Ali: Heyy! This is chapter 2! Finally got an upload in, lol. So, I know it's been a while since I've uploaded, but here it is! School is almost over, which means I have tons more time to write for the next few months! Enjoy <3
Picture is of Hallie ----------->
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Chapter 2
Hallie’s POV
As we pulled into the parking lot of our school’s athletic complex on the next day of tryouts, I craned my head in every direction looking for Casey. I was silently hoping for another almost-accident. Once I’d gotten home the night before, I’d waited promptly an hour and a half to text her, as though to not be pushy.
There was no sign of her yet, and I could feel myself sink in my seat. A wave of disappointment washed over me. Why was this making me feel so different? Todd had come over that night, and I lied to him about who I was texting. He still didn’t get suspicious. I didn’t do anything wrong, but I still felt guilty.
We pulled into our usual spot a little early, so we waited in the car for tryouts to start.
“Looking for your girlfriend?” Lindsey teased.
I rolled my eyes. “No, I was looking for Kim. She’s usually here by now.”
“Yeah, that’s weird. I hope she’s okay.” she said, looking around for her.
Though I was using Kim’s absence as an excuse to look for Casey, I was worried about her. She usually walked right to the field and changed in the locker room when she got there. When she was dressed, she would sit in her same usual spot behind the dugout with her headphones in. I hope nothing bad happened with Asher. He was certainly intimidating, and I’d never trusted him.
Just as I was about to grab my cell and call her, Kim appeared and was walking toward her normal spot. I let out a sigh of relief and waved to her. She smiled weakly and motioned for us to join her. Lindsey and I got out of the car and took up on her offer.
“You two are pretty early today.” Kim pointed out.
“Yeah, Hallie actually took a normal amount of time getting ready today.” Lindsey joked.
It was true, I had kind of rushed getting over here today. I was hoping to see Casey, so I wanted to be early. We’d texted all night the night before. I smiled a lot at my phone. Todd thought it was because he said something funny, but it was usually something Casey had said.
A few minutes later, Casey pulled into the complex. My stomach flipped, and I got up to go and greet her.
“Hey.” I said with a smile on my face.
“Hi there.” she said, returning the smile.
“Ready for day two of tryouts?”
“I think I have some competition.” she said quietly, biting her lip.
Our short stop last year was a senior, so she had graduated. I was starting to think that this year, they would pull up a sophomore to play there, but I hadn’t seen anyone nearly as talented as Casey.
“Competition?” I asked. “You’re better than anyone one else who’s a short stop.”
“Really?” she said, brightening up a bit.
“Definitely.” I said.
She smiled and hauled her bag out of the trunk of her car. I watched her struggle to lift the heavy bag, a look of discomfort on her face. Laughing, I remembered that we don’t get our lockers until tryouts are over at the end of the week.
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The rest of tryouts were so simple, I wanted to cry. We did drills that seemed to be made for a little league team. On Friday, the teams were announced. It seemed obvious how the teams were going to turn out, but there were a few younger girls who were still hopeful about making varsity. The girls didn’t have what it takes to be on our team, but they’d do really well on JV.
Coach Portman had asked to talk to Lindsey, Kim, and I while we were packing up. He stood on the pitcher’s mound and waited for us. He looked pleased about the teams.
“Hello, girls!” he said excitedly. “I’m really liking the looks of this team. You girls don’t act the way I thought you would and everyone has really impressed me. You three, on the other hand, are amazingly talented.”
I looked over at Lindsey, who was looking at the ground where she had dragged her cleat across the dirt, leaving five curved lines in it. She was blushing and refused to make eye contact with Coach Portman. Kim looked at him with no change in emotion. To be honest, we had all heard it many times in the past. Apparently, Lindsey took his opinion to heart.
“With that said,” he continued, “I’m picking you girls as my team captains.”
“Thank you, Coach.” Kim said.
Lindsey and I nodded in reply. I also gave him a smile, just to show that I was actually grateful.
“Now, to deal with lockers…” Coach said, trailing off as he walked away.
We followed him to where the rest of the girls were sitting around their bags, awaiting to hear their new locker numbers. There was a buzz of excitement coming from the newly created varsity team. This team was going to be awesome. I looked around at our solid in field and interchangeable outfield. My eyes landed on Casey, who I caught looking at me. Instead of looking away as if she hadn’t been looking at me like most people would have, she kept looking at me, smiling now that we were looking at each other. I couldn’t help but smile back.
In the locker room, everyone stowed their bag in their new locker. The team was happily chatting about whatever was going on at Northridge High School. Once my things were put away, Lindsey and I headed back to her car so we could head to her house. It was Friday night, and we had plans. Surprisingly, Kim was able to come with us tonight. It was a rarity, and I had always assumed silently that it had something to do with Asher.
Todd had told me that Monday about a huge party going on that night. He told me to invite anyone and everyone. Popularity had always been a big thing for him, so I always went along with it. This particular party sounded like it was going to be a lot of fun. A lot of people were going, and I wanted to make sure Lindsey and Kim had also enjoyed themselves.
I had been making jokes about Lindsey having a thing for Coach Portman, but someone Lindsey had it bad for since last year was Corey Conley. Todd had knowledge of this as well, seeming as they were on the football, basketball, and baseball team together. They were pretty good friends. I told him recently about her liking him. When Todd put in a good word for her, he said he’d always thought she was pretty cool. Lindsey had always been really nervous around boys she didn’t know very well, unless there was alcohol involved. She instantly loosens up when she has some, which is not often.
For Kim’s sake, I wanted her to be able to have a good time for a change. Ever since she started living with Asher a couple of years ago, she never got a chance to just go out and have fun. I was surprised tonight was any different from any other Friday night in the past when we asked Kim to hang out. I was positive there was something unjust going on in their cramped little apartment.
Practice had gotten out at five, and we finished dealing with our lockers about twenty minutes later. The plan was to go to Lindsey’s and get ready. We all wanted to shower, seeming as we’d just gotten out of practice. In the car, we all talked about the party.
“Who’s excited?!” I squealed, turning down “Call Me Maybe” which was blaring through the stereo.
“I am!” Lindsey and Kim said in unison.
“But, seriously, Hal. Don’t touch my volume controls unless I say so!” she jokingly scolded me. “That was my jam!” she turned it back up again.
We all started singing the song with all of the windows rolled down, dancing like idiots in our seats.
Hey, I just met you, and this is crazy.
But here’s my number.
So, call me maybe.
Kim is actually a really fun and confident person when she isn’t worrying about Asher. She had long, beautiful blonde hair and blue eyes. She was tall with long, skinny legs. I was jealous of her. Yet, I still felt bad for her because she couldn’t always be herself. I’d always internally wished she would kick Asher to the curb.
We pulled up into Lindsey’s driveway and she turned off the car. She turned to Kim in the back seat.
“So, I’m going to tell my parents that we’re going to the lake with Megan and Regina tonight. We won’t be home until late because at midnight, we’re going to Megan’s house for a midnight movie marathon. I got them to let me stretch my curfew until four in the morning. Okay?” Lindsey recited the plan. Megan and Regina were two of our friends that we usually did this kind of stuff with.
“Why would you tell them that? You guys could come to my apartment for the night.” Kim suggested.
I exchanged a doubtful glance with Lindsey.
“What about Asher?” I asked.
“Oh, he’s going out of town to visit his grandmother for the weekend. He won’t be home until Monday afternoon.” she explained.
Lindsey and I nodded in agreement. “Sounds like a plan.”