Where the Magnolias Grow (editing)

Chapter 20

When softball season started and I put that dawgs softball jersey on in the locker room I just stared at myself in the mirror. I smiled putting my hand on the small number 9 on the front of my jersey as a feeling of accomplishment ran through me. For years I had never thought that I would be good enough to play division 1 softball. My team wasn't in the hardest divison and it was hard for me to find a travel team. But, now that I am. I was good enough to play division 1 softball for Mississippi State.

This is our last game of the season and it's away at Auburn. Part of me hopes that Levi will be at this game but I also hope that the Auburn baseball team had an away game and he wouldn't be able to make it.

We had began warm ups which was first a jog, then stretches, then into progressive throwing. I paired up with the other middle in-fielder as we warmed up our throws people began filing into the stadium. Soon our coach called us in to break us up into our normal groups. Some went to bat or to bunt, while some went to the tees, and the pitchers went to warm up. After we went through our batting, the outfielders and the infielders split up to warm up, while the pitchers quickly went through the batting stations.

While we were at the point in our in field warm ups where we were going two turning one, I saw a familiar blonde head emerged into the stands. My heart quickened as I had to tear my eyes away from the stands to catch a pop up my coach had just hit as I screamed, "I got it!" and waved off the other girls. I positioned my body under the ball and caught it. When I pulled my glove down to throw it to the catcher I looked into the stands and saw Levi at the front of the stands holding onto the fence. He smirked at me and I looked away as I backed a throw to third, and our coach called the outfield in to do a full fielders warm up.

We finished and pulled in slowly starting with the outfield, then the catcher threw down to second then third and first before we brought it in. I walked to the water cooler and pored water into a paper cup. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. I suddenly felt nervous to be playing and I know it has to do with the fact that Levi is here. I can't let him distract me because our team has a bigger goal and that is to come away with a win over Auburn. I threw my cup away and walked up to the dugout threshold after the coaches and captains met at home plate.

We did line ups and the national anthem then got it together to pump ourselves up. Because we're the away team we were up to bat first. We started up our chants as our first batter set herself up at the plate. She ended up having a count of two balls, one strike and having a solid hit to the outfield that was caught. I was third so as our second batter went up to hit, I grabbed a helmet and a bat and walking out to the on deck circle to time the pitcher and see what she was throwing. The second batter was a lefty so she had a great slap that landed into a hole in the outfield, between the left fielder and center. She only made it to first but that was perfectly alright. We needed to bring in runs one inning and player at a time. Production would be important in this game.

I picked up the bat and handed it to the next batter as I took my turn up to the plate. I did my normal ritual, hitting the barrel of the bat to both feet causing lose dirt to fall, then I put dirt in my hands and blew the excess out with my mouth. I glanced at my coach, putting one foot in the box, to see what she wanted. I tapped the top of my helmet letting her know that I understood that she wanted me to bunt and advance the runner. I put my hand up to the umpire as I tapped the front left corner of home base to let him know I was not ready as yet. I placed my feet in the box to get into my stance. The first pitch I saw was perfect for me to place on the first base line to help the girl on first base advance to second without the infield getting a double. She threw a outside corner fast pitch. I placed it so well and as soon as I felt it come off of my bat I sprinted down the line and got to first just before the throw. The dawgs fans that made the trip to Auburn erupted with claps and hollers, excited that I not only advanced the runner but made it to the base myself. I turned around and jogged back to first giving my coach at first base a high five, a huge smile coming over my face. I looked into the stands and saw him smiling at me, clapping but this time a blonde girl was sitting beside him.

By the bottom of the sixth inning we were down by two the score being two to four. We were fielding and had one out and Auburn had a girl on first. Our ace got herself set on the rubber getting ready for her next pitch as I got into my stance. As soon as she got into her wind up I got even lower and moved myself forward. The batter for Auburn hit a line drive to the right side of me. If I launched to the right side of my body hard enough I would catch the ball and that's exactly what I did. The play happened so fast that the runner didn't even have time to react as I leaped onto my feet and threw a dart to first and got the runner just in time. The crowd burst into cheers and hollers with another smile appearing on my face as I jogged in. I looked up into the crowd and saw him standing, clapping and hollering his grin covering his entire face. The blonde beside him wasn't too happy because she was scowling at me the entire time. When we came in from the field we all gave one another high fives and I was given props for my play. The coach then made sure that we remembered that we now have momentum going into the top of the seventh and that we can't let up. She made sure we still had our head in the game and that no matter what we continue to build on that momentum.

We were at the sixth batter in our line up. She hit a solid grounder that the third baseman had to back hand and ended up being thrown out. One down and two to go for Auburn.

Our seventh batter had been doing great the entire game and didn't let down. She was able to direct an inside pitch to left field and make it to first before the ball got back in. Our eighth batter advanced her on a beautifully placed bunt and made it to first but was able to make it to second on a bad throw while our seventh batter advanced to third. The crowd was pumped, we were pumped but our lead off batter lost some of the momentum hitting a hard grounder to the pitcher, who scooped it up well looked back our runner on third hard then threw her out at first. Now with two outs and down by two with runners on second and third it was looking pretty grim. I didn't give up hope but we were losing the momentum we had in gained in the previous inning. As I got into the on deck circle to warm up, our second batter was able to hit a ball hard enough to the shortstop causing her to fumble the ball. She was able to make it to first but the shortstop was smart enough to look back our runner on third. Auburn's pitching coach came out onto the mound and switched their pitchers. While she warmed up my coach talked to me.

"Brielle," she said looking into my eyes, "This is the moment you've been waiting for the entire year. The chance to show us what you did at tryouts. The player with fire the girl with intensity. The girl who rose to any challenge thrown at her. I know you can do this and you know you can. So I'm gonna need you to take a deep breath, clear your mind and do what you do best and that's play the game of softball. Don't try to kill the ball get it in play. That's all we need. Don't prove me wrong." I closed my eyes, took a deep breath and cleared my mind like she asked. I thought about my first home run, how I felt before and after. How the field was a sanctuary for my mind. How it was calming and used those feelings to clear my head. I opened my eyes and looked at my coach determination fueling the fire within them.

"I won't."

She smiled and put a hand on my shoulder. "I know you won't."

"Alright, let's go!" the umpire shouted, "Batter up!"

I walked to the plate and did my routine and knocking off a lot more dirt than normal. I stepped into the boxed set myself and got ready for the first pitch. "Strike one!" the ump yelled as a inside fast ball went by. I stepped out took another deep breath, fixed my hands on the bat, then stepped back into the box resetting myself. He didn't call the next pitch, indicating that it was a ball. Once again I stepped out and then back in to reset myself. I got ready and saw the perfect pitch moving to the outside corner of the plate. My sweet spot. I cocked the bat back and brought it around quickly catching the rise ball that stayed in the zone. I felt that come of my bat sweetly and the sound it made reassured my thoughts. I sprinted to first rounding and making my move to second all the while watching the ball. It was still in the air going farther back, I put a one in the air egging it to keep going and when I could see it fall behind the fence, I pumped my fist in the air. I slowed to a jog between second and third, giving my coach a high five as I rounded third headed home.

The crowd was going nuts, my team waiting for me at home was going nuts and I couldn't help but see Levi himself going nuts too. I began laughing as soon as I stepped on home plate and my team patted my helmet. I had a feeling of contentment as I jogged into the dugout, a feeling of excitement and happiness for the sport that brought so much good into my life. We won the game on a score of six to four. We were able to finish strong and shut down the end of Auburn's line up getting three up, three down. We shook hands and jogged out to right field.

When we came back in to pack up, I ended up being the last one out with the coaches following behind. I walked out of the dugout and headed towards the bus but saw a group of guys waiting a few feet away from the dugout. I saw one of them stop and tap the guy across from him then nod in my direction. The guy turned around and I could see that it was Levi. He turned around and jogged towards me, I glanced over my shoulder and saw my coaches were lagging behind so I stopped.

"Brielle," he said coming to a stop in front of me, "Hey." He gave me a mega watt grin and I smiled softly back at him.

"Hey," I looked down at the ground then back up at him, "New hair do?"

His eyes went up, like he could see what was on top of his head, then looked back at me grinning bigger. "Yeah, you like it?"

The sides and back of his head were shaved short and the top was cut into a fringe type look that he fixed with gel. It made me think of Justin bieber's hair. I shrugged. "It fits you."

"Thanks," he replied and then took a step towards me, "Look Bri--"

"Brielle," my coach said and I turned to look at her, "We have to get going."

I nodded then turned back to Levi. "Look, I have to go."

"Can I just have two minutes?"

I shook my head. "No, I'm sorry, I have---"

"Bri--"

"Levi. You have my number. If you want to talk, text or call. I'm sorry but I have to go," I turned and sprinted to the coach bus before he could reply. I walked back to my seat as the bus pulled off and I saw him through the window slowly backing away and turning to walk back to his friends.

I sat in my seat, closed my eyes and let out the breath I'd been holding. I then took out my headphone, opened my phone, went to music and pressed play. Once again I closed my eyes and put my head back in the seat as the sounds of Paramore's song 'Hallelujah' filled my ears and I was once again able to relax.