Today is Friday, March 11....
Today was no ordinary Friday.
It was the Friday before spring break.
And for spring break, I was going to be spending (practically) the whole week watching spring training.
Okay, so a special someone had got me access to watch the Rays practice.
If you haven't guessed already, it was the amazing Chris Archer.
Me and Chris had been together for two weeks, and I absolutely loved it.
Me and Kevin haven't talked since Valentine's Day, and according to Richie, it would be better if we stayed apart.
I walk to school with my new Rays jersey, and I hug Richie as soon as I spot him.
"Richie!" I find myself swaying while entangled in the hug.
"Hollis!" He greeted me.
"Babe!" I turn around to see Chris. "Hey. Can I talk to you?"
Before I could say yes, he grabs my hand and leads me towards a wall of lockers.
"I've got some bad news."
I look at him.
"Well, what is it?"
"The tickets for spring training didn't come through."
I look down at my jersey.
"So, I bought this for nothing?"
"No!" Chris says. "I was going to get to this: Evan invited all of us to go down to Orlando. We are, according to plan, going to Disney World, an Orlando Magic game, and go soak up the sun."
My sad face turns into a smile.
"I'm up for it."
"Oh, Hol?" Chris raises an eyebrow.
"Yeah, Arch?"
"We leave Sunday."
In second hour, since it was the last day, Mr. Urlacher put on 21 Jump Street.
Half of us watched while the other half chatted.
I was paying attention to Channing Tatum when someone tapped me on the shoulder.
It was Bryce Harper.
"From Chris." He gives me a folded note.
"Thanks, Bryce."
Bryce walks off, just to turn back to me and say, "What's up, hotstuff?"
Ew, fuckboy.
I ignore him, opening the note.
Hollis,
Before we head over to Orlando, I wanted to have another date with you. You mean a lot to me, and I hope you like wiffle ball.
Do you want to go on another date with me?
□ yes
□ no
□ maybe
I LOVE YOU ❤, Chris
I look over at Chris, who has the biggest smile on his face.
I check off yes, and walk over to Chris. "Here's your dumb piece of paper." I toss it at Chris. "By the way, I can't. I'm too busy being awesome."
"Too late." Chris shows me the paper. "Yes means yes, Hollis."
"Well, shit. I think I can make some time for you."
Chris walks over and kisses me on the forehead.
"You always have time for your Archer."
6:50 PM, March 11
Chris came to my house a little earlier than expected.
"Hey!" I greet him. He is wearing some DriFit shirt with khakis.
And I was in a short sleeved shirt that read You Can't Mess With Stupid.
"I love your sense of humor." He says, pointing at my shirt.
"Shut up, Christopher, let's go."
Strumming my pain with his fingers,
Singing my life with his words,
Killing me softly with his song,
Killing me softly,
With his song telling my whole life,
With his words killing me softly
With his song....
"Duh-duh-dun-dun-dun!" Me and Chris said in unison.
Chris then changes the station.
"Seriously, Chris! That was a 90s ballad you just turned off!"
Chris puts in a CD.
"You just wait."
Silence fills the Corolla.
All the sudden...
One baby to another says
I'm lucky to have met you
I don't care what you think
Unless it is about me
I pause the song.
"Chris." I say as he rolls down the highway.
"You were singing this exact song when I first met you. Drain You by Nirvana. What was the part you sang?"
"It's the first couple lines after the chorus. With eyes so dilated, I've become your pupil."
"Then I said you taught me everything..." He trails off.
"Without a poison apple."
"Damn, girl, I ain't your seventh dwarf!"
I giggle as we turn into the ballpark.
"This song bonded us, Hollis. And, I think you've already learned...I'm a Nirvana nerd."
"It's funny," Chris was tossing the wiffle ball, "because I can hit a fastball up to 89 miles per hour...but, I don't think I can create the arm speed with the wiffle ball."
"Never hurts to try!" I holler at him.
"Okay," Chris runs over to me, "are you left handed, or right handed?"
"Right." I tell him.
"Okay. Usually, you'll have a seam. Your middle finger-"
"Fuck you!" I yell out.
"Ha. Okay. Your middle finger will go directly on the seam. Then," he adjusts my fingers, "your index finger will be tucked tightly against it."
"Okay." I did as I was told.
"Then, you'll have your thumb directly underneath your two fingers." He guided my thumb. "And then, you're set."
"Cool."
"Here's a bat, though. You're going to be a hitter for a bit."
"So, you taught me all this...just so I can bat?"
"You see, Hollis, this works with a baseball, but with a wiffle ball? Who knows! So, therefore, I'm going to test drive this baby first."
The first few times Chris pitched the ball at me, I missed.
Then, the fourth time became the charm. And the fifth. And the sixth.
"Good job, Hollis!" Chris yells. "Just a few more!"
Five minutes later, I had hit two out of three of the balls that were pitched.
Chris walked over, breathless.
"Wow...you were great. " He gives me the ball. It felt sweaty in my hands.
Ew.
"Good luck, Hol."
"Ready?" I holler.
"Okay!" Chris signals.
I get into position and pitch the ball.
Chris hits it perfectly, with the ball arching through the sky.
"Whoa." I stand there, blown away.
But after that, Chris' results were the opposite of mine.
He had made his first few shots, missing the rest.
At the end, Chris laid down on the diamond.
"This...is why I'm a pitcher, not a hitter."
I lay next to him.
"Hey, you were great."
"Oh, no. You, Hollis Santiago, are actually pretty good. You won." He starts to get up.
"Whoo-hoo!" I cheer.
"At least you weren't as clumsy as Nora was."
"Excuse me?" I look at him.
"Oh. Okay. So, Kevin took Nora out a week or two ago, and Nora threw the wiffle ball at Kevin's head."
We both erupt in laughter.
"Hollis?"
"Yeah?"
"I'll be sticking to the diamond from now on."
March 13, 9:12 AM
"Orlando!" Joe and Chris walk into my room, accompanied with my mom.
I continue packing my bag.
"Hollis, are you ready to go?"
"Mom. Orlando is an hour and a half away. I'll be okay."
Mom shrugged. "Florida spring breaks are insane. I need you to be careful."
"Well, we're not going to Miami, South Beach, or any crazy place. We're going to Disney World, for God's sake."
"Isn't Disney World in Lake Buena Vista?" Joe asked Chris.
"Lake Buena Vista, Orlando. They're, like, the same thing." Chris shrugged.
"Guys." I zip my suitcase. "I'm ready...let's do this."
"Hollis, you better call me-"
"She's with us, Mrs. Santiago." Chris gives my mom a thumbs up. "We'll keep her safe."
A/n:
I'm baaaaaack!
I felt like ya'll deserved a double update :)
The writer's block went by quickly, thanks to a few videos of our good friend Archer (smirk face)
I think the Orlando trip will take two chapters and be very long, so be prepared!
Thank you again for 1K reads, and get ready, because these next couple chapters are going to be amazing!
Love,
Rease