the baseball player [l.p.]

chapter one

present day...

mia

I took a deep breath of the chilling October air. People jogged past me, coffee in hand, phones pressed to ear, cheeks and noses kissed pink. But I guess I can't really say anything. I have coffee in my hand and am currently answering my phone.

Whoops.

"Hello?" I answered, not bothering to look at the caller ID, knowing it would be my boss.

"Where are you? You're 10 minutes late." She exclaimed. My boss is a bitch. 10 minutes? I'm literally around the corner.

"I stopped to get coffee, and missed the subway, sorry." I said, rolling my eyes.

"Well get here quick, I have a good story and want to see if you can handle it."

If I can handle it? I've been working there for 4 years, and doesn't know if I can handle it?

"I'm right around the corner." I said, with a hint of anger in my voice.

"Kay." she responded, then hung up. That was rude.

--

"Mia! Finally! You're here!" my boss, Amanda, exclaimed. I set the drink holder on the table, enough for me, Amanda, Lexi, and Destiny. I grabbed my coffee, and leaned on a table.

"So what's the big story you didn't know if I could handle?" I ask, raising my eyebrows, sipping my coffee. It felt so good going down my sore throat.

She rolled her eyes and said, " Remember a few years ago, when the Yankees were at the World Cup Series, and something terrible happened in the final inning?"

I nodded, swallowed my coffee, and then answered, "Didn't that one dude, like, fall, win the game, but could never play again?"

Destiny, my best friend, nodded, then added on, "Yeah, and didn't he turn into an alcoholic and a druggie?"

Amanda rolled her eyes, and replied, "Correct, and we think. Those were rumours, and Mr. Payne hasn't spoken up to them yet."

I nodded, responding, "So, whats the story?"

A grin grew on Amanda's face, and she squealed, "Well, Mr. Payne finally said he would speak to those rumours, and he chose our paper!"

She was practically jumping up and down. I almost spit out my coffee. What? A world famous baseball player, basically the Babe Ruth of our time, chose our newspaper to speak about those horrid rumours? Woah.

But, why does she think I can do it? Why doesn't she choose one of the senior writers? I looked at Amanda questioningly, then asked, "Why'd you choose me though?"

She looked at me, and then looked at Destiny and Lexi, asking, "Could you two let us talk...alone?" She emphasized alone.They nodded, congratulated me on the piece, and left.

I gulped. Amanda cleared her throat, and said, "I don't know why, or how, but Mr. Payne specifically asked for you to interview him. Do you know him on a personal level or something?", a hint of jealousy in her voice.

What? He asked for me? What the hell? I don't even know the guy on a public level. I shook my head, " I only know him from newspaper articles..."

She nodded, " Alright, but you are going to do it, right?"

Is she serious? Of course I was! I'd be stupid not to. I nodded quickly. She smiled and said, "Great! So the interview is set for tomorrow at 12:45 and he personally requested to have one of his guys pick you up from here, so be here by noon to go over everything."

I nodded, a smile growing on my face. Was this really happening? I was going to interview someone who all of the papers only wish they could interview?

This has to be a dream.

----

a/n

hey! this is the first chapter...obviously. but I actually didn't mean for the name and the actresses' names to match up...heh. but feedback please? thank you, loves. enjoy the story!

~shelby.x