Loving the Enemy

Training with the Tigers

"Hey bro I have to go out" I said, thinking it was probably considerate to tell my brother where I was going to be
"Where you goin?" He asked, munching on a packet of chips. I rolled my eyes, I swear that boy eats his own body weight every day, he was lucky he had a fast metabolism and played a hell of a lot of baseball.
"I'm filling I'm for one of my friends on their team" he laughed
"Should've known you'd find a team within seconds, everyone must've been clamouring to have you. I'll come watch your game ok?" He said
"Sure little bro, see you when I get back"
"Bye"

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"Hey guys" I said, seeing them sitting on the front steps of the clubhouse.
"Hey Ari" they chorused, waving as I made my way over to them.
"Thanks for doing this" Phillips said "you don't have to you know, we'll manage"
"Come off it, I'm doing this so stop arguing" the rest of the guys laughed.
"Come on Ari" Cole said "lets get you a jersey" I followed him up the stairs into the clubhouse and into a storeroom. He started rummaging through boxes.
"Well I found a jersey but it's well... have a look" he held up an old jersey, it was red and white and said Tigers across the front.
"I don't see what's wrong with it, it looks just like all yours' " he rolled his eyes and spun the jersey around, it said Rodriguez on the back.
"Why does it say Rodriguez?" I gasped
"Because it's Benny's old jersey"
"Benny's?!"
"Yeah he used to play for us, he left when the rivalry between him and Phillips got way too serious" woah, he never told me that, looks like my baby bro was keeping things from me. I was so going to confront him about this, he can't keep things from me.
"Oh well, Rodriguez suits anyway" I said, laughing. It was still my last name after all, it was my jersey now. Cole gave me a weird look as I slipped the jersey on, and led the way back outside.
"Hey guys, I could only find Benny's old jersey, it fits her and it should be fine, we'll get her a new one if she stays long term"
"I thought we threw out that tool's shirt!" Brent said
"You don't have to wear it Ari, it'll be weird to have a Rodriguez jersey on the team again" Sam said
"It's fine guys I like it, I never knew Benny used to play with you"
"Hardly anyone does" Liam said "we don't want everyone knowing how he dumped us"
"He was our best player and we needed him to help us win that season, he abandoned us and we lost to the Royals" Matt said angrily, there was a chorus of outraged mumbling at the mention of the 'Royals'.
"Who are they?" I asked
"A super arrogant team from the next district, they're so high and mighty, they keep trying to get our club shut down because we have our own field and they don't" Phillips explained
"Oh, don't worry we'll kick their butts this season" I promised
"Heck yeah we will" Luke said and the rest of them cheered "come on let's get training"

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That afternoon we practised catching, batting, double plays etc, getting used to each other's style of playing. I hadn't had so much fun in a long time. The guys were awesome and although I was the only girl on the team I didn't feel out of place at all, I was a kick ass ball player and they knew it and respected me for it, despite the fact I was female.

"This is great guys" Matt said enthusiastically "we're so gonna thrash 'em on Saturday"
"Yeah!!" We cried
"See you all at the game" Cole said
"I have surgery on Sunday" Phillips said "so I'll definitely be at the game. Moral support before the operation and everything"
"I have to go guys" I said "I need to get home, see you tomorrow at the game though"
"Bye Ari" they chorused