Meet Me After Practice

Because I Lost The Bet

--- ABIGAIL ---

At Home After School...

I got in a shower as soon as I got home from school, needing to find something that would distract me from my upcoming evening with Johnny. I was so nervous. Was this a date? Or was it all just part of the bet, and it didn’t mean anything? I just sighed as I scrubbed my hair with my fruit scented shampoo, letting my mind drift to other topics.

When the magical soothing powers of the warm water wore off, I decided that it was time to find a new distraction, so I hopped out and got dressed, being careful to choose clothes that would be good for exercise and still look good. I finally settled for wearing my neon track shorts and a black T-shirt that said ‘There are two types of people in the world, and I am better than both of them.’ And I know what you’re thinking; how humble of me. I just couldn’t help that I had an amazing sense of humor, so why not show it off?

After pulling my hair back into a messy pony tail, I glanced at the clock sitting on my bedside table. It was already six fifteen. Baseball practice would be over in fifteen minutes. I had to get going or I was going to be late.

I snatched my phone and my bag up from my bed before making my way down the stairs to the living room, hoping against hope that my Mom wouldn’t see me and ask me where I was going. Everyone knew that I was the world’s most horrible liar, and I doubted that would change tonight.

But life didn’t seem to be in my favor, because as soon as I opened the door to step outside, Mom walked into the room. I could almost hear her eyebrows raise as she scanned my attire. I was busted.

“Where are you going, Abigail?” She said, sounding surprised. I knew this must have looked very suspicious; me trying to sneak out the front door dressed in exercise clothes, obviously having no intention of telling her where I was going. If I was in California, I doubt Dad would have cared as long as I came back before my curfew. “Why are you dressed like that?”

I turned and smiled at her, trying not to look as guilty as I felt. I technically wasn’t even sneaking out. I was just leaving without telling anyone where I was going, and hoping the whole time that no one would ever find out. That wasn’t that bad, was it? “Uh, I was just... going to meet some friends. To go for a run. You know, it’s more fun to run at night.” I said, making my voice sound as casual as I could. Please work, please work, please work...

Mom sighed and smiled at me, totally buying it. Thank goodness! “Oh! Okay, honey. I guess I’ll see you later. Just make sure you’re back by eleven.” She said, spinning around and skipping happily into the kitchen, leaving me standing in the door wondering what had just happened. Did she really just buy that? Yes!

“Bye, Mom!” I said, stepping out of the door again, about to close the door when Mom  yelled after me.

“Abigail! Wait- I’m going to leave the back door unlocked for you in case you get back after I go to sleep, okay?”

“Okay, Mom. Can I go now?” I said.

I heard her laugh. “Yes, yes. I’m sorry. Have fun, honey.”

I sighed in relief and closed the door before she could say anything else, walking as quickly as I could down the driveway and crossed the street to where my car was parked. Well, not my car. Mom had felt bad that I was stuck driving James’s truck everywhere, so she gave me her car to borrow while I was here.

I unlocked the doors and hopped in, buckling my seatbelt before driving to the school, pulling into the vacant parking lot and cutting the engine. Climbing out, I looked around me and walked toward the baseball field, not really sure what I expected to find. From what I could see, the field was empty except for someone standing in the middle of the baseball diamond, their head bowed toward the ground.