Same disclaimer. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Sorry if it seems so short.
Baseball Opener
Later that night after practice I found it hard to sleep as I still worrying about my car so I took a walk and found myself outside Bash's room. "Ooo, pizza party." I said when he let me in. "Anything left?"
"Anchovies and pineapple." Sam said.
"Aww, that's not good."
"Sorry babe, I wish I knew you were coming. I would have saved some for you." Bash said.
"Taco run?" I asked.
"Sorry kid but I'm not getting in trouble just cause you're hungry. Yogi will take you." Bash said.
"I don't wanna." Sam answered.
"Please Yogi?" I begged.
"That sounded just like Boo-boo." Max said.
"That was the point. I'm starving Yogi." I begged.
"Alright." Sam answered. He took me to a taco joint and I ate my fill as he watched sipping soda. "You really like to eat."
"I just get hungry sometimes. I'm not afraid to eat."
Sam only smirked at me. I rolled my eyes and went back to my tacos. After I ate my fill Sam took me back to the dorms. Once cuddled in my bed I tried to get to sleep but it was only too soon there was heavy pounding on my door. When I pulled it open sleepily Dean and Charlie were both standing there.
"What do you want?" I asked tiredly.
"Class in ten minutes. If we don't go now, we'll be late for math and Mr. Schroder is going to kill us. You don't want to do that if you're playing in the baseball season opener today." Dean said.
"Just give me a minute to put on a shirt or something." I said.
"Hurry and no falling back into bed." Dean said. I shut the door, pulled on a long sleeve tee, Fult's old Ducks' Jersey and a pair of windbreaker pants. Then I put on Dean's jacket and grabbed my backpack. At lunch Alex sat down across from me in what would have been Adam's normal seat.
"So what's this I hear about a girl liking to eat?" Alex asked.
"I'm a growing girl I like to eat?" I asked.
"Really?"
"Yup. I'm not afraid to eat when I get hungry. I grew up with six boys and playing hockey. I found out quick if you don't have good nutrition you don't play as well." I said.
"I like my girls like that." Alex said.
"Good for you?" I said curiously.
"Anyway I've got some free time this weekend so I was hoping you'd like to join me for some ball practice. We'll get you into shape and you won't miss next week's game."
"As long as Dean can come watch." I said.
"Sure. I suppose that's fine."
"See you later then." Alex nodded and left.
"Are you sure you're not just hungry since you haven't eaten since dinner yesterday?"
"Actually I had tacos at two this morning. I got hungry and the boys were finishing a pizza party. There was nothing left so Sam took me to get tacos." I answered.
"Sam?" Dean asked.
"Sam "Yogi" Mathers. He's one of the trainers for the baseball team. Don't worry about him." Fulton said.
"And why not?" Dean asked.
"Because he has a girlfriend in Lizzy's psych class." Fulton said. My head snapped back and forth watching them. They gave each other a series of looks and the conversation was dropped.
"When does the hockey season end again?" I asked.
"A few weeks I think." Fulton said.
"OK, did I miss much around here?" I asked.
"Nope, not really." Fulton answered.
I rolled my eyes but finished my lunch in silence. Normally he was one for gossip but I guess he just didn't find anything important to tell me.
In Psychology Russ sat a baby seat on his desk and I looked at him. "Uh Russ?" I asked.
"Yes it's mine for two weeks." Russ answered. "And she's just a beauty."
"Ok."
"Our loving Mr. Stewart thought I needed some what do you call it? Some responsibility. Hence Annabelle." Russ said.
"I'm sorry." I said.
"Yeah turns out he said my wife died so I was lonely and then my son's wife died and he came back home to get help with the little one."
"That makes you not lonely anymore."
"Yes." Russ said as Luis set our car seat on my desk.
"You've thought things through I take it?" Luis said.
"And I missed my little guy so much." I said scooping him up.
"Good 'cause he just pooped." Luis smirked.
"Hate you." I frowned but changed the diaper.
"I'm going to have to watch him after school aren't I?" Luis asked.
"Nope. I don't get to play tonight. Because I had to sit out three practices Coach hasn't seen me practice so he can't let me play." I said.
"Oh. That's horrible."
"Yeah." I said.
"Ms. Jacobs." Mr. Stewart said crouching by my desk.
"Yes sir?" I asked.
"This is a pass out of study hall. Consider it extra credit helping me grade some papers."
"But isn't because I was suspended for two weeks I can't get extra credit?"
"I can't offer it to just you." Then he said in a normal tone but not quite loud enough to be heard over everyone else: "Anyone want to help me grade papers for extra credit? Mr. Tyler, Mr. Mendoza? Nope thought not. There that works."
"Thank you Mr. Stewart." I said though the girl in front of me looked bummed.
After classes I followed Bash out the field and locker rooms which consisted of a metal shack that was barely big enough for a concession stand let alone two full locker rooms. Then my jaw dropped as I looked at the dirt field and two awnings over benches.
"You have got to be kidding me." I said stunned.
"Nope. Welcome to Eden Hall's baseball field."
"As in the only one?" I asked.
"We practice in the old gym and we play on the crap field." Brick answered. Their ball field looked like the practice field at my old school. It was horrible.
"Did I forget to mention even the cheerleaders and golf team are more funded than we are?" Bash asked.
"A little. This looks like the practice field at my old school. I went to a farm school and their diamond had grass." I said.
"Yeah well the only team with less money than us is the Frisbee golf team."
"We have a frisbee golf team?"
"You see my point. We haven't been to state in 10 years, playoffs in eight, or had a winning season in four. I have to go change."
"Tell me you at least have a real uniform."
"A long sleeve tee under a t-shirt that says Warriors and gym sweats."
"Go change." I said. When Bash came back out he looked at me as did most of the team. "Where's Coach?"
"He'll be here game time. Practice is run by the captain." Brick said. "So Cap, what are we doing?"
Bash looked at the ground.
"You're captain?" I asked.
He only nodded.
"Start by stretching. Then run a couple laps." I said tucking the blanket tighter around my fake baby. I plopped down on the bench and watched as they practiced then when Coach Mathews arrived the game strategy began.
When the game did begin I saw that there were only four adults on the home side each with a camp folding chair. The visiting bleachers had about twenty. Mike saw me watching the parents as our team went up to bat.
"Did we not mention that we're the least supported too? My mom, Tony's dad, our scout who recruited you, and Mrs. Grange who is required to be here by the school board. She just does her crossword and doesn't look at us for seven innings."
"I see." I said.
"Yeah. Nobody ever comes to these things." Mike said. "Well considering we don't have bleachers I can see why no one comes out."
"Are they advertised?"
"Nope."
"Mike, do you have a truck?" I asked seeing that you could drive straight from the parking lot straight up to the field.
"Yep, dark blue."
"And Bash's Blazer has a hatch that opens like a van rear?"
"Yeah."
"Anyone else have trucks?"
"Tom who plays center and Doug who plays left."
"Ok. We play next game at home?"
"Yeah."
"Interesting."
"You have an idea."
"Yep and it involves inviting people to watch us play. Crowd mentality."
"Doesn't that mean doing the same thing as the rest of the crowd. Like herds?"
"Yes but in this case it also means if the boys start learning to play in front of the crowd they'll learn to play better to impress the crowd." I said.
"'Scuse me I have to go bat." Mike said rolling his eyes.
"9 to 1. 9 to 1. I'm not sure where to start with that one." Coach Matthews said pacing the locker room.
"Uh we lost but Bash did get that R.B.I." I said meaning run batted in.
"Yeah that would have been worth it if he had hit a home run."
"Just goes to show you I could have done better." I said.
"Stop." Matthews said. I stopped talking and let him go on about how horrible we were that day. When he left I finally got a look around the locker room.
"So this is our locker room?" I asked.
"Yeah a bunch of broken down lockers and showers are back there only five of them work though." Brick said.
"That's horrible."
"Yes well in the visitor locker rooms the showers don't work. That's why they all hate playing here." Sam said.
"Alright I'll let you guys change but uh Tom nice work in outfield and Brick well done today. Your batting's gotten better."
"Thanks." They both said.
Just as I walked up to the table at dinner I heard Dean say "I don't care Russ, keep your eyes off my hot girlfriend." Dean said.
I put my food down and looked at Dean. Then I punched his shoulder. "That's for what you just said. It's arrogant and pigheaded." Then I cuffed both him and Fulton across the back of their heads. "That's for missing my game today even if I didn't get to play." Finally I leaned down and kissed Dean, "and that is for being you." I said.
"I love you." He said when I pulled away.
"Such a dork." I said sitting down and digging into my dinner.
"That's why you love me."
"That's to be debated." I said.
"You don't love me?"
"That's not what I said. I said that it could be debated that I love you because you're a dork. I could love you for other reasons." I said. Then I saw Charlie pretending to gag.
"I'm only a dork for you." Dean whispered in my ear.
"Stuff it Charlie. Sometimes it's nice to see someone's softer side. Anyone see the way you act towards your girlfriend?"
"Ex-girlfriend." Charlie answered.
"She didn't deserve you. You're too good for her." I said.
"Maybe but it still hurts." Charlie answered.
"Hey Liz, I heard about the game." Scooter said.
"That we got our butts kicked." I asked.
"Well yes but I'm sure the team played well. If they didn't better luck next time." Scooter said.
"Yeah, good luck in playoffs." I said.
"Thanks."
"Hey Scooter would you come to a ball game?"
"Uh Liz," he scratched the back of his neck looking embarrassed, "I'm not the ball game type."
"Not even to support your school?"
"Well I suppose but I wouldn't know when it was or where even."
"So if I got it better advertised then you'd come?"
"Yeah sure."
"OK, next Friday, unless you have a game."
"I'll think about it." Scooter said. I smirked and he walked back over to his table.
"How did the game go?" Fulton asked.
"You'd know if you were there." I sassed.
"Liz." Fulton said.
"9-1 we lost." I said.
"Ouch. Sorry kid. They as bad as D-5?" Fulton asked.
"Worse. The coach doesn't really care either. He's just tough on them like the Hawks' coach."
"That's harsh." Adam said.
"Yeah." I answered.
The next week was filled with much of the same in terms of extra credit, teachers offering in low voices giving only me and select others who unintentionally heard them the opportunity, and baseball practice.
Alright time for your honest opinion. Do you think there are too many original characters in these past few chapters or do you like that it shows Lizzy's good at something without just hanging all over the ducks?