Mia Hill. College bound with an athletic scholarship. A go-getter with big dreams and a fully thought out plan to make sure they come true.
But with her father's release from prison looming and the inevitable stresses of adulting, everything she wa...
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Sports have been a part of most of my life. When I was seven, Tommy took me to my first major league baseball game. We stuffed our faces with giant hot dogs and cotton candy followed by a sundae the size of my head. He also bought me my first real baseball hat that day. One I wore everyday for the rest of summer.
And every year after, we made it a tradition to attend opening day, just the two of us. No matter what life brought on or what plans tried to get in the way, that was our day.
When I was twelve, he took me to the Women's College World Series in Oklahoma. I had been playing softball for a few years, diving headfirst into the whole travel ball scene. When it became clear that I wanted to continue giving up summers to play tournaments across the state and even the country, he thought I should experience the elite, see where I could possibly set my sights. It was a trip I'll never forget. One that truly honed my love of the sport. I wanted to be those girls on that field. I wanted the camaraderie of a team, the excitement of a win, the thrill of that game cinching hit.
My life has always been about softball, followed closely behind by the male sport that actually gets a spot in professional territory. And while football lingered in the background every Sunday afternoon in the fall, it was never a major focus of interest growing up. It's why I didn't stop to think about attending a game this year. Which is stupid really, because it's not the game itself that I should have been drawn to. It's the guy who has been occupying pretty much all of my free time.
Though we went into this whole thing as a purely physical interaction, we've actually managed to find time to just talk, to learn about one another. And one thing I know about Grayson is his love for football. The amount of hours he puts in beyond what's required combined with the way his eyes light up when he talks about it shows just how much it means to him.
His hard work is paying off too. His minutes on the field increasing, something he's mentioned over the last two weeks. And yet, I never stopped to think that maybe I should check it out, see what he's been working so hard to achieve. It took him asking me to actually get me out here.
Which is exactly why I'm currently sitting in Natasha and Kat's apartment, getting ready to attend my first football game with the rest of my team. It's something they've all become accustomed to, while I've managed to continuously use the time to study.
"Did you get them?" Kat springs up as Lindsey enters the room.
"I did," Linds lights up, holding up a bag while Natasha and Katrina share a knowing look.
I really don't know if I want to ask what's in the bag but by the looks on their faces, I'm gonna ask. "Bring what?"
"The other night," Natasha stands, moving herself closer to Linds as she turns to face me. "We were hanging out with a couple of the guys from the team. And, well, seeing as it's rival night, we thought we would show some school spirit."
