Upside Down book 2

Chapter 3: Wedding Plans & Softball

I woke up the next morning and finished my school fast so I wouldn't be late for the Softball League open house this afternoon. Baba stayed home with Julianna while me and Ken went over to Headquarters.
"Are you nervous about this season? Ken asked.
"Nah. I just hope I'm on the same team as Sasha and that Victoria isn't signing up this year." I said.
"Ugh. I don't like Victoria." I heard mom say. "After you won best pitcher last year, she gave me the death stare and complained how her daughter should've won." She said.
"Well, I've never met Victoria, so I have nothing to complain about." Ken said.
"Well I'll warn ya, watch out for her. Her mother too." Mom said.
"Okay." Ken said with a sigh.
We finally got to headquarters and it was crowded. When we finally got in, we went to my age group 13-18. When we got to the front, me and Ken went to play with the other kids. We saw Sasha. We saw Victoria (gag). But we saw someone we would never see. "Brian!" I yelled. I rushed over to where he was at.
"What are you doing here Joy?" He asked.
"The real question is why are you here?" I said.
"Well, since Faith is old enough now, she's going to play in the 7-12 league. She's been wanting to play for the longest time." He said.
"Wow that's great. But I suggest you not to come to practice." I said.
"Why not?"
"Because the 7 and 8-year-olds have practice the same day 13 and 14-year-olds do." I said.
"So?" He said.
"So, me and Sasha are going to be on the same field Faith is on." I said. He looked very shocked.
"So I say either come and look in Faith's direction, or don't come all together." I said.
" I think I'll do the second one." He said. Mom came up to me and gave me my list. She was holding my uniform. I looked at the list.
"Yes! Me and Sasha are on the same team. And also yes because we're playing for the Bears. But no because I'm on the same team as Victoria again." I said
"Who's Victoria?" Brian asked.
"You don't want to know." Mom said. I had to laugh. I heard Brian's mom call him and Faith.
"Bye Faith. Have fun this season." I said. She waved and went to her mom.
I took a closer look at my schedule. There were 15 people on my team. And some of us already got our positions. Here's what the list looked like:
Midtown Bears Team Schedule
-------------------------------------
1) Maya Anderson #35
2) Sasha Beaks (LF) #4
3) Victoria Fields (SB) #38
4) Savannah Fitzgerald (FB) #23
5) Ann Green #5
6) Joy-Anna Howard (Pitcher) #3
7) Kennedy Little (RF) #18
8) Leah Octive (Catcher) #11
9) Tori Octive #12
10) Willow Peterson (TB) #27
11) Fiona Plumber (CF) #24
12) Ingrid Richards #22
13) Diana Smith #16
14) Rheagan Vickleson #9
15) Pat Wills #30
Practice will start April 1 and will be held every Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 5:00-7:00. Uniforms are only to be worn on game days. Bats and balls are provided, but please provide other equipment for you child.

Thank you and have a great season!

I was pretty glad with the way this turned out. Sasha is on my team, and Victoria isn't going to be pitcher this year. Everyone on my team was pretty good at the sport. Sasha of course is great. I saw the Octive twins win the series last year with Tori's home run. And I've heard that Fiona is one of the best catchers in the league. So I think it is going to be fun working with her.
"How do you like the schedule?" Ken asked.
"I can't wait for this season." I said. Both Ken and mom laughed with joy.
***
The next afternoon, I saw mom and baba in the living room. They had a bunch of papers around them.
"What are you guys doing?" I asked.
"We're trying to agree on a location for the wedding." Baba said. "But it's not going too well".
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I want us to get married at a ballroom type setting, but baba wants to get married at his church." Mom said.
"Well maybe I can help." I said. I sat down on the couch between the two and looked at all of the settings they liked. There had to be a thousand of them.
"I don't like any of these. They don't seem meaningful enough." I said.
"Why n-" mom said.
"Hold on honey, let me see something. Joy, where do you think we should have our wedding?" Baba asked. I sat there and thought for quite a while. Then, I had the perfect place.
"I got it!" I shouted.
"What?" Mom asked.
"Why don't you have your wedding at Venice Beach? That's where you had you're first date. If you have it there, you will be able to experience the first time you were together, and the first time you will be together for the rest of your lives." I said. Then both of their eyes widened. Then baba starts choking me to death.
"Joy, that's the best idea ever!!!" Baba said. He finally let go and I was able to catch my breath.
"What can I say. I'm a genius mastermind." I said. Mom laughed.
"I'll make reservations now." Mom said. The went in the bar to make them. I got up off of the couch and went to play pool.
"Thanks again Joy." Baba said.
"No problem." I said back. I saw Julianna come downstairs.
"What's going on?" She said. She sounded tired.
"I helped mom and baba pick out the venue for the wedding." I said.
"Why didn't you call me?" She asked.
"You were asleep."
"So?"
"You hate it when people wake you up."
"Tell me one thing I did to make you believe that."
"Remember when we were 10 and I had to wake you up for school, and when I did, you almost gave me a concussion? And that other time when you gave me a black eye? And that time when-"
"Okay I think you proved your point." She finalized. We laughed and walked past each other." I went downstairs and played a game of pool. As I was about to break, all I could think to myself was "Wow. My life is changing now."