Robbie POV
Another meek groundout.
The second baseman threw it to Matt, who easily caught it and rolled it to the mound as he ran to the dugout.
Inning over.
Honestly, this game is quite boring. Nobody has done anything except struggle, and I'm trying to not look at my phone.
Cat didn't make it 5 minutes, but most of the other mom's didn't either.
The lady running the scorecard even has her phone out. Which should say something about the game.
Like yesterday, the sun is out in full force. Everybody has sun glasses except for the people near me, because we have a pole from the backstop blocking the sun.
Cat is still wearing her sunglasses though. They're still stylish.
These baseball games is one of the few places she can actually be Cat Valentine because all the parents had their "Oh my gosh! It's Cat Valentine!" moments years ago.
So now it's more of "Hey! How are you? How is (Insert Child's name here)?"
Corey is hanging out with some other kids at someone's house. Cat took him there, so I assume she'll be the one to pick him up.
Sydney went off somewhere right before Cat and I came here at 1. Didn't say where, just said she'd be back for dinner.
Overall, today has been boring.
The most exciting moment was when everyone was warming up. Some kid from the high school hit a ball that went over a storage container kids sit on, and rolled to our fence.
The sound it made was metallic. Like Aluminum bat meet metal ball.
Harsh.
I can see in the distance that the high school game just wrapped up. Those kids are hopping off the storage container.
Pretty smart, I have to say. Don't have to pay for admission, and you get a great view of the game.
Win win for everybody.
The person who really isn't winning is Kevin.
Despite Austin very kindly helping with his fielding yesterday, which has to be the most spontaneous thing I've ever seen, he's sailed two throws today.
Luckily for his team they've bailed him out.
But Kevin's mad. After he sailed one, the next time he came to bat he was laughably early on the first pitch. And struck out in 4 pitches.
You can just tell by his demeanor that he's steaming.
He's being too hard on himself.
Just because you did good last year, it doesn't mean that you will do better.
To use his coach's term, when he pulled him aside after his last error he's pressing.
Cat took that to mean something like in music, when somebody rushes out music, just to get something out there and it's awful.
That would make sense.
Matt isn't helping matters either. He is batting right after Kevin, and since everybody remembers how good Kevin was last year, Matt is dismissed.
And he's hot.
He had a double after Kevin's strike out, only to be stranded.
The last few games he's had a ton of doubles and even a triple, thanks to a fat kid playing right field that took his sweet time lumbering to the ball.
A groan went thru our section.
Inning over.
These 11 year olds are ridiculous. Both pitchers are 11, and there are more 12 year olds on the bench than playing.
I look over to Cat and smile.
"You thirsty?" I ask.
We have drinks in the car.
"Nope. I'm good. Just doing fan stuff." She smiled back.
"Sweet." I smile at her.
She seems more relaxed today. Maybe it's because we got Sydney's contract done, and she signed it.
We ended up getting her 42.5% net profits, plus a three year contract to start.
The length was the key point for Cat. They wanted two, and Cat didn't want Sydney's stuff to be rushed at all. She made an argument that she got 3 and ½ years to put out her first album, and she should be able to get the same courtesy.
The label fought back, saying that the circumstances were different, and they completely changed her team about halfway thru. Which is true.
But things did get heated and contentious. Cat even threatened at one point this week that she'd love to talk to other labels, and that they would happily give her whatever she wanted. She made it clear she wanted the length of the contract the most.
Eventually they caved, but knocking off that 2.5% off Sydney's profits.
She won't have to know anything about that.
And now that everything is signed, Sydney can go in and do her thing.
Cat wanted to talk to her about going in sometime after school since the last Pasadena class was over.
In the end, I'm not sure it was worth it, but I suppose the jury is out on it.
I can't believe we only have 2 more weeks of school left. Then it's summer until September.
I get a tap on my shoulder, bringing me out of my thoughts.
Sydney?
"Sydney" I say, causing Cat to turn and look.
"Hi daddy. How's Kevin doing?" She smiled, as Cat smiled and came closer to me.
"Hi!" Cat beamed.
Who is the guy?
I hear Sydney and Cat talk as I look at the guy next to Sydney, wearing a pitch black baseball uniform, covered in sweat and has eye black on like its war paint.
(A/N: Ok everyone, if you want a visual, just go google "Bryce Harper Eye Black". You'll see what Austin looks like here.)
"Uhm, Sydney? Who's that?" I ask nervously.
He looks pissed off and seems willing to take anybody on in a fight.
She smiled and looked at me.
"It's Austin. He just got done playing."
"Austin?" Cat said, sounding shocked.
No way.
But he jumped and turned to Sydney.
"What? I spaced."
That's his voice.
"Tell them it's you." Sydney smiled.
"Oh, yeah. Hi Mr. and Mrs. Shapiro." He smiled up at us.
Cat squealed and hopped out of her chair to come hug him.
"What's up with the war paint?"
"Oh, it's nothing really. Just to annoy people. Plus my uncle did it."
He said that last part quieter.
"Who's your uncle?" Cat asked, coming to hug him.
"Uhh…might not want to do that. I'm very gross."
Cat smiled and hugged him anyway.
"I guess you don't mind. How's it coming here?" he asked.
"Austin!" Jade called out from behind.
Ooh, they're back from taking Ellie home from the mall.
He turned and smiled, and then Jade took a step back.
"You auditioning for a movie? You look pretty scary." She smiled.
"Nah. It's the uniform." Beck said.
"How'd your game go?" Cat asked him.
"Okay."
Sydney quickly swatted his chest. "Don't sell yourself short like that."
"Ow! What up with the violence?" He yelped.
Beck, Jade, Cat and I all laughed.
"I thought you guys would get that joke." He smiled.
"He did great. They pitched to him for once. 3 for 3. Two home runs, and a triple." Sydney smiled.
Cat cheered and hugged him again.
"Wait…that was his home run wasn't it." Jade said suddenly.
Of course it is.
I jump in. "He's probably the only one that can hit it that far."
"No, there are other people on my team that can. But yeah. I didn't know you guys were playing here. Otherwise I would have tried to hit it into this field."
"That's not possible. Is it?" Beck said dismissively.
That's like 500 feet!
"Can't hurt to try. Next time I will." He smiled.
"Congrats on the good game though." Cat smiled.
"Thanks…are Matt and Kevin playing here?" He asked.
"Yeah." Jade said, just in time for Matt to scoop one out of the dirt.
Our section let out a cheer, and we all clapped.
"Go Matt!" Jade cheered
"So now what?" I ask.
Sydney shrugged.
"I was going to go to my grandma's house, but I'm getting invested in this game. How's Kevin's fielding?"
On cue, somebody hit it to third.
He easily got it, but threw it and cried out in frustration.
It flew 10 feet over Matt's athletic jump.
Crap.
…
They just scored off it.
"Oh boy." Jade said quietly.
"Mind if I say something?" Austin asked me.
"Sure."
He suddenly put two fingers in his mouth and whistled loudly.
Kevin's eyes shot to us, as the next batter came out of the dugout.
"Springy over there 10!" he called out.
10 is Kevin's number.
Springy is what he said right before he went outside.
I have no clue what it means.
His exact words were "Damn, he's springy." Then he walked out.
I don't even think he knew he said it. It just happened, and Sydney froze up, because she's not allowed to swear.
At least not in front of her mom.
But Cat brushed it off yesterday.
Kevin quickly nodded and focused in on the next hitter.
First pitch was a liner at him that took a bounce.
He quickly took a step back, scooped it up, clearly kept his body down and threw a bullet to get him out.
We all cheered happily and clapped.
Austin had a light smirk on his face.
"What did you say?" Jade asked.
"Told him to keep his body down. That's why the throw went so high."
"Really?" I ask.
"Yeah."
We all are silenced by the sound of contact and turn to see Kevin make a routine play look…well, routine.
We all cheer and clap again as they return to the dugout.
"Last inning." The scorekeeper called out.
Uh oh.
I hear the coach call out Shapiro and Oliver, then everybody scattered.
"I hope he doesn't get so ahead of it this time." Jade muttered.
"Huh?" Austin said. "He's early?"
"Swinging way early. They're throwing him soft stuff and making him look stupid. He's really pissed off about it."
Austin suddenly took off for the dugout fence.
"Uhh…" Sydney said looking over like the rest of us.
Austin just said something, causing both Kevin and Matt to come over.
…
…
He suddenly did this…movement. Looks like a dance move, swinging his hips and holding his hand in the middle of his chest.
Then he gave them a fist pound thru the fence as the first guy went to warm up.
Austin came and joined us as we all sat down again.
"What'd you say?" Cat asked.
"I told them to slow down. Breathe easy. Take the first pitch. Then I said that they know where they like the ball, and to wait for the pitcher to mess up."
Wow.
"You're good at this." Jade said, as beck and I look at each other.
Austin shrugged.
"I've done this before…that's the girl." He said.
"Huh?" Beck said.
"The girl. At Kennedy that came to talk to Kevin. The one he likes. Crap." He said quickly, pointing her out.
Brunette, shorts, looks a little like Ellie to be honest.
"Not to be creepy, but she has a little bit of Ellie to her." Cat said.
"How do we know he likes her?" Sydney asked.
"I saw how he reacted to her voice. And I've been in his spot. He likes her." Austin said definitively.
"Plus he told us that he has a crush." Beck added.
She's a pretty girl.
We all fall into silence and watch the first batter fight off like 4 pitches, then hits a little dribbler that the shortstop and third baseman have to sprint for.
Then, for whatever reason they both stop.
He's safe.
"I think that they each thought the other had it." Beck said.
I smile as Kevin tightened his batting gloves and tossed the weight off his bat, then went to hit.
"C'mon Kevin!" Cat yelled.
"You got this man." I add on.
…
…
Ball 1.
"He listened." Jade said.
Didn't swing.
…
…
Ball 2.
Austin isn't moving, and you can just see his gears going 1000 mph.
…
Ball 3.
Suddenly he laughed.
"Okay…now he has to give him something to hit." He smirked.
"Come onnnn Kevin." Cat said.
PWING!
WHOA!
Our whole section hopped to their feet and exploded as the ball flew into the gap.
The guy that was at first is flying around the bases, with Kevin somehow gaining on him it looks like.
He's going for the triple.
Guy from first is safe!
Kevin easily slid into third and clapped.
Then he yelled in Matt's direction "Get me home!"
Matt kept his focus on waking to the plate, but pointed his bat at Kevin.
"Oh boy. This is so over." Beck muttered.
The opposing coach suddenly came out to the mound.
"Oh come on…" Austin groaned. "Rally killer."
Whew Kevin.
"He definitely listened to you." Cat smiled up at him.
"Don't thank me. He's good. He just works himself up. Just needs to chill out a little sometimes."
"How'd you know to do that?" Jade asked.
"I'm the same way. That's what my coach always tells me."
I see Sydney smile and hug him, then the opposing coach walked away.
"Why are they suddenly so close?" Sydney asked.
It looks like they don't want anything to get between the infield and the outfielders. So they brought the outfielders halfway up.
"Because they don't want a bloop hit to win it. If it's over their head right now, they lose regardless if they catch it." Austin explain.
"Oh." Beck said.
"Come on Matt!" Jade yelled.
"Let's go man!" I say.
"End this!" Beck said.
PWING!
Game over.
The ball flew off his bat and Kevin took off.
It flew past everybody and over their heads.
By the time it landed, Kevin had already touched home, and the whole team was trying to chase Matt down.
Kevin got to him first and straight tackled him.
Everyone laughed as the kids cheered and piled on.
"Well that was easy." Austin joked, and we all began to stand up.
Now we wait.
The kids have to clear out the dugout, then talk behind the dugout, get snacks and drinks, then they can leave.
"And fun. We're two for two." Sydney smiled.
"So you won too?" beck said.
"Yeah." He said.
"Austin baby!"
Cat whipped around so fast she ran right into my arm as I was turning around.
Austin baby?
"Hi. What do you want?" Sydney said coldly.
Whoa.
"Shh superstar. I want to talk to Austin. Did you get my gift?" The girl bounced on her feet.
"Yeah, unfortunately. Why are you here Skylar?" Austin frowned.
Neither of them want her here.
Hmm.
She's blonde, wavy hair, has her shirt open to show off her boobs, and tiny shorts.
HELLO!
That's why Sydney is being hostile.
"Unfortunately? Why unfortunately?" She said, pretending to look sad.
She's already annoying me.
"You know why." Austin said darkly.
"Now why are you here?" Sydney repeated.
"No need to be hostile. I just came to say hi, and that Austin played well today."
"We know that. Now go away." Sydney growled.
"No. Bitch. What's your problem?" She said.
WHOA!
I grab Cat by the shoulders and feel Beck grab Jade.
Sydney stepped up and got right in her face.
"My problem, is that you're a gank, and you keep dropping shit in our lockers. STOP IT." She stared her down.
"No. I know how you are. You need all the protection you can get. I'm just being nice." She other girl replied, not blinking.
I'm glad we're away from everyone.
I see Austin go beet red, but can feel his anger.
"We don't need any anything from you. Especially not that." Sydney glared at her.
"Shut it whore. Learn to be grateful, mommy won't be able to buy you talent."
She spun, slapped something into Austin's chest and stormed off.
Sydney went after her so fast Austin had to lift her up to stop her.
"No no no no nooooo." He said.
"Let me at her!" Sydney yelled.
"No." Austin said, as she flailed in his arms.
"AUSTIN!"
He roughly put her down.
"She's not worth it. Calm down before we make a scene." He basically ordered her.
I bite my lip to prevent snapping at him.
I don't like him ordering her around.
"What just happened?" Beck said, still having a grip on Jade.
"Black Mustang. I'm going to Hollywood Arts Monday and slashing that bitch's tires. I swear to god." Jade said quickly, looking back to the parking lot.
"Shh." Beck said.
"She…" Sydney began, and then stopped.
"She's a thorn in our side." Austin said.
"About?" Cat said, as I let her go.
Suddenly they both went red.
"Uhm…can we go talk about this…privately?" Austin said, as red as a sunburn.
"Sure. We'll watch for the kids." Jade said.
Cat nodded to her, and we followed Sydney and Austin down the baseline to some trees.
Then they stopped and propped up against the trees, and Sydney sighed.
"What the hell just happened?" Cat asked, looking over her shoulder so we won't be overheard.
"That…was my ex." Austin sighed.
"Ex?" I say.
"The girl before me." Sydney scowled.
"She's been harassing both of us." Austin said.
"About?" Cat asked insistently.
…
"She's been putting notes in my locker for about two weeks. Basically saying that Austin's going to ditch me and go back to her. And that I'm fat, ugly, blah blah blah." Sydney said.
"All not true." Austin told her.
"I know that." She said back hotly.
"Daily?" I ask.
Sydney nodded.
"That's blackmail!" Cat yelped.
"That's Skylar for you." Austin said.
"So she's the girl who's dad didn't like you." I say.
"Huh?' Cat said.
"When I first met him, I mentioned in passing that my last girlfriend's dad hated me." Austin clarified, then turned to me and said "Yeah. That's her."
"I don't like her." Cat said.
"Thanks mom." Sydney said acidically.
I snap at her.
No talking to your mother like that.
"What about you?" Cat asked, almost protectively.
She really does like him.
He did earn brownie points with me for sticking up for Syd.
"I…you won't like it." He stalled.
"Out with it." I say, extending my hand in a metaphoric gesture for him to talk.
He bit his lip, looked at Sydney, who was looking at the ground and then slapped something into my hand.
What…
Another condom.
I freeze, looking at it, and Cat came to look.
Then she gasped and looked up.
"No…" She looked to Sydney.
"What?" She asked.
"You haven't…" I start, but can't finish due to my stomach flipping.
"What? NO!" Austin yelled.
"No. No way. No no no…" Sydney said emphatically.
"So you haven't—" Cat started.
"No. No way." Sydney answered.
"Absolutely not." Austin said.
"No sex." I say.
"NO!" Austin and Sydney both say.
I quickly feel a bit relieved.
"She's been dropping these in my locker with little notes like "Have fun tonight" and crap like that." Austin said.
"How long?" Cat asked.
"Same length of time I've been getting notes." Sydney said.
"20 days." Austin said suddenly.
"20 days?" Cat said.
Austin blushed again, but then said. "I have them in a drawer at my grandma's. This morning when I was folding clothes, I bumped into the little box I keep them in for whatever reason and just counted."
That's a lot of condoms.
Three weeks of harassment.
"Have you told somebody about this?" Cat asked.
"No. And what? Have somebody call you guys and say 'Oh, your daughter's boyfriend has condoms in his locker.' That'd go over well." He said sarcastically.
"You have a point. But weren't you going to tell us?" I ask.
"We were thinking of a way to tell you." They both say, and then grudgingly smile.
"Okay." I say, and Cat sighed.
"C'mere…" Cat suddenly pulled Sydney away.
Leaving Austin and I.
"Sir…I—"
"I…" I start. "I'm not mad."
He gulped and nodded.
"But I'm not happy either. Okay? This would have been easier if you would have told us. Because on Thursday before you guys ditched school we found one of those in her SUV and nearly died." I say.
"You…know we ditched school?" he asked.
"Dude. Sikowitz. He's a close family friend. If he thinks something is up, he texts. And both of y'all were gone yesterday for no reason. So yeah."
"I…sorry sir. I apologize." He said solemnly.
"Nothing happened?" I say.
"No sir. We just chilled on the beach. Relaxing Friday."
"Grades good?" I ask.
"All A's sir."
I'm not going to correct him on the sir because this is the one time he should call me sir.
"Good. Now…two things. First off, next time, tell us. Because as I said, we nearly literally died. I wish I was kidding with you. Cat and I aren't mad, and won't be if you're honest with us. Are you being honest with me?" I ask.
"Absolutely sir."
"Let me ask an awkward question that you can't tell Sydney I asked. Okay?"
He nervously nodded.
"Has anything at all happened?"
He sighed and ran his hands thru his hair.
"All that's happened…is that she likes taking my shirt off, and we've made out in our swimsuits. Nothing else sir."
"So swimsuit is as much as you've seen."
He shyly nodded, totally red.
"Good. Now to number two."
Then I stop and sigh.
"Did Sydney tell you about me and her?"
"Uhm…the part about you not being her blood father?" He asked me.
I nod.
She told him.
"Yeah, she told me. We sat in the school parking lot and did what you told her to do, which was to investigate and show that you told the truth sir. Must have been hard." He said.
"You have absolutely no idea. Because I love her as much as my actual boys. Did you investigate Cat at all?"
He shook his head.
"Okay then. Do some math for me please. First, what's Cat's age?"
"Uhm…34?" He said, obviously unsure.
"35. And Sydney?" I say.
"Same as me. 16."
"Subtract those two." I tell him.
…
"19 sir." He replied.
I silently stare at him, as I wait for him to put it together.
"Oh…oh my god." He suddenly said, putting his hands over his mouth.
"I think you get where I'm going." I say.
"She…her mom was 19 when she had her. Teen mom. Oh gosh. I'd never thought of that before."
I nod. "Yeah. Only three years older than Sydney is right now."
He nodded, eyes wide.
"Now…I get it okay? I know the hormones and stuff, and that things get out of control. Her mom did the deed at 16 alright? It's that age."
"Why…are you telling me this?' he said, clearly disturbed.
"Because, if it does happen. And I hope to god it doesn't. You better use those damn things. Because if she gets pregnant, I'm not going to allow you to do what her actual father did." I growl, taking a step towards him.
He swallowed, looking green.
"Are we clear?" I get right in his face.
"Crystal clear sir." He said.
I take a step back and extend my hand for him to shake.
"Please don't fuck up. I'd hate to kill you." I say as he shakes my hand.
He smiled. "I won't sir."
I snap "I'm not joking. This isn't funny."
"I know sir." He said quietly.
"Now…we're having dinner later. I'll ask Cat if you can come over. Syd will text you if she says yes. Alright?" I say.
He nodded, still green.
"See you later then." I say.
I spin and start back to the milling parents.
Then I hear him turn around and throw up violently.
And I see Kevin talking to his girl.
Oh boy.
Not this again.