Double Play (T.Jones)

Chapter 12: Kid's Gotta Big Heart

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My phone buzzed, it was yet another Snapchat from Ryley. 

The thought of us, like together, made me all warm inside. He was such a gentlemen, he wasn't afraid to express his feelings, and he always put me before him. And, it had only been 3 days here. 

Today, the boys had their game. They were playing Northwest. Even if I was upset with almost all of them, I decided to be a good sister and go say good luck to my brother, and his friends. 

I found them outside the Grove, talking to some little kids, they all asked them for autographs and pictures. It made me smile, which I hadn't done to them in a long time.

"Hey guys!" I was genuinely happy, and gave them a huge grin after the kids walked away.

Their reaction wasn't as happy as I was.

"Hey." Most of them said grimly, except Zach. He came up and hugged me. Reluctantly, I hugged back. But, something in my face must've been off, because I noticed Tyler's face morph into an emotion I couldn't describe.

It was something like, anger, to realization, to shock. Then, the worst one, concern.

Zach let go, still standing next to me. 

"I just wanted to say good luck." I let a small smile slip, looked down, and walked away.

-

It was 2PM, and it hit me where I was. 

The amount of small children, amazed by the Complex, was about the same as teens, adults, and seniors.

This place wasn't just for kids, it was for the world. Everything about it was just right. Seeing the players happy, making friends, and having the time of their lives, made it feel like you were them. Watching the kids slide down the hill, the cheers of the crowd, the ding of a ball, was what it was about. 

Every detail left scars on you, and sent goosebumps up your spine.

This was childhood, this was the Little League World Series.

As I stood there, dazed, Tanner approaching me sent so much adrenaline through me, that I was definitely out of my trance. 

"Hey!" He said smiling.

"Um, hi?" I questioned. Something wasn't right.

"I just wanted to clear up any tension." He started.

His voice, it wasn't right.

"Okay? Tanner, stop. Whoever sent you, I'm not falling for it." I crossed my arms. 

"Aw cmon, no one sent me, I just wanted to say sorry for everything, let's just be us again-" But I stopped him when I realized what was wrong.

I grabbed "it's" shirt and pulled him face to face. Letting go of him with one hand, I licked my thumb, and wiped off the makeup on Tyler Jones's birthmark, that symbolic tell tale sign, that kept people from going insane trying to tell them apart.

"Nice try Tyler. Nothing gets past me." I let him go, pushing him away.

"But, what? How did you? That's impossible." He mumbled, embarrassed.

"First, it was your voice, then your eyebrows, then no gap in between your teeth, and then I just knew, you didn't mean it. Tanner only says stuff he means. Where'd you even get the makeup?" 

"Some girl-" He started to say.

But I turned on my heel, and began speed walking away.

"Wait! Stop!" He called, chasing after me.

I turned around, trying my best to hold my tears in.

"Please don't cry or walk away. I just- see? You're right, Tanner only says stuff he means. He meant everything he's ever said to you." 

"Maybe he did, but things change Tyler. Obviously, they have. Just stop, it's not going to work." My voice cracked, and tears started to flow out of my tired eyes.

"Listen. Remember that night in the woods, when I told you I'd never rat out my brother?"

I nodded my head, keeping eye contact with the pavement. 

"Well, now I am. I can't begin to tell you how much he loves you. He sees so much in you. That kid is completely whipped. And, I know things are hard between you two right now. But, if there's one thing I've gotten out of Tanner through this whole thing, it's that he's never going to not care for you. That kid has cried over you, like bad crying. And I know he never gets this soft over anything Kayla. But you're just something so different to him. You hold a big spot in his heart, and that kid's got a big heart." He desperately threw every heart-felt word at me.

I looked up, studying his face.

I was good at that, and I could tell what I needed to do.

"Tanner." I whispered, as the tears stopped.

"What?" He asked confused.

"I need to talk to Tanner." I smiled, and for once in a long time, this smile had everything to do with Tanner Jones. 

He needed that spot in his heart back.

The spot I held.