Oh, Dakota

5- And Run

"Oh, goodie." She sighed. "So what's so special about this game?"

"What do you mean?" Marnie wondered as we all watched the game start off. Owen was the pitcher and Caleb was shortstop. Levi was left field and John was at first base while Todd was catcher, which was confusing because Todd is like, never the catcher. He's usually center field. I mean, sometimes they mix it up, but their positions are usually pretty set in stone with the coach.

"I mean, usually, you don't insist that I come to games with you guys." Nikki mentioned.

"Oh, yeah well Levi asked me to force you to come." I replied simply with a small shrug as Owen threw the first ball. "He has a thing for you."

"Levi does?" Nikki echoed with a small squeak.

I nodded and watched as the batter got to first base but no farther. After that first pitch, I didn't really pay attention to the game, I just stared between 2nd and 3rd base where Caleb was standing, paying full attention to the game that was just starting. This is how I like my Caleb- far away and not paying any attention to me. That's a wonderful thing to me. "Yep, Levi Bracket, he told me himself."

"Th-that can't be true." Nikki shook her head in denial. "He doesn't like me like that."

"He does, though." I sighed.

"Ooh!" Marnie squealed and I knew that squeal- that was an 'I have an idea' squeal, which always leads to trouble, let me tell you. "You should come to the party with us on Saturday, he'll be there, I can guarantee you that."

I kind of zoned out their conversation for a little bit because I was intently watching Caleb moving around the field all majestically and beautifully. He's so perfect.

"Okay, I'll go." Nikki laughed as I listened back into the conversation when the teams switched and it was time for our team to bat. "I mean, Levi is pretty cute, so I guess no harm done."

"That's the spirit." I chirped.

"Ignore her." Marnie grumbled teasingly. "She's grumpy because she might actually have a chance with Caleb."

"Shut up," I groaned. "No, I do not."

"Oh, but you do." She giggled before looking over to Nikki to fill her in. "He invited her to his party, personally."

"Really?" Nikki wondered in shock.

I nodded. "Yeah, that doesn't mean anything though, okay? He just asked me if I was going, that's it."

"That's still really cool, why aren't you excited?" Nikki wondered. "I mean, haven't you been chasing Caleb for nobody-knows-how-long?"

"Only when he didn't know who I was." I defended. 

"She's too socially awkward to accept the fact that he might actually be into her." Marnie informed Nikki.

I shook my head in denial. "No, you two are just impossible, so let's not talk about it right now."

"Well then when should we talk about it?" Marnie wondered.

"Preferably never, you weirdo." I chuckled softly.

"Yeah, well that doesn't work for us." Nikki said, shaking her head softly. "We're going to go to that party on Saturday and we're going to get you together with Caleb."

"Yes, what she said." Marnie chirped in agreement with Nikki.

I grumbled an incoherent response because I knew that it was inevitable that I was going to this party and these two girls, my supposed friends, were going to embarrass the poop out of me and it's going to be painful for me. "Okay, well you guys can talk about that stuff and I'm going to go over there." I announced, motioning towards the fence that separated the players in the dugout from the people in the bleachers.