Chapter 2 - When The Lie Started

Thud!

I stopped to take a watch of the sky after throwing a pitch. The sun was starting to set, and it's been about an hour since I started. As soon as I got home, I couldn't settle down, so I went out to my backyard to practice my ball control for tomorrow.

'Let's aim for 26.'

I turned my body and looked forward to the makeshift wooden board with a 100 grid painted on it. My dad and I built it ourselves when we looked at the prices for nets.

We placed it on the side of the house, low enough where a catcher would be. I stood on the mound my dad made. It was about 6 inches off the ground and 46 feet away from the wooden board.

I wind up on the mound.

Slowly lifting my left knee close to my chest. I let out a breath as my leg goes down with the rest of my body following it to the ground. My eyes were still on the board, focused on the square target. My left foot planted firmly on the ground and toes pointing straight to the board.

It was all in a quick motion to create a stable foundation. And like a slingshot, my arm came down, following through with the flow, releasing the ball from my grasp.

I threw a four-seam fastball. My eyes follow the ball.

Thud! It made a loud sound, it hit 15.

"Argh! I was so close!" I yelled out of frustration.

I was still throwing a little high. 'Maybe I'm releasing a little early? Or is it my form?" I tried it again.

This time, instead of winding up, I got ready in a set position. I need to practice when there are runners on base since my wind up takes too long.

Feet apart, I lifted my left foot a couple of inches off the ground. I threw the same pitch aiming for 26.

Thud! This time it hit 47.

I noticed I need to work on my set position since my form was terrible. Compared to my last throw from my windup, it lacked the power and speed, causing my aim to deteriorate during the throw. I let out a sigh. I wind up again, deciding this my last one before calling it quits. This time I threw a two-seam fastball.

'Make it count!'

Thud! It hit 26.

"Yes!" I yelled out loud with my hands high up in the air. With that, I was satisfied, and took a small break and decided to lay down on the grass. I looked up, and it was already nighttime. I could feel the cold sweat running down my back. I decided to get up and look in the direction where Kazuya's house should be.

From here, I could only see the side of their house. It was far, but it had two windows with the lights on. One of the windows was blocked off by a tree branch, and the other was closed off by a curtain. 'I wonder if that's Kazuya's room.' I shook the thought out of my head. "That's what stalkers sound like..." I scolded myself.

I started to clean up, my mind began to wonder about how to clean up my form and ball control. My four-seam fastball had the power and speed, but my aim could be better. The last ball I threw, the two-seamer, has good ball control, but it lacks speed. The speed almost matches my change-up, and that wasn't a positive sign for a fastball. Now my change-up...

"Haaaaa" I let out a heavy sigh.

My change-up could use more work. It needed a lot more practice, and it's because the grip never felt right to me. I pay too much attention to my fingers, causing my arm and body to slow down during the throw. I knew I needed more practice with it, but it was frustrating for me to keep making the same mistake.

I was finally done picking up balls off the ground. I started placing all my stuff in the shed before I kept one ball in my pocket. I gripped it to a change-up, so I could learn to get used to it. My face scrunched up, 'Maybe I should try a different grip.'

I head my way inside the empty house. It was already 8:15 pm, still a little early for my dad to be home from work. I hum loudly to myself, ignoring the scary thoughts popping up inside my head.

My mom and older brother are still in America. I miss them a lot, but I didn't want to leave my dad alone here. I'm also glad that my parents wouldn't bicker anymore. 'Maybe when we go back, they'd stop fighting.' As the saying goes, that distance makes the heart grow fonder' after all.

I took off my shoes and placed them neatly near the door. I head my way to the kitchen to find something to snack on. I opened the fridge. There were some leftovers and a couple of water bottles. I decided to wait for my dad to eat dinner. I took a water bottle and chugged it down before I closed the door.

I headed my way to my bedroom to lie down when I realized I reeked of sweat and sun. I placed the ball from my pocket on my nightstand. I grabbed my clothes and a towel before I made my way down the hall to the washroom to take a nice long bath.

While I'm taking a bath, relaxing and taking my time until my dad gets home. My mind starts to wander off to baseball, 'Maybe I could fix the timing on my release.' I wanted to master my four-seam fastball before I could fix anything else. I knew my mistakes, but they were bad habits to break. I start to visualize myself, wind up everything about my form was correct until the last second, my fingers release the ball at the outer joints of my fingers.

I squeezed my face for only realizing my mistake now. I've been releasing too early. I need to keep the ball in contact until the tips of my fingers. I imagined the ball going to the home plate, but instead of it hitting the board this time. It was caught. Miyuki Kazuya was crouching down at the home plate, the ball on his glove with a grin on his face.

'Nice ball!' I let out a giggle. I couldn't wait until tomorrow.

It was the first time in months that I had a friend to play baseball with. It started getting tiring, throwing at a wooden board.

Then I realized, is he, my friend? He's been calling me by my last name, which I admit might be my fault. I haven't socialized with any kids my age since I got here. I was used to my dad introducing me to the new people we meet.

But assuming I was a boy was his fault, maybe. I couldn't blame him, though. I started tugging on my hair.

I had my caramel brown hair in a pixie cut. It's easier to play baseball with it this way, and it wouldn't get on my face. Plus, long hair was terrible when I'm sweating bullets under the sun during a game.

I'm also at least a foot taller than him, but I was the same average height as everyone else on the team. He was the smallest compared to everyone.

My clothes might've not helped me out either. I would always wear baggy shirts and basketball shorts whenever I had the chance to go out. They're hand-me-downs from my older brother, and I never complained because they're comfortable. I wonder what else that would lead to that assumption.

Then I realized, "What did he mean by the boys' baseball league?"

"I'm home!" My thought was interrupted. My dad had just got home. I quickly washed, dried up and got ready to greet him.

I went out of the washroom and headed my way to the kitchen to tell him the news.

I peeked my head out the kitchen door and saw my dad microwaving food for dinner.

My dad, Yanagi Maki, is a tall man with blue eyes and black hair. I got my eyes from him. And my hair from my mom, Yanagi Riane. My name, Mari, and my older brother's name, Kian, were a combination of my parents' names. That's the main reason why I've always been in love with my first name.

My dad notices me by the doorway, "How was your day, bun?" He asked me while he set the table and placed down the food. I took my spot on the table. "Awesome! I made my first friend today!" I told him with my hands raised to the ceiling, exaggerating how excited I am. He laughed at me, "Oh? What's their name?"

I pout at him for laughing, "His name is Miyuki Kazuya." I smiled and continued, "He's two feet shorter than me and really straightforward... He also thinks I'm a guy." I told my dad with a frown.

My dad looked at me, confused, "Why is that?" I pondered for a second, then I asked,

"Dad, did you enroll me in the boys' baseball league?"

His eyes bugged out, and he quickly checked and took out his phone. "I did the form online. There's no way I could've mistaken that..."

He found the document, and he started to nervously laugh. "Maybe I have, but it's because I believe in your skill?" He said unsurely.

My eyes widened, "What? Let me see?" I leaned over the table to check the form, and it was for a boys' baseball league. In the corner of my eyes, I realized another mistake, "Dad, you got my name wrong. Its last name then first name here."

My dad turned his phone towards him, and I could see him look so defeated. I couldn't get mad at him for trying to do the most for me when he was working 24/7.

"I'm sorry, Mari. I should've had you check it for me. What do you want to do now?" I could feel my dad's shame emitting throughout the room.

"It's okay, Dad. I made the same mistake today too. Plus, if I drop out now, it's too late to join another team." I smiled at him.

"It's okay with you?" I nodded and said, "They already think I'm a guy, so it shouldn't be too hard."

My dad finally smiled. "Only if you're fine with it. Show those suckers what you're made of." I laughed at his comment and nodded vigorously.

While eating my dinner, I kept talking about baseball and my practice today. While my dad listened to my rant, interjecting from time to time. My dad used to be a catcher in high school at Seido High School. He would give me tips on how to fix my form and a schedule each week to keep my days busy. He said it was to build good habits and refrain from getting myself injured. I would practice pitching for one day and batting for the next two days. He didn't want me to hurt my shoulder while I'm still young like he did.

"Did you wash up already?" My dad opened my door.

I was already lying down on my bed while throwing the baseball up and catching it. "Yeah!" I turned my head while trying to hide the baseball under my sheets. My dad laughed at me as he walked up to my bed and kissed my forehead.

"Goodnight, Mari. Don't be up too late" before he turned off my lamp. I watched him walk towards the door, "Goodnight, Dad." He closed the door behind him. I turned my head to the ceiling. My eyes started to feel heavy, but my mind kept thinking about Kazuya. Brief images of him today pop up. I grin to myself. 'So small.'

The thought lulled me to sleep. With the ball gripped to a change-up still on my hand.