Play Ball

Ambushed

Honestly I'm not sure what I'm gonna tell Bene. I really don't know what to do. I don't think that Bene is the masked man, but it could be anyone at this point.

We decided to meet at Joe's Juice. Alyssa just dropped me off and said that she's gonna go shopping and be back in a little while.

I make my way to the front door and open it, hearing the jingle of the bell.

What I see next is the biggest and most unexpected surprise.

Bene is standing in the middle of the juicery... along with everyone else on the team.

Well that is except for Jacob, Tim, Alyssa, and Travis obviously.

There is literally no one else in the whole juicery. Not even behind the register to take orders. What the hell is going on?

I immediately turn around and begin to push on the door.

Someone comes up behind me and lightly grabs my arm. "Mads, wait," I hear Julien say.

I turn back around. "I'm sorry, I have to go," I say.

"You said you would talk with me though," Bene says.

"Yeah you, not the entire team. What is this even about?" I ask, motioning to the others.

"The team Mads. You need to come back," Bene says.

I begin to get frustrated. I came here just to talk with Bene privately and then he pulls this little stunt. Was not talking with just me good enough?

"What are you talking about? I'm not coming back. Didn't you guys hear me that day in the dugout? I don't wanna play with you anymore," I say. Even though I don't actually mean it, it still hurts to say.

"Yes do you," Peter says. "And we need you on the team."

Chris chimes in, "Look we don't know whatever it is that you've got going on, but you just left us high and dry. That was shitty."

Well don't hold back Chris, please tell me how you really feel...

"I think what he means to say is that you didn't really even give the team a chance... I mean you didn't even play in a game. I mean, like ten seconds of the first one but you know what I mean," Julien says.

I don't say anything for a moment. "Bene, I need to talk with you for a second. Just you," I eventually say.

"I'll come talk with you if you agree to come back to the team," he replies.

"Fine, see ya," I say, and walk out the door.

The door closes behind me and I begin to take my phone out to call Alyssa. Before I hit dial, the door opens. I turn around to see Bene coming towards me. I don't say anything, but just look at him until he says something.

"Mads, please," he says. "We need you on the team."

"Bene is that all I am to you at this point? I came here to talk to you to try and maybe fix our friendship and all you want me to do is come back to the team?"

I am a little hurt I have to be honest. I thought he'd want to hear me out. I wasn't quite sure what I was even going to tell him before I came here, but I just wanted to talk.

A slightly embarrassed and saddened expression crosses his face. He looks down a little and says, "You're absolutely right. You asked to talk with me and I kinda ambushed you in there didn't I?" I nod my head in response. "So then let's talk... What's going on? Why did you say the things that you did and then quit?" he asks.

"It's really not important why. Just know that I didn't mean any of the things that I said," I reply.

"Okay... so then why did you quit? I don't mean to bring it up again, but it's just something that makes no sense to me," he says.

God I hate this. Trying to figure out what I can say and to whom. It's like this giant puzzle that I have to figure out but just in my head. If I'm gonna be friends with the guys again, I don't think that I can just do it partly...

I think I need to join the team again. I mean at this point, what difference does it make? I already pissed off the masked man, and he knows that I'm friends with Alyssa again, so he probably assumed I'm friends again with the others. Might as well play the sport that I love so I can get something good out of this whole thing.

I take in a big breath, let some of it out and then say, "That doesn't matter either because you know what? I'm gonna come back.

His eyes grow ten times the size they were before. "Really?! Are you serious?!"

I nod my head, and the biggest of smiles crosses his face. He quickly picks me up and starts spinning me around. I can't help but let out a few laughs. When he sets me down, he turns around and gives two thumbs up towards the juicery. After looking closer, I can see that all of the team is by the windows looking out at us. They were watching us talk. Some of the members of the team start dabbing.

Monday

I was very surprised when coach Weller let me back on the team right away when I asked. I expected to be on some kind of probation or something to get back on the team. He was a little confused, but it didn't seem like he cared that much as to why I was asking to get back on the team.

It just so happens that we have a game today. I thought maybe they'd have me sit out for this game because I haven't been to practice in a couple of weeks, but I'm starting.

It's an away game today. We took the bus here. Where is this game you may ask? Namon Creek High School.

Yeah...

Jacob isn't playing today. He had a three game suspension, but this game happens to be the fourth game of the season and because of who we're playing, they obviously weren't gonna let him play. As you probably guessed... he took it so well when they told him that he'd be out for another game.

He's still here though. In the dugout with the rest of us. What a joy.

Most of the game goes by fairly well. No one tries to pummel anyone from the other team which was really surprising. Even though Jacob seems to be the one that usually starts the confrontations, there are quite a few people from each team that have beef with players on the other team.

We're now in the last inning. The game is tied 3-3. I just got on base and Drew is up to bat.

He swings and ends up hitting it way out into left field.

RUN MADISON!

I run as fast as I possibly can. I'm starting out on first so I'm not sure how far I'll be able to get.

I round second and the left fielder almost reaches the ball. I almost get to third as the ball is about to get to the third basemen, and I slide into the base. The third basemen misses the ball and it gets passed him. My whole team and everyone on our side of the bleachers starts screaming at me to get up and run. I do just that. There are two outs though, so if I get out then we're done for the inning. If the other team then would score then we would lose.

Then I'd better not get out.

I'm about 3/4 of the way home when the catcher throws the ball to the pitcher who's at home plate. I slide, try to avoid the ball, and sneak under the pitchers glove.

My foot slides into home plate just as the pitcher puts his glove onto my leg. The call could honestly go either way.

"Safe!" the umpire shouts, and my whole team begins screaming in cheers.

The pitcher then throws the ball over to third. It seems that Drew tried to make it there. He gets out, but it's okay because we're winning now. We just need to keep it this way while the other team bats. And we do. We won.

The whole team rushes the pitchers mound after Bene throws the last strike of the game, and we all jump up and down with the biggest of smiles on our faces. I must say that it's much better being part of this moment rather than watching it while hiding from afar.