"You what?!"

Even though Selven's voice was low, I don't think she realized I was sitting right next to them. She had a small stitch on her lip, and had to have a tooth replacement, but that was it – it was almost as if nothing had ever happened.

I could feel Samcyxk's guilty-yet-gleeful grin. "Look, I said it was impulsive; I'd never do that on purpose. Sora's Riku's boy now, and you're the only one for me."

"I still don't think it was right to kiss him, even if you weren't doing it on purpose."

"No. It wasn't, but that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it."

There was a noise and a crack of something. "Oww…That was one hard slap…But still, you have to admit he's cute."

My eyes wandered from the book we were supposed to be reading to Selven. She sighed, even turning a little pink. "Yes, I'll admit that Sora is a little bishi. But I'd never dream of doing that."

Samcyxk's mouth met hers, and she immediately shut up. When they disengaged, Sam told her, "Let's put all that behind us. Sora nd I have, and the two of us need to be at peak performance level for the 7th inning stretch."

"Yeah…I love you, Samcyxk."

"I love you, too…" That was when I looked away, convinced the next thing they'd do wouldn't be a tiny "be quiet" smooch. I stuck out my tongue, but I forgot to cover my ears – I could still hear them…

The day had flown by quickly, like the baked beans in a cafeteria food fight that I'd started once. It was dripping with a viscous rust-tinted liquid, and contained solid parts, but it was, for the most part, small and uneventful…until it hit someone's face. Okay, so that part wasn't a metaphor, but seeing baked bean juice all over Wakka's face was hilarious.

Now I found myself standing in right field, in a uniform that itched all over. Maybe, though, that was just my body and its uncontained anxiety. The teachers were coming up in the top of the 1st, and it was Luxord Coranada to lead things off.

He hit the first pitch Samcyxk threw to third base, and though he was slow, he somehow managed to beat the ball out. I could've sworn, though, that the ball was practically in Tidus' glove when Luxord wasn't even at the base, but in the blink of an eye he was slowing down to a stop down the line.

"Safe!" came Xefeclorn's call. She was first base umpire, and even though she was supposed to know all the plays and eye them carefully, she looked as confused as everyone else. Had time stopped and allowed Luxord to make it?

Nonsense. You can't stop time. Especially not Luxord. What kind of a joke is that?!

After Luxord's bizarre single, Saїx stepped up to the plate, waving his bat back and forth. His smile was unsettling; it was like he somehow knew something we didn't. Samcyxk's first pitch was a heater, and his second was a changeup that caught our coach completely off guard. But the third pitch wasn't destined to be a strike.

For one, it was down low and out of the zone. Somehow, Saїx made contact and ripped it fair down the left field line. He paraded into second with a smug grin while Luxord took third.

We got Larxene and Nurse Xigbar out, though the Nurse's was a close call. Finally, weirdo Zexion stood at home plate, talking to his bat. After long minutes of wooing a piece of wood had passed, he finally got into position.

The pitch came, and he swung and missed. Our catcher, Wakka, went to throw the ball back, but couldn't find it.

"Yoo hoo!" Zexion waved to him at first. He had a huge smile. "Missing something?!"

"There it is!" Samcyxk shouted. The ball was lying in front of Wakka, and our pitcher rushed to get it; Saїx was running in from third. Samcyxk saw this, and I could see the indecision written all over his face. Nevertheless, he scooped the ball up and dove.

Saїx was, without a doubt, out at the plate. Samcyxk had made a stellar play, and minimized the damage to only one run.

But our troubles had only just begun. Our team got no runs in the first five innings, and the teachers banged out two more. Then, in the bottom of the sixth, it was our turn to shine.

I was standing on second, part of the three-man team that loaded the bases. Up walked Riku to home plate, twirling the bat confidently. He got into position, and stared at the emerald eyes of the teachers' pitcher, Axel Korrigan.

"Swing that bat," Axel said as he went through his windup. Then he unleashed a massively quick fastball that I could barely keep up with.

"SMACK!"

I had to crane my neck upwards to see the baseball carrying towards the back wall. Xaldin Merriman, the psychology teacher, sprinted back, his eyes glued to the image of the small sphere hurtling over his head.

A foul wind began to blow. It shot into the field at full throttle, nearly knocking me out of the base line. Alas, it wasn't enough to keep Riku's monster hit in the park; it sailed over the fence, and just like that, we had taken the lead.

Cheers erupted from the sidelines as everyone came in to score. The entire team crowded home plate, and as Riku stepped on it, we jumped on him, causing him to fall to his knees. Even though it was only the sixth, it was incredible that we were beating the teachers.

Those would be the only four runs we got in the inning. The teachers were kept at bay in the 7th, and then it came: the 7th inning stretch that Samcyxk had told me so heartily about.

First, there came the familiar chorus of Take Me Out to the Ball Game. Just as the song was beginning, a large stage was being wheeled out to the middle of the infield. It didn't appear all that heavy, because only a few people were pushing. It had red curtains hanging from it, and kept a slight mysterious air about it.

Once our voices quieted, silence reigned for only a moment. There came the low buzz of speakers being turned on, and then the lights that flooded the field began to darken until it was almost impossible to see through the shadow-drenched night; it was like looking at sweat pools on someone's shirt and trying to decipher what color it had originally been.

There was a low hiss, and we all heard the curtain draw back. Then, the sound of wind chimes filled the stadium.

Light filled the area around as the sound of guitar filled our ears. There, on the stage, was Samcyxk in his street clothes, along with Xefeclorn, Taxmt, and Selven. There was a very short intro into the song before the vocals began.

"I hope the days come easy and the moments pass slow…And each road leads you where you wanna go…" Samcyxk had a voice that was pure as rain, and was very beautiful. "And if you're faced with a choice, and you have to choose…I hope you choose the one that means the most to you…"

Slowly, the stands began emptying; people were going out onto the field to enjoy the musical show Samcyxk's band was putting on – most began dancing. I saw Saїx and Larxene come out holding hands amidst many whistles and high-pitched squeals.

I looked at Riku, and I could see the sweat drops running down his forehead; was he thinking what I was thinking? Of course I wanted to ask him for a dance, but I was so damn nervous and afraid of everyone's reaction.

"My wish…for you…is that this life becomes all that you want it to! Your dreams stave in; your worries stay small…! You never need to carry more than you can hold! And while you're out there getting where you're getting to…I hope you know somebody loves you! Yeah…this…is my wish…" Samcyxk belted out the chorus in a classic tone, and I remembered that he had specifically told me the band had picked out songs for Riku and I.

So I looked to my best friend…the one I loved. He turned to me, and half the team was fixated on us. I got up, and took a deep breath. "Riku…" There was a glint in his eyes, a hopeful shine.

"…Will you…dance with me?" Naturally I'd never danced a step in my life, but there wasn't going to be a better time to learn.

The team gasped, and did so once again as Riku got up and took my hands. "I thought you'd never ask."

The two of us walked out of the dugout hand-in-hand as everyone stopped and turned to us. The music slowed for a moment as we nodded to each other. The guitar started up again. Samcyxk repeated the chorus with added gusto as Riku and I began to dance. Some people cheered; everyone else kept on enjoying the music.

Then, the song came to its close, and I realized that time was flying while the two of us danced. The field went quiet as Samcyxk spoke into the microphone. "This next song's for all you slow lovers out there." He winked at me, and it didn't take a rocket scientist to know he was up to something.

The all-too-obvious opening riff of Cat Scratch Fever gave it away. Xefeclorn began to rock out on her Firebird.

"Just kidding!"

The guitar continued for a few more seconds before Samcyxk added his impression of Ted Nugent, which was quite well done…something Frank Caliendo could never do. That song went on, and Xefeclorn added a bit more to the solo, and before I knew it, it was over.

Onstage, Samcyxk had pulled out a cowbell. He began banging it while Selven added percussion to the mix; Taxmt and Xefeclorn came in only seconds later with guitar work. I couldn't place the song until Samcyxk sang the opening lines.

"Have you seen her? So fine and pretty…fooled me with her style and ease. And I feel her from ACROSS the room! Yes, it's love in the third degree!"

It was one of the only light songs from Van Halen. But Dance the Night Away was the perfect ballad for what Riku and I were feeling. It was one of my favorites, and I had never heard a better cover.

Finally, when that was over, Samcyxk announced there was one piece left. The lights began to dim until a sort of limelight shone on the stage. Selven began a military-style soft drumming pattern that was followed by Xefeclorn's guitar, though this was mellower and sounded more like a violin.

It seemed like minutes before Samcyxk started talking into the microphone in his gorgeous, melodic voice. "I could stay awake…just to hear you breathin'…Watch you smile when you are sleepin'…While your far away and dreamin'…I could spend my life in this sweet surrender…I could stay lost in this moment…forever…Where a moment spent with you is a moment I treasure…!"

There were numerous whoops coming from the audience, and I couldn't help but join in. This was only one of the most famous songs ever created, and the band did an amazing job on it.

"I don't wanna close my eyes…I don't wanna fall asleep, 'cause I'd miss you, baby…And I don't wanna miss a thing! 'Cause even when I dream of you…The sweetest dream would never do. I'd still miss you, baby, and I don't wanna miss a thing…!"

Riku and I began a slow dance, and I let my head rest on his chest. He leaned down and kissed the top of my head.

"Lyin' close to you…Feeling your heart beatin'! And I'm wonderin' what you're dreamin'…Wonderin' if it's me you're seeing! Then I kiss your eyes…" Riku did. "…And thank God we're together! I just wanna stay with you in this moment forever. Forever and ever!"

Tears welled up in my eyes; this song spoke the words I myself could not find in my voice to tell Riku myself. I looked up at him, and we were thinking the exact same thing. We leaned in close and kissed.

"Hey, I don't wanna miss one smile…I don't wanna miss on kiss…I just wanna be with you, right here with you…just like this…I just wanna hold you close…Feel your heart so close to mine…And just stay here in this moment for all the rest of time. Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! YEEEAAHHHHH!!" Confetti shot out of cannons along the stage.

Throughout the final chorus, Riku and I swayed back and forth. The final strums on Xefeclorn's guitar gave me chills, but the ending was complete and utterly incredible. Everyone there burst into wild applause. The band all bowed, and the curtains were drawn.

Now everyone filed back to their places, and Riku and I went back to the dugout. Once the mess was cleaned up, I was sure that we'd go on to give the teachers their first loss. Our energy was so much that it was impossible for us to lose.

But that didn't matter right now. I looked into Riku's eyes and was hopelessly lost in an azure ocean.

Yay! Only one chapter left!

And, the songs sang by the band, The Foundation, were:

My Wish - Rascal Flatts

Cat Scratch Fever -Ted Nugent

Dance the Night Away - Van Halen

I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing- Aerosmith