Pitcher (Aaron Nola Phillies)

Off Game

"Looks like Aaron's brother's pretty good." One of my teammates said from behind me, I turned to see Tyler talking to me. We were watching the Marlins take batting practice and Austin was up. He was crushing the ball so hard, it even scared me. 

"Yeah, he's good." I said, acting like I totally didn't know him and he totally never helped me with his brother being the worst person alive to me.

"But you can beat him, right?"

"Yeah, I can, easily." Part of me really didn't want to beat Austin, at least not too bad because he was my friend, or possibly something more. 

"Hm," Tyler said and he walked away, much to my relief. Austin turned his head and spotted me watching him and he began to smile broadly once he saw me. I smiled back, moving my hand slightly, as if to wave, only for it to be smacked down by Aaron. 

"Quit flirting with the enemy," Aaron growled, I glared wanting nothing more than to murder him right then and there. Austin spotted it and made a face at Aaron that showed me just how much he cared. 

"Ab, you ready to pitch?" Cameron said looking at me Aaron a bit funny. I nodded and we walked to the bullpen to warm up. "You ok Abigail?" He asked after a couple of pitches. 

"Yeah I'm fine what are you talking about?" 

"Well I saw what happened with you and Nola yesterday, I just know how much you like him, so you ok with it all?"

"Yeah, boys have never affected me and my career." Maybe not this one, though. 

"Cool, well pitch your very, absolute best and show 'em who's boss."

"Cameron please don't treat me different  though just because of this." 

"I won't, I never would. The only reason I'd ever treat you differently is, that you're the best pitcher I've ever caught  for." 

"Really?"

"Yeah. Well, I have only caught a couple pitchers in my career but you still are the best."

"Thanks, Cameron, I needed someone to say that." After that I threw a couple more pitches, then it was game time. We were the away team so we were batting first. I just sat in the dugout with a coat over my pitching arm. Much to my disappointment, the boys went down 1-2-3. 

"Pitching time, Smith." Cameron grabbed me and pulled me onto the field. My warmup pitches were ok but not as good as they typically are. I spotted Aaron in the dugout watching me, expressionless. Of course, that set me off and I lost my focus. The batter walked to the plate, I gulped, this was not going to be a good game, not at all.  Cameron saw me stealing glances at Aaron and mouthed something to me, it's ok, don't worry about him, just pitch. I nodded and got ready even though I clearly wasn't, this is definitely an off game. The ball left my hand and I immediately regretted it. The ball went SUPER high and away, I flinched. The next pitch was just as wild. I was a mess, walking the first batter, how dare I? I had the bases loaded already and Cameron called a meeting on the mound. 

"Ab, you ok?"

"I'm fine, I don't know what's up with me."

"Well you got two outs, you just need to get this batter." I nodded and he left. That's when I saw the batter, suddenly regretting what I had just said, the batter was Austin. Austin smiled at me lightly with the corner of his mouth, it was kinda cute. I did the same to him. He looked almost like he felt sorry for  me. I was kind of confused of what to do like whether or not to strike him out or let him have his victory, it is his debut after all. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, tuning it all out and forgetting about, Aaron, the team, the game and the fans. I forgot about who the batter was and that it was his debut, all I thought about was baseball and how much I love. This sport is the world to me and it means more than to me than words will ever be able to explain. Compared to baseball  Aaron Nola is nothing, compared to baseball even Austin Nola is nothing. 

The ball released from my hand and I closed my eyes as Austin whiffed at it, my changeup had come back from the dead. Cameron called for the next pitch, slider, I nodded and did just what he said. Austin watched the ball wind its way to Cameron's glove for a strike two. The next pitch was my curve that I had learned from Aaron, no scratch that, that he had learnded from  me. The crowd erupted into cheers, me and Austin were silent. I struck him  out, his first big league at bat was a strike out against the girl of his dreams, man I am horrible. But then something wild happened, he nodded at me, to show a sign of respesct, I nodded back. Something about the look in his eyes told me he was saying, next time, next time I'll get you.  

"C'mon Ab, great job getting the last guy out now let's get to the dugout so we can do some damage." Cameron said, snapping me out of it and pulling me to the dugout. 

Austin was up with one out and no one on base for his second at bat of the night. He looked ready and yet anxuous, how can someone be both at one time, apparently Austin can. That's when I thought about  how sweet Austin was and how he treated me like an angel and yet also like a ballplayer. I thought about how much he had done for me and i decided that for once i could do one good thing for him. Cameron called for a curve but i knoew the one pitch Austin loved to hit and I shook my head, throwing the sinker that he took soaring to  the left field seats. This time it was my turn to show repect and I tipped my cap to him, him doing the same to me. It seemed small but to a ballplayer it meant the world.