Still a big thank you to everyone who continues to read this. I know it's not frequently updated but that's because occasionally I do lose interest and get stuck but I do love this world so very much. Sorry this one focuses more on the baseball team than on the Ducks.
The snow of January turned into the freezing rain of February with nothing of note occurring between classes and hockey games.
On Valentine's Day, she woke to a white rose with blue tips taped to her door. It made her smile. Even more so when she found out it wasn't from Portman but rather from Fulton. "Thank you," she told him at breakfast.
"Of course. You've had such a tough year that I thought you deserve something special," Fulton answered as she sat down next to him and doused her pancakes in syrup.
"Special is a hug and maybe a smile from normally reserved Fulton Reed."
"Then what do you call the flower?"
"Above and beyond. Not that I'm not grateful, I am."
"I know I didn't have to, but I wanted to. If you want a hug though, I can do that." Fulton reached over and hugged her.
"You are wonderful, Fulton. I hope Aly realizes that." Lizzy snuggled against him.
"Of course, I do."
"Aly, I—" Liz pulled away from Fulton in shock and looked up to see the other brunette just behind the boy in question, who had yet to fully release his friend.
"Relax, would you? Fult does what he wants and as long as it's not disrespectful to me, I don't mind," his girlfriend answered.
"Where'd you find her and does she have a sister?" Russ asked.
Aly rolled her eyes. "Nope, only child though if I did, I'd tell her not to date a jock. They're more trouble than they're worth."
Fulton looked back at his girlfriend in question but didn't say anything as his arms fully dropped from Lizzy. "You know what I just realized?" Lizzy asked.
"What's that?" Fulton answered as he pulled Aly to sit in his lap.
"You two have been together for a year. How's it feel?" Lizzy asked.
"Great but kinda weird too. I never thought I'd have someone so great or that it would last so long but now I get what my parents mean when they talk about being together."
"If you had told me back in 6th grade that you would have a relationship that lasted longer than mine, I'd never believe you."
"That's good to know. Just so you know, I never would have believed you'd date a preppy back then either."
"Kyle is so not a preppy."
"Well, you'd know better than I would."
"Morning all," Kyle said as he stepped up to the table.
"Quick question," Portman interrupted whatever Kyle was going to say next. "Zack or Slater?"
"Zack, duh." Kyle answered. "I have nothing in common with that overgrown pig."
"Ouch," Lizzy whimpered.
"Told ya, preppy," Fulton whispered to her.
"Ok. Anyway, Julie, I've been ordered to give this to you and if he doesn't hear that you got it in the next three days, I'm to ... well let's just say I'd prefer it if he heard from you." Kyle looked at the blonde goalie.
"Will do." She took the card he was holding out.
"Let me guess, Scooter?" Liz asked.
Julie pulled the card out of the envelope and Kyle answered. "Yep. Also, because this table is so intimidating, I've been delegated to deliver these." Kyle produced three more cards from his pocket and offered them to Lizzy.
"And I should take those, why? The team's not going anywhere. Anyone who wants a shot should take it no matter who's around."
"Just take them," Kyle said.
"Yoink," Charlie said, taking the cards from Kyle. Kyle looked at Charlie shocked then back at her.
Aly beat him to any comment he could have made. "And you wonder why no one is taking their shot." Lizzy glared at her best friend's girlfriend before Charlie drew her attention again.
"Who's Parker?" Charlie asked, looking up from the card in his hand at her.
Lizzy nearly dove across the table to collect her cards. "Ooo, Liz has a new boyfriend," Averman taunted.
"Parker sent you a card?" Adam asked.
"Why didn't he mail it?" Lizzy asked.
"'Cause he knew I'd see you and figured it'd be easier that way," Kyle said.
"Who is Parker and why does Adam get to know about your secret boyfriend and we don't?" Russ asked.
"Fulton?" Lizzy asked as she read the card.
"Because he's Parker Preston and Adam's known him longer. He goes to Hampton Academy in Southern Edina." Fulton sorta answered the question.
"And what's the most important thing you left out of that sentence?" Lizzy asked, reading the second card, one that happened to be from Kyle.
"Why's Adam get to know about him and we don't?" Averman reiterated Russ's question.
Fulton ignored him. "He's blond?"
Lizzy rolled her eyes. "Fulton, what's the thing they'd stupidly care about?" She put down the card and looked at her friend.
"That doesn't matter any more. It shouldn't matter anymore."
"It doesn't to you or me and shouldn't to literally anyone who can get along with Kyle and Adam but for some reason it still does."
"Wait, are we talking about that Parker Preston?" Aly asked.
"That Parker?" Lizzy asked, looking at her.
"Before Anna met Ellie, she had this friend named Parker who wasn't always nice to the other kids but he was her neighbor so he looked out for her. She mentioned that it was hard on him when he had to pick between his new friends and her, especially when he started playing Mites hockey," Aly said. "You guys aren't the only ones that grew up around here. Half of us wanted to see the Hawks taken down just as bad. But it can't be him because I could've sworn Anna said he goes to Blake."
"He does. Joe Larson goes to Hampton. Joey also no longer plays hockey."
"He was always such a sweetheart. Larson. When Ellie moved to town in the second grade, she moved in next door to the Larsons. Other than Anna, Ellie became good friends with Joe's kid sister Jessie. Joe's always been good to us when we went over there. They had a pool, we didn't." Aly shrugged. "At least right up until Todd McGill started hanging around."
"You know, you and Larson have a lot in common, I never understood why you weren't more than friends," Kyle added looking at Lizzy.
"Commonality doesn't make a relationship last. Does it, Port?" Lizzy asked.
"It does not," Port answered.
"You still haven't answered my question," Russ said.
"And what question is that?"
"Why does Adam get to know about him and we don't? We're all Ducks and you trust us, don't you?"
"Russ, of course I trust you but after what happened between me and Portman last year, there's a part of me that never wants to tell you anything about my personal life again. Especially if that part of my personal life involves a former Hawk. I know half of you only get indignant about the Hawks because of how they treated the rest of us and that personally on a one-on-one basis you don't mind them so much but there's still going to be that irritation there because of a one-time association. Adam doesn't have the same stigma because with the exception of Todd McGill, not a single one of them did wrong by him. Not really. Please, excuse me." Lizzy stood and left the cafeteria.
"Why, just why can't you leave it alone?" Portman asked.
"I didn't realize it was such a touchy subject and I didn't mean to upset her. I'm sorry," Russ said.
"Where are you going?" Fulton asked as Portman headed for the doors.
"She didn't stop being my friend just because we broke up. I think I know when she needs to talk," Portman answered.
Once he was gone, Fulton and Adam shared a look and both sighed. "For the record she isn't dating Parker. Sometimes she just doesn't want to talk about her love life. Not that I can blame her. Charlie, I really wish you would have opened that middle card first. Would have saved your cousin and your team a lot of heart break and embarrassment. Or not opened any of them at all," Kyle said.
Portman caught up to Lizzy as she reached the courtyard. "You want to talk?" he asked.
"Not about Parker."
"Ok, who were the other two cards from?" he asked as they continued to walk.
"Larson and Kyle. It's not weird to get a Valentine's card from your ex, is it?"
"You didn't seem to mind when Dwayne sent you that carnation last year."
"Huh. You're right."
"Unless it bothers you?"
"No, it's ok. You know what doesn't make sense is why Kyle said he had to deliver them. Because the table was intimidating. Neither Parker nor Joey go here so his reason didn't make sense."
"Perhaps it was just a cover so he didn't have to tell the team that one of them was from him."
"Possible."
"Are you dating Parker?" Port asked hesitantly.
"Would it matter if I was?" Lizzy toyed with her fingers as they stopped outside the dorms.
Portman stared at the door as he thought it over. Finally, he smiled at her as he pulled the door open. "No. You're free to do what you want since I know you'd never sell out the team."
"No. For the record I'm not dating Parker. He's a friend and I think I learned my lesson with preppies after Kyle. There's just no spark."
"Unless you just haven't found the right preppy."
"I don't know but, I'm not worried about it." Lizzy shrugged and they went to their rooms.
Come the end of the following day, since Valentine's Day had been on a Sunday that year, there was the annual carnation delivery. Unlike last year, this year Lizzy didn't get a single red flower. She didn't feel hurt by that, just a little sad when she thought about her brothers and what they might have been doing with their girls. That feeling evaporated when she got a bouquet of yellow roses after practice from Matt.
"The team wants to have a video game slash board game tournament in Kyle's room after dinner, please say you'll come," Charlie said.
"Dwayne's ok with that?" Lizzy asked.
"Yeah. He'll be out with his girlfriend anyway."
Tiny, green buds began to pop up on trees outside of Lizzy's window signaling the end of winter and the start of spring which would bring with it baseball tryouts. For her they would be a formality, she already had her scholarship signed and she knew she was good enough for varsity.
Sure enough, one day in early March, hanging on one of the notice boards was a bright green flyer. It advertised the upcoming tryouts to be held in the gym with the date and time of two days later. It was the time that made her stomach sink. It would be held during hockey practice.
She found Bombay in his office after practice that day. "Is everything ok? It's a rare day that I get a visit from you," Bombay asked.
"There's nothing majorly wrong, unless you've changed your mind," Lizzy answered, dropping into a chair.
"Changed my mind about what?"
"That me playing baseball is a good idea."
"You're doing something you love and I won't fault you for that."
"I hope you stand by that when you hear my next sentence."
"Lay it on me."
"I have to miss practice in two days."
Bombay stared at her. "You have baseball tryouts?" he suggested.
"Yeah. I'm really sorry and it doesn't mean I can't play in the game unless you decide I can't but it's tryouts and usually Matthews is pretty cool about scheduling practices around other sports especially around playoff runs. If he's not—"
"Then we will manage without you while you have to practice for baseball. I told you two months ago that I knew you were more into baseball and I wasn't going to hold it against you even if the team doesn't like it."
"Thanks."
They all met in the gym on that Wednesday afternoon with a few newbies for tryouts but didn't see hide nor hair of their coach. "Anyone seen Matthews?" Lizzy asked. She got several no's in response. "Well, I'm missing hockey practice, so somebody better show up soon."
"I do apologize for being late, but your school is so bloody massive that it was hard to find the right place," a male voice said, answering her question only seconds later.
"I too apologize, I had a sick child I had to drop off to my wife. We greatly appreciate your patience. For those that were on JV last year, I am Coach Robert Franklin though you can call me Coach Bobby. This is our brand-new varsity coach, Coach Williamson. If you happen to notice the accent, yes, he is English."
"What's a Tory know about American High School baseball?" Lizzy asked.
"My mom is British, my dad's American. I'm both," the first guy said with a perfect Midwestern American accent.
"That's awesome but the question still stands," Lizzy answered.
"You Yanks don't have the market on it you know."
"Well, I am from Minnesota, so I'll accept that. Now this guy here, he's a Reb." She jerked her thumb at Bastian.
"Whatever, Yankee," Bash answered.
"You lost the war; get over it," Lizzy told him.
"I grew up in Springfield, Illinois playing baseball. Played through the minors until a nasty slide tore my rotator cuff and then later in the game as a pinch runner, I tore my Achilles tendon. Those that can't, coach," he told her.
"Got it. So, what should we do?" Lizzy asked.
"You strike me as the type who never needs instruction. "
"Maybe not but you're the coach and this is, as they say, your show," she answered.
"Who's here on a scholarship?" Williamson asked. Lizzy looked around and saw not a single hand so she waved. "Just you? So, I get to deal with kids who only want to be here and not have to."
"Um, Coach, we may not have to be here like Lizzy but we're all dedicated to being here," Bash told him. "Our coach last year wasn't all that great. I learned more from the week I spent with my cousins who play college ball than I did from him in the two years I had him as a coach. He liked to yell a lot and he favored the pitcher."
"Got it. Here's what we're going to do," Williamson said.
When they walked out of the gym later Bash had an arm thrown around Lizzy and she was leaning against him. "I've forgotten baseball uses different muscles than hockey and I'm so not prepared for it," Lizzy whined.
"I don't think any of us were prepared for today," Bash answered.
"Did you really spend time with Chris and Ben?"
"They came down the week before you did. Even though we ended our season last year at 25 and 4 which is better than any season I've had, I still felt like getting their help could be beneficial."
"So, what do you think of our new coach?"
"Too soon to tell."
The following day, the first words out of Bash's mouth when he saw her were "I hate this guy," he said.
"Coming from a guy who doesn't have a mean bone in his body, that's a strong term," Lizzy answered. They stepped out of the breakfast line and he guided her to the baseball table instead of letting her sit with the Ducks.
"We can strike," Sam said. "The whole of Varsity would be behind you." He was their trainer and though they weren't specifically on one team or the other, they were at every varsity game which made her especially curious on whose behalf he was upset for.
"Even the trainers are upset? Bash, why do we hate this guy?" Lizzy asked.
"You haven't seen the list?"
"I haven't had breakfast so I'm still half asleep."
"You planned on doing it later?"
"Yes. Now, either tell me why we should be mad or back off and let me finish my breakfast."
"Coach Williamson put out the list," Sam said. He swallowed and looked at Bash.
"You're not on the varsity list," Bash said softly.
"What? Who's pitching then?"
"Garry Henson."
"Wasn't he the freshman pitcher last year?" Lizzy asked.
"He was." Everyone at the table was staring at her carefully as she swallowed down what was left of her oatmeal then finished off her juice. She stood and walked over to the Ducks' table. "Lizzy!" Bash called. She paused for a second then continued into the school and found the list posted outside the gym and it confirmed everything the team had told her. She walked back to the cafeteria and stopped behind Fulton's chair.
"Everything ok?" Adam asked.
"Fulton, can we talk for a minute? Outside?" she asked.
"Sure." He stood and walked outside after her. Once she was sure she couldn't be seen or heard from the cafeteria, she broke.
"It's not fair, it's not fair, it's. Not. Fair!" she cried.
"What's not fair?" Fulton asked gently.
"I'm good at baseball, right? I know you're not the most qualified to ask that, but you know enough to know I'm good."
"Good? You pitched 17 near perfect games last year, three of which were no-hitters. Your percent of strikes to pitches thrown is at least 90 percent and you can throw faster than 75 percent of kids in the league."
"Wow. I'm glad you know my stats."
"You paid attention when I played football and Ben is like the brother I've always wanted. I should know baseball stats. Now, why did you ask if you're good? You've never suffered from lack of confidence."
"Our new coach put me on JV."
"JV? You haven't been JV since freshman year."
"Actually, I only played JV sophomore year and that was to take over for Adam. When I played freshman year, I was on the Varsity softball team."
"Matthews is out of his mind. He should have learned last year—"
"Matthews isn't our coach this year. We got a new guy named Williamson."
"You could get him fired."
"Or I could just accept it. Maybe I'm not meant to be playing—"
Fulton cut her off again. "Stop that right now. You are good enough and you've beaten the boys multiple times. Stop doubting yourself. You are good enough for varsity and this crap of a coach will see that soon enough or the JV coach will make him."
"Yeah, you're right."