The Best of Brad

Chapter 8

The game has barely started and my teams all ready 5 points ahead. We're the Dirt Divas and the team we're playing's coach was one of my old softball coaches. His name is Raymond and he is a compleat dick. Mallory and I were both on his team and we both sat the bench. So beating his ass feels great.

Mallory also catches and caught the first two innings while I played first. I don't really like to play first, I would prefer to catch but I'm good at it so Smooth plays me here anyway the first two innings I got a single and a triple while Mallory's only been up once and got a double. Brad cheers for me a lot especially on the little outs and stuff at first. I occasionally get funny smiles from moms of some of my friends but I just smile back.  I hope the don't say anything to my mom.  If they do I'll just say it was some kid I meat at the concession stand that followed me around.  

Once the third innings come around I'm catching.  The pitcher is another one of my good friends.  Her name is Maddy, but we all call her Maddy Grace.  She strikes out one girl, and the next girl gets a single and is fast.  I know I have to be ready to throw down the next pitch to second.  I call out to Jaycee the short stop to be ready for the steal.  Jaycee used to be a catcher and she was amazing, but last year she screwed up her shoulder big time.  She can still catch but she doesn't want to she enjoys playing third and short stop much more.  Jaycee gives me a rock on sign indicating that she's ready for me.  I give Maddy Grace the sing and watch her throw in the third strike.  I see the girls less than half way to second so I fire it to Jaycee and watch her catch it right before second bace and tag the girl out.

"THATS WHAT I'M TALKIN ABOUT!"  I yell and head into the dug out high fiveing my teammates and listening to the crowd cheer for me and Jaycee.  

"Way to go, Liv,"  and  "Nice throw,"  and "Good catch, Jaycee,"  all course around me.

"Did you see the look on Raymond's face?  God I wish I had that on camera."  Mallory laughs.  I laugh along while I put on my batting helmet and gloves.

"Liv."  Someone calls my name from outside the dug-out.  I turn around to see Brad.

"Brad."  I say and smile at him taking a swig of water.

"Liv, that was awesome."  He says.

"Thanks."  I blush.  "I have to go up to bat soon." 

"Oh, okay.  Good luck, baby."  He says and kisses my cheek through the opening.

A chorus of "Ooowwwssss," and whistles go through the dug-out.  I blush bright crimson and smash my face deeper in to my helmet.

Mallory's up to bat now and hits and amazing line drive right between left and center field.  It hits the ground and Mallory makes it to second bace before the other teem can get the ball in.  Two more girls go up and both get singles and making the bace loaded.  I get up to home plate and look at the catcher.  It's Emily.  I kind of hate Emily and she kind of hates me.  We were both on Raymond's old team together, and she always used to catch and she sucked balls.  I shook her off because I was confident that I was going to get a nice hit.  

I read the signs from Smooth witch was hit hard and patted my head signaling that I read the sign and I understood.  I held my hand out telling the umpire that I wasn't ready yet and took a deep breath.  I got in position and put my hand down.  The pitcher started the pitch and swiftly released the ball at the perfect time.  Once I was saw the ball was a strike I swung with all my power and knocked the ball.  

It went some where off to left field but I was too busy running.  The first bace coach told me to go to second and then pick up Smooth.  Once I rounded second a bit I looked to Smooth and he was waving for me to keep going.  I was a little over half way to third when he started to swing his arms words home.  I rounded third and when as fast as I could, I'm not super fast but not that slow, anymore.  I heard people yelling "DOWN DOWN!"  So when I knew I was the right distance away I jumped and slid. But as I was about to slide someones foot tried me.  I flew forward and over the plate face first.