(Sorry I feel asleep lol)
S2:E9 Game One
-
"And look at her go." Coach Esquer mumbled when I hit a particular tough pitch, sending it soaring over the left field fence. "I thought you'd have an adjusting period but.. here we are."
"The ball comes a lot faster and the mound is farther but the ball is a lot lighter. Going from a seven ounce ball to a five ounce has its perks." I said and got into position as Connor stood at the mound again and leaned forward, spitting out his sunflower seeds before winding up and throwing a near perfect curve. But, with my dad, I knew how to handle the curves. I stepped into it and the barrel of the bat connected loudly with the ball, sending it soaring back to center. Another one.
"That was my best pitch!" Connor exclaimed with a laugh as he jogged in. "Shit man.. look behind you." I looked behind me and saw a line of people in business suits and dressed behind the fence, holding cameras and microphones. "Well big shot.. look at you bringing in the media."
"Hey, this is a closed practice!" Coach said as he stood up but I placed my hand on his arm and nodded. "You sure?"
"Nope but eh." I shrugged and started forward. "Might as well, right?" Once I reached them, they started flashing their cameras and shooting questions left and right. "Uh.. blue tie."
The guy smiled and stuck his microphone out. "Y/n, Marcus Tyler with NBC news. With you being the first female in history to be on a college baseball team, how much has your life changed?"
"Well.. I usually don't have NBC news asking me questions about my how life has changed." They all laughed and I shrugged, pushing my bat on the ground and leaning against it. "So.. yeah I'd say that's the biggest and quickest change. Uh.. you." I said and pointed.
"Crissy Williams, Sports Entertainment. How is it being on this team with all the boys and do they consider you 'one of them' or are you still a stand-alone?"
"One of them like.. one of the boys?" She nodded. "Well, I'm still a girl you know? That's on my birth certificate so I don't think I'm one of the guys." They laughed again. "But, I get along with all of them and the guys are my family, my brothers, so they don't see me differently because I'm a girl." I smiled with a nod before pointing at someone else.
"Mark Schwartz, ESPN, with us being known of your condition, do you shower with the guys in the locker rooms or do you.." I immediately pulled my head back and gave him a look. "Do you shower on your own time like Jackie Robinson did."
"I.. what?" I chuckled in confusion before picking up my bat and hitting the barrel on my cleats. "Did you just ask me if I shower with the boys? And then proceed to compare me to Robinson?" He simply nodded and I looked away from him, smiling at the other reporters. "Thank you guys, hopefully I can do an official press conference soon with more.. reasonable questions." I said as a joke before waving and backing away, walking back over to the dugouts . "They're crazy bro."
"We're talking about that later, what is this?" Jospeh said, holding up my a paper with my details on it. "Your middle name is Mackee." I raised my eyebrows and nodded softly, shoving my bat into its place holder. "Bro... your on field nickname is Mac now."
"What?" I said with a chuckle. "That doesn't even make sense."
"It's baseball rule. If you have a Mc or Mac in your name, you automatically have to be called Mac." Connor said from the other end of the dugout. "Ask coach."
"It's true." He said with a shrug. "Either that or Macky-"
"I'll take Mac." I said with a grimace. "So, weight room?"
"Yup, hop hop everybody!" Coach called out and we all carried our bags to the locker rooms, so happening to cross paths with the softball team.
"Oh lookie here, it's the traitor." Ash said teasingly. "With her traitor best friend." Jospeh rolled his eyes before stealing a kiss from his girlfriend who immediately shut up and melted in his grasp.
I chuckled at them before waiting for the rest of them to pass, Jas ending up being the last one to walk out. "Ugh." She mumbled and tried to walk past me but I grabbed her forearm and pulled her back. "Let me gooo."
"Nooo." I said, imitating her tone and keeping ahold of her arm. "Say hi to me."
"No." She said with a pout and I tilted my head.
"Why not?" I whispered and leaned back against the wall.
She looked away before kicking her toe into the ground. "Because, you left."
"Yeah but I'm here now, aren't I?" I said with my eyebrows raised and she nodded softly, still pouting. "Okay so smileee." She rolled her eyes and I poked at her cheeks before she finally smiled and giggled softly. "Thank you, pretty."
"Whatever." She raised her head when her coach, my prior coach, called her out. "I have to go.. can you come over this weekend?"
"For what?" I teased and she huffed. "Kidding, I'll bring pasta." She clapped before throwing her arms up happily and wrapping them around my neck. Chuckling, I wrapped mine around her slender waist and rocked up side to side. "You coming to my first game?" I mumbled against the side of her head.
"Of course, bubs." She said back before rubbing my back softly. "Are you still number six?" She asked, pulling back.
"No, it was already taken so I chose something else." She raised her eyebrows and I winked before starting to back away. "Go practice."
"Tell me." She whined out.
"No, go." I said, snorting when she groaned dramatically while I turned and walked into the weight room. "Is today leg day?" I asked as I grabbed a Gatorade and took a sip before tossing it onto the cup holder of the treadmill.
"Yup. Two miles then leg sets!" Coach called out and I sighed before pressing start, gearing up to take on these two miles. I knew my legs would be a bitch after this.
-
Knowing it was Friday and Quincy was with Vanessa, I decided to pay them a visit. Ness and I haven't completely been hanging out to often since her spring term exams started. Of course I respected her wishes and let her focus but I missed my little rascal.
"Y/nn!" She exclaimed once I walked into the apartment with two ice cream cones. "I miss you!"
"I missed you too," I squatted, wincing at the pain in my thighs but, nonetheless, I wrapped my arms around her before pecking her forehead and pulling back. "I brought strawberry cones."
"Yay, you my favorite." She hummed out and took the ice cream, happily licking it as I stood back up.
I smiled at my girlfriend and help up the plain vanilla cone. "Didn't forget about you."
"Awe," she took the ice cream before leaning forward, softly connecting our lips. "Thanks baby."
"Mhm." I hummed out before sitting on the bar stool, grabbing a granola bar from my pocket and opening it. "So, I have a game this Saturday, you coming?"
"Sure." Vanessa said and leaned back against me. I wrapped one arm around her waist and rested it on her stomach, just basking in our moment. "We should go out this weekend, all of us."
"Oh yeah? I'm down- oh.." I frowned, remembering the plans I made with Jasmine. "What day exactly?"
"I don't know, why?" She spun around and set the ice cream cone down as she fixed my windbreaker collar with a smirk. "Do you have a hot date or someth-" Her words halted as she stopped fixing my jacket and pulled it back. "Y/n.."
I hummed and took a bite of the snack. "What's up- yo.." I mumbled when she gripped my jacket and pulled it forward. "This is new babe-"
"Why is there.. makeup on your shirt?" I frowned and looked down to see rubbed makeup and a slight lipgloss print on my white windbreaker. "Y/n.."
"Uh I actually have no idea." She stepped back and closed her eyes, her hands help up. "Vanessa I swear."
"Please don't lie to me right now. Don't act dumb, just be straight up." I groaned and dropped my granola bar onto the table with a huff.
"Every time I come over, there's something new. Why the fuck can't you just trust me-"
"Because you give me reasons not to!" She exclaimed and I stood up when she jabbed her finger into my chest.
"But I'm sitting here telling you that I didn't do shit. I hugged Jas, Ash, and another senior today because today was my first practice without them. But you're always so quick to hop on shit bro." I pushed the bar stool in and started to walk away when she grabbed my arm and pulled me back. "Vanessa, I'm not in the mood to argue right now. I've been having a good day."
"So I made your day worse but you're the one with fucking makeup on your shirt-"
I rubbed down my face in irritation. "I already explained that shit to you!" I yelled, frustrated with the fact that she wouldn't just trust me for once. "I know it's hard for you Vanessa but at some point, you gotta just stop and think before attacking me at every second of the day." She stared at me harshly, not muttering another word and neither was I. "It's tiring as hell."
"Please stop." Both our heads snapped to the side and little Q was curled in the couch with her hands to her ears, tears streaming down her face. "Shit." I mumbled while Vanessa rushed forward to console her daughter.
"Hey it's okay, we just had a little disagreement.. don't cry baby."
"But you yell. Yelling means you angry." I frowned and turned around, leaning against the counter with a soft sigh.
"I know and I'm sorry. We'll stop yelling.." I looked over my shoulder and saw her already looking at me. "I promise." She said, holding my gaze. I simply nodded before turning back around to clean up the spilled granola bar. "Get in mommy's bed, we'll cuddle okay?"
"Okay." Quincy sniffed out before the soft out pat of her feet echoed through the space, finishing with the closing of the bedroom door. "Y/n.." I felt her arms wrap around my waist as she laid against my back. "I'm sorry."
"You've been saying that a lot lately." I mumbled and I felt her nod against my back. "We have to be better. We went through too much shit to be going through this too, you know that."
"I do know." She slowly turned and she kept her arms around me, looking up slightly. "I don't mean to accuse you of things and I know you aren't like that. I just.. I lose it. I go right back in that sunken place I was in a few years ago."
"I know and I'm trying to help but you won't let me. Do you want me to stop hanging out with Jasmine?" She slowly looked down, head shaking. "If that's what it takes.. I'll do it. I just need you to have more faith in me."
"I know, I'm sorry. I know she's just your friend." I softly cupped her face and made her look up at me. "I'll be better." Smiling softly, I leaned forward and connected our lips before pulling her in for a hug.
And I truly hoped she meant that.
-
I tucked in my jersey, my headphones blasting some Tyler, The Creator as I got ready for my first game on the baseball team. I knew I wasn't starting, just because the dynamic was already set, but Coach did promise to put me in when he saw fit. I was more than okay with that.
"Huddle up!" Coach called and I jogged up the stairs before going my other teammates in the circle where coach stood alongside Conner, the co-captain. "Alright guys, we're playing Alabama and we all know how good their team is. But we're better." I smirked and rocked on my heels as the boys hooted. "We're going to go out and give it our all, you take nothing with you when you walk off this field at the bottom on the ninth. Hands in."
I stuck my fist up with the others as Connor called out loudly. "Cardinals on three. One two three- Cardinals." I then followed the others to the middle of the field as the announcer spoke.
"Please stand for the playing of our national anthem."
I took off my red ball cap, along with the others, as the song started to play around the field. The flag was waving in the far corner and I kinda dozed out on the way it was just whipping in the wind until everyone started to call and cheer. I clapped along before walking back into the dugout with the others.
"Alright guys... give em hell." Coach said as the starting nine got their defensive things ready to head out for the first pitch.
I gave them each a high-five on the way out before leaning against the fence, Connor taking the center of the infield as pitcher and Joseph in the far left as shortstop.
"Right here boys, one two three." I called out and grabbed some of Kyle's sunflower seeds, chewing on them as the game started. Almost instantly, Connor through a heater down the middle that had to at least be a ninety three.
Knowing the boys had it under control, I walked around the dugout before peeking out of the side to see the full bleachers, including my girlfriend. I smiled before raising my eyebrows when I saw another brunette walk through the entrance with my roommate by her side. This would be good... kinda wish I had popcorn.
Jas and Ash neared closer to Vanessa and Ness was the first one to notice them. She looked at my former captain for a long minute before simply looking away. Yikes..
I saw their gaze turn to my direction so I quickly pulled back and walked over to the fence, watching the rest of the game with the girls furthest from my mind. I did not need to deal with that drama right now.
After a good few innings, us taking the lead by two with a RBI homer from Kyle, Coach finally walked up to me. "Y/nn.. you ready?"
"Yessir." I said and hopped up, grabbing my helmet as he called in for a pinch hitter.
"Listen," he said and turned to face me. "I want you to ground it. Connor is on third so I need him in and you to just make it on." I nodded and he squeezed my shoulder before Kyle came up to me squeezing my shoulders.
"Make me proud, Mac." Kyle said and patted my back as I grabbed my bat, practicing my swings in the circle before walking up to the plate.
"Coming in for Kyle Huston in number thirteen, Y/n Y/ln." I looked towards the stands and saw Jas eyes get as wide as saucers once she realized what my number was. I simply raised my eyebrows once before focusing on the pitcher who was having a talk with the infield.
"You'll never last, you know?" I looked back as the catcher stared at me with disgust. "You shouldn't be allowed on this field."
"What?" I mumbled.
He looked me up and down before spitting at the ground. "You heard me." My eyebrows furrowed as he scowled at me for no reason. "You're a girl and should stay in your place."
"Ah, someone's not comfortable with their masculinity." I said with a shrug before looking back forward. "Just sit there and look pretty, Alabama. Don't stress your little mind about me."
I heard an almost growl like noise leave his lips before he whistled in the direction of the pitcher. I looked up for a moment and saw them communicating with hand signs but I simply shook it off and focused on the play at hand. I took in a deep breath and got into my stance as he read the play from the catcher, nodding after two head shakes.
I watched him wind up before throwing a bullet... straight at my ankle. I quickly jumped up and heard it smack into the catchers glove. So.. they planned that. I nodded and stepped out of the box, my hand up to the ump as I practiced my swing again. When I felt ready, I stepped back in.
"Right here kid, nice and easy!" Kyle said from the dugout.
I stared down the pitcher as he took his time reading the sign. A small smirk plagued his lips as he winded up again. I expected another inside pitch. What I wasn't expecting was for the ball to go barreling at my head instead. I tried to duck out of the way but I was too slow. Just as I moved, I felt the harsh knock into my nose, instantly shooting my hand up to my face as I spun around.
"Fuck," I hissed, squeezing my eyes shut as the seething pain ran through my nose and up to my damn brain.
"Ball came off the bat." The umpire called out, despite the clear distinction of the pitchers intentions.
"Hey what the fuck!?" I heard someone shout from my side of the dugout as I crouched down, blood dripping down my chin and onto my jersey. "Blue, where's your eyes today? You didn't see that!?" I looked up and saw it was now Jospeh trying to charge forward but Kyle was pushing him back.
"Whoops... wrong call." I looked up at the catcher who was smirking, giving his teammate a head nod before reaching his hand down to help me up but I simply slapped it away and pushed myself up.
"You need to change your shirt." I gave the umpire a look as I wiped my, still bleeding, nose.
"Yeah no fucking kidding." I hissed out, mad that he was simply ignoring the call. That deserved a royal toss out but I had a feeling he was on Alabama's side with this one. A girl playing baseball.. fuck me, right?"
"Time!" He called out and crossed his arms. "Thirty seconds."
"Thirty-"
"Y/n!" I looked up and Coach motioned me over, his head shaking. I nodded and ran over to him before already starting to take off my shirt. "What are you doing? I'm subbing you out."
"No way, coach." I said, my mind in beast mode. "I'm not letting them win, fuck that." I was handed napkins so I quickly stuck them up my nose to catch the blood while I put on my alternate jersey.
Coach simply smiled with a nod before patting my shoulder. "Okay." He looked up at the scoreboard, nodding and muttering again, "Okay. The hits your call. Do what you think fits."
Oh I knew what fit. I tucked in my shirt before slowly pulling out the napkins, lucky my nose had stopped bleeding somehow. But, just in case, I ripped off some of the napkins and stuck them up my nose but made them unnoticeable to the outside eye.
"Time is up!" The umpire yelled out.
I grabbed my bat and looked out at the field. "You send those motherfuckers packing." Joseph said from behind me, patting my back. I simply nodded before walking up the steps and over to the batters box, taking my time this time around.
I ignored everything the catcher was saying, not looking up at the pitcher until I knew I was completely ready. I didn't know if he could sense my aura or saw it but the pitcher kind of looked at me oddly as he walked to the mound, a certain fear in his eyes. As he should have been.
He looked at the call from the pitcher and nodded on the first one. Everything around me started to fade as I got into my stance. It was just me and that ball, nothing or no one else. Then, he let it go. Curve ball right down the middle... what a fucking mistake.
I stepped into it and swung my bat, probably the hardest I ever had in my entire life and I knew because as soon as I connected with the ball, the barrel of my bat went flying towards the dugout, the neck still in my hands. I stared at it in shock because I've never broken a bat before.. holy shit.
As soon as the cheers erupted in my ears again, I tossed the bat down and started running to first, the cheers getting louder when my ball soared right over the center field fence.
I'm not sure what I did but it was along the lines of a hop, skip, and a fist bump. "And there she goes!" Coach said with a laugh from his spot at third base, giving me a high five as I rounded third and headed straight for home where my teammates were screaming from the sidelines. I took off my helmet and held it up as I jumped onto the home plate where the catcher was seething.
"Not bad for a girl huh?" I said with a smirk and he rolled his eyes while I happily backpedaledto the dugout where each of the boys clapped my back. "Bro slid me a curvy, fucked up with that one." I said to Joseph and he laughed with a nod.
"Yeah bro I was ready to come out and drag that bitch to the ground the way he hit you." I simply chuckled and pulled the bloody napkin bits out of my nose, tossing them into the trash.
"It's all good though. Slug some and that'll be payback enough." I said, pulling off my gloves and sitting on the bench. I knew that by tonight this pain would be brutal but I was too amped to feel it right now.
-
We ended up closing the game with five to none and boy did that make me feel good. After giving them silent high fives, I walked over to the dugout where the trainer was waiting for me. "How are you feeling, Y/n?" Alyssa, our trainer, asked as she stood in front of me while I sat down on the bench.
"Hurts like hell." I said, wincing softly when she touched around the bruised area.
"Yeah I bet. I'm pretty sure your nose is broken but luckily there's no out of place cartilage or bones. I want you to come in after you say your hellos to who ever came so I can start the treatment, okay?" I nodded and she smiled before pulling a pill bottle out of the little front pouch she wore, handing me two Motrin. "This should help for the pain."
"Thanks Lys." I said, tossing the pills into my mouth before downing them with my Gatorade while slipping my feet out of my cleats and sliding into my slides.
"Wanna go see the girls?" Joseph asked as he put his hat on, tossing me mine.
"Yeah, give me one sec." I pulled on my hat and untucked my shirt before pushing off of the bench, walking with him to the gate.
As soon as we walked out, I spotted Jas and Ash walking up and my eyes instantly scanned for Vanessa but I didn't see her anywhere.
"I can't believe you chose my number." I brought my gaze back to Jasmine who shook her head with her arms crossed. "You stole my number, Macky."
"I did not.. it was either thirteen or five and five is gross so.. and- hold up, do not call me that." she nodded sarcastically. "How's my face? Do I look gnarly?"
"You've been on this team a week and say shit like 'gnarly' so I'm going with no." I smacked my lips and pushed her shoulder. "No you look good. I'm surprised you went back, everyone thought you were going to be out for the rest of the game."
"Nah, couldn't do that. It's not in my blood." I said and place my hands on my hips as I leaned back, cracking my bones before realizing she was simply staring at me. "What?" I asked with a small smile
"Nothing.." she mumbled and looked away. "You're going to make a great major league player someday." I went to retort but my grin widened when I raised my gaze, seeing my girlfriend walking from the bathroom area. Jasmine followed my gaze and I swore I heard a sigh leave her lips. "I got a call, I'll be back." She said just as Vanessa fully walked up.
"Hey you." She said, frowning as she lightly touched my nose. "I was so scared when you got hit. I wanted to run onto the field."
"I'm a trooper baby." I said and pulled her close as I softly pecked her lips. "Thank you for coming."
"Of course." She said and wrapped her arms around my torso, hugging me close. "I didn't understand shit but I cheered loudly when you hit the ball over the fence.
Chuckling, I pecked her forehead before pulling my hat off and placing it on her head. "And I love you for that." She looked up at me, smiling happily and I felt my insides churn. She is so beautiful..
"And I love you too."
Things were finally back on track for us and I couldn't be happier... I just hoped it stayed like that.
___
I made them happy Jeez.
now let me fuck shit up
Jk *gif below*