Ethan Wong, an ex-prodigy violinist, thinks it's not meant to be.
After his latest mental breakdown at his last violin competition, where he placed tenth out of ten contestants, he's not sure why his music professor appointed him the soloist for th...
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My heart sank. Cameron's worst fears of a career-ending injury could have just happened. It didn't help that he lay there, unmoving on the field. The outfield players knelt out of respect while some infielders rushed over to check on him.
I wanted to run onto the field personally to ensure he was okay, but I stood by my seat, hoping for any sign that he'd be alright. While it wasn't the second baseman's fault—merely colliding into him at the wrong place and time—mild frustration at number four festered as he took his time getting off Cameron.
While I wasn't an expert at baseball, why Cameron decided to take a risk in stealing third base was beyond me.
The crowd felt the same as a lot of us stood, watching as their coach and a staff member went to check on Cameron. The Lions' number four knelt in respect, evidently not injured by the collision but upset about the situation in general. Nobody wanted to put another player out of the game unless they had serious mal intentions.
Cameron's coach knelt, checking for any apparent signs of injury and prying Cameron's gloves and helmet off before talking to him.
Cameron seemed responsive, his legs shifting to a more comfortable position before attempting to sit up. The coach stayed by his side until the medic arrived on the field, further assessing any injury. I couldn't look away the entire time, desperately wanting a thumbs-up or any other sign of his well-being.
The medic checked Cameron's neck before allowing him to sit up, all while Cameron's eyes searched the crowds and dugouts. He smiled toward his team's dugout—and possibly even my direction—before answering questions and moving his limbs. Aside from the shoulder, he landed on and the side he got tackled, he didn't appear to be in too much pain. He moved and flexed his legs before the coach and medic helped him to his feet. A sigh of relief escaped me when he took a few steps. The crowd clapped and cheered as they guided him off the field. Another player took his place on second base, and the team resumed the game.
Just like nothing ever happened. Meanwhile, my nerves were all over the place, along with my many other emotions.
Cameron had been injured in games before, worse than today. But, the same dreaded fear of him being seriously injured in a sport he loved still terrified me as it did in high school.
It shouldn't bother me; we were supposed to be exes, acquaintances, and old friends. But here I was, wishing I could run down the steps and follow after him.
The last few innings were agonizing. I wanted nothing more than to find and check on Cameron myself. It didn't matter that he was smiling and waving as he walked perfectly fine off the field. The announcers hadn't said anything, and Cameron hadn't returned to the field by the time the game ended. Their alternate third baseman, who I couldn't remember the name had stepped in for Cam, and with a few errors, the Lions had pulled ahead with a final score of 4-3.
Although I know the team must've been disappointed at the loss, my mind was elsewhere.
It wasn't until the bleachers were filling out that I impatiently followed the path back to the athletic center, where I had seen the golf cart had taken him.
