Jaded Crimson

"Thorn, Crimson Thorn, I know he's on the baseball team but what does that have to do with anything?" I asked confused as I hopped down off of the hood and stood in front of the tall man.

"You're Crimson," he nodded his head slowly in recognition. "They have practices everyday this week, it last two hours down the hill over there at the pit," he pointed to the right where a concrete road was heading into thick, green trees. "They are getting ready for the game against Whitfield Friday."

"Oh," I said slowly as I nodded my head, I turned back and smiled at the man. "You teach here?" Obviously.

"Yes I'm the English teacher, Larry Avery," he held his hand out smiling, I grinned and shook his hand before I stepped back. "Its nice meeting you finally Miss Thorn, Maria Montes has been speaking highly of you."

"I'll have to thank her," I chuckled slightly as I started walking for the concreted road for the 'pit' as Avery called it, after walking down the sloped hill for three or four minutes I arrived down at a flat field, it was a baseball diamond but in poor condition, still usable though. There was nine boys on the field as supposed to be and the rest of the, four were on a small metal bench.

"Damn Montes you're looking good, you keep this up and you won't give Whitfield a chance!" one of the boys on the bench yelled clapping his hands, the other soon followed as I walked over and sat at the end, two looked over and shared a confused glance.

"Can we help you lady?"

"Nah," I glared at them before turning my glare to Jaden. "I'm waiting for Jaden."

"Yo Jaden, you have an admirer," one of the two boys teased, which made the boys on the diamond and on the bench erupt into hysterics, I glared at Jaden as he caught the ball the catcher threw back and glanced over at the bench, his eyes went wide and he mouthed 'shit' before he waved to the third baseman, who was Trent and threw the ball to him while running off the mound towards me.

"I had to find out from a teacher why I've been sitting on you're big ass truck for the past hour waiting for you're lazy butt to come out of the school, and then he says you're practicing pitch, I had to walk all the way down that big hill to get teased by idiots who are on the bench," I glanced over my shoulder. "Instead of actually doing something of importance like actually playing, because I'm yet again, waiting for you to hurry up," I sighed and closed my eyes. "The reason I'm mad is because you, forgot to mention I was to be waiting, I like baseball, I could have watched without complaint. If I had a freaking clue!"

"I'm sorry," he grimaced. "I completely forgot that you didn't know, it slipped my mind—"

"Aw Jaden's hooked on her finger," the center-fielder yelled.

"Shut up and catch some flies jerk off!" I shouted looking over Jaden's shoulder, than calmly looked back at Jaden and crossed my arms. "Care to explain and not come up with poor excuses, my dog could have come up better ones than that."

Instead of getting mad, like I figured he would do, he smiled instead. This completely caught me off guard. "I'm sorry."

"Why are you smiling?" I asked with wide eyes. "Do you find this funny, I was bored and I had enough time to think over why I've been so damn happy, I think I have attention deficit disorder and that is not something I like to—" he stopped by putting his hand over my mouth, while looking at the sky. As if asking the angels and god to somehow give him strength to deal with me. Wouldn't doubt it. "Let me go," I mumbled as I stood still.

"Will you stop complaining so I can explain?" he said slowly as he gestured with his hands towards me.

"If you stop coming up with bullshit excuses," I mocked his hand gestures, and then stood straight up with my arms crossed. "Continue."

"Right," he said slowly as he stepped back with a heavy sigh. "Let's see where I should begin," he paused and bit his lip. "I have no other excuse besides I honest to God forgot that you didn't know I'll stop by the store on the way home and buy you ice cream dots."

"How do you know I like ice cream dots?" I asked with one brow perked up in curiosity, I told Raymond I loved dots, not his son who wasn't there. And I hadn't brought it up again after that.

"Dad told me you liked them," he shrugged his shoulders as he took his glove off and placed it under his right arm. "Can you give me another hour to practice?"

"Yeah," I said in defeat, waving my hand to shoo him off. "I told you I like baseball, you choose to not listen."

"Sorry, sorry," he held his hand up in defeat as he grabbed his glove and put it back on, "I'll hurry up," he promised as he turned and ran out to the mound, Trent threw the ball back to him before walking towards third again, he glanced over at me and winked.

I grinned slightly and held up a peace sign, which caused Trent to look towards the ground shaking his head before he turned around and got ready to catch some baseballs, the boys on the bench where the ones batting. "Watch this," one of them said glancing at me with a 'Ha' look on his face.

"Watch this," I whispered in a mocking voice as I sat back and decided I would. The boy, who's name was Peterson on the back of his practice jersey walked up to the plate stretching his arms using the bat to bend backwards slightly. "I wouldn't do that," I murmured as he bent back, tilting instead of bending his knees. "You'll hit in puny idiot."

"Who are you again?" the boy beside me asked, he was the only quiet one on the bench that hadn't been a jerk to me, I turned towards him and smiled friendly.

"Crimson Thorn," I held my hand out to shake his, which he obliged to before sitting back against the bench back. "Do they have a female baseball team here?"

"You play?" he inquired as he sat up and leaned his elbows on his knees, staring at me instead of watching the batter, who couldn't hit over third base to save his life.

"I used too," I admitted as I leaned up, mocking his stature. "I'm a baseball fan, and I'm not too bad I don't think."

"They have a softball team here; you could try out for it. But since its two games into the season the coach probably won't let you play, or even on the team," he shrugged sadly. "But there's no harm in trying out."

"I guess so," I nodded slowly. "Thanks."

"No problem," he smiled and laughed a little. "I forgot to say my name, sorry about that. I'm Cameron Moure."