Running The Bases

Chapter 3
It’s been at least two weeks since I met the whole Batavia high school baseball team. By now I knew everyone’s first and last name, their team number, and the position they played.
“How’s baseball going?” Mariah poked the top of my head.
“Gffffmmhhmm.” I mumbled into my hoodie.
“What?” asked Mariah lifted my head by pulling onto my hair. “Did you brush your hair this morning girl?!”
“Yeah.” I said my eyes closed. “I’m so tired.” Mariah dropped my head back into my arms.
“Man those guys work you hard huh?” Mariah ran her fingers through her dark hair. I nodded in my arms. I lifted my head a little.
“I was up all last night working on the stats for Geneva.” I said.
“Wasn’t that due last week?” asked Mariah. She shifted her hair a little.
“Yeah, but I was so busy I forgot to do it.” I said. I lifted my hand and ran my fingers through my hair. I gave it a good shake.
“You’re a mess.” Mariah laughed.
“I know.” I said. The morning bell rang loudly through the whole school. Our homeroom teacher walks and slaps a whole stack of papers onto his desk.
“You all know what this is?” Mr. Barakat asked holding a sheet up. “I know you all do. It’s your last science exam.”
“Shit.” I muttered to myself. I knew I blew this test; I hadn’t studied at all for it. Mr. Barakat began passing back the exams. I could see most people’s faces brighten up from getting good test scores. I looked over to Joey who was in my class, which of course I hadn’t noticed until two weeks ago. He had a bored expression on his face like usually. I guess he didn’t care. He leaned back in his chair and tapped the desk with his pencil while staring out the window.
A paper was slipped onto my desk upside down. Mr. Barakat gave me some kind of look then continued on. I flipped over the paper to be hit by a thousand bullets.
F-?!
I was doomed forever. Forever I say. Mariah looked behind her and gave me a smile. I twitched. She shrugged and turned away once the teacher called out for attendance. I slumped low in my chair for the rest of the day. During lunch I sat in the corner of the cafeteria. I hated our cafeteria. It was separated into the different stereotypes. The little groups. Of course I didn’t fit into any of them. Except for my group, with the very few friends I had. I looked at the table I sat at every day. No one was here yet though due to many people being sick and having to take tests, or there getting their lunch or they decided to skip again. I sighed and rested my head down on the table. I closed my eyes hoping I get could get at least five minutes of sleep.
Something slammed down on the table.
So much for getting those five minutes. I lifted my head to see Mariah sitting across from me with her lunch.
“Hi.” I said.
“Hello.” she said.
“I’m going back to sleep.” I mumbled and returned to the comfort of my sleeves. It was quiet for the rest of lunch. Same with the rest of the day. All quiet. Nothing.
Once school let out I headed out the back door since it was quicker than the front. As I was walking down the street I noticed a familiar tall male walking.
“Andrei!” I yelled out. He stopped and turned.
“Oh hi!” he said waving. I ran to catch up with him and his long legs.
“I thought you had afternoon practice?” I asked him.
“Coach cancelled.” said Andrei. “She wanted to go over that information you gave her this morning.”
“Oh cool.” I said.
“You going home?” asked Andrei.
“I guess.” I sighed. “There’s nothing else to do.”
“Seems like you really don’t want to go back home.” said Andrei.
“You could say that I guess.” I said. “I don’t get along with my family very well.”
“Oh, I see.” said Andrei. “I don’t either.”
“Is that why you went to that one restaurant all the time, because you didn’t want to go home?” I asked.
“Yeah, you know it.” said Andrei. It was quiet for what seemed like ages.
“My family stopped talking to me after I quit little league.” I said softly.
“Why would they do that? Why did you quit little league to make them stop talking to you?” Andrei asked. I shook my head.
“Uh, I think I should head on home faster. I think I’m supposed to make dinner.” I said speeding up my walk.
“Julia.” he said. I stopped in my tracks. The spring sun beat down on us in the middle of the sidewalk. I could see my shadow being casted on the sidewalk in front of me. I slumped my shoulders and wiped my eyes.
“Why did you quit little league?” his voice asked. I could tell that he had no expression on his face just from his tone. “With an arm like yours? Especially for a girl. I’d think you’d wanna go all the way.”
I took a step forward.
“Jul-“
“I’m sorry I have to go.” I pulled my hood up and began to run down the sidewalk watching my shadow follow me.
I thought I had gotten over this years ago? It doesn’t matter anymore. He’s dead. You can’t do anything about it. Who cares if God gave me a talent to throw. He’s not here. It wouldn’t be the same.
“Damn you Mariah.” I muttered to myself as I slowed down to catch my breath. “I don’t want to be the freaking manager of a baseball team!” I looked around me to see that I had ran through a park. I saw little kids running across the park, playing tag, swinging, singing songs, playing catch, chatting, skateboarding, anything. My eyes stopped at the baseball diamond. I sniffed and walked over to it. I stood in front of metal fence. I kicked it. I wiped my sleeve across my eyes to stop the tears that were coming.
“He’s dead.” I said to the fence. “He’s fucking dead!” I fell to my knees. I began to sob as my head lowered to the ground. I could hear the kids all around me. Laughing, enjoying themselves, knowing that they can go back home to a family where no one hated them, and that they didn’t have to worry about their moms pestering them to find someplace else to live only because they quit baseball…those kids…
I felt something warm. Something soft. I fluttered my eyes open to see darkness. I looked up and saw the moon. I felt something touch my butt…
“Your awake now I see?” I turned my head to see streetlights and cars zooming by now.
“W-what happened?” I asked. The person that was carrying me turned their head towards me.
“I found you asleep in the park.” Andrei said. “God, you could have caught a cold or something.”
“Right sorry.” I rested my head on Andrei’s shoulder.
“Is it this street?” I looked up.
“Er, yeah.” I said. “You can let me down now.” Andrei bent down and released me. I gained my balance and looked up. “Thanks. You didn’t have to.” He only shrugged.
“I’ll see you tomorrow at seven?” he asked.
“Yeah.” I nodded.
“Good.” He ruffled my hair. “Later.” he waved then turned down on the sidewalk and departed. I sigh and headed for my house. All the lights were on in the house once I reached the front door. I quietly opened the door and took my shoes off.
The house seemed somewhat normal. Probably Haley was watching TV or something. I walked into the kitchen realizing I was starving. As I was unzipping my hoodie I stopped and looked up.
“Hi mom.” I said. Both elbows were rested on top of the counter, and she held a glass of wine swirling it around and around. “Is that your fifth serving?” I opened the fridge.
“You have chores young lady.” she said.
“Yeah? I already did them.” I said. I closed the fridge and walked over to the pantry swinging the pantry door open.
“No you did not.” mom said taking a chug of her wine.
“Yeah I did.” I said.
“You forgot to clean your room.”
“So? When do you care?” I grabbed a packet of Ramen and threw it onto the counter. I closed the pantry door.
“Your eating crap for dinner?” mom asked.
“It’s the only thing I can eat. Considering you and Haley eat dinner without me.” I said finding a pot and filling it with water. I turned the stove watching the blue flame go up.
“You’re going to become even fatter by eating that shit every night.” Haley walked into the room somewhat shoving me out of her way so she could get to the pantry.
“Excuse me your highness.” I said in a sarcastic tone. “Shall I go kill myself now?”
“Please do.” Haley smirked. She closed the pantry door holding a bag of cookies.
“Look whose talking fatty.” I mumbled, folding my arms. Mom just stood there chugging down her wine and refilling it not giving a damn that her two daughters were fighting.
I saw my water boiling. I ripped open the bag of ramen and poured the noodles into the boiling hot water. I grabbed a spoon and stirred the noodles around the pot, as mom swirled her wine around her cup.
“Dammit!” I heard mom yelling at the wine cabinet. “We’re out of wine and cigarettes!” She stumbled off into the living room and sat down next to Haley cursing about her job and politics.
I tasted a noodle and decided they were done. I turned the stove off, the blue flame going out quickly. I poured the rest of the contents that were in the bag into the pot and stirred it. I snagged a pair of chopsticks from the drawer and ate straight from the pot. I grabbed the handle of the pot and ran upstairs to my room, locking the door. I sat down at my desk, turned my computer on, and ate the Ramen again.
It was silence in my room, like always. Nothing new here. It was dark outside. I didn’t bother to look at the time. Once I was done with the Ramen I stared at my computer screen and clicked on internet. I had no idea what I wanted to do on the internet. I yawned and glanced at my window. I turned back to the computer and opened up my email.
Just spam.
I clicked away and looked through every spam letter I could find. Nothing interesting. I yawned again and looked at my bed.
I closed the browser and stood up from my desk. I turned the light off and walked over to my bed stepping on some articles of clothing, and a few books along the way. I laid on top of the covers and closed my eyes.
I went out like the blue flame.