Play Ball

Final Roster

After everyone finished, the coaches gathered all of us in the dugout of the first field. Coach Lawrence says, "Those who made the team will be posted on the bulletin board near the front entrance of school tomorrow."

None of the other coaches say much, just things like "Good job today," to everyone.

As Alyssa and I head back to the parking lot, I can't help but give her a hug. She just laughs, and hugs back. "You did great today!" I exclaim.

"Thanks, you did awesome too," she says, trying to keep the smile on her face from growing too big.

"Slugger!" I hear Bene shout from behind us. "Alyssa, are you secretely an MLB player and never told us?"

"Yup, I've been wearing a disguise. I'm actually a 6'4 man pretending to be a high school girl."

"I knew it!" Bene exlaims, and we all end up laughing.

"You did great today too. How's your foot though?" I ask him, putting a hint of concern on my face.

"Pffft I don't know what you're talking about."

"Suuure," Alyssa says.

"Alright, alright, maybe it hurt a little," he admits. Then his big smile seems to have the slightest of changes as it disappears a little. "Hey... so I just wanted to let you guys know that whatever happens tomorrow, you guys absolutely killed it. Don't forget that."

"Sure... but wha-" I begin to ask, but a few other guys from the team call Bene over to them.

"Hey, I gotta go but I'll see you guys tomorrow?" he asks.

"For sure," I respond.

That night I was tossing and turning. Was I feeling excitement or nervousness? I had no idea. Both I guess. If I make the team then that means that I can play baseball and although it's not the same as softball, it's a pretty close second. If I don't make the team then that means that Alyssa will, and I would be so excited for her because that means that we proved the guys wrong. I would be at every single game if she made the team supporting her, Bene, and Julian.

The next morning there are still knots in my stomach, and I'm definitely feeling more nervous. Alyssa and I agreed to meet right outside the front doors so that we could check the bulletin board together, and that's what we did. We push the doors open to see Jacob and Tim along with a few other guys standing around the board on the wall. Jacob looks over to me and a smirk spreads across his face. Does that mean Alyssa was the one who made it?

I walk up to the board, and slowly look down the list of names. Neither Alyssa nor I are on it. But you know who is? Oliver.

What. The. Hell.

"Did you honestly think that either of you had a chance? Fucking joke," Tim says, as the guys around him begin to laugh.

"What the fuck," I say under my breath. This is bullshit, and they know it. Both Alyssa and I played way better than Oliver.

I head straight to Princial Wilson's office without saying anything else. Alyssa doesn't follow me because I'm guessing she doesn't want to be late for class, but I have something else on my mind right now.

The door is open so I walk right in. What I see is Principal Wilson shaking hands with coach Lawrence.

"Ms. Riley, can I help you with something?" Principal Wilson asks.

"We'll talk more later," coach Lawrence says, and Principal Wilson nods.

"No, stay," I say with a firm tone. "We need to talk about the roster."