The Eye of the Tiger

Game for the Books

"Finally, I thought I was going to be left messing with Edward the entire game," Emmett says in greeting, patting me on the shoulder as he passes, Jas and Ali on either side of me. 

"Mmm who's to say I won't just be helping you mess with Ed?" 

"Hey, I no longer like the fact that she's here," Edward speaking up, approaching us as well and handing Jasper a bat. 

"Edward, be nice. And Emmett, leave her alone," Esme scolds, approaching me with open arms and a warm smile. "Hello Artemis, it's so nice to see you again."

"It's so nice to see you too, Esme," I greet in return, hugging the mother. "I got to see Carlisle this week, so I was needing a little Esme time," I joke, her smiling widely and taking my hand, pulling me to where Bella sits by home plate. 

"Yes, I noticed your cast is off! That's amazing. I also heard your friends and you celebrated?"

I chuckle, replaying through how happy I was that day in my head. "Yeah, they met me at the hospital with balloons and signs and all that, and then Mike treated us all to milkshakes at the diner."

"How'd you sweet-talk him into that?" Emmett questions, reapproaching us and throwing his giant arm over my shoulder. 

"I didn't. He was volunteered as tribute. Eric wanted to make Tyler do it but we felt like he felt bad enough about the accident as it was," I explain.

Bella looks up now, a bit of disappointment in her eyes. "Sorry I wasn't there, I was with Edward."

"Mmm I figured based on Jess's glare when Jack mentioned you couldn't make it. It's really okay though, I don't think Mike's wallet could have handled that," I joke, trying to make light of her missing another friend outing for her boyfriend. 

She smiles a small smile, Edward giving me one of his own before wrapping his arm around her waist and walking towards where his jacket is laid out. 

"Nice jersey," Rose complements with a cheeky smile, passing me and bumping slightly into my shoulder. 

"Why thank you, it's going to be held hostage after this," I return, Alice laughing her bell like laugh as she practically floats away, grabbing her glove. "So how does this whole vampire baseball thing work?" 

"The same as human baseball, but with extra speed," Jasper answers, wrapping his arms around my shoulders and keeping me against his chest with the bat he was holding. "And extra noise."

"Mmm and how are the teams working?"

"Jasper, Rosalie and Carlisle vs Alice, Edward and Emmett with me playing catcher," Esme explains. 

"Looks like you'll have to choose between your mates, lovergirl," Em mocks.

"Wrong. I'm team Rosalie by herself. Your woman is my top draft for fantasy baseball," I shoot back, winking at Rose in such an over dramatic manner that she starts laughing. 

"Now, we'll just have to see how that turns out," Carlisle comments. 

"I'm glad you and Bella are here, we can always use umpires," Esme comments. 

"She thinks we cheat," Em states proudly.

"I know you cheat," Esme states, shaking her head with a smile. "Here Bella, make sure you call them as you see them," She encourages, Bella doing as told while Edward and Emmett flash into the out field. 

"It's time!" Ali yells as thunder cracks through the sky. Rose takes place at bat, Alice pitching at a lightning fast speed. 

"Woah, she's awesome," I mumble, Jasper's chest rumbling as he chuckles behind me.