Play by Play

Chapter One

Nick's POV

I sat there, in the training room, facing the whole team of medical specialists. Everyone was there. From the doctors, to my therapist, Max, who has been working on my shoulder for the last six months. I watched as everyone stood in silence. They stared off in every direction, nobody saying a word. I looked up and observed each one of them. Their faces said it all, 'he wasn't ready to pitch.' I could feel defeat slowly creep up, over me. I was sick and tired of being manipulated and molded like some kind of experiment. I wasn't ready to pitch and that was becoming more and more evident. My shoulder wasn't ready and I couldn't throw a ball to save my life. My career was plummeting, and no fake expression would make me believe otherwise.

"Let's go over to the pulleys," Max finally said, bringing me out of my negative thoughts. I looked up and stared at him. "If we increase the weight..."

"No!" I said sternly,  drawing everyone's attention in on me. "It's not going to help. I don't have my full range of motion and no pulleys, no weight balls, no water therapy, and no amount of stretching is going to get it back." I said, as I continued to sit there, a little outraged and frustrated.

I watched as Max and Phil, who was in charge of the medical staff, exchange looks between each other. They both took a step further, their arms still crossed from our intense discussion we had just had moments before. "Nick your career is not over. You will play again. You just have to keep working at it." I sat there and listened to the same bullshit that Max was spitting out at me. It was all the same lies that I had heard before. Everyone told me that I would be back in the game, but the season was approaching, spring training was right around the corner, and I still hadn't picked up a ball. I could barely lift my arm, and instead of sailing through my rehab, I was quickly sinking. I shook my head at both Max and Phil and then stood up.

"I'm sick of you guys all telling me the same thing. All your fake promises and encouraging comments, but we all know that I am nowhere near close to being ready for this season. My career is over. I will never make it out on that mound again," I said as I leaned back against the table and lifted my head up. I watched as everyone in the room stood there in silence once more. Everyone had something to say, except the woman in the back corner of the room, who was standing there all alone. I watched as she stood there, writing down on a tablet every so often. She had dark hair that was pulled back in a ponytail, and wore the same team logo shirts with a pair of khaki pants. She looked annoyed, which drove me insane. Who did she think she was to have a say in how I felt? If she had something to say, then she should say it, and get it out in the open. I stood up a little straighter and took a step further. The eyes in the room caught my gaze, and soon everyone was looking at the girl in the corner. She noticed and soon pulled her tablet close to her chest. I stared at her hard before finally speaking up, "Well...." I said firmly.

As soon as I spoke she looked confused, like she didn't know why I was speaking to her. Finally she spoke, "Excuse me?" She asked as her eyes narrowed in on me.

"Well.. why aren't you suggesting anything here? I asked her.

"Me?" She asked again, clearly still startled that I was speaking to her.

"Yes, you," I said with a head nod. "What do you have to say about all this? You are apart of this medical staff team, correct? Why haven't you suggested anything? Don't you have a voice? You seem rather annoyed over there, so maybe you should just say what it is you're thinking," I spat out at her.

I watched as she stood there for a minute, looking around the room. She shook her head, "I am not at liberty to do so. There are doctors and people whom are apart of this medical team who have far more experience than I," She spoke directly to me, in a very soft tone.