Clementine had never been one for baseball. Frankly, she considered it boring compared to other sports (hockey and football, more specifically) due to its family friendly nature. With football, you have already angry, middle-aged, mostly white men together, so conflicts are inevitable. But once booze gets involved? Oh man, you better hope you're not supporting a hated team or else you were definitely going to get your ass kicked. In hockey, the players are the ones socking each other and it quickly becomes Fight Club when the spectators start picking sides. You don't get that in baseball, though.
Her parents (more her dad than her mom) were huge Atlanta Braves fans and used to take her downtown to watch the games at Turner Field. She remembered how large the stadium was- housing gifts shops, restaurants, and even a museum. Ed usually got the best seats right by the field, too. When their mascot, Homer the Brave, strutted out on the field, she would be able to poke him if she stuck her hand only entertaining bit during that snooze fest was when the baseball looking thing arrived and led a dance with all the kids. Seven-year-old Clementine loved it. Thirteen-year-old Clementine? Not so much. She needed a brawl (preferably from drunks in the stand), and you weren't going to get that from an anthropomorphic baseball who danced to Katy Perry.
But that was the MLB, not youth baseball. Youth baseball was an entirely different ball game (how ironic). Take the rowdiness and die-hard loyalty of the football fans, the crudeness of hockey fans, and mix it together to get a horrific amalgamation that are the Little League parents. The worst of both of them. Clementine didn't think it was possible, but these people may have been the most batshit insane group she had ever encountered- and that was saying a lot. The game hadn't even started yet and tensions were already brewing between the home and visiting team.
The highlight of her day would be seeing a bunch of soccer (baseball?) moms duking it out in the stands. At least when the world was shit, people were turning on each other due to food, supplies, and paranoia. Not because their precious angel struck out; which to them was a rigged move by the umpire.
The field Duck was playing at is nowhere near as nice as Turner Field. There were no restaurants, individual seats, or even bathrooms- just two port-a-potties, long, metal benches, and a college kid selling ice-cream, sodas, and pretzels at the snack bar. Of course, she wasn't expecting anything spectacular, but sitting on metal in nearly ninety-degrees while wearing shorts does not feel good. Like, the back of her thighs were on fire.
Kenny sat down beside her while Katjaa rummaged through her large summer bag, eventually pulling out a bottle of spray-on sunscreen. "Here, sweetie," she said as she handed it to the teenage girl. "Your mother texted me and asked for you to put this on. I don't want you getting burnt; it's how you get cancer."
Oh yeah, she completely forgot about sunblock. If she encountered Lee or his family, she did not want to be redder than a dish from Red Lobster. She unscrews the cap and stands up to put it on, but Katjaa quickly stops her.
"Oh, you shouldn't do it here, honey! The wind will blow it back and hit people. Try going near the bathroom."
Clementine nods and began to make her way outside of the stands to where the old, disgusting port-a-potties were. Shit and sunscreen together probably didn't smell too good. However, before she can leave, Kenny gently grabs her by the arm and pulls out his wallet.
"Sorry if this is too much to ask, darling," he says, rummaging to find five dollars. "But, I got a hankering right now for a salt pretzel. Could you stop by the stand and get me one during your travels? Maybe, you can get one for yourself, too?"
If Kenny wanted a pretzel, she was going to damn well get him a pretzel. She'd get him all the pretzels in the world. That's the least he deserved after he what did for her (or didn't considering none of the events of the past four years ever happened). She owed him for that key-chain, which she now kept nestled in her pocket. "Yeah, I'll get you huge one," she smiled and Kenny laughed.
"You're always good for a smile, Clem. Don't worry, I'll save your seat!"
And with that, she's off.
The only thing that might smell worse on a hot day than walker guts is shit. What happens if you get a bunch of old people together with already weak digestive systems and give them greasy food and port-a-potties that probably haven't been clean since before Clementine was born? The smell of death. She's stood far away as possible from them- right in the parking lot- but she was still gagging. Any appetite she had was gone. It also didn't help that angle she was standing at was causing the sunscreen to spray right into her face.
Maybe she could have covered herself up better, but whatever. She didn't burn too much- her mom and Katjaa were just being paranoid. She'd be fine. Besides, judging from the cheers and jeers from inside, the game was starting. Clementine wanted to get back with the pretzels before she missed anything.
The poor guy running the booth is being overwhelmed by the line quickly forming. Looks like everyone else had a hankering for pretzels, too. Clementine hopped into the back of the line and languished for the next fifteen minutes. The hot sun was beating down on her. Oh, if she had any extra money, she was going to buy herself a nice cold can of Coke.
After waiting for a batch of pretzels to be made and hearing the bitching of angry soccer moms because they were missing their 'stars' play, Clementine could finally order. The snack bar was technically inside- part of the administration building- and so she was significantly cooler than before. There were three windows, but only one was open. They had an ice-cream machine, bottles and cans of soda in the fridge, pretzels slowly turning on display, and rows of candy in the back. She took a step forward and put her money on the counter with a smile-
And then some bitch cut in front of her.
Now, Clementine realized it was quite rude to refer to this woman as a 'bitch', and her parents would surely disapprove, but some people are just bitches. She knew this from experience. Whether it was stealing your boat, blaming a child for someone's death and then robbing them blind, or cutting in line at a snack bar, people were bitches. That's just the way the world works. The Clementine from three or four years ago would have maybe let them go or meekly stated that she was here first, but the Clementine today had no time for bitches. If you wanted to survive in a world gone to shit, you put your foot down and start swinging if you have to.
"Excuse me," she begins, eyes narrowing as she puts her hands on her hips. "I was here first."
The woman doesn't either hear her or simply doesn't care. It's most likely the latter and that pisses her off even more. That and the fact that she looks absolutely ridiculous.
She was like a reject of that chick from the Dukes of Hazzard with her Daisy Duke shorts, knee-high cowboy boots, and a plaid shirt that was tied up to be a crop top over a neon pink bra. That wasn't what was ridiculous, though. Clementine was fine with someone confident with their body and deciding to show off (though it was suicidal to be exposed back when walkers could get the chomp on you at any time). No, the worst aspects of the outfit were the large cowboy hat she wore, thick sunglasses, and how she decided to put her blonde hair in long, low pigtails. That's what took it to being just revealing to being downright tacky. You're not a cowgirl, lady.
"Excuse me," Clementine repeats again, this time getting her attention. The woman turns around. "I was in line first."
Oh, she had earbuds to. The beautiful blonde pops them off and gasps, putting a hand to her chest. "Oh my God, were you in line first?"
"Yeah… I just said that."
'Daisy Duke' covers her face and exhales loudly. "Oh my God, I feel so bad! I'm so sorry, I didn't hear you!"
"It's okay…"
The woman's pauses for a second before her face lights up into a big, goofy grin. She takes Clementine's hands and holds them close to her chest. "Oh my God, I just had a perfect idea!" She cries. "I'm going to buy you whatever you want! Don't worry about paying me back or anything- my boyfriend's super, duper rich so he can pay!"
Would Kenny be okay with this random stranger paying for his pretzel? It wouldn't be rude to hand him back his money; he'd be saving five bucks! It would be rude, though, to refuse an offer made with good intentions. Before, she would have been wary about being stabbed in the back (sometimes literally), but it wasn't like this woman had a devious motivation or anything. So, after a moment of hesitation, the teenager grinned. "Okay, thank you!"
"Javi!" 'Daisy Duke' suddenly cups her hands and shouts, blissfully unaware that's she scared the shit out of Clementine. "Javi, I know what I want! Come here!"
You see it's a funny thing about coincidences- you don't notice it when it occurs the first couple times- but once you do it's all you can think about. Everything you've done and all the things you've seen before come back at you. You analysis all the little moments you'd otherwise never think about. Once you realize something's off, you become a paranoid mess trying to figure out why. Clementine finally had that realization.
How the fuck did Javier get all the way to Macon?
There was no possible reason why Javier Garcia would be sitting on a bench of a snack bar by a local baseball field during a high school game in Macon, Georgia. He was from Miami! He had told Clementine this when they were in jail together at Prescott! Even if he did manage to make his way up north for whatever reason, it was too much of a coincidence to not ignore the fact that they were both there at the same time. What were the chances they would both be in Macon on the same day, watching the same game, and at the same snack bar?
What were the chances that Kenny would have moved to Georgia with his family? Or that Jane and Troy not only worked at the same Howe's together but the one where she went to? What about Ben?! Actually, you know what, never mind. Ben didn't live too far from her place if he was from Stone Mountain. Forget Ben…
But, still! What were the chances this would happen? Probably extremely, extremely low.
Javier stands up, puts his hands in his pockets, and saunters over to the girls. He looks even more ridiculous than his girlfriend. At least it could be argued that her outfit was cute. Yeah, it was extremely revealing, but it had charm; Clementine actually really liked the Southern cowgirl look. However, Javier's outfit was an absolute mess. Every article of clothing- no joke, literally every article of clothing- was related to the Miami Marlins. His cap, jersey, shorts, and even shoes all had the Miami Marlin's logo. Clementine had to do a double take before cringing.
Boy, you think he was a Miami fan? It was pretty ballsy to basically advertise the Brave's biggest rivals in their territory. Sure, the people of Atlanta weren't intense as say those in Philadelphia (her father told her about the time they threw snowballs at Santa), but they got into sports. It would've been like wearing a Red Sox shirt in New York or vice versa- it was basically suicide if you were in any of the big cities. She had to keep herself from laughing when even his sunglasses had the marlin on it.
"God, what is it?" He sighs as he leans on the counter, rubbing his hand over his stubble. "What do you want?"
Jess clasps her hands together and points at the gigantic menu hanging on the wall. "I want two big ice-cream cone!"
"Babe, you're-"
"I just want the cone!" Clementine's brows raise while Javier rubs his temples, more annoyed than confused by his girlfriend's bizarre request. "I want two big cones!"
"Baby, please, not here," Javier pleaded. "Look, they have Italian ice. I'll get you Italian ice-"
She stomps her foot like AJ during a tantrum (thought that may have been an insult to the toddler) and scowls. "I want my cones!" Jess cries. "Just give my cones!"
Holy shit, Clementine had never seen an adult throw a hissy-fit like this before besides maybe Carver. Though, he never lost his mind over something as trivial as an ice-cream cone. She wouldn't put it past this woman to throw herself on the ground and start screaming. Javier looks absolutely defeated when he throws the money down on the counter, having realized long ago that he was in a constant losing battle. The cashier hands him the cones and slowly retreats back.
"Wait," Jess grabbed Clementine's hand, "my little friend needs to order! We're paying for her, too!"
She didn't consider them friends (they just met), but the loud groan from Javier is enough to accept it because this was just too good. Nothing like seeing the guy who got her into this mess suffering. His shoulder's slumped forward and he dug back into his wallet.
"What does she want?" He asked extremely passive-aggressively.
"Three pretzels and a pack of gummy worms, please?"
The baseball player goes back to order and gets even more frustrated when he's told he was to wait a few minutes for the pretzels to cook. Wow, who pissed in his cereal? Clementine had never remembered him being so snappy and miserable before- not even when they buried Mariana or got thrown in jail was he angry… All he had to do was pay for her food, and then she'd never bother him again.
Still, it wouldn't kill to have a conversation with him and hopefully snap him out of this mood. Clementine leaned back against the wall, folded her arms, and smirked. He still looked comical in his gear. "So," she began, inspecting him over once again, "you a big Marlins fan?"
Javier doesn't like that question and responds with only a frown.
Wait, if the Garcia's were from Miami and Javier played baseball….
Oh!
"You play for the Marlins!"
His face lights up, a goofy grin beginning to grow. Did he want someone to notice him? Was that why he was so miserable? Aw, no one was giving Javi the time of day! Clementine could have fun with this- a lot of fun.
"You're the best baseball player in the whole wide world!"
Javier was absolutely euphoric- to the point that she considers stopping- and with raised arms cried out. "Yes! God, yes!" Even the kid behind the counter is concerned and pokes his head out; Jess is blissfully unaware on her phone. "Oh my God, thank you!"
She hadn't been serious. Clementine didn't know whether to find it hilarious or pathetic that this grown ass man was moping around because no one was giving him attention. This must've been another difference here; Jane was more open and rocked a longer hairdo, and Javier was an attention whore. He must have been one of the few who was changed for the better by the apocalypse.
"I was hoping someone would notice me," he says. Oh yeah, this wasn't funny anymore- just pathetic.
"No one was?" She asked.
"No, I tried not to make it too obvious, but I was hoping people would recognize me. Usually, when I'm in Atlanta, everybody and their mother are just throwing themselves at me."
Jess nods, her eyes never leaving her screen. "This is true."
"Thanks, babe," he kissed her forehead before continuing. "But, it's amazing when people see me because they get so happy! They want pictures of me and autographs, and that makes me happy. When people are happy, I'm happy! But when people aren't happy, I'm not happy. You feel me?"
What the fuck was he on about? As a wise man once said; 'I don't know what you're saying, but I'm sure it's a bunch of bullshit!' On a serious note, there was no way this was the same Javier who fought by her side against the New Frontier. The Javier who selflessly spent years caring for his niece and nephew and tried to be the father they didn't have. Clementine just couldn't fathom that this blabbering, nearly incoherent moron was Javier Garcia.
He paid for her stuff, so she's got no choice but to smile and agree- even though it was the dumbest jargon she's ever listened to. "I feel you," she began, "I feel you."
"I don't like saying most people are fans of me, but it's really true, honestly." The counter window opens and her pretzels and candy are placed down. She sighs in relief until she realizes she's got to find a way out of this conversation because he's not stopping anytime soon. "Even if someone hates my guts, they still want me to sign their stuff, and that just makes me feel so good. "
Clementine eyes her food. "That's nice… Feeling good is good..."
"Feeling good is good," Javier agreed, "but not as good as being recognized for your handwork and talent." He paused for a second. "Can I tell you a story?
"Do you have to?"
"I got to get this off my chest."
"Okay… Go ahead."
He leaned forward and folded his hands. "My most amazing fan experience was when I saw a meme going around on Vine and saw this hot chick making out with a cardboard cutout of me-"
"That's weird. I wouldn't consider that a great experience," Clementine replied.
"No, you don't get it! She did this crazy ass thing to get my attention! She recognized me for my handwork and sacrificed her social life and possible career for me! She bought a life-sized cutout of me with her own money!" Javier was on the brink of tears. "All for me, that's amazing!"
She needed to get out of this and fast. Oh God, she was missing so much of the game. Clementine couldn't believe that she wanted to watch a boring baseball game right now. Anything was better than talking to this clown, though. How the mighty have fallen…
Jess has her cones placed under her mouth like a fucking walrus. Why? Clementine didn't have the patience to come up with reasons as to why this adult woman in her mid-twenties was pretending to be a walrus. She just wanted her food and an opening to get the fuck out of here. The blonde turns to him, and with the cones still up against her face, says "I think you have a complex. Either that or you're just an attention whore."
Yeah, no shit, Sherlock.
Javier simply waves her off. "Please, Jess, if desiring the love and validation of my fans and friends makes me an attention whore, then so be it. I will accept that title."
"At least you're honest," Clementine muttered, trying to make her way to the counter. "Look, I really gotta go… My friend is playing out there and I'm missing so much of the game."
"Thank you for noticing me, child."
She juggled the pretzels and the bag of candy. "No, thank you for blessing me with your presence."
What happens next though is surreal- time literally seems to slow down to a halt when Javier suddenly yanks her cap right off her head. She had no time to react or do much of anything (she would've dropped the plates) as he pulls out a Sharpie from his pocket.
No!
No, no, no!
Her breath hitched the second he uncapped the marker-a strong smell of alcohol emitted from it- and slowly made it's way over to the center of her hat. He couldn't… He-He wouldn't… Please, don't. It's too late, though. Javier's already signing his name before she can even protest. Her heart dropped when she saw him dramatically wave the pen around and scribble on most of her hat. Nearly every space in the center- except for the D- was his signature.
Clementine was ready to commit murder when he plopped it back on her head and gave her a pat on the back. Javier remained blissfully unaware even though she was seething at this point. "There you go, kiddo. A free autograph by yours truly! Keep it close to your heart and make it a family heirloom, or sell it on eBay for a shit ton of money!" Javier winked. "You just hit the jackpot, tiger!"
She stormed out of the snack bar- trying her best to control her anger and not commit a homicide- never bothering to look back at the older man. To bad murder was illegal because Javier would so fucking dead. He was lucky. Clementine may not have had a weapon on her at the moment, but she could easily improvise with a plastic fork and some styrofoam.
She can hear Javi talking to his girlfriend, her blood boiling even more. "What? Was it something I said? God, some people are so ungrateful."
"She's just overwhelmed with happiness, baby."
"I'm overwhelmed with happiness, too."
"I'm overwhelmed with happiness- that you're overwhelmed with happiness- because she's overwhelmed with happiness."
"I'm overwhelmed now because you just told me that you're overwhelmed because I'm overwhelmed that she's overwhelmed…"
"We're both such good people."
"There you are, darling! What took you so long?"
Clementine handed Kenny and Katjaa their food before slouching forward on the bench with a huff. The pretzels were definitely cold by now, but hopefully, they wouldn't mind. She was still too pissed about her hat too even respond to Kenny's question. Thankfully, though he notices the autograph and his brows raised.
"What happened to your hat?" He asked before squinting at it. "Who signed it?"
"Javi fucking Garcia," Clementine snapped, immediately regretting it. Kenny didn't deserve the brunt of her anger. "I thought it would just be on the brim or something… I didn't even want him to sign it!"
"That ain't even a Marlin's hat!"
"My dad gave me this!" She really didn't want to cry in front of Kenny and Katjaa, but her hat was ruined! How could she be able to wear it? When she'd go out, people would try to steal it or offer to buy it- who wears an autographed cap in public!
Katjaa leaned over and put a hand on her shoulder. "It's alright," the older woman said soothingly. "I'm sure we can get it out."
"It's Sharpie, though."
"I've learned with having Duck that you can get anything stain out if you try hard enough," Katjaa beamed.
Clementine tried to smile back at her but how could she? You couldn't get blood out of it- she had tried everything- Sharpie probably wasn't going to come out either. There's a reason why it's called a permanent marker. She couldn't just get a new one! It wouldn't be the same. That was her dad's hat and he passed it down to her.
She tried watching the game. Duck was up to pitch, and he was good, but Clementine's mind just kept going back to her cap. When he got three players out, she just couldn't feel the joy and excitement that Kenny and Katjaa were. Duck was probably the best player there, no doubt- he was like an entirely different person up there. The teenage boy studied everyone on the opposing team and mentally noted their strengths and weaknesses in order to throw a pitch that would get them out most of the time. He was calm, cool, and collected, unlike his usual self to the point it was surreal. Duck probably tried this hard in anything (including schoolwork)! The other guy who was hitting home runs like they were a walk in the park was also good, but he was far too cocky for Clementine's taste.
When you're too confident in yourself, it usually winds up biting you in the ass.
Her attempts at cheering were weak compared to Kenny and Katjaa- who both were making her ears bleed- and after a while, she'd just let out a pathetic 'whoop' when they scored. Even the soccer (baseball?) moms were jeering at one another, she couldn't laugh at it. Her beloved hat would forever have Javier Garcia embedded into it.
When she felt a small tap on her shoulder, Clementine cursed under her breath. Great, were people making offers already? She didn't even bother to turn around as a small voice broke out behind her. "Hey," they began, "did you say something earlier about Javier Garcia?"
Oh God, it was starting!
"Yeah, and my hat is not for sale," Clementine replied.
They're quiet for a moment before letting out a giggle. "No, I don't want your hat," they laughed. "My dad told me that if he starts any trouble, I got to report it to him! Javi's my uncle, so…"
Clementine whipped her head around so fast she nearly pulled a muscle and found herself face to face with Mariana Garcia. She had never really gotten the chance to talk to the younger girl before she was killed by the New Frontier, but most of the Garcia's raved about how good of a kid she was. It was a shame she lost her life so young, but sadly it was common. If anything, the Garcia's were lucky. Most don't get years into an apocalypse without losing a lot of people. Either that or Clementine was a walking death magnet- she was starting to believe in the latter.
Why the fuck were Javier and Mariana here? Jesus Christ, did this mean David was with them? Clementine's patience- which had been thin already- would not be able to withstand an encounter with him. She'd honest to God kill that piece of shit baby killer right there and then. AJ was okay though, Clementine had to remind herself, he's with Alvin and Rebecca. At least, he should be. David wasn't in the New Frontier, it never existed, and all was right in the world.
This didn't stop her from still wanting to punch him in the face.
Mariana messed with her braid and awkwardly grinned. "I know a way to get the marker out," she said, getting Clementine's full attention. "I mean, it won't get it out all the way, but it should be faded enough that it won't be too visible."
"You can do that?" Clementine cocked her head to the side and raised a brow.
"Yeah, My Yaya taught me how!"
She didn't know who 'Yaya' was, but if Mariana could get this asshole's autograph off, they both were forever in her debt. Clementine had never accepted an offer that fast before in her life, watching with awe as her potential savior tapped Kenny's shoulder. "Can you watch my spot for me, Mr. Matthews? At least, until my dad and Kate come back?" Mariana asked the older man.
"Yeah, yeah, of course," he said, clearly too focused on the game to care. Mariana rolled her eyes with a smirk, motioned the teenager to follow her, and the two were soon off. Another question- and they seemed endless at this point- began to form in Clementine's mind.
How the hell did Mariana and Kenny know each other?
They wind up making their way back to the port-a-potties much to Clementine's chagrin. Thankfully, there was no line, but it had been about an hour since the game started and it was ripe around there. She scrunched up her nose when she was hit with the 'lovely' stench. Mariana resorted to breathing out of her mouth.
It was strange talking to the younger girl. Not because she had seen her get shot to death, but because of how normal she was. Duck never changed- he was always his same, obnoxious self- but Mariana had survived for four years in the new world. The new world never happened, though. Not here at least, and by talking to her it was revealed she was a completely normal, adjusted ten-year-old girl. She loved cats (if that wasn't obvious by the tank top she was wearing with a cat in a burrito on it- they called it a purrito) and had a kitten named Nemo at home, she liked to do laundry with Yaya, and her favorite singer was Selena Gomez.
She had been going on about how Nemo was a surprise for her birthday when they finally got to the bathrooms. Mariana opened the door and walked into the stall. "Alright, I know this is gross, but I'm going to need your hat. I'll make this as fast as possible, I promise."
Clementine hesitated for a moment before handing it over. It wasn't like Mariana could possibly damage it even more. "How exactly are you going to get it out?" She asked.
"Hand sanitizer!" The girl cheerfully replied as she grabbed a paper towel and put it under the sanitizer dispenser.
"Hand sanitizer? Really…?"
"Yeah, it's got rubbing alcohol in it and that's a known stain remover! You can totally get Sharpie out with it… Come on, don't look at me like that."
Clementine shrugged. "Well, I trust you."
"You're lucky," Mariana said while scrubbing her hat. "My uncle likes using gold and silver markers- not black. This should fade pretty fast, and no one will notice!"
"Your uncle could have at least signed on the brim or something," Clementine replied, crossing her arms.
"Yeah, he always takes up most of the space because he wants everyone to see his name! Also, if you want to get another autograph from someone else, there's no room for them to sign."
"Douche-bag…"
"Well… Yeah, you're not wrong…"
Mariana scrubbed for about fifteen minutes- going through several paper towels and probably draining most of the supply of hand sanitizer- before handing Clementine back her hat. She traced over where the stain was, and while it was still there, it was significantly faded. Most wouldn't be able to tell what it was- just a light gray scribble. She quickly put it back on her head; she had felt so naked without it. "Thanks," Clementine grinned.
"No problem, I know how my uncle can be. Come on, we should get back!"
"We've probably missed most of the game."
Mariana shrugged and stepped out of the port-a-potty. "Eh, whatever, I'm sure they won."
"So, how do you know Kenny and Katjaa anyway?" Clementine finally asked as they began to make their way back to the stands.
"Duck's friends with my brother," the younger girl replied. "And my dad's friends with Mr. Matthews, so I see them a lot."
Kenny and David being friends? Clementine was now one-hundred percent sure she was living in an episode of the Twilight Zone. If Kenny had been alive during her stay with the New Frontier, he would have a put a bullet in the other man's head for sure. No way would he let him live if he saw that stunt he pulled with AJ. How he left them both to die…
Wait, a minute, Duck was friends with Gabe? Mariana, Javier, and presumably David couldn't just be here to watch Duck… Oh Jesus, if he was on the team…
"My brother was the one who kept getting the home runs and triples," Mariana says, answering her concerns. "He's so good! My step-mom think he's going to be like my uncle when he grows up-"
"I hope not."
She laughed at that. "That's what my dad says!"
Was Gabe that cocky one? He had to be because no one else was hitting that well. Great, so she was probably going to bump into him and his old man as well (like meeting Javier wasn't bad enough). And he was buddies with Duck, so they'd be inseparable throughout the day.
Well, this was just peachy.
The game's over by the time they're back. Most of the spectators are beginning to slowly head out, so it's much easier to get back to their seats. Sure enough, David's there chatting with Kenny and Katjaa- Kate stands behind him awkwardly, like she doesn't want to be there. It's taking everything in Clementine's power not to grab a baseball bat and beat him with it.
"Your kid's great out there," Kenny cried, patting the younger man on the back. "I mean, my boy's great too, but we wouldn't have won without Gabe!"
"For a minute, I was worried. The game was so close, but I knew Gabe had something up his sleeve," David replied, his voice full of pride. "My son's great like that!"
"And even Javi was impressed!" Kate suddenly interjected.
David's face fell into a scowl. "Yeah," he grumbled, "even Javi was impressed…" He lit up again when he saw Mariana and Clementine. "Hey, sweetie, where were you at? You missed the game."
"I was helping Clementine here," Mariana replied, pointing to the teenager. "She got marker on her hat and I got it out for her."
"Well, that's nice..."
Clementine rolled her eyes. Yeah, yeah, fuck you too, David. Once an asshole, always an asshole. Thankfully, she doesn't have to be in his presence long before Katjaa's tapping her shoulder. "Duck came up here asking for you," she smiled, "he's in the locker rooms. Apparently, he wants to introduce you to the team!"
Anything is better than being stuck with David- and Duck and his merry band of assholes would surely be entertaining at the very least- so why the hell not? By the time she was done meeting them, the Garcia's would hopefully be gone and they could begin to walk around Macon. She was so close to getting into the Everett Pharmacy!
You know what? Maybe it was a mistake going into the locker rooms. Clementine regretted going down there the moment she stepped on the field, hearing their jeers from a mile away. It also reeked of BO. Gross.
All of the boys were joking with another, celebrating their victory, but some were changing out of their uniforms, downing Gatorade like an alcoholic at an all-you-can-drink special, or using the showers (which thankfully had curtains). Clementine couldn't see Duck or Gabe, but Javier was there sitting on one of the benches and bragging about his achievements. Unlike her, though, the players were on the edge of their seats and adamantly paying attention to all the bullshit coming out of his mouth.
They hadn't noticed her for quite some time before a bespectacled, scrawny kid gaped at her like a fish and pointed her out to a teammate. Together the two of them raised a brow, unsure of what to do. Surely, they've seen girls before, right?
"Why's there a girl in here?" The boy with glasses murmured. "Is she someone's girlfriend or something?"
"Maybe a sister," the other boy replied, "I don't know."
"Drew, dude, what do we do? Do we, like, kick her out?"
Drew shrugged, his eyes never leaving Clementine, who was starting to get pissed. "I don't know, dude." Jesus, did these morons think she was deaf?
"Where's Duck?" Clementine asked, putting her hands on her hips. "He told me to come down here."
Now the other players are paying attention, and just when she thought they couldn't be even more embarrassing, they one-up each other. Crude comments are made towards her and Duck by a couple boys, some just stare at her as if she had two heads, and one kid who had gotten out of the shower fully dressed ran back in the second they made eye contact, nearly slipping. Yep, they were idiots.
"He's still in the shower," the boy with glasses pointed down the hall. "H-He should be out soon…"
"Alright," she replied. "I'll sit here on this bench then and wait for him."
"Wait, I-"
She plopped down before he can even protest. Clementine grabbed a uniform she was sitting on, cringing at how wet it was, and tossed it to the side. The boys had no clue what to do. They simply watched- and she ignored them- as all of them waited for Duck. Hey, they were making this awkward! Not even when Javier comes over, inspecting her hat, does Clementine show a hint of emotion.
"I'm not mad you got rid of my autograph," Javier said.
"Good," Clementine replied, "because I didn't ask for one."
He rolled his eyes. "Didn't think I needed permission… I thought you would be grateful just getting one."
"Whatever."
"Oh well, you're going to regret that in about thirty years when my name is up there with Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, and Lou Gehrig. You could sell that hat for millions!"
"I'll lose sleep about it then."
"Your loss. At least these guys get it," he scoffed just as one of the boys came by, begging for an autograph. The older man laughed, took out his Sharpie, and scribbled on his ball before shaking his hand. "That kid's never going to wash his hand again."
"Don't you have a girlfriend to get back to? Or is she too busy pretending to be a walrus with her cones?"
"No, actually, she's taking her power nap."
"Power nap?"
"She takes a nap every day in the middle of the afternoon, and if she doesn't she loses her shit- like, throws a temper tantrum. I don't know why, but it keeps her up all night, which is good for me!"
"Gross."
Javier waved her off and went back to bragging to the other boys. "Ah, whatever kid."
Just then, one of the shower curtains flew open and out came Duck. Thankfully, he was fully clothed- wearing a black graphic t-shirt with the Batman logo on it, denim shorts, and red sneakers. He wrapped a towel around his neck, his hair was still dripping wet, and approached her with a smirk. "Sorry," he began, "were these assholes giving you problems?"
"They act like they've never talked to a girl before…"
"Well, most of them haven't besides their mothers and sisters, so give them a pass on that one," he winked.
"You played good today, Duck."
He looked down and rubbed the back of his neck. "Aw, shucks, I'm not as great the other guys." Wow, this was not like Duck at all. Clementine honestly expected him to be bombastic and larger than life, not humble. "Here, let me introduce you to Stone Mountain's dream team."
Duck patted Drew on the back. "This is Drew, and he's the nicest guy you'll ever meet."
"Thanks, Duck… Wait, are you using my towel-"
"And this nerd is Ralph," he said, pointing to the bespectacled boy who called her out earlier. "His nickname is Harry because he looks like Harry Potter."
For the next five minutes, Duck went through every player on the team much to their annoyance. He may have raved about them in their introductions, but there were some passive-aggressive jabs here and there that made Clementine chuckle. Joey, for example, nearly threw up on Jaime Johnson after asking her to the prom last year. She didn't go with him. Another boy, Felix, got the lowest possible grade on his Italian final last year and he wore that badge with pride. In fact, he even came up to Clementine and tried to hit on her using that information.
Nothing like wooing a girl with a failed test.
She's still wondering where the hell Gabe is when a boy steps out of one of the showers. He's wearing shorts (thank God) but he's got his shirt over his head while he staggers over to the group. Wow, Clementine didn't know what she expected, but this kid needed to eat a burger or something, damn. He was practically skin and bones. It's only when he finally pulls down his tee does she discover that this guy's Gabe.
They blink at each other for a good thirty seconds, all while his face turns numerous shades of red before he runs back into the shower. "Fuck!" He cried as the other boys busted out laughing.
"And this motherfucker is Gabe," Duck cackled, nudging her arm. "The best batter on the team, my best friend, and the biggest asshole of them all." He turned his head to the back. "Yo, Gabe, you good?"
The other boy peeked out and scowled. "Am I good? Dude, what the fuck! You brought a chick into the fucking locker room, man! That's, like, the ultimate betrayal!"
"What, you worried I'm not impressed by your non-existent six pack?" Clementine joked, getting hoots and hollers from the players.
Gabe's brows raised before pointing at her. "See, Duck! Now, I got to worry about you bringing in more chicks that foster our self-confidence issues."
"Yo, this isn't just some 'chick', Gabe," Duck replied. "This is Clementine. And I don't have self-confidence issues, my dude. You do."
Javier turns around from signing Felix's baseball card and chimed in. "Hey, you know you're in the big leagues when there are women in the locker room, kid. Only you would fucking whine about it."
"Duck, I didn't even think you were going to bring her. I-I thought you were bullshitting me or something… Fuck!" Gabe ran a hand through his hair, ignoring his uncle.
"Wait," Clementine turned to Duck, her eyes narrowing, "you told him I was coming?"
"Of course, I did-"
"Does she not know?" Gabe gasped. "You never fucking told her, did you?"
"Tell me about what?"
"W-Well… I was going to… If you sucked today-"
"Dude!"
Okay, there was some fishy going on and Clementine did not like where this was going. The other players- including Javier- were silent as the two friends bickered back and forth and soon the pieces were coming together. Each response was a bombshell after bombshell. Someone was getting their ass kicked by Clementine for sure.
"You know how important this championship is coming up, man. If you're not on your A-game we're fucked!"
Gabe jabbed his finger into the other's chest. "Yeah, and I wasn't! I don't need a fucking girlfriend to do good!"
"You were all depressed, dude. I didn't want to take that chance… We went over this!"
"And I thought you were bullshitting me!"
Duck can't get out another word before he's being turned around and yanked forward by his collar. Amber, rage-filled eyes meet brown as Clementine is nose to nose with him. She had heard enough. "You, me, outside, now," the girl hissed through gritted teeth.
Duck's eyes widen like saucers and the boys murmur amongst themselves.
"World Star!" Clementine hears Javier break the silence, angering her even more. "Yo, you better beat the shit out of him so this can go on World Star!"
She pulled the teenage boy by his ear out of the locker room and by the port-a-potties; the sun already beginning to set. The players watched in horror as they went out of view, unsure whether to help their companion or leave him to his fate. Javier had his phone out, though, ready to record a brawl that could occur.
"RIP, Duck!" Someone, most likely Gabe, cries out. "You're not dead, but you're gonna wish you were!"
A/N: Remember how I said that the last chapter was the longest... Yeah, this one beats it by a long-shot. Truthfully, I went through multiple scrapped plots for this chapter (the Garcia's road-trip down to Macon, the whole game itself, etc) but I can't write sports to save my goddamn life. It's fun to watch, but not very fun to write. So, Duck's game is more of a way to introduce more characters and get the plot rolling... I was surprised this was the most anticipated moment so far (besides the elephant in the room that rhymes with Bee, lmao).
Duck's plan fell apart just like how I imagined it would. It's not Gabe that's going to kick his ass, it's Clementine. Also, teenage boys are extremely awkward and I wanted to portray it with Duck's team-mates. It's so awkward for them having Clem in their space.
I know people have been iffy on douchey Javi, but it's pretty set in canon that this guy was a huge asshole while he was in the league and even afterwards when he was crashing with David. Considering this is where he's never been caught for gambling and has retreated into the glamor of Hollywood life after his dad's death, he's going to be a dick. Don't worry, he'll get his just deserts later, but his douchey, over the top behavior is extremely important for the story for now.
I say officially the story has started. I know it obviously began back in Chapter 1, but the introductions are over and the ball is rolling. I call this the Macon Arc. To see this story get as big as it has been is amazing. Never in a million years did I ever consider this getting so huge. I love all you guys! Remember, your reviews and feedback are extremely appreciated and keep me going! I treasure every single one I get. It gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling!
Until next time! :D