Strike 3 (bxb)

I

Finn

The sound of the crowd booing me fills my ears as I walk back into the dugout. 0 for 4, all strike-outs. Derek's going to be on my ass, again.

Maybe it's my time to retire. The MVP-turned-LVP retires at 24! Not likely, I'll probably get fired before that happens.

I feel a pat on my shoulder. "Hey, man, shake it off. Everyone has bad days! Don't let it get into your head." My teammate, Topper, says in my ear.

"Too late," I grumble. "And I wouldn't call it a bad day, more like a bad season."

Topper smiles reassuringly, it makes me sick. "Well, you're the only one who can turn the season around."

Thanks. The last thing I need right now is a motivational speech in the middle of the dugout. I grab a water bottle and sit down on the bench. I'm acting like a child, I know, but it's very frustrating when the thing you grew up loving is quickly becoming the thing you hate.

My whole life has been baseball since I was 6, and now, I don't even want to think about it. I grab my glove and wait for the next inning. I just want to go home. I know my bad mood is going to affect everyone else on the team and we're most likely going to end up losing this game, but I just can't find enough willpower in me to care. As messed up and selfish as that sounds, it's the honest truth. I would change it if I could.

Once the inning is over, I avert my gaze from the eyes of my teammates and go out onto the field. Luckily, we're the home team and we're on the first base side, so I don't have to walk too far.

Right field. God, why did I pick a position that ran all the time?

Topper, the center fielder, came jogging out with the biggest smile on his face, despite us being down by 3. He threw a ball to me before taking his position right in the middle of the god damn field. I threw the ball back, aiming directly at his face and hoping to wipe the smile clean off.

But, of course, he just has to catch it.

Damn major league baseball players and them being able to catch balls coming at their faces. Can't they just take one for the team and make me feel at least a little bit better?

Once the ump requests for a batter, I throw the ball into the crowd randomly without sparing them so much as a glance.

The first few pitches are very average, balls, strikes, one got hit to third, which was very exciting for a second there. No one pays any attention to me, or any of the outfielders for the record.

The pitcher strikes out the batter, giving us 2 outs. One more. One more.

He throws it in.

Ball.

"Please don't walk him please don't walk him," I utter to myself.

He swung and missed.

He wants it. He wants it.

Shit.

The next few seconds pass by so slowly it hurts.

I hear the crack of the bat before I see the ball in the air. Coming my way.

"Fuck," I say fairly loud.

It's in foul territory, I could just let it go and have it count as another strike.

Or I could go get it.

It's in an awkward position between first and me, where it is physically impossible for the second basemen to get over here in time. First basemen doesn't have a good angle on it so that's a definite no go. It's me or no one. I can't hear anything, it's just white noise. I sprint as fast as I can towards the wall. I won't make it in time.