March, 15

"What are you doing, Coach?" Jamie took his earbud out. Coach Troy sat on the floor across from Jamie.

"Library huh? I talked to all the guys, They said you haven't been at lunch."

"Well I haven't been hungry," Jamie responded.

"They miss you, they said you haven't been around since the funeral last week." Jamie stayed quiet. "My alarm went off this morning. Like it always does... I rolled right back over, didn't want to get out of bed. Then I heard this annoying voice in my head. Mason's voice. 'Let's get this work in today!'" slight chuckles from the both of them. "The one thing he loved to do is play baseball. I think we need to play baseball."

"Now?" Jamie quaked.

"Now."

"Why me?" Jamie sighed his eyes glazed.

"You're his best friend. The guys are looking at you to see if it's okay to play again."

"Please, don't put this on me, Coach." Jamie pleaded.

"Sorry. I just did." Coach Troy left a green and silver cotton braided bracelet, they get those every year for baseball. Jamie picked up the bracelet, 'Senior Captain Mason Reid #8'"

"Can you pass the potatoes." Jamie asked, immediately receiving them. His family had been at his beck and call which slightly annoyed him.

"New bracelet Jaime?" Henry asked, taking another bite of his pot roast.

"Yeah, pops." Jamie smiled. "Coach gave me Mason's" Nothing could slip past Henry he notices the smallest things.

"That's sweet," Linda added from her side of the table.

"Is the team ready to get back on the field?" Erin asked. The question bring tension in the air.

"No, I don't even talk to the guys. No one goes to practice and we've already missed three games—"

"You don't talk to the guys?" Joe repeated.

"That's what I said," Jamie said with attitude. Joe would usually put him in his place but he let this one slide.

"Well, why is the question." Danny gripped.

"I just don't want to okay? I was close with Mas and quite frankly I don't wanna be close with anyone else."

"You can still talk to them, their grieving just as you are." Mary objected.

"Yeah well," Jamie said with no interest ready to end the conversation. "Can I be excused, Lots of homework." His father gave him a nod.

"He'll come around," Frank said to the rest of the table.

March, 19

"Hey, Principal Lehman?" Jamie ran up to the man.

"Yes, Jamie?"

"Can I do something?"

"The Aggie Softball team won last night 5 to 0, and last night's Baseball game against Baker High was another loss, due to forfeit." The principal ended the announcement.

"Good morning, everybody. I just wanted to say that— that last announcement... well, it sucked." The principal eyed Jamie down. "Mas would've hated it. Giving up a game without a fight and to Baker… The thought of playing baseball again makes me almost physically ill, but I'm gonna do it... I'm gonna go to practice today because it's what Mas would have wanted me to do. And I hope the rest of the team joins me today too, because the thing is, I don't want Mas to ever hear again that we lost a game for not showing up." Jamie let go of the intercom button.

"Hey, do you want to start that project this week?" Eddie looks up from her notebook making sure he was talking to her.

"Sure, if you want to!" Eddie exclaimed. Jamie hadn't spoken to her since their last encounter in the hallway two weeks ago.

"Alright well, there's only seven weeks left, figured we'd start soon."

"You can come over to my place this weekend if you're free." Eddie offered. Jamie took a moment before responding "Or—"

"Your place is cool, just let me know the address."

"Okay here." Eddie folded the piece of paper handing it over.

"Well, physically they're all here. Mentally, I'd say they're at 10%." half of the team sat hunched over on the bench in the dugout, the other half sat on the field picking grass. "Certainly don't think they're ready for a game on Tuesday." Assistant coach Noel observed.

"Alright, everybody, huddle up." He watched the lack of effort from them. "Let's go, let's go. Huddle up." He clapped his hands in urgency.

"I know being here is tough. But believe me, you're gonna be glad you have something else to focus on…" Sniffling heard from the team. "We're all hurting. But here, you can take that hurt and apply it to the game you love to play. What do you say? No time like right now. Here we go. My starters head to your positions, rest of the team lineup at home, Hit the ball to third base." Jamie stayed on 1st base, rest of the boys made it to their positions, They all stared at the empty pitcher's mound, where Mason should be.

"Can't do the drill without a pitcher, Coach," Noel exclaimed.

"Okay, never-mind that let's just warm up our arms and throw the ball. Get a partner. Here we go." He clapped again in urgency. They have the same partner they had all pre-season. Expect Jamie.

"I don't know if we can do this, Coach. Just being here…" Kastin choked, noticing Jamie partner-less.

"That's enough! you all know Mason Reid never cried on this field and neither will any of you!" The coach shouted. "Anybody's upset? Do they need to cry? They can do it outside these fences!" Liam grabbed his bag, running off sobbing. Coach Troy closed his eyes letting out a regretful a sigh. Emotions overcame Jamie, he rushed off grabbing his bag. The rest of the team soon followed.

Frank walked into the kitchen refilling his wine glass. He peeked over into the living room at Jamie, he was looking through a photo album "Are you going to practice tomorrow?"

"I don't even know if there's gonna be one." Frank knew about the situation that happened in practice today.

"Coach thinks that people are looking to me to keep the team going," Jamie explained.

"Well, what do you think?" Frank sat down on the couch next to his son.

"I think that Mas could do it, if it was him, but I'm not as strong as him" Jamie stared at the photograph from last summer the photograph showed Jamie, Joe and Mason they were poolside soaking wet with one arm around each other, smiling.

"Mas brought out your inner strength. He really did." Jamie continued staring at the photo. "But, remember, you can't bring out something that isn't already there."

March, 20

"The last thing that Mas said to me was that 'This was gonna be our year.' He was gonna play hard and so should we. And I know that our odds aren't good without Mas, but even if we could win just one game shouldn't we at least try?, I know I haven't been here for you guys and I'm sorry. I was distant and i thought that would help me grieve. You guys are my boys and I'm sorry for that."

"No need for an apology Jamie." Liam countered.

"We can do this." Owen added.

"Does that sound good to you guys?" The team all agreed.

"We can talk all day about what we want, but the only way to make that happen is to bust our butts out here. First thing we gotta do is find us a new pitcher. Usually takes three to five years to groom a new pitcher. We don't have that kind of time, now, do we?- We can't take someone from the freshman team and put them on varsity as a pitcher. It wouldn't matter they can't throw the speed that these other pitchers around the five boroughs are throwing."

"Alright, let's work. Noel, they're all yours. Okay, line up!" Each player had a certain pitch to throw.

"Fastball right down the middle, to Kastin let's go." Liam threw the ball so far off it wasn't even in the box, from what it seemed every other player, did the same.

"Reagan. You're up," Coach Troy shouted frustrated, he might actually have to take a freshman and put them on the mound. "Fast ball straight down the middle to Kastin." He took a deep breath before stepping on the mound his best-friend pitched on all of high school. Jamie winded, up perfectly for the pitch, launched the ball straight down the middle.

"Reagan." Coach Troy uttered in shock.

"Two-seam- fastball." Noel shouted.

"I don't really know how to throw that." Jamie gotten into position anyways and pegged the ball.

"That's something for someone who didn't know how to throw it."

"Geez Reagan." Kastin tossed the ball back.

"I need a word with Jamie, everyone else warm up."

"So are you willing to be our new pitcher?"

"I-" Noel handed Jamie a binders filled with paper. "I know our plays, you guys."

"You know the plays that you ran." Noel corrected. "Now you need to know which plays, the pitcher throws, study them."

"What the hell is all that?" Danny observed the binders Jamie was carrying with his bag on his back. Danny reached over, opening the door, making it easier for him to get in. "Take those cleats off before you get in my car."

"Thanks." Jamie placed them on the seat, throwing his baseball bag in the back seat. Danny took a binder and skimmed through it.

"Are these for pitch- are you pitcher now?" Danny's voice filled with shock and excitement.

"Yeah, I guess."

"You, you guess? congratulations."

"Not really." Jamie stated.

"Jaime why?"

"Because it's not my position."

"Kid-"

"Don't worry about it, Danny I appreciate the congratulations."

March, 20

"Hi, is Eddie home?"

"Who?"

"Eddie Janko?"

"Ohhh Edit! one second I'll get her." Moments later, Eddie open the door.

"Hey, Jamie." She took a second to admire his outfit, He had on a black plain shirt with grey sweats, with a professional camera around his neck, She thought that was incredibly hot "Come in." Jamie accepting the invite.

"Wow. You're officially never coming to my place." Her house was huge.

"Next study date is at yours." She couldn't believe she had just said 'date.' "Uh. Hey Lisa we're going to go up stairs to my room and study!" Eddie shouted.

"Wait, is that your mom?" Jamie said following her hesitantly up the stairs.

"She's our housekeeper, she's really cool. My mom and dad are taking a trip through Europe, they won't be back for another two weeks. She laid on her bed, flicking through the TV channel's.

"You can sit here Jamie." He awkwardly stood at the door, not knowing if it was okay to sit on the bed or if he should sit on the floor. "Never been in a girl's room before?"

"Not without sneaking in." He laughed finally sitting on the bed.

"Knew you were a ladies man Jamie."

"Oh, no.." He denied.

"Yeah right-"

"What about you? you're probably going to call your boyfriend as soon as I leave."

"Boyfriend!?" She laughed hysterically. "I have three people I talk to.. Chloe from gym, Denise I met at lunch and you Reagan."

"Aww, I'm honored." She playfully hit him.

"So what's up with baseball?"

"Umm. It's good I think, the first practice back was terrible, but our last one.. we're making progress, State isn't even our main objective anymore-"

"Why not?" She interrupted

"We can't do it without Mas."

"There's no 'I' in team Reagan."

"I just… I never thought that my senior year would be like this, you know?" He uttered fiddling around with the camera.

"Yeah. You know, I only met him once but he seemed like a great person."

"Mas was the best... The best. I really wanna win this first game back for him. Win or lose."

"You're making him proud. I know it."

"Thank you, that's the dream."

"What about college? you two were supposed to go to Los Angeles together?"

"I don't know.. and it's not because Mason isn't here anymore, I wasn't sure about it even before everything happened.. It's another reason why I haven't committed. UCLA is a great school don't get me wrong, the coaches are amazing, they even came for Mason's wake but-" Jamie took a second.

"But you think if you couldn't do it when Mason was here you can't do it now that he's gone." She spoke his thoughts better than he could have.

"If I'm being honest."

"Jamie, just let me say this to you.. Don't let anyone push you into something you don't want to do-"

"That's funny that's exactly what Mason said."

"But then again don't miss out on an opportunity because you're scared of what the future holds." The two spent the remainder of their time 'studying', watching TV and mainly talking, Eddie told Jamie all about her old life upstate and what it was like there compared to here. Jamie told her all about adventures him and Mason had growing up, the endless laughs their shared together.

"What time is it?" She reached over fixing her alarm clock that was facing the other way.

"9:54 P.M.!"

"We spent four hours talking." He laughed in disbelief "My sister is going to be here at 10:00 and we don't even know what we're going to do."

"We'll figure it out later right?"

"You've spent to much time around me… falling into my ways"

"Okay hush Reagan."

"I'll leave the camera here with you. But I guess you'll have to invite me over for another study date."

"So this is a date?" She grinned.

"Isn't that what you said in-front of Lisa?" Jamie mused.

"Ugh get out." Laughing had become a regular tonight with the two.

"Okay... Eddie thanks for today."

"Even though we didn't do anything but it was fun.." The eye contact deepened between the two, Jamie began to close the gap between them, landing a soft kiss onto her lips.

"Edit! your friend ride is here!" Lisa shouted from down stairs, Eddie pulled back from the kiss that shot butterflies all threw out her body.

"Wow." He whispered.

"I know.." Eddie agreed. "I'll walk you down."

"I guess our next study date will be us actually making ideas for our photo."

"Most definitely. See you Monday Reagan."

"See you Janko." She closed the door.

"What are you all smiley about?" Jamie caught himself and immediately fixed his grin.

"Nothing Erin." He closed the door.

"I'm not pulling off until you tell me."

"Okay-okay just go first okay?"

"Okay spill it." Erin gushed.

"Promise you won't tell say anything to anyone?" She nodded. "I kissed Eddie."

"Eddie?.. Eddie's a-"

"A girl.. Come on Erin." Jamie defended.

"Mom just asked if I could pick you up from Eddie's house she never gave a gender!"

"Well anyways, I kissed her and it was weird,"

"Weird how?" Erin replied.

"I had this feeling.. I don't know it felt good but-I've kissed girls before… and it never felt that way."

"Awe! Jamie, you like her!" He groaned at her comment. "That's not a bad thing, I think it's cute!"

"For hours we were suppose to be studying but all we did was watch TV and talk."

"Why can't I tell Joe!?" Erin eagerly said, pulling into the driveway of their home.

"Because as much as I love him he'll tell Danny and then mom will find out and it'll just ruin it all! you promised Erin!" Jamie scolded.

"Okay! I won't say a thing!" Erin promised.

TBC!

Thank you for all the reviews! I really love that you guys liked the story so released two chapters! Please review, Follow and Like! it inspired me to write all this.