to her on the phone; in the back of her mind, his voice was so clear – even after a year, it was exactly how she remembered, and it echoed throughout her head.
"Jesus Christ," Trish murmured, gripping the side of the couch. Then she seemed to grasp her bearings. "How are you? Are you okay? Did you freak out?"
To both Trish's and Ally's surprise, Ally chuckled. "No, I actually didn't. I told him that I wanted nothing to do with him, and to forget I existed because as far as I was concerned, I never knew him."
At the moment, a smile so large spilt Trish's face into, and Ally swore it was the largest smile she had ever seen take over Trish's face. "Ally, that's amazing, I'm so proud of you."
Ally went to smile, but it faded whenever she did remember the reason for coming home in a frenzy. "But he knows about Austin." And Ally watched as that bright smile fell just as quick as it came.
"There is no way," Trish said, "he shouldn't even know where you go to school, much less that you have a boyfriend. He is blocked on everything, even your family and friends have him blocked."
Ally nodded. "I know. And it also doesn't make since as to how he knew I was graduating. I figured that maybe he ran into someone or that a mutual friend saw it on social media, but the fact that he knows about Austin. He knew he played baseball, that he was blonde, and I'm pretty sure he knows Austin and I have slept together."
Trish's eyes met her hair line.
"Why do you say that?"
"Because he said, 'you think you are happy now until that blonde, baseball player boyfriend of yours gets tired of you being a good fuck and moves onto something better'," Ally quoted.
Trish glowered, staring at the coffee table as if it were Elliot's head and she could put a baseball bat to it.
"He's such a bastard," Trish mumbled angrily then locked eyes with Ally's again. "Do you think someone is keeping up with you for him?"
Ally shrugged. "I mean, it's very likely, I didn't delete all of his friends from social media, and even though I haven't posted where I'm going to school, I have posted a picture of Austin and I few times. It wouldn't be hard to track me down once seeing where he plays baseball." Tears filled Ally's eyes suddenly. "I'm scared to death that he is going to comfort Austin."
Trish grasped Ally's hand. "I don't think he is going to do that, Al. Yeah, Elliot is an abusive asshole, but if he wanted to go after Austin, he would have by now. If he wanted to come after you, he would have by now. I think he just sees how amazing your life is and he wants to fuck with it." Then Trish laughed. "Plus, Austin would love if Elliot comforted him, it would give Austin a legal reason to knock him on his ass."
That comment caused Ally to chuckle and she wiped away her tears. "You are right."
Trish smiled softly, squeezing her hand. "Are you going to tell Austin?"
Ally exhaled, connecting her eyes with Trish's. "I don't know. Should I? I want to, I feel like he should know, but he was so on edge when Elliot texted me at gradation; he has been on edge since."
Trish twisted her lips to the side in thought. "If you think you need to, tell him, but if you think it won't do anything but upset him, I wouldn't."
Ally pondered that thought for a moment. It wasn't something she necessarily wanted to keep from Austin, but ever since that night at graduation when Elliot texted, Austin had been different. He still treated her the same, cared for her the same, but it was like there was something he wasn't telling her; something in the back of his mind that had his consent attention. And Ally could see uncertainty all over his face when he looked at her.
If she were being honest, it freaked her the hell out when she thought too much about it. Maybe he realized when Elliot texted her that he couldn't do this, that he couldn't handle her and the baggage that came with her. And upon that thought, Ally frowned, fighting the sinking feeling in her stomach.
"I'm not telling him. Something has been bothering him lately, and with his injury and the game coming up, he needs to focus."
Trish sighed like she didn't quite agree with that decision, but nodded anyway, giving her best friend her silent support.
Wind gusts ripped unforgivingly through the baseball stadium – so much so that Ally found herself stifling giggles as the team struggled to warm their arms; the baseballs getting thrown off track midair. The players were running around like chickens with their heads cut off when it would abruptly change track.
"So, have you talked to Austin's doctor yet?"
Ally glanced up at Mitchell as he saddled up beside her, stuffing his hands in the pockets of his windbreaker; the same one she wore that sported the school's colors and baseball team's logo. Strands of her brunette locks invaded her vision as she turned back to the team, internally cursing herself for not bringing a ponytail.
"I did, actually," Ally grinned, turning to her body to face Mitchell once spotting the blonde in mention at the opposite end of the field. "I called her after we talked the other day, and she is supposed to be making an appearance to begin conditioning Austin for longer throws."
Mitchell's head snapped to look down at her in surprise. "That's awesome! Have you told Austin about it yet?"
Ally's stomach flipped at the thought of telling him, and she glanced down at her watch just in time to see a notification from Austin's doctor, informing Ally that she needed to be let in the gate.
"Nope, not yet, but he's about to find out," Ally beamed, "she's here. I'm going to let her in."
Ally dismissed herself, starting the five-minute walk to the main gate from the field, and during that time her shoulders slumped, the smile she had been forcing for the past two days, faded. To everyone, Ally looked like she had it all together.
Austin had been distance, too, distance for Ally's liking. And it didn't matter how many times she had tried getting him to open up, to talk to her, he remained locked up like a safe, and Ally didn't have the damn key; in fact, she had no idea where to look.
He had a lot of his mind between his injury, physical therapy appointments, work, and his last semester of school coming up. And while Ally knew he wouldn't admit it, Austin had been mourning over his season ending injury during his last season. But Ally knew all of these things, Austin had been more than open about it with her, about how he was feeling, so there was something else.
She didn't think their relationship was in jeopardy. Austin still cared for her like she was the only girl in the world, he just didn't seem as open or conversational with Ally, which was odd for them.
Between Austin and the call with Elliot, Ally hadn't been sleeping. Every time she would close her eyes, she could hear Elliot's voice so clearly; before, she had forgotten what it sounded like. Each morning became a fight to throw the covers from her body, and with every ounce of energy she could muster, Ally would place on her feet on the ground and stand. Her body would run on auto pilot as she got ready, then she would head down to the field house.
But Ally credited herself with having a damn good poker face because no one had called her on her bullshit, even Austin.
Ally shook away her thoughts when arriving at the gate. Austin's physical therapist seemed to be nowhere in sight, and Ally looked down at her watch to reread the notification. Pulling her phone from her back pocket, Ally sent the doctor a quick text to let her know she was waiting by the entrance.
Leaning against the fence with a. sigh, Ally looked around the stadium, squinting her eyes in order to see the baseball field through the cracks of the bleachers.
Miami University had one of the more sizable, updated baseball stadiums' in the state – a massive building with an archway adorned the front; which were where tickets were accepted along with built in bathrooms and concessions on either side once entering the stadium.
Bleachers towered over and flanked each side of the home plate that rested in a freshly laid field; the outfield turf and the bright red clay filling in the infield. An extensive, brand new score board mounted the edge of the field and behind that, on top of a hill, sat a beautiful, two story field house – one that held a weight room, batting cages, locker and shower rooms, multiple medical supply rooms, offices, and a rest room for the players.
It should be the field, or even the bleachers that caught everyone's attention, but it was the field house; not that Ally could blame them.
With another glance down at her watch, Ally sighed when there was no notification from Austin's doctor.
"Where are you?" Ally murmured to herself, rubbing her upper arms over the water repellent fabric of her windbreaker. She yawned, reaching to cover her mouth as her eyelids began dropping, her thoughts occupied with the awaiting comfort of her bed.
Another outburst of wind howled against the building, and suddenly a loud sound of, what sounded like, metal against metal caused Ally to snap her attention to her left, towards the visiting bleachers.
Her body straightened instantly at the feeling of a hand on her shoulder. Ally contained the scream stuck in her throat as she whirled around, wide eyed and rigid.
"I'm so sorry!"
As fast as Ally tensed, she relaxed just as quickly at the sight of Austin's doctor on the other side of the locked gate. Relief issued from her in the form of a laugh at the doctor's wide eyes and delicate hands raised defensively.
With a hand over her heart, Ally unlocked the gate before swinging it open.
"I'm so sorry, dear. I didn't mean to frighten you," Dr. Monroe apologized, stepping in beside her. "I also am sorry for making you wait. I texted you I was here but figured out I was at the wrong end."
Ally chuckled along with Dr. Monroe as she locked the gate back before turning to her, a handout stretched with a warm smile.
"It's not a problem, Dr. Monroe."
"Please, darling, no need for formalities. Call me, Charlotte," she spoke kindly, her hand soft and warm as it slid into Ally's.
Ally grinned, having met Dr. Charlotte Monroe a few times over the past couple of months since Austin's injury when she would accompany him to appointments. Dr. Monroe, or Charlotte, was a sweet, warmhearted woman with a tall, slim stature and fiery, auburn locks that were usually pulled into a ponytail, but happened to be in a side braid today.
Charlotte was extremely beautiful and held herself with an amount of confidence that Ally wished she had half of. And while Ally knew she was in her late forties, the woman looked no older than thirty-five.
"So, does Austin know I'm attending today?"
"No ma'am. I was just going to see his reaction, plus, I didn't want to get his hopes up just in case you decided to change your mind."
Charlotte nodded, and they walked in a comfortable silence until arriving at the field.
Each player took a spot at the field as a coach hit balls to them, and Ally found Austin flanking, catching balls as each player threw them in after their drill was complete. Ally looked up at Charlotte, smiling.
"Austin!" Ally called out, making her way towards him.
He didn't turn immediately, keeping his eyes on the ball that was midair. But when he did turn, the soft smile that was on his face instantly dropped to confusion. Turning to mention something to coach, Austin dropped his glove before jogging over to the duo.
"Dr. Monroe?" Austin's smile was weary. "What are you doing here?"
Charlotte grinned. "I just wanted to stop by and see if our exercises are working by getting you to throw a little today."
Austin didn't look entirely convinced, but he nodded anyway, calling out to Dez once coach called practice.
Coach had been having short practices, just to keep muscle memory. With the game only a week and a half away, coach was adamant that the players stay in top notch shape, and Ally glanced over at Mitchell to see him nod once, informing her from afar to deal with Austin.
For the next twenty minutes, Charlotte warmed Austin up. Then, the next thirty minutes consisted of Austin throwing back and forth with Dez; lightly at first, no more than a foot away, but then, Charlotte ordered for Austin to stand at first place and for Dez to stand at home plate.
"Any pain, Austin?" Charlotte questioned after the second throw to Dez.
Austin shook his head, a small smile on his face. Throwing to home plate from first base was nowhere near pitching, but Ally could tell just being able to do a simple action meant more than anything.
"Okay, throw a few more times to home, then we will move to the other bases. After that, I want you to throw it with as much power as you have, without overexerting yourself. It's easy to get excited."
Austin followed orders, and before Ally knew it, that familiar pop that Austin talked so much about began filling the air. With each snap, Austin's smile grew larger than it had in a long while.
And as Ally watched, her smile mirrored his.
Mitchell, Ally, Charlotte, and Austin gathered in Ally's office. And when Ally closed the door behind them, Austin furrowed his brows in her direction. But she just gave him a reassuring smile and leaned back on her desk.
"So, is this an intervention where all of you tell me my arm is screwed up for good?" Austin joked, and while Ally knew it was a joke, she could see the underlying stress that it had some truth to it.
But Charlotte just smiled before turning to Ally. "Would you like to tell him, dear?"
When Austin's eyes snapped to her, Ally could hardly contain her excitement and pride. She stood, taking two steps to reach out for Austin's hands.
"We've all been talking, and after today," Ally began, pausing to take a deep breath and maybe to torture him a bit longer. "Mitchell and I are releasing you to play first base in the College World – ,"
Ally didn't get to finish before Austin's arms were around her and lifting her from her feet. Her giggles filled the small office as Austin twirled her before squeezing her tightly. He pulled back to look down at her face once her feet were on the ground.
"Ally, are you serious?"
Ally went to nod, but Austin's lips crashed into hers. He pulled back with a shit eating grin.
"Of course, you are serious," he exclaimed, cupping her face and shaking her lightly. "I'm playing in the fucking College World Series."
Ally laughed loudly, and soon, Mitchell and Charlotte were joining while Austin still seemed to process.
"You are," Ally whispered, "You've worked so hard. I'm so proud of you."
Let me know what you guys think!
-Meg