Out of the Park

Top of the Fourth✔️

top of the inning. noun. the first half of an inning

~Sammy~

I'm bored.

I have been standing here for approximately two hours since Joey's family came and and I have done nothing but stare into space. Sure the occasional costumer came in and I had to clean a table or two, but other than that, nada.

As the the third hour was going to lapse, Joey walked up to my stand with that stupid little smirk on his face that makes my stomach feel weird. I just stared ahead, not wanting to make eye contact as he leaned on the corner. "Okay, I don't want to be here and you probably don't want me to be here either but we need to have a serious conversation," he said. I rolled my eyes, "and who's fault is that?" I snapped, only looking at him for a split second. He flinched.

"Look man, I see why you're not my biggest fan, but coach needs us to get along." At this, I turned my body and fully looked at him, resting my head on my hand, he seemed genuine. "Let me guess," I paused, "he called you out," it was my turn to smirk as his dropped to a guilty smile. He lightly shook his head, his messy dirty blonde hair falling in front of his chocolate brown eyes. I looked away.

"I'll admit," he started, "I was a bit of an asshole." "A bit?" I questioned and he laughed a beautiful laugh that I never wanted to stop hearing. Knock it off you horny little shit, curse me and my attraction to assholes. What is this guy doing to me? I snapped out of it to realize he's been talking and I haven't been paying attention. "I'm sorry, I zoned out," I interrupted and he gifted me a small smile.

"It's fine, I was just saying that we should hang out and try to get to know each other, like a dinner or something?" I feel my face burn as I try to fight a blush. This is not a date. He just wants to be friends for the sake of the team. "That sounds good," I squeaked. He chuckled, "Is Friday good for you?" He asked hesitantly.

"Yeah, I can pick you up, at," I checked the time, "six, you can text me if there's an problems." He opened his mouth, most likely to mention that he doesn't have my number but I already held out my hand for his phone. I had to fight whatever the fuck was nesting in my stomach as I typed in my number, setting the name as 'Sammy👅💦' He's probably going to change that, and by the look on his face, that's an affirmative.

He walked off, not without me noticing how the tips of his ears were pink.

My phone dinged, I opened it to a text from an unknown number.

joey here, six on friday will be fine.

do not set my name as something stupid.

Smiling to myself, I saved the contact under the name '✨Grumpilocks✨' After saving it, I texted him back.

Me🤪: no promises, princess

✨GrumpiLocks✨: please don't.

Me🤪: i never met someone my age that uses punctuation are you sure youre 16

✨Grumpilocks✨: fuck you🖕

I quickly put my phone away before my boss noticed, and finished off my shift with no communication with Joey whatsoever.

Finally, I'm free at last, at fucking ten thirty at night, I swear in the names of the saints, I'm going home and passing out. Powering down and all that shit. Hopping into my car, I notice a slip of paper on my windshield. Jumping l out, I grabbed the paper, opening it as I got back in the car. See you at school tomorrow, I'm excided for friday, Joey. I just stared at the note, did this dude really spell excited wrong? His handwriting just so happens to be as perfect as I expected it to be but it's funny to see that he forgot that 'Friday' is supposed to be capitalized.

I rolled my eyes, not focusing on all the things he did wrong in that note. Pulling out of the restaurant parking lot this late at night has always been a little creepy.

I slowly made my way through the house, trying not to make any noise because I know mom is asleep and I'm not stupid enough to wake her. Unlike a certain brother of mine who tends to wake up the entire house after his late night parties. Stripping off my work clothes, I slipped into some joggers before throwing myself onto my bed, falling asleep the second my head hit the pillow.

I'm not fazed, only here to sin
If Eve ain't in your garden you know that you can
Call me wh-

I was ready to throw my alarm across the room before I realized it was my phone. My stupid brother set Montero as my alarm sound and I don't know how to take it off. It's in these moments that I really wished I was fully deaf and couldn't hear that shit. I can't stand the crappy music he plays. I'm not a big tech person, the only so-called tech thing that I like is video games, so I 've been putting off sitting down and actually fixing my alarm sound.

I shoved the pillow over my face, not wanting to get up but I could hear my mom yelling from downstairs, she is never up after me and always makes sure I'm actually awake when I need to be. I quickly got up, got changed and walked out of my room on autopilot, way too brain dead to even think properly.

I don't even remember eating, my mind fell asleep and it woke up as my brother parked the car. I speed walked in, trying to get to coach's office before the bell rang. My nerves were on edge as I knocked on the door. A gruff voice called out, "come in!" I slowly opened the door to see coach staring at some forms with a pen in his mouth.

"How can I help you, Diaz?" He asked without looking up from his papers. His rough voice muffled by the pen still between his teeth. I sat down. 

"I just had a conversation with my mom, we uh, we can't afford to keep me on the team, so... It was a pleasure being picked as a co-captain but I won't be able to stay on the team." Got to rip the band-aid off, no sugarcoating. He dropped the pen, "sorry, I don't think I heard that right. Are you saying that the best pitcher to ever walk through these doors can't stay on the team?" I don't even know how to answer a question like that. "Yes?" He stands up so fast I almost a fall out of the chair.

"Well, we can't let that happen! Have you ever done a fundraiser, kid? Obviously, I could get fired if I help pay for you directly, but I need you on this team." He doesn't stop. "We can do a scrimmage game to show off your skills and hopefully, people will help out to keep you for having to quit. Trust me, kid, I've been coaching here for ten years, I see kids come and go. Few stand out, but those who do, went all the way, and I think you can too, with an arm like that." I smiled, not really sure how to respond in a conversation like this.

"Thank you, coach. My mom already started contacting whoever she can for fundraising, I can give you her number if you need it."

The bell rang, I gave him her number and started running of to class.

This might actually work.

this one was a little shorter because i'm saving a lot of stuff for the next chapter, im just trying not to jump into everything so quickly now i must go back to schoolwork :(

farewell my little monsters