"I haven't seen it yet." Jamie said pulling into the parking spot. "also I haven't been here in a couple of weeks so."
"Oh, so this is a surprise for yourself too?" Eddie got out of the passenger seat, grabbing the camera from the back seat.
"Yeah," Jamie replied. He grabbed his backpack from the back as well. "It's over here." Jamie followed the path he walked plenty of times in the near three months his friend had been gone. Jamie knew it was near, Eddie watched him closely, but he seemed to be okay for now.
"Wow." Eddie smiled slightly. She watched Jamie kneel touching the three feet or so back of the marble tombstone with one hand.
'In Loving Memory
Mason Derek Reid
Beloved Grandson, Son, Brother, and Best-Friend
June 11, 1983 - March 3, 2000'
There on the stone had a picture of Mason, brown hair, hazel eyes in a tux smiling, it was his Senior yearbook photograph.
"It came out better than I could have imagined." Jamie smiled, his eyes were glazed.
"It's amazing," Eddie added in awe.
"We did Mas, State is ours." Jamie smiled, remembering yesterday's win against Prolific prep. The team had won and claimed state again for the second time in a row. Mason's family was there including his grandparents, which Jamie had not seen since Mason's funeral.
YESTERDAY
The game was insanely popular, and for the first time in New York's state history a high school baseball game sold out a college stadium that capacity sat 2,500, the game was also locally televised.
On Jamie what could be Jamie's last pitch the Aggies were up by one in the bottom of the 9th, this pitch could very well decide the game with 2 outs, all eyes were literally on him, he set up for the last pitch, he launched the ball straight down the middle but surprisingly the batter smacked the ball into right field, Jamie's heart stalled for a second watching the ball fly over his head, Liam ran hard to try and save the ball but starting from where he ran from it was damn near impossible to catch the ball where it was landing, but that obstacle didn't discourage him, right before the ball was going to land Liam dived for it he was going so fast that he also rolled a couple of times until he stopped. A pin could literally be heard dropping inside of the stadium, in wait to see if he had caught it or not, and just like that he stood up and held his glove up with the ball in clear sight.
"The batters out!" The umpire yelled. The boys threw their gloves in the air running straight for Liam tackling him to the ground.
"Your 2000 New York State champions! Bedford Aggies!" the announcer spoke into the mic.
"How the hell did you catch that!?" they said to Liam. After receiving the trophy Jamie had finally seen his family and Mason's on the field.
"Congratulations Jamie and the team." Malcolm smiled hugging Jamie first.
"Mason is so proud of all you boys." David got his hug next. After receiving the congratulations and the talks from his family members and Mason's he had finally seen Eddie he walked up to her and just kissed her giving her a hug as well, it sure as hell shocked his mother and siblings, they had never kissed before at least that's what they thought ;).
"I knew you could do it, kid." Eddie smiled. The boys were called over by their coach who held the state trophy, The trophy was gold and was in the shape of the whole New York State.
"Let's take a picture." Coach Troy smiled. They had brought Mason's number 8 Jersey from school, it was still framed. One of the assistant coaches handed the frame to Jamie, some of the boys lay down some of the boys kneeled some of them stood but the trophy was dead center.
"Smile on three… one, two, three." countdown captured a picture of a lifetime.
"Jamie," Liam called walking up he also had a backpack.
"Liam." Jamie stood up.
"Hi, Eddie." Eddie smiled and waved. "Kastin and the others are grabbing their bags but everyone is here." he walked up to the stone, he let out a soft sigh. "It looks great."
"I know." Jamie smiled.
"It's been a while since I was last here, I'm going to make it a mission to come here more until I leave for college."
"Where are you going to school?" Eddie asked.
"BYU Hawaii."
"Hawaii? lucky! Congratulations!"
"I will be visiting," Jamie added.
"Of course, I'll have an apartment so you and the guys can visit whenever."
"Sounds great to me." Kastin and the rest of the team walked up. Liam laughed. "Mason." He sighed.
"I got it." Alex held up the state trophy. "Although it wasn't easy convincing Principal Lehman."
"Crazy we're the ones who worked our asses off for it." one teammate complain.
"So how are we going to do this." The team looked at Jamie.
"Well since we're already wearing our jerseys we'll start off with that," Jamie said. Alex stared at Liam's jersey.
"Liam, yours is still stained with grass, you didn't wash it?" The whole left side of his white jersey was damn near green.
"Of course not! this is the game-winning catch jersey I'll never wash it!"
"Gross." they laughed at that small comment.
"Well for memories we can start by taking pictures next to the stone one by one." Eddie held the camera. Eddie took photos of each and every dear teammate Mason had on the team. "Alright, I got them." She looked through all the photos on the camera. "Now let's take one with the whole team." Eddie pointed them all into the perfect positions, the trophy again in the center. "Ready you guys." They all smiled for the photo, soon after the photo the seniors pulled out the gowns they received earlier this morning at school from their backpacks, all nine seniors knew that graduation was Saturday and after that it would be most likely that they would go their separate ways, with college training, moving and the activities that come along with college.
"We look pretty nice in these." Liam looked down their teal blue gowns, Jamie being an honor student and valedictorian his gown was white.
"Let me see that." he handed him a diploma book. Jamie opened it only to find nothing inside.
"They wouldn't give us the actual diploma." Kastin laughed.
"They probably thought we wouldn't show up to graduation if they had." Jamie laughed too.
"We'll do the same thing as last time, individual photos first and then a group senior one." while the boys were getting ready for the photos one of the boys walked up to Jamie.
"I like Eddie, no offense but Teresa was a pain in the ass." One of the teammates whispered to Jamie.
"I know." he laughed back. Eddie wanted them to do exactly what they did for the last set of photos, this time they were in their caps and gowns holding the diploma books also having one placed neatly in front of Mason's stone.
When it was Jamie's turn all he could think about was how Mason won't be there to walk across the stage with them, sadly and it broke all of their hearts, their ace, the kid they played little league and high school ball with wasn't even there for when they won state and it for sure hurt all of them like hell. After taking the photos the guys all talked a little bit reminiscing about the past and what awaits them in the future, they hadn't had a talk like this in a long time, at least that's what they could remember, when the sun began to set they all knew it was time to go tomorrow is the last day of school so they needed to be home and get ready for that, each and every boy said their goodbyes to Mason until it was just Jamie and Eddie left.
"Your teammates are nice." Eddie sat beside Jamie, he had taken his eyes off the stone since the had arrived honestly.
"Yeah, they're cool people," Jamie said still staring at the stone.
"I think the photos turned out great, I'll get them printed out tomorrow and give them to everyone-"
"I can't tell you the last time we all were able to sit around and talk like that." Jamie reminisced. "I was so cruel to them after Mason died. I wanted nothing to do with any of them... really anyone."
"I know." Eddie put her arm around him. "But you were grieving,"
"I shouldn't have been like that and still after I blew them off and all they still were there for me but I wasn't for them," he said sadly.
"Tragedy affects people in different ways," Eddie said
"Yeah, you're right." They both stood up grabbing their things, getting one last glance at the grave before saying their goodbyes. "You know one of them said that they think you're great," Jamie said smiling watching her responds.
"Really who!?" Eddie was honestly surprised.
"Xavier, he's one of the sophomores." He opened the car door for her.
"That's so nice." Eddie was genuinely happy.
"Well let's get you home." Jamie dropped her off at home. when he had returned to his own home there was a car in the driveway he hadn't recognized. He shut off the car, going inside his home, he heard voices in the living room.
"I'm home." Jamie kicked his shoes off going into the kitchen grabbing water.
"Jamie! come in here." his father called from the living room. When Jamie walked in he saw his father sitting across from a man in a suit which he was pretty sure, it was a detective.
"Hello." Jamie stuck his hand out to shake the man's hand.
"Congratulations on your win yesterday. I'm Detective Ackerman.". He shook Jamie's hand.
"Jamie this is one of my good friends." Jamie smiled he thought it was odd he thought he knew all of his dads 'good friends' but he smiled anyways how could he know right?
"Jamie, Detective Ackerman wanted to ask you a few questions."
"Okay, Jamie sat down."
"So what can you tell me about Armin Janko," Jamie's eyes widened. "He's not in trouble or anything, I'm overlooking him for a job, I just want to know a few details if you have them." His father looked to agree, Jamie suspicions flew out the window.
"Well, there's not much I can tell you, I honestly met the man last week."
"You're father tells me you've been dating his daughter for months and you just barely met him?" Jamie looked at the detective awkwardly.
"Well, yeah, her parents are always out of town."
"Do you know why they're out of town?"
"Honestly I don't know, either business or just travel," Jamie answered innocently.
"Okay, great we're still deciding if he's the candidate for the job."
"Oh, okay." Jamie stood up getting ready to leave.
"Oh and Jamie, don't mention this to Eddie or anyone in the Janko household." his father mentioned.
"I won't say anything." He assured his father. "Goodnight dad, Goodnight Mr. Ackerman." Jamie walked upstairs they waited till they heard the door close.
"Did we have to lie to him?" Frank looked over at the detective.
"Unfortunately, we don't know if he would tell them."
"Like you, all may know it's the last day of school the classroom erupted in cheers. "Settle down!" Coach Troy laughed. "I have received all of your photos for the final project and I wanted to say I liked each and everyone one of them, however, one that I'm very fond of is Eddie's and Jamie's," the class eyes landed on the two. The coach pulled up the photographs.
"Awe." one girl said, she sees the photo of Jamie kneeling, smiling in his cap and gown holding the diploma book next to Mason's tombstone.
"This is good you guys."
"Those of you who were here at the beginning of the school year, you, of course, knew Mason Reid, the goofy lighthearted kid, that was Jamie was stuck to like glue and vice versa," the class laughed. "I mean I had the two of them in my class for three years and each time they were partners. But honestly class, I had a lot of you here since you were freshman and half of my class now are seniors and I just wanted to say I wish you kids a great life, be honest and true to your craft." He smiled go ahead and talk amongst each other until the bell rings, have a great summer."
"This is really it." Jamie sighed.
"Yeah, it's crazy." Eddie agreed and for the last time ever in their lives that bell dismissed them.
"Jamie." The coach called, Jamie stopped before he walked out the door. "Can I talk to you for a second?" Eddie walked outside the class to wait in the hall.
"What's up coach," Jamie asked.
"I just wanted to say, I'm sorry." Jamie looked at him, confused.
"For-"
"I pushed you kid, I pushed you hard and it wasn't right, you boys were grieving and I pushed you guys back into baseball right after we lost Mas.
"Coach, it was a push we all needed." The coach heart lifted a bit. "If it wasn't for you and a lot of people I'd probably still be depressed and to myself, you helped me overcome that."
"Really?" The coach never saw that side of it.
"Really, and look where we are today. We just won state, that's the goal we all could not have achieved if it wasn't for each other."
"Jamie you really are a great kid, I wish you luck at Columbia, don't be a stranger come to visit from time to time." The coach shook his hand for the final time.
"Jameson Henry Reagan." Jamie walked across the stage, he shook hands with the principal, assistant principal, and dean of students, they handed him the booklet, A couple of other students were called then:
"Mason Derek Reid." The crowd and students erupted in applause and cheers. Mason's mother and father walked across the stage receiving their son's diploma. Many many names later it was time for.
"Edit Marie Janko." she walked across the stage, he shook hands with the principal, assistant principal, and dean of students, they handed her a booklet.
Throw the crowds and commotion the family finally met up in the parking lot, The grounds were flooded with teal and white gowns, Jamie waited for Eddie as he watched as kids were taking pictures with each other for what could be the last time they see each other before they begin the rest of their lives.
"Jamie, want to take a picture?" Lauren asked, Jamie was a bit shocked, Lauren was his first serious girlfriend.
"Sure." Her mom held the camera while the too prepared to take the photo. The two smiled for the picture.
"Thanks, Jamie, congratulations again!" She smiled and walked off.
"Hey.." She smiled she had a bouquet of flowers, her parents were right behind her. "Hello, Mr. and Ms. Janko."
"Hey, we loved your speech by the way." Armin greeted.
"Thank you, and oh! Ms. Janko! this is my Father, Frank and Mother, Mary," Jamie introduced, Eddie's mother had yet to meet Jamie's parents.
"Nice to meet you." They smiled and greeted.
"Would you like your gifts now or later?" Frank asked Jamie.
"Umm now!" Jamie was completely surprised to receive anything from them.
"Oh, kid, here." Joe handed him a wrapped rectangle box.
"For me?" Jamie took the box.
"No for Danny, Of course, it's for you!" Joe spat.
"Can I open it?" he already began peeling the paperback. "Really Joe?" Jamie smiled, It was a gold Rolex watch inside.
"You always take mine so I figured I'd drop a few hundred for you to have your own." Jamie hugged him.
"I swear I'll keep it forever." Jamie held it.
"You better," Joe smirked.
"Also here." Danny and Erin handed Jamie an envelope. "From both of us." Jamie slowly opened the envelope.
"Yankees vs Red socks tickets! How did you guys even score these?!"
"We know some people." Erin rolled her eyes at Danny's comment.
"Thank you guys so much." Jamie was over the moon.
"One more thing." Frank smiled. "Jamie you are a great kid and we're all so proud of you." his family smile along with Mason's parents and brother and Eddie and her parents. "You've made me crazy proud, and words can't explain how grateful me and mother are for you, we were thinking about waiting until you turned 18 in three weeks but, we thought it would be a great graduation gift as well, you're going to be back-and-forth from Columbia and who knows maybe Massachusetts in two years." Frank tossed him something metal and shiny. He caught it with his other free hand.
"Keys- you got me a car?!"
"You deserve it kid." David smiled.
"He pressed the button on the keyboard, hearing a honk." It was a black 1999 honda civic, it still looks to be fairly new considering the model came out last year.
"I- I have no words at all.. like seriously. Thank you so much." Jamie hugging his mom first. Eddie smiled at his excitement.
"I don't know about you but I think it's a perfect time to go and have dinner." Erin smiled.
TBC
That chapter in their young lives is closed! STAY TUNED! Next, we'll see how Eddie's father situation is going to pan out also how Jamie will help her deal with it? I don't know! What would YOU like to read next? Stay tuned I promise the story will get better
Review PLEASE good or bad it inspires me to write! if you like this story let me know!