Through Thick and Thin

The rest of the day went by smoothly. After lunch Jade and I sketched and worked on our project together in art class; which happened to be the only class we weren’t judged by our appearances or friends in. Zack and I sat through History together; with me nearly fallen asleep during a movie about the civil war, and I ended my day in P.E. with Matt; this class consisted of him running around on the court half the time playing basketball while I sat on the bleachers doodling in my notebook, being bored, the other half he spent in the bleachers, talking to me.

I was currently in the girl’s locker room, changing into practice clothes, pulling my hair back completely and retrieving my glove from the confines of my locker.

“Hey freak.” I sighed, setting my glove down to push my sunglasses onto my face and pull on my hat.

“What do you want?” I asked, picking my glove back up and closing my locker once again, turning to face Erica and Kelsey, two girls who didn’t particularly like me.

“Why don’t you just quit while you’re ahead.” Kelsey scoffed, looking down at my clay-caked and partially torn practice pants.

“Oh please Johnson, why don’t you look in the mirror, I’m sorry but who’s the one who is actually on the field during the games? Now if you two will excuse me, I’ve got practice to get too.” Shoving past the girls who had nearly identical looks of disgust and shock on their faces, I moved to go outside, setting my mitt down in the dugout above my seat on the bench before I joined the rest of the team on the field, I could see Jimmy lounging out on the bleachers and could just make out the specks of the baseball players on their field next to ours.

We ran drills, before the coach split us into opposing “teams” so she could see how well, or badly we were doing. I was currently out in the field, standing just a bit to the left of the second base, which was my duty to guard. I took my stance; knees slightly bent watching the girl at bat closely. She hit to third, it was caught before touching the ground. Erica was next, she grinned, over confidently and made a hit out to center field, I watched the ball as it flew straight over my head, too far out of reach to even try and catch, I took my stance again, eyeing both the batter and Erica as the girl inched her way towards second base. The girl at bat, hit the ball almost directly to the third basemen who caught it was ease, after it bounced once on the ground; throwing it to me, I ran catching the ball and tagging Erica just as she was sliding into second, before she touched the base.

“You’re out.” I grinned, standing up properly and throwing the ball back to the pitcher, watching with a satisfied smile as Erica stalked back to the dugout throwing her helmet down as she went.

“Great Job Quinn and Allison!” The coach yelled clapping her hands. “Kelsey, you’re up. C’mon!”
I smirked at Allison who grinned back; she was one of the more relaxed girls on the team. Everyone once again moved back to their positions as Kelsey hit the ball straight at me, running backwards I jumped catching the ball in my mitt easily.

“Yeah!” I cheered.

“Great Catch Quinn! Okay girls switch it up! C’mon!” I tossed the ball back to the coach and pulled my mitt off as I jogged to the dugout, grunting as Erica forcefully ran into me on her way to the mound.
She was a pitcher.

“Okay girls, I want Allison, Melissa, and then Quinn, you go it?”

“Yes Ma’am!” We all cheered, Allison got up, shoving her helmet on and picking up her bat.

Allison ended up straight to second with her first hit out to left field, she was inching towards third while Melissa hit out to third, making it safely onto first, Allison quickly recovered second before she was tagged or either the short stop or second basemen could make it to her.

I shoved my helmet on, practicing my swing a few times before taking position at bat, Erica smirked, locking eyes with me, as I moved the bat into position, watching her arm as she threw the first pitch. I had to skid back, so that I wouldn’t get hit with the ball. We glared at one another.

“A little too close there Erica, let’s give it another shot.”

Erica wound up again and threw the pitch too low for me to hit, although I swung anyway. “Strike one! It’s alright though Quinn, c’mon you got this.”

I nodded, taking position again, exhaling deeply and keeping my eyes on the ball. I didn’t have time to move this time as it collided with my side, right above my hip. I hissed out in pain dropping the bat as
I clutched my side, falling to my knees at the sheer impact from the ball.

“ERICA!” The coach screamed, effectively wiping the smirk of triumph from the girls face. “What was that?!”

Slowly I got back up, tossing my helmet aside. “You did that on purpose.” I growled, causing everyone to look at me as I limped over to the pitcher. “WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM!” I screamed in her face, shoving her. “What the FUCK have I ever done to you?!”

The coach stood there in awe, watching us. I never let my anger get the best of me, but this time was different, this bitch had actually wanted to hurt me. She threw the damn ball straight at me, full force.

“You’re on my team, and I want you gone.” Erica growled back, getting into my face.

“Girls! Erica, it’s your un-sportsman like conduct that’s going to get you benched for the next game! To the dug out!”

Neither of us budged. “NOW POLLACK!”

Erica turned, to walk off of the mound but not without bumping into me first causing me to stagger and nearly fall over.

“That’s it!” I growled, pulling her to a stop and punching her in the face, sending her crashing to the ground. “I’ve NEVER done anything wrong to you, so you need to BACK the FUCK off before you get more than just a sore jaw!”

Our coach was at my side now. “O’Conner, that was not appropriate. I’m gonna have to bench you next game too.” I just shrugged her off, nodding my head; I knew I really should be kicked from the team for punching another member. “Yeah okay. Miss, my hip REALLY hurts, can I go get some ice and head out early?”

She nodded her head, “Take someone with you to the locker rooms.”

I nodded, limping towards the dugout to grab my things, calling out to Allison who was on third base.

“Hey! Alli, wanna help me?” She was pretty much the only girl I completely trusted on the team.

The girl nodded, letting another runner take her place as she got the keys from our coach and helped me walk back towards the locker rooms.

“Quinn, I’m sorry you get so much shit.” Allison sighed, as she unlocked the door, holding it open for me as I limped inside, moving to my locker to throw all my things into my bag.

“Not your fault, can you grab me a bag of ice please?” I asked, putting my sunglasses on top of my hat.

“Yeah, sure thing.” The dirty-blonde haired girl turned away to get a baggy full of ice, once she was out of sight I slumped against my locker and let out a strangled cry, slamming my fist against the cool metal.

“Uh Quinn?” I looked up, to see Allison leaning against the gate that separated the athlete’s lockers from the gym lockers. “Here.” She held out the baggy, and I thanked her, lifting up my shirt to look at the damage. It was only red, for now anyway. Hissing I put the ice against the mark and held it there for a minute before bending to pick up my bags.

“I got it.” Allison smiled, picking up my oversized duffle and my book bag. “Besides I think one of your friends is pounding on the door.” She nodded in the direction that we had come from.

“Zack?” I asked, wondering if he had seen from the baseball field.

“No, I know Zack’s name dumb ass… the tall one, with the crazy hair.” Of course she did, all the softball girls knew the baseball team.

“Oh, Jimmy.” I nodded, “We better hurry up then before he gets really out of hand.” She laughed, shouldering the bags as I secured my locker, she walked in pace with me, as we headed towards the back door.

“What the FUCK happened, I go to the bathroom and I come back, and I see you LIMPING into the locker room and the Coach screaming at that Pollack bitch.”

I laughed lightly. “It’s okay Jim, she hit me with the ball.” I gestured to my hip. “I punched her in the face. I’m benched for the next game, so you guys don’t have to worry about showing up for it. I’m free to go home though, we gonna wait for Zack?” I asked, smiling and thanking Allison as Jimmy took my things from her and she ran to re-join practice.

“Let me see the mark.” Was Jimmy’s only answer.

Heaving a sigh, I handed him the bag of ice, and lifted my shirt, showing him the large red mark in the shape of a softball.

He pressed it gently, pulling away when I hissed a curse word and jerked back. “Fuuuuck, that hurts!”

“Let’s head home now, so that you can relax and make sure that thing stays iced.” He handed me the ice bag back, and smacked my hands away as I reached for my book bag.

“Let’s tell him first though; I don’t want him to think we ditched him.”

Jimmy heaved a sigh, as he put my book bag on to his back after adjusting the straps, and shouldered my equipment bag. “Fine, but only because we’ve got to pass the baseball field on our way home.”

“Aye, Aye el Capitain!” I said with a laugh, mock saluting Jimmy.

“You’re retarded Quinn, I’m gonna go grab my shit. I’ll meet you at the baseball field.”

I nodded my head and bit my bottom lip as I walked as best I could with the sharp pain coming from my hip towards the baseball field. Zack was goofing off in center field when I approached the fence.

“Hey Coach!” I called, when he wasn’t busy, he turned around and smiled slightly, jogging to the gate.

“Yeah Quinn?”

“I don’t mean to interrupt practice, but can I talk to Zack for a minute? I’m heading home earlier and we were supposed to walk home, I don’t want him to feel ditched.”

Coach Adams laughed and looked over his shoulder to see Zack making stupid faces at the second basemen. “I think I can spare him.”

“Thanks!” I grinned, leaning against the gate while he stepped away and shouted for Zack. “HEY BAKER! GET YOUR ASS OVER HERE!”

Zack quickly jogged to the coach, who motioned to me. “Yeah Quinn?” He questioned, grabbing onto the fencing, looking down at me.

“Jim and I are heading to my place now, I wanted to let you know so you’re not waiting around for us.”

His brows knitted in confusion as he looked at the clock in the dug-out a few feet away. “It isn’t even 4:30 yet!”

“She got clobbered by a ball.” Jimmy spoke up from behind me, causing me to jump. I hadn’t heard him approach.

“Shit! You okay?”

I nodded my head. “Yeah, I just need to ice it and relax. I’ll see you tomorrow okay?”

Zack nodded his head. “Yeah, okay. You playing tomorrow?”

I grinned as I limped backwards towards Jimmy, shaking my head no. “Nah… I got benched. I decked Pollack.”

“Nice!” Zack raised his fist in the air.

I laughed, “Get back to practice you SLACKER!”

He started jogging back towards center field, flicking me off in the process. I nearly doubled over in laughter as I heard Coach Adams yell at him.

“Baker! I’m sure she’s flattered and everything, but will you please refrain from such things on MY FIELD!”

Jimmy and I walked quietly to my mom’s apartment and climbed the stairs to the second floor; with me wincing and cursing at each step. By the time I reached the door, Jimmy had already fished my keys from my book bag and opened the door. Setting everything down inside, holding the door open and letting me in before closing it behind us and setting my keys down on the peg.

“Mom?!” I called out, limping through the living room moving towards my mother’s bedroom. “Mom!
I’m home, Jimmy’s gonna crash here tonight is that okay?” I called, frowning when I opened her bedroom and she wasn’t in there.

“Guess she’s not home yet.” I sighed, Mom not being home meant she was still out “working”.

“That’s cool, I’ll go throw this shit in your room, why don’t you go take a shower?” I nodded my head and smiled as he squeezed past me to put my backpack and duffel into my bedroom.

“I’m just gonna call my dad first.” I replied as I moved to the house phone dialing my dad’s work number and telling him I was at my moms, as I hung up I turned to Jimmy, “Find something on TV to watch. I’ll be out shortly.” I mumbled as he headed back towards the couch, while I moved to my room to grab clean clothes and a towel.

I winced as I shimmied out of my pants, kicking them aside, and pulling off the rest of my clothes. I didn’t even bother to look at the welt on my side as I rid my body of any and all Softball clay.
Fifteen minutes later I was finished, my body dry and I had on clean underwear, I opened the door dirty clothes in hand, stopping on my way towards my room when I heard Jimmy. “Hey Quinn?”

“Yeah?” I asked, tightening the towel around my body as I tossed my dirty practice clothes into the hamper.

“Come here please.”

“Jim.” I sighed. “I’m not even dressed yet.”

“So? Come here, I want to see how the bruise formed.”

“Jimmy…” I sighed, walking to the end of the hall. “Can’t this wait till I’m clothed?”

“No! If you don’t get your ass over here right now, then I will just have to drag you over here myself.” The look on his face told me he wasn’t lying.

Slowly I made my way over to him and unwrapped the towel, standing in front of Jimmy in nothing but my purple boy-shorts, and a white bra. I closed my eyes, inhaling deeply; it wasn’t any different than being in a bathing suit, right?”

I heard him suck in a breath as he held me still by my hip. “Quinn, that shits gonna be gnarly looking in the morning.”

I opened my eyes and glanced down at my hip, it was already beginning to discolor. “Great.” I sighed, folding the towel around me tightly as he released me from his grip. “I’m going to go get dressed.” I sighed. “We’ll work on homework and figure out what we’ll eat later. You can take a shower if you want.”

Jimmy nodded and stood up, following me towards my room, but entering the bathroom instead. “I’ll do that, be out in a bit.”

It took me about 10 minutes to find clothes comfy enough to wear for the rest of the night; they ended up being a pair of men’s sleeper pants and an oversized t-shirt. My hair was left hanging wet over my shoulders as I exited my room, right as Jimmy came out of the bathroom in the clothes he’d worn to school today, but otherwise squeaky clean.

Jimmy and I found a frozen pizza in the freezer and put it in the oven while we sat on the couch doing the English papers that were due tomorrow, while I had a bag of ice, wrapped in a towel pressed firmly to my hip, trying to reduce the swelling. By 10 o’clock we’d already finished both our dinner and our homework and my mom still wasn’t home.

At 10:30, the door handle twisted and my mom stumbled into the house, her high heeled shoes were held in her hand, while the sleeve to her tank top was falling off of her shoulder, and it looked like she’d torn the knees of her pants to all hell.

“Hey Mrs. C!” Jimmy called cheerfully, while I just watched my mom stumble into the house and close the door.

“What? Oh, Hello there Jimmy.” She slurred, a huge grin over coming her face. “Quinn darling! I didn’t know you’d be home tonight.” She was suddenly overcome by giggles. “Is Jimmy staying the night?” She winked.

“Ugh, Mom. Jimmy and I don’t like each other like that! He’s crashing on the couch tonight, where the hell have you been?” I asked pushing myself off of the couch and approaching my mother, stilling her before she could crash into anything else, she slumped against me.

“Excuse me… missy. But I don’t have a curfew!” I shot Jimmy a pleading look; he got up off of the couch and came over to support my mom better than I could.

“Looks like you had fun tonight Mrs. C.” He said good naturely as I cleared a path for him to bring my mom towards her bedroom.

“I had a blast!” She declared happily, she reeked of Alcohol, and I really didn’t want to know WHAT that stain was on her pant leg.

Jimmy helped her to the doorway before I took over, aiding my mom to her bed sitting her down.

“Ma. You need some sleep. Why don’t you lay down at get some rest.”
She stared at me with glazed over eyes. “Quinn… have I ever told you how much you look like you father?” She questioned softly, reaching out to brush hair from my face. I jerked away from her, and nodded.

“Yeah Ma, all the time. Spitting image of him and Nana, now will you lay down? Don’t you have to be at the diner early tomorrow afternoon?”

Her brown eyes widened; if possibly, even more than they already had been. “You’re right! Good night sweet heart!”

“Yep. G’night Mom.” I sighed, tucking her into bed and exiting flicking the light off and closing the door behind me.

Jimmy was still in the hall and he pulled me into his arms upon seeing the distressed look on my face, I collapsed against him, whimpering softly.

“It’s not supposed to be like this…” I sniffled, hugging his waist. “She’s supposed to take take of me… she… she’s not supposed to be getting drunk every night, and.. and” I hiccupped, hiding my face further into Jimmy’s chest. “She’s not supposed to be like this Jimmy, ever since they split up… it hasn’t been the same… She takes on too many jobs.. trying to support us.” I hiccuped again. Jimmy stayed silent, hugging me to him, rubbing my back gently.

“Quinn, it isn’t your fault. Your mom wants what’s best for you and she loves you, you know that right?” He asked softly, his hands stilling their movements on my back. I nodded slightly.

“Just be strong ok? Come on, it’s getting late. You’ve been falling asleep for the past hour.”

“I.. have not…” I huffed, pushing away from his chest, he cracked a smile.

“Oh please, yes you have.” He teased, placing his arm around my shoulders as he led me across the apartment to my room.

“Get your ass in bed O’Conner.”

Giggling I crawled into my bed, scooting all the way against the wall and laying my head down on my pillow. “Hey Jimmy?” I called out, as he turned to head back into the living room.

“Yeah?”

“You don’t have to sleep on the couch you know.”

He turned and grinned at me, kicking his shoes off, he climbed into bed beside me, allowing me to use his chest as a pillow as I snuggled up to him. “Hey Jimmy?” I questioned again, eyes already half closed, and growing closer to being truly asleep with each second passing by.

“Yeah?” He grunted.

“Thank you.”

“You’re Welcome Quinn, now shut up and go to sleep.”

“A…ye… A…ye… Capi…” I yawned, and snuggled closer to his body height, passing out before I could even finish my sentence.