Letters To Bri

I Was Positive

Riley's POV:

It was Friday, our first softball game. I was excited. I was always excited for softball games. We were playing against Fennimore. I knew A few people from Fennimore. I lived closer there than Boscobel.

Our team practiced until game time. I always practiced hard, the way I would play in the game. Practice like you play. Always do your best. There was a girl from the other team that used to go to my school. Her name was Madison. She was pretty cool. Her, Rachel and I always used to play together when we were little on the playground. She was fun, until she moved along with her cousin, Lucas, who I used to like. Lucas and I have known each other since preschool, also. We always hung out, until second grade, then, we weren't in the same class, and I started hanging out with Brian again.

I ran out to the field and tossed the ball back and fourth to Rachel. Her and I were pretty good, so we didn't really miss. sometimes, we would take a challenge and close our eyes and catch the ball. It worked about 2/4 of the time. After a while, I got a bat, and she pitched the ball to me. I hit it most of the time.

"Alright ladies!" coach yelled. "Come in, come in." We all hurried to our post, and gathered in for what coach was about to tell us. "Alright ladies. First game. I know we can do it. Practice like you play and we're for sure gonna win. LETS DO IT! Let's kick some Fennimore bootay!" And with that, we put our hands in and on three, we yelled team. "One... Two, three... TEAM!"

Our team batted first, the coached agreed on it. According to the sheet that coach held, I was third up to bat, so I had about a minute or two. Rachel was right before me, so I could watch her. As she walked up to the batter's place, I watched closely. Kenzie, a Fennimore player, was pitching. I'd say it was fair. She was a pretty good pitcher. As Kenzie let go of the ball, Rachel swung too soon. "Strike one!" the umpire called out.

"C'mon Rachel!" I yelled to her, "you can do it!"

And with that, she smiled. She gave Kenzie a smirk, telling her that she was ready. Kenzie pitched, and Rachel swung, at the perfect moment. She hit it! The ball went across to the back of left field. Everyone cheered. Rachel sprinted from first, then to second, and almost got caught. So she stayed at second.

"Woo hoo!" I screamed. "Go Rachel!" From a distance she smiled at me and I smiled back giving her a thumbs up. no one was up to pitch. I was confused. Then I felt stupid because I realized that it was my turn.

"Riley!" Coach yelled, "Get up there right now!"

I quickly grabbed a bat and ran out to bat. I got in my stance, and was ready. Kenzie pitched, and I let it go because it wasn't good. "Ball one!" the ref called out.

"Come on Riley!" I heard someone yell from the crowd. The next one I let go too. "Ball two!" I was for sure I would hit this one. So I swung and missed. "Strike one!"

"It's okay Riley!"

"You can do it Riley!"

And I knew I could. I got in my stance. She pitched and I let it go again. "Ball three!"

I think Kenzie got frustrated at herself, because she scratched her head, and shook it sadly. I was ready. She pitched. I let it go. I walked. Next person came up to pitch.

The next few times I went up to pitch, some I swung and hit, but the ones that did, weren't that good, they slid across the field and I couldn't make it to first. I really didn't expect my first game to blow. But the score was tied; 21-21. All three based were loaded, and I was last up to pitch. I was nervous as hell. I grabbed a bat and went on. I could do it. I knew I could. A different pitcher was up. Her name was Alexis, Lexi for short. She was a good pitcher, and I mean good. I knew her, since last year. I've seen her around, too. When I got up to bat, I was sure I was ready. When the ball let go of Alexis's hand, a second later, I let it go. "Strike one!" The ref called.

"What?!" I thought in my mind. That was for sure a ball. When The ball let go if her hand again, I swung, and the ball fouled. "Foul!" I was ready this time. Alexis gave me a smile, and let go of the ball. I swung. I missed. "Strike two!"

I was mad. I didn't know what to do. I couldn't screw up this game for all of us. If I missed another time, Fennimore would go up to bat, get a base or two, and surely win. This was my time. My time.

"Riley!" Christian said banging against the fence.

"What? What do you possibly want at this moment?"

"Riley... Riley," he said running out of breath. "Just... remember- get in your stance." I did as told. "Good. Now remember, be you. The bases are loaded. The clock has fourteen seconds. You need at least one person to get home. Be yourself." I nodded, he was right. "Now, look her in the eye, the pitcher." I gave her a destined look. "Yeah, good. Give her the hairy eye." I did so, and she gave me a funny look. "Great, got her all wired up about nothing. Now, hit the ball. Make her your bitch."

And as Alexis lat go of the ball, and when it was lined up with my bat, I swung, and heard a short cling. The ball went flying past left, and to the tippy top corner of the field.

"Run Riley! RUN!"

I ran with all my might to first, I looked to see that one person had got to home. We had twelve seconds on clock. I ran to second. There were nine seconds. Another person from the other team fumbled with the ball, and another gave a lousy throw. I ran to third and sprinted home. Just about there, Alexis caught the ball and tried to tag me. I slid across the graveled dirt and she dove after me. There was a big cloud of dust, and no one could see what happened. When the dust finally cleared away, everyone saw that I made it, and the ball Alexis was holding wasn't quite touching me. I can't believe it. I made it. Everyone from Boscobel started cheering and clapping. I won the game. I did it.

"Riley! RILEY!" Rachel said pulling me up off the ground, "You- You just won the game! You got a grand slam for us Rye! You won the game for us!"

"Well, yeah, I guess I did..."

After everyone from my team, and my parents, gave me a hug. I walked over to Christian. "Hey, what did I say?" he said.

"You're a pretty coach."

"I thought I was your second coach?"

"Not anymore," I said hugging him.

After I was done hugging Christian, I went over to tell the other team good job. Alexis be fronted me before I reached anyone else from the team. "Oh, hey," I said to her.

"Hey Riley, haven't seen ya in a while!" We hugged and then I spoke up again.

"You have to promise me you didn't purposely not touch me with the ball, right?"

She smiled at me and lifted an eyebrow. "What can I say, that's what friends are for."

"Alexis," I whined, "come on, really?"

She nodded her head, still smiling.

"Lex, ya know- ya know, your a good friend." We gave each other one last hug, and then we each left, hoping to see each other soon. And we saw each other too soon. We went to A&W after the game.

I drove home with Christian that night, because I wanted something at the grocery store and he was planning on going. We were in and our like snap. When I reached home, I prayed that today, would somewhat be like tomorrow.