Just a Game

We were playing catch, I know I've strayed from this subject, but this was a very important game. We had tied in league and this is playoffs, but not just playoffs, the championship game. In playoffs, you lose once and you are done, so we've pretty much been working our butts off to get here. I was playing catch with Michelle as I always did and occasionally staring at the other team. Yup you guessed it, it was that team we had tied league with, and it was the team of my other enemy. Erin, something about her made my blood boil, there was no doubt she was good, but she was also the best known bitch of the softball world. For as long as I can remember that is.

"Captains please," the ump called. Michelle and I made our way to home plate and so did Erin and Sarah. "Shake hands ladies." We did as we were told and exchanged good luck's that none of us meant. I shook Erin's hand and I swear I wanted to wipe that smirk off her ugly little face. He went over the rules and as soon as he was done the other two jetted.

"Thank you," Michelle and I both said one after the other shaking his had. It is important to get the ump on your side, you want all bad calls to be against the other team. We walked back and then got out onto the feild. It was our home feild since somehow we got the number one spot.

"Keaton come here," our coach said.

"Yeah coach," I asked walking over to him confused.

"If you want to win this game you have to let everything go," he said "you can't let your emotions get the best of you." I nodded completely understanding, "good, get out there."

I warmed up my pitching a little more, I had already warmed up before the game. There would be no distractions today, none at all. Let me say I had everything under control until Jake came and brought his friend. Ugg, four innings and they had to come now. "Why is he here," I whispered to Michelle.

"I don't know," she said, "he's been here before, why does it bother you now?" She rose her eyebrow and I crossed my arms.

"Just let it all go Keaton," I said to myself pushing past her. I grabbed my bat and went out to hit, I was on deck this inning.

My coach waved for me to get over, "I just want you to get on, don't try too hard." I nodded and walked back over in my little circle. Kelsey struck out of course, Erin was good pitcher, I walked up to the plate and took my usual stance in the front of the box.

"Watch the bunt," the third baseman crept up.

Erin turned to her and waved for her to back up, she knew me, I draw the infeild in just to hit it over their heads. Boy was she wrong, the first pitch I bunted it to the first base side, not the best bunt, but when the first baseman cme up to tag me I slid under her. It was a pop up slide and then I continued running, it was enough to freak her out and I was safe. Everyone on our side of the crowd was cheering and I smirked at Erin when she looked back. "What was that," our assistant coach at first said, "that wasn't the sign."

"I was improvising," I said, "you know just getting on." I took a very ambitious lead off and got to third because they threw the ball away trying to get me out. Now just one of the next two batters had to hit me in. I so jumpy at third, I think my lead offs were still a little ambitious and I had to dive back several times. I was eager to make it home, I wanted to finally put up a score in this game. Kelly walked and I am confident Michelle can get a hit to bring me in.

She hit the second strike barly fair in between the first basemen and right feild, that was erfect and finally we were ahead 1-0. "I swear I love you," I said to Michelle as she came in to get ready for the next inning.

"No problem," she smiled, "it's what I do."

I laughed and took the mound, it was another scorless inning, but I couldn't say the same about the seventh. Someone let the ball go at third and then Kelly sleeping in left feild had a late break for it. Two disasterous runs, damn. 1-2.

"This is our last ups ladies," coach said, "I think we all want to win, this could be our last inning, lets come out on the winng side."

"Yeah," I put my hand in, "get it back and more, on three?" I looked around to see if they agreed and their nodding told me that they did. "okay, one, two , three."

"Get it back and more," we all yelled as a team. If you've ever been to a softball game, you know that there are lots of odd cheers and we always sound peppy. We are like a bonus, a sport that provides our own cheerleaders.

We were good, this was the top of our line up, could we be in a better situation. I went to the back of the dugout to find my stuff and my coach said, "just try and get on, don't try to hard, you can do this." I nodded and turned around rolling my eyes, this i the first time I've ever really been nervous. Well in a long time. This was it, possibly my last moments, last at bat in this uniform. That's kind of a sad thought. I waited by the edge of the dug out patiently for my turn to take practice swings.

"I got a proposition," Chase came up to the fence the way I normally would at his game.

"Not now," I let out a deep breath as I watched Abby get to first.

"I bet you're going to hit her in," he pointed to Abby.

"Terms," I smirked.

"We'll discuss them later," he said and I watched Kelsey mov Abby over with a bunt. I started walking towards the box and he said, "and don't screw it up on purpose."

I nodded, "wouldn't dream of it." I walked up to the plate and she threw it right by me the first time. Erin was a good pitcher, but I saw her smirk and turn her grip. She shouldn't have done that. I smiled as she started her wind up and the pitch came out slowly, something she hoped I wouldn't expect. Big mistake Erin, no one hits change ups like I do. I waited on it and sent that ball flying to deep right feild.

I was shocked and then started running, I was waved to second and then rounded it to third. "You gotta want it," my coach yelled as he sent me home, I picked up the pace and ran as fast as I could doing my signature back door slide at home plate.

"Safe," the ump yelled and everyone jumped up, "that's ball game." I jumped up, oh my God did that just happen, this is the greatest moment of my life. Everyone on the team was attacking me, but we had to shake hands with the other team.

Erin stayed back for a second, "nice hit Durou."

"Thanks," I said, "nice pitching Woodley."

"I look forward to playing you in college," she smiled.

"As do I," I did the same and then we both ran to our separate teams and a man who brought his own portable microphone made his way to the middle of the feild.

"It is my honor to announce this years D2 southern California MVP," he said with a plack in his other hand. "Keaton Durou," I walked forward sort of embarrassed, and then walked back over to the team who jumped on me once again. Coach made the talk short and then we celebrated, I jumped on Danny who actually came to one of my games, I love my brother.

I turned around and there he was standing right behind me. "Congrats Keaton you deserve it," Chase said looking down at me.

"Thanks," I said, "well you won, so what are the terms." He smirked and then brought his lips to mine and this time I let myself give in and kiss him back. Everyone around was cheering. When we released I said, "you are sneaky, what if I didn't hit?"

"With you," he smiled, "it's a sure bet." I smiled and this time I initiated the kiss.

"I thought they didn't like eachother, " I heard Lizzy say and I just smiled. Maybe college wasn't the only reason I didn't want to get too attatched to Brandon, but then again I still feel like I can't do this.

"Okay," I pulled away, "as nice as that was, I still can't do this." He looked at me shocked and so I continued, "please you picked like the last week of senior year to spring this on me, I'm leaving in like a month, and I told myself no boys until Washington."

He nodded his head, "I understand."

"You do," I said surprised, "you aren't going to fight me on this or anything." I ws expecting something.

"No," he said, "I'm willing to wait another two months, when I see you there." I gave him a confused look and he pointed to the his purple jacket, how did I not notice. I jumped up and hugged him and he said, "you can't get rid of me that easily."