I'm Not Your Protege, Just Your Kid

I rubbed the back of my aching neck and wiped away the sweat that had formed on my forehead. Everyone was bruised and battered but no one was giving up. This had to be the most competitive game of baseball ever. We were in the last inning and both teams were tied at 10 points. Both Zack and I had gotten two home runs for our team’s and weren’t letting down our guards until the game was over.

Right now my team was out on the field while Zack’s team was up to bat. They already had two outs and Zack was the last up to bat. Gabby had chosen to be the pitcher and I took Lacey’s position as umpire so now she was in the outer field where Gabby was.

I saw Zack walking out from inside the dug out and I felt my nerves go haywire. He had a look of determination on his face and I’m pretty sure I had the same expression. We gave each other hard looks before getting ready. I pulled the mask over my face and crouched down behind Zack. I sent Gabby a signal and she nodded from the pitchers mound.

She let go of the ball and Zack swung, missing it like I thought he would. The ball made a hard impact with my hand and I stood up.

“Strike one!” I yelled and threw the ball back to Gabby.

I crouched back down and got ready for Gabby to throw the ball again. I gave her another signal and she nodded. She flung the ball and Zack missed again.

“Strike two!” I yelled and the girls started cheering. My stomach started going crazy at the thought of actually winning. We were just one strike away from being called winners and I felt anxious.

I retook my position and I sent one final signal to Gabby. She nodded and from where I was crouched I could see her take a deep breath. I took one too and nodded my head as if to tell her that she could throw it. She threw the ball and I watched it come towards me, but I didn’t catch it because Zack was able to hit the ball.

The bat came into contact with the ball with a loud crack and it went flying. It wasn’t a home run but it went pretty far. Zack took off running and I stood up, watching the ball being chased by my teammates. Lacey was able to get the ball and throw it to Val who was on second. Val threw it to Leana on third base and I saw Zack rounding towards home where I was.

She threw the ball to me and I managed to catch it before Zack made it. I stood on the base waiting to touch him with the ball and he picked up speed. He came at me with full speed and we both went toppling to the floor. I continued to lie on the floor trying to catch my breath as everyone crowded around us.

“Are you okay Jayden?” I heard Noah say.

I didn’t answer just kept a tight grip on the ball. Someone pulled the mask off my face and watched me in silence, including Zack. A grin broke out on my face and I saw the girls give me hopeful looks. I opened my hand and turned my head. Everyone looked at my open hand and the girls started cheering and screaming in excitement. All the guys walked away in defeat and I grinned to myself still holding onto the ball.

A hand came into my face and I saw that it was Noah’s. I took it and he helped me up from the floor.

“Thanks,” I said and dusted myself off.

“You were really good out there you know,” he said to me as we walked towards the dug out.

“Really? Thanks,” I said and grinned at him.

“No problem. I was just telling the truth,” he answered.

I bit the corner of my lip to keep myself from smiling like an idiot.

“You must be hot, let me get us some waters,” I told him. He nodded and I went into the dugout. I grabbed two bottles and started to walk back out.

“Good game Jayden,” Zack said to me on the way out.

“Thanks Zack,”

I walked out and handed a bottle to Noah. We walked towards the bleachers and made small talk between each other. We chose seats at the top of the bleachers so no one could eavesdrop on us.

“So why did you and Devon moved out here?” he asked me and took a sip of his water.

I sighed, not really wanting to tell him the exact truth as to why I’m here instead of Detroit.

“Let’s just say something happened and Devon and I were forced to move here,” I answered and kept my face forward. From the corner of my eye I saw him give me a bewildered look.

“I’ll eventually tell you the truth, just not now,” I told him with an apologetic look.

“Okay, I can deal with that,” he told me.

“Thanks,”

He opened his mouth to say something but I heard Zack yelling my name.

“Jayden!”

“What!”

“We’re leaving now does your friend need a ride?” he asked.

“Do you need a ride?” I asked Noah.

“No I drove here,” he told me.

“Alright well I guess it’s time for me to go,” I told him.

“Okay,” he told me.

We got up from our seats and I walked down the bleachers first.

“I’ll see you in school on Monday,” Noah told me.

“Alright see you than,” I told him.

Out of no where he gave me a quick hug and a tiny peck on my cheek. He said bye to me and everyone and walked off. It wasn’t until he was out of view that I turned around. Everyone, excluding the guys, gave me cheesy grins.

“Aw! He kissed you on the cheek!” Val squealed and clapped. All the girls gave me hugs and I felt myself blushing.

“You better scrub your face off,” Jimmy scolded me.

“Oh leave her alone,” Leana told him.

“Enough of this mushy stuff let’s go home,” Zack grumbled.

The guys took all the equipment and brought it towards their cars. I realized that Gena was going to be home soon and I felt my happiness diminish. I looked at Zack talking to Gabby with a smile on his face and an idea came to mind. I jogged up to them and cut off Zack.

“Hey Zack I was just thinking,” I told him with an innocent look on my face.

“What is it?” he asked in a suspicious tone.

“Gabby should come over for dinner,” I said.

“Oh, I’m not to sure if I should,” she hesitantly said.

“Sure you can. Right Zack?” I asked him.

“Uh, sure,” he agreed, puzzled as to why I was being polite and welcoming to Gabby all of a sudden.

“Alright than. Let me just go home, take a shower and change clothes,” she said.

“Okay, see you in another hour,” I called to her.

She walked off and I felt Zack’s eyes on me.

“What?” I asked, even though I knew what he was thinking.

“You do know that Gena is going to be home in another two hours,” he told me.

“I know,” I said and walked off.

I was holding my stomach in pain from laughing too much at what Gabby was saying. She stayed true to her word, she had gone home, showered, and came back in a new set of clothes. Zack’s eyes had lit up when he saw Gabby walk in and he forgot all about his worries involving Gena.

Devon and I had finally caught our breaths from laughing at Gabby’s story and sat up straight in our chairs. We all continued to eat our food when the front door could be heard open and close.

“Babe!” Gena’s whiney, annoying voice called out.

I rolled my eyes and nearly gagged on my food. Why couldn’t her brakes have stopped working on the way home?

“Babe, whose car is-” she cut herself off when she stepped into the living room where we were.

“Hey Gena,” Zack nervously said.

“Who the hell is this?” she asked.

“This is Gabby, Jayden and Devon’s social worker,” he explained.

“It’s nice to meet you,” Gabby said after standing up and she stuck her hand out for Gena to shake.

Gena looked at her hand like it was infected and Gabby put her hand back at her side. She looked at us and we sent her apologetic looks.

“Hey Zack, I better be going now. I have to be up early tomorrow,” Gabby said.

“Alright, I’ll walk you to the door,” he solemnly said. Gabby picked up her small bag and Zack walked away with her.

Gena stood there with her arms crossed and Devon and I continued to sit in our seats.

“What was she doing here?” she asked us.

“Obviously laughing and eating,” I told her. “Something you’ve yet to accomplish in your whole miserable life,” I finished and continued to eat the past that Zack cooked with the help of Gabby.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” she asked with her hands on her hips.

“God, you really are fucking retarded as you look,” Devon said from beside me.

Her mouth fell open and we heard the front door close. She stomped up the stairs and Zack came walking in with a saddened look on his face.

“Come on guys, let’s clean up,” he told us.

All of us silently cleared off the table. When Devon went in the kitchen with the plates I put my hand on Zack’s shoulder.

“Sorry Zack,” I told him.

“Its fine,” he said, but I knew better than to believe him.