Autumn Panic

Softball Trials

I threw my softball kit into the Herbie's throat and headed off to pick up Summer who had agreed to trial for the district representative team. We were to meet Elly and Jasmine at the northern pavilion of Fawkner Park.

Summer plugged her phone into Herbie and out came Five Seconds of Summers' song "Shes Kinda Hot" to which Summer said "believe it or not Johnathon is a big fan so I bought their album "Sounds Good Feels Good" so I can learn their songs; they're actually really good!"

"Ah haa" I said with a little over emphasis on the ending "Arr" suggesting I didn't really believe that but I wasn't going to challenge her on it. By the time I reached Fawkner Park the boy band had grown on me but I wasn't about to tell Summer that.

On the way down the path we met Elly's sister Britney she was sporting a brand new back pack it was all black, featured an image of two crossed bats with a softball at the join with the word "Britney" underneath all in reflective fluro' yellow.

"See it matches my helmet" she squealed as she spun around to show us.

"They looks fantastic" Summer said with supportive enthusiasm.

"Did you get them for your birthday?" I ask with a slightly younger voice than my own.

"Mum said I could use them today as good luck but my birthday's not till next week".

"Good luck today then" we both said as we headed off to meet the others.

"She is so cute; I doubt she is even 100 centimetres" Summer said.

"Don't let the height fool you she can out sprint and out run all of those girls. Out bat them, switch hit, bunt, dive block and recover, maybe her throw is her only weakness but it may also be an asset as players seem to underestimate her and she is always pulling off double plays. She'll easily make that team."

Our first skills test was to be the 20 metre shuttle run test the selector stated.

Summer looked at me with querying eyes and shoulders raised to which I replied "beep test."

"Oh I hate those!"

More than a third of the girls had quit by level 13. Summer packed it in at Level 19 and Jasmine, Elly and I plus two others made it to Level 21 when the exercise was completed.

We went into a batting drill next and Jasmine went to the left hand box and started laying down running bunts.

One of the selectors came over and said we want to see you bat so Jasmine started doing slap hits which had the selector over to the Head Coach.

I heard him say "I thought you guys were supposed to know what you're doing; did you look at the stats provided for her fool. She is the Wolves leadoff batter and has season stats of 855 why are you wasting your time looking at her she is an obvious inclusion. Just make sure we get at least two pitchers, two catchers, a specialist first base and two shortstops, then find me a runner/slider and it seems you already have found a specialist bunter. So get on with it!"

I liked this guy.

The four of us made in into the selected squad along with two more of the Wolves. We were a third of the squad.

We had thrown our kits into Herbie and was about to drive out of the complex when I noticed someone was blocking the drive so I checked behind in the rear view mirror and backed up sharply. I heard a faint "bang" looking into the side mirror I see a familiar black backpack with bright yellow crossed bats and a matching helmet falling to the ground and lying motionless on the road behind me.

"Get out and help Britney" my internal voice screamed but Herbie drove off.

"No what have I done" I scream as Summer turns to look at me oblivious to what has happened.

Tears spring from my eyes and I make Herbie stop abruptly.

"What the" was all that Summer said.

I had regressed within myself but a shrill noise unknowingly brought me back as Herbie's interior took on a blue internal glow. A sense of relief overwhelmed me as I confidently thought a Fairy Godmother was about to appear and restore things as they should be; taking away the nightmare that had just occurred.

Then Herbies interior changed to a dark red and I sensed it was the devil that had snared my life and no Fairy Godmother was to appear. I felt a depth of despair so great as if I had been cast to the centre of the earth and directly to Hades.

Then the shocking realisation it was the police and I had just driven off after running down young Britney. How could this be happening? Is Britney OK? How can I explain this to Elly? To Mum and Dad? Will she die? Will I be locked up? So many questions bombarded my mind; including.

"Are we in a hurry to get somewhere miss?" only this was asked by a strapping young policeman. If I wasn't so flustered or at any other time I would simply have melted. He was absolutely stunning more man meat than Johnathon but I didn't even notice him or realise he had said those words.

I was in such a panic. I didn't give him any recognition or acknowledgement that he was the law or that I had just broken several serious ones. I had retreated internally. My mind was only on one thing so I just bustled past him.

A group of people had moved in to surround Britney's body. In trying to get to her I knocked over small person breaking through the group sobbing "Oh Britney" as I looked down.

Only to hear a little voice behind me say "I'm OK Autumn but what's your hurry" realising she didn't have her backpack on and the only time I had run her down was just then.

I turned scooping her up and hugged her so tightly "You scared me so much" was all I could muster. The new bag and helmet unscathed. Britney was full of apologies from running in behind Herbie from the blind side.

"Do you have a minute now miss?" A formal voice behind me says as I turn to see the police officer addressing me. Now I notice the hunk before me as my face turns redder than it already was. Throw in embarrassment to add to my nervous erratic state and whatever I said was simply babble.

I recall at one point though not sure I believed him he said

"I'm a big Herbie fan may I look at your vehicle".

If we had spoken about what just happened I've no idea, nothing seemed to have been said. The longer he talked though the dreamier he became. I was still in an outer body state. We had been conversing for some time but I have no recall as to what was being said. I had simply gone into my own fantasy world where he was my obsession.

Then I heard myself taking, well actually I was inviting him to our Anzac Day Barbeque to watch the footy. More panic! What did I just say? "I'd love to" Did I just say that or did he? "Better give me your details then" I guess he did. OMG!

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