On The Field

Chapter 12- When a twig snaps stop dancing

"So Anna, What did you do at practice?" My mom asked picking up the butter and putting some in her mashed potatoes.

I was currently at the dinner table with my family. Including Riley, my older brother who has no life and sits in his room all day playing videogames.

I finished chewing my steak and replied, "They had me working on throw downs and stuff like that."

My dad lifted his head from his plate and said "Did they have you throwing it from your knees?" I nodded. "So how'd it go?"

I stayed silent for a while. I'm terrible at doing throw downs on my knees to second. "I could probably done better.." I answered honestly.

His face went hard as he stared at me for a while. "You used to be very good at those." He paused for a second to drop his fork. "Tomorrow your doing two hours of throw downs."

"But dad, I did two hours yesterday." I said sighing. HIs eyes darted to me before saying "What's wrong with you Anna? About three weeks ago, if I asked you to do that you would have happily agreed. And now your complaining? Also I haven't seen you in the backyard practicing. What's going on with you?"

What's my problem? Oh, nothing. Just a really hot baseball player has suddenly taken interest in me.

"I-I have just uh.." I was cut off by Jason who said

"Anna's been hanging out with a boy!" He yelled.

Everyone just stayed quiet for a second before all my families eyes were on me.

"You have been hanging out with a boy?" My father asked in a cold and angered tone. My mother just sat there with her face full of disbelief. Jason looked proud of himself for finally getting me into trouble while Riley looked shocked.

"Were just friends. Nothing has happened between us and I wont let anything happen." I answered. pI began playing with my potatoes to avoid the stares.

"I don't know who this boy is. I don't even care who this boy is. But I don't want you near him and he better not be near you. You have a future Anna. I'm not letting a boy take that away from you." He replied sternly.

Everyone went back to eating because usually when dad tells me to do something, I do it. But that just made me mad. Just because he's a member of the male gender doesn't mean I can hang out with him.

"Josh has a future too. He's my friend. I'm still going to play like I always have but I want Josh in my life too. He's done nothing to change my chance in going to Georgia. So I'm going to hang out with him weather you like it or not." I replied.

I'm not sure where all my confidence came from, but boy did it make my father mad. He sat there with his hands clenched and his face hard.

"Anna. I told you once and I'm going to tell you one last time. You will not be hanging out with this Josh boy!" He yelled in anger as he stood up.

I began to stand too. "You can't tell me who to hang out with!" I screeched back.

"You will do what I tell you!" My dad screamed.

I was done. I don't like to yell. Even though Josh and I don't speak anymore, doesn't mean he can tell me who I'm going to hang out with.

I walked from the table, grabbed my shoes and walked out the door. Not with out hearing my dads screams of course.

Usually I would go to one of my friends house after this but I want to be alone. So I went to a place only I knew about. (A/N) I was going to leave it here but I'm awesome and kept going.

~~~

I walked across the bridge and sat on the ledge. I looked down at the river flowing underneath me and felt safe.

Which is strange. Normal people would be scared of falling off the ledge and drowning but nope, I feel safe. I chuckled to myself. I was anything but normal.

For example, Normal girls don't spend all their time playing softball. They usually gossip and do teenage girly things. Normal girls don't have a little brother who enjoys walking around with underwear on his head. Normal girls like to flirt with guys, and date, and fall in love. I on the other hand, try to stay far away from this thing called love.

But with one boy has changed things. He is the only person who has every shown any sort of feeling toward me. He made me talk back to my dad.

Woah, I talked back to my dad.

I began happy dancing from my sudden surge of confidence. I was just prancing all over the bridge in the woods when I heard a twig snap. I ignored it and kept dancing.

I was about to do the sprinkler when a boom of laugher scared the living crap out of me. I literally jumped four feet in the air and landed awkwardly on my butt. But that only sparked the mystery laughter to become louder.

I twisted around to see who was laughing at me. I saw a figure on the other side of the bridge doubled over in laughter. I didn't have to see his face to know who it is. His broad shoulders, his brown hair, his laughter all gave it away.

I just stared at him with my arms crossed over my chest. When he straightened up I saw he had tears in his eyes. He wiped them away and looked at me. A frown crossed his face as he looked at my features.

Did he not know it was me?

I stood up and brushed myself off when he said, "I'm sorry. I didn't know it was you. I'll go now." His face flashed sadness and I wondered why. Then I remembered what I said.

I want you to get off me. I want you to get away from me. I want you to forget about me. I want you to stop speaking to me. I want you to stop screwing with my head.

I felt a pang in my chest when he began to turn away. "Josh wait." I sighed feeling guilty.

He turned back around with surprise evident on his face but it left as soon as it came, and the sad face was back. "Anna, you told me to stay away from you and I'm trying. Your only making it harder for me." He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

I walked closer to him and immediately saw he tensed up. "Josh, I want to apologize. I didn't mean what I said. I don't think I realized what I was throwing away. I don't want you to stay away from me. It feels weird without you." I confessed.

He sat there just staring at me for a few moments. His face told me he was conflicted.

Not knowing what to do, I turned and sat on the ledge again. I knew he was still behind me, so I motioned for him to come over.

I heard footsteps when he pulled himself up and sat on the ledge with me.

We stayed silent before he broke it. "Why Anna?" I was going to be a smart-butt and ask why what but I knew what he was talking about.

"Because I felt you brought a distraction." I answered honestly. He sighed before saying, "I know your dream. I know what you want to do with your life. But I don't get why you believe that having a friend is going to ruin all of your chances."

For some reason the word 'friend' made a pang in my chest.

"It's not that. It's that you were focusing on the 'more than friend' thing, and no one has tried to do that. So I guess I was scared so I did something I'm pretty good at, pushing people away." I began playing with my hands to avoid the awkward gaze Josh had on me.

I was pulling on my nail when his hand wrapped around mine. I looked up at him to see pain in his face. I sat there trying to find more emotions when he suddenly spoke.

"I'm not going to lie to you Anna. So I'm just going to tell you now, I do like you. Your an amazing girl and I have no idea why no other guy has noticed that. But because of your little rules, I'm going to back off. But as long as were friends, I'm going to show you that you can reach your dreams AND have a life."

My heart warmed to know that we were okay. But I was about to protest the 'have a life' thing when he interrupted me.

"A love life."

Chapter status - Unedited