On Monday I had another game after school. We were playing the best team in the league, and I sure as hell wasn't prepared for them. Rumor has it that this team had only lost once and it was to a bunch of adults who challenged them just for fun. Our coach rounded us all up right before the first bat, telling us to not let him down.

"I want to see your roughest gameplay here," he barked, giving each of a hard glare. "I know we can take these punks down if you boys work hard like there's no tomorrow."

There were a few mumbles of agreement and nodding. Coach smiled, then looked straight at me. "And I expect a lot from you, Mister Bigshot."

That was the last thing I needed. More pressure on myself. But I just said "Yes sir," and looked nervously down at my shoes.

Coach continued. "Let's prove that we aren't just any old team, but that we can beat anyone if we set our minds to it."

We all put our hands together and cheered for a win, but I had never felt so bad about a baseball game in my life.

With everything that was going on; the baseball game, the pressure on me, my mom coming home, and of course Yui, who I hadn't seen in a week. On the inside I felt horrible, imagining Yui waiting for me just to simply visit her, only to have me not show up. I partially blamed it on baseball, but then again baseball was my favorite thing in the world. I couldn't ever give up a game because everyone just expected me to be there. And I always was.

The first few innings were slow, luckily neither of the teams had scored, making it an even game so far. Almost all of the team members looked extremely muscular in some way or another. We had a few strong guys on our team but nothing close to that. I swore that the pitcher was a foot taller than me with twice the ammount of muscle.

As I went up to bat for the third time that bight, I heard the catcher mumble something to me only so I could hear. "Better not mess up or your team will be real disappointed."

I ignored him and got prepared to hit. I could feel my coaches eyes watching me, a few people cheering in the stands. My heart pounded in my chest, my hands were sweaty, and my legs were shaking.

Adjusting my cap, I glanced back bahind the field in the direction of Yui's house. Her window was open again, just like her mother said it always was. I could just barely see the end of her bed through it, the bright sheets making it hard to miss.

Time seemed to slow down when I realized what I had to do. It was the only way I could get to her.

I had to hit it. I had to. My grip tightened against the bat, glancing at the window behind the field that I needed to hit the ball through. I needed to see her again. I needed any excuse to see her.

The pitcher threw the ball hard and fast, wizzing by me until it thumped into the catchers glove. "Strike one!"

I inhaled nervously. The chances of me hitting the ball through her window again were slim, but it wasn't entirely impossible. If I couldn't do it, I wouldn't be able to see her in weeks.

For the second time I got in position, focusing on the baseball and making sure I hit it at the right time. The pitcher nodded slightly, and threw.

I took a huge swing. "Strike two!"

To my right one of my teamates yelled "Come on Hinata! We've seen you do it once, you can do it twice!"

I squinted at my target once more, shifting my shoulders and standing ready for him. The pitcher stood and nodded, before throwing the third time.

The ball came closer and closer in slow motion, and I stepped with one foot, making sure my time was perfect, and took a swing.

A loud "crack" exploded from the bat, and I looked back and saw the ball fly above everyones heads, and I knew right away it was a home run. But would it get through the window?

Not paying attention to the cheering, I ran around the bases and looked at the window. It was a home run, but it didn't go through. My heart sank in my chest.

"Yeah Hinata!" My closest friend on the team, Okito, high fived me when I hit home plate. I tried to smile but on the inside I felt more guilty than ever.

The game ended an hour later, and we got killed 9-2. It wasn't much of a surprise to us, and of course Coach was disappointed so he was extra grumpy as we cleaned up. Okito was putting away the extra bats as he walked over to me.

"Hinata!" He smiled, looking like he had something he really needed to tell me. "Say... why don't you uh..."

I raised an eyebrow at him. "What is it?"

He coughed. "Um... Why don't you go and visit your friend."

I stared at him. "What do you mean?"

He elbowed me in the ribs. "Your friend... You know," he winked. I continued to look at him.

He somehow knew about Yui. "How do you-"

"I saw you walk into her house. She's my neighbor and her mom works with my mom."

I swallowed. Had he been following me? "I uh..."

"Just go!" He hissed, looking around to make sure nobody was listening. "I'll take care of your job here."

Standing still for a moment, I handed him the large sack of baseball bats. "Thanks..."

I wasn't sure how he knew about Yui, but I decided not to ask right then and just get to her. The sun was already setting slowly over the tall trees down her street as I ran, glancing behind me several times to be sure nobody saw.

The pebbles scattered on the road crunched under my feet. I could see her house now. There wasn't a lot of time before someone either noticed I was gone, or before I got caught and made some sort of excuse to get out of it.

I knocked on the door. "Hello? It's me Hinata."

I waited. Nobody answered. Panic began to swell in my chest. "Hello? Anyone home?"

The light in Yui's room was turned on in the front so she had to be home. I opened the door myself and stepped inside. Her mom was definately gone.

After taking my shoes off I went down the hallway to her bedroom door. I hesitated. "You in there? It's Hinata."

"Oh thank God," I heard her muffled voice behind the wood. "I thought someone had broken in!"

I opened the door despite the neevousness I felt. She looked the same as before, her long hair draped down her front and her eyes gleaming. "Look, I don't have a lot of time and I'm really sorry I couldn't have come earlier I was so busy with everything I litterally had no time." The words came out all at once.

"Woah woah woah slow down," she said laughing. Her laugh didn't match her high voice this time like before when it was a tiny, cute laugh. It was a real laugh, one that sounded like she was actually making fun of me.

I couldn't help smiling. "Sorry. Where's your mom?" I asked, sitting down by her bed.

"At a meeting for work."

"This late? Don't you get lonely or bored when she's gone?"

She made a sort of shrugging motion with her head. "Not really. She isn't usually gone that long anyway. She has to support us both somehow." Yui make it sound like that should have been obvious.

"I guess." I noticed rows of books on a shelf in the corner of the room. "You read?"

"No I just have books sitting there. Of course I read!"

"Well I'm just curious on how you do so."

"Ha. Well..." She started. "My mom has to hold the book in front of me while I read, or sometimes she just sets it in my lap. Then I tell her when to turn the page for me."

My eyes widened. "And that doesn't bore her to death?"

"She reads along sometimes if she's interested in the book," Yui continued. "But not really. The TV is turned on most of the time so she can just watch."

I noticed she had a variety of different books. Fantasy, science fiction, historical, adventure, manga, American comics; a little bit of everything.

"Do you read, Hinata?"

I looked back at her. "Nah. Not really. I just don't have the time." And it was my honest answer.

The room was quiet for the next minute. Yui broke the awkward silence just as I was about to. "You should come over tomorrow!"

The smile on her face was so genuine and happy that I found myself saying "Sure" before I even had the time to think.

"You don't have baseball practice?" She asked.

"No," I lied, hoping I looked convincing. "I'm totally free tomorrow."

"Great!"

She looked so happy and excited just to be seeing me tomorrow and I didn't know how to feel. I mean... It was just me. I wasn't anything special.

I had an idea. "Hey..."

"Hmm?"

"Do you wanna go some place tomorrow? Like maybe the park or a cafe or something?"

She looked impossibly more excited. "Yes! My mom doesn't take me out often."

"It's settled," I stood. "Again, apologies for not coming sooner Yui-" I stopped myself, realizing it was the first time I had said her name out loud.

"Tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow," I nodded. "See you then."

Once again, thanks to everyone who reviewed! the next chapter might not be for a few days, so sorry in advance. I have school starting up again so I won't have a lot of time. Thanks!