To Love A Broken Heart

Chapter 19

Dylan POV

That voice. That fucking voice. That voice that sounded so immature and young so many years ago, still sounded immature but older. That voice that years ago accused me and my team mates of cheating and lucky calls. That voice which reminds me of that night.

I picked my head up, standing to my true height and moved away from Maia. My hands leave the warmth of her waist, and hers falling off my shoulders, relaxing at her side. I take a step back away from her and let out a shaky breath. She looks at me silently asking if I'm okay. I nod my head slightly. I should be the one asking her that. She was the one just crying. Releasing something that she's never shared before.

I turn my back to her looking at the boy from my past. The boy who was now a man, or seemed like it. I highly doubt he's matured at all in five years. The boy grew up. He was still shorter than me, but he's definitely grown a few inches. He's obviously put on a few pounds, but I have a feeling it's all muscle. He looks bigger. Like the type of person you normally wouldn't want to mess with. He wore a red T-shirt that said Redhawks in black font. My guess is that's his school's mascot. He wore messed up jeans like me and a red ball cap. He had two other guys with him, dressed similarly, each carrying a bat and a glove. One of them holding two instead of one. My guess, his minions. "Isaiah". I greeted coldly, crossing my arms over my chest. "How did you know it was me"?

He held my hat in his hands. "I'd recognize this ugly ass hat anywhere. Fucking best pitcher my ass".

He threw it at me. I caught it with ease placing it back on my head. "I believe the score that night would agree with this statement". I tapped the bill of the cap.

"If it wasn't for that false call we would have won. That wasn't a fair game".

I chuckled, shaking my head looking down. "That fact that you're pissy about a game that happened five years ago really shows how fucking immature and petty you are. Get over yourself we won fair and square. I'm the better pitcher, get over it".

I looked back up at him but turned my attention to Maia. I leaned close whispering in her ear. "Can you go get Callie. I think it's time I show her how to properly throw a baseball".

She looked up at me confused. "What are you doing?"She asked, confused and concerned, her eyes narrowed at me and the group of boys behind me.

"Well, if this guy hasn't aged at all then he's going to make some sort of bet with me. Most likely on my pitching skills". I looked behind my shoulder towards Isaiah. He and his posse were huddled up more than likely scheming some childish plan to best me. Even though I've barely tossed a baseball in five years. I think I can still manage to strike this guy out.

I turned back to her, catching her rolling her eyes muttering something under her breath. "Okay. I'll be right back".

I watched her walk off towards the playground where Callie was running around. I looked back at the ball resting at home plate and walked over to it, picking it up. I turn back to him and his goons, tossing the ball in my hand taunting him. I know what he's going to do. I've known this guy since I was a kid. He wasn't a good person. He used betting and being better than others as his way to get whatever he wanted. It won't surprise me if he ends up a gambler in the future. We were always competitive in school. Trying to one up the other and be better. Five years may have passed, me barely picking up a baseball in that time, and him probably throwing one everyday, but I'm still willing to bet that I'm a better pitcher than him. I spent years perfecting my own technique. Learning from videos and experimenting with different ways to throw. I perfected the basics and built off of them.

Isaiah takes a different approach. He's perfected the basics and uses power and speed to surprise the batters and take them off guard. I doubt his technique has changed. He sticks to what hes good at and uses it to his advantage. Coaches don't care. If they win the game then they'll stay away from adding anything to the craft. "Renner. I bet you I can out pitch you".