I stretched my arms high above my head, pulling at the warm muscles trying to stretch them out and get them ready for the game ahead. I could feel my tight muscles loosening and I felt pretty good about the game ahead. My high school softball team was playing our county rivals today for the district championship. As a senior, and 18 years old, I knew there would be scouts at the game today watching, picking and choosing which players would be good enough to play on their college teams. My gut tightened at this thought. A lot was at stake.
I glanced over at the adjacent baseball field and smiled. Our boy's baseball team was also playing to be district champs today. Our school had had an amazing athletic year. I could see the boys warming up and exercising and my gaze immediately was attracted to my boyfriend since eighth grade, Tucker Grobin. He was the starting third baseman for the boys team, I was the starting catcher. We were both team captains this year, and everyone thought us the perfect couple. We weren't perfect, of course, but neither of us would trade our relationship for anything in the world. He was 18 as well, and 5 years of being together made us inseparable.
"BALLS IN COMING DOWNN" I heard our rival's catcher yell, signaling the end of their practice and that the game was about to begin. I finished putting on my chest protector and walked onto the field, tugging on my helmet as I went. Katie, my best friend, and the pitcher for our team was right behind me and we began throwing warm-up pitches.
By the bottom of the seventh inning the score was 12-12, tied. If we didn't score now it would go into overtime. The sun was beating down fiercely and I was soaked with sweat. I glanced over at the boy's field and noticed that our team was winning by six over there, and their game was almost over. This excited me. I was on deck to bat so I hurriedly threw off my gear, and pulled on my batting helmet. Just as I was stepping up to plate after Gina got walked, I saw our boys rush to the girl's field, whooping, hollering and cheering. I guessed they had won and were coming to watch our game. This gave me the extra urge I needed to finish this game off right.
I stepped into the batter's box, aware of Tucker's intense green gaze on my back. I took a few practice swing and settled into my stance, one that Tucker has help me to perfect. The opposing team's pitcher was not my favorite person in the world. She knew I was a power hitter, and her and I had had words before over her attitude on the field. I didn't appreciate anyone who couldn't act civilized on the field, and sometimes she just couldn't control her temper. She pitched me two balls, that I knew were balls on purpose and then another pitch. This pitch was clearly a ball as well, except instead of going to the outside and low, it came in high and to the inside. Right at my shoulder. The ball struck by back as I turned with a loud thud. Pain racked through my body as I heard fans, players, coached and the baseball team alike start booing and shouting. I dropped my bat and rolled my shoulder some. I could feel it getting tight already and flexed some to work out the stiffness.
Deciding to ignore the pain, I glared at the pitcher and jogged to first base, which advanced Gina to second. Our assistant coach, Miles, noticed my pinched face and asked if I was ok as I got to first. I nodded and readied myself to run. Gina was the second fastest player on our team, next to me of course. We always doubled up on stealing bases during games, which we did now. Unfortunately, the catcher was fast and picked Gina off at third, but I managed to get to second. There was only one out and I was feeling confident, despite the fierce pain in my shoulder. I managed to advance to third base, barely beating the catcher's throw, and the crowd went wild. All I needed was for Hailey to get a hit, of any kind, and I could be home to win the game. My shoulder was killing me but I was determined to go out of my high school career with a bang. Hailey settled into the box and readied herself. I saw the pitch coming, it was low and outside, and Hailey swung. The bat connected with the ball, not a great hit, just a pop fly to shallow right field. I knew I would really have to book it to get to home before the ball did. As the ball entered the outfielder's glove, I tagged the base and bolted.
I could feel my cleats churning up dirt as I sprinted towards home. The screams and cheers were deafening and I saw the catcher line herself up between me and the bag. As I approached the plate I flung myself down into a slide, and felt my shoulder connect with her leg as my own leg hit the base. Dust flew everywhere and I felt the catcher tag my shoulder. I waited with baited breath for the ump's call.
"SAFE!" And, as they say, the crowd went wild. I don't mean crazy, I mean absolutely INSANE. Fans, coaches, and players alike rushed the field. My eyes were looking for one person, and one person only. Tucker.
I saw him sauntering across the field towards me and a grin broke out on my face at the sight of him. He was filthy, streaked in dirt, grass stains all over his pants, and black war paint smudged beneath his eyes, but he was gorgeous. His tall, muscled frame had a grace to it as he walked, that could stop a girl's heart. Some people took the way he walked to be a form of cockiness but I knew it was just the way his body moved. His piercing, grass green, eyes locked on mine and I could see the glowing happiness that today had provided us both in them. As I approached him he immediately engulfed me in a tight embrace, kissing my hair softly. Compared to the pandemonium around us, we probably looked like statues, standing their hugging.
Tucker's hands brushed my shoulder and I winced. It still hurt pretty bad, but I knew it would just be a nasty bruise. Tucker noticed and immediately released my shoulders, but not my hand. We approached the spot where the boys and girls teams were converged, celebrating. Sodas sprayed everywhere, soaking us. After recapping the day's events with out teammates Tucker tugged on my hand.
"C'mon babe, lets get out of here" he said into my ear and I agreed. After gathering our equipment Tucker and I walked to his truck. I had rode with him to school that morning, just like every other morning. Tucker flung his own bag, as well as mine, into the bed of the truck. He had insisted on carrying it for me, yeah, he was pretty much always a gentleman.