Love Prevails (Kris Bryant)

10| Drafted

McKayla

Three years, it's been three long years since I've last seen Kris. I never went back home after I left Vegas, for all I know my dad could be dead. I still keep up with Sue and Mike, always send them a Christmas card and gifts for their birthdays. I've kept good contact with them, just not physical contact. Since my baseball years are over I flipped the switch and decided to become a sports phycologist. I love the competitiveness of sports and helping people so I figured it would work best. In the three years since I've moved out here I've learned a lot about myself. I learned how to be independent. I learned how people act and why they do what they do. Thanks to my full high school schedule time management is easy at this level. I can keep a good job and go to school full time and I won't break a sweat. I love it, but I haven't been able to talk with Kris as often this year as the first two years. I follow his baseball team and am so proud of what he's done. This year he won player of the year for NCAA baseball and was the top all American. He's always been a over achiever, I knew he could amount to such feats. That's why I had to let him go, that's also why it was so hard to let go. But draft day was today and I was a tad bit nervous. I know he would be top three but where he would land is a different story. Wherever he went I was hoping he was happy and would do great, but I know he would.

The Cubs end up picking him second overall and I was just so freaking proud. He was going to do great things, I jut know it. He was still a straight A student and had his head on straight, nothing could stop him. I sit there and look at his contact on the screen of my phone. I wanted to call him but I wasn't sure if he wanted to talk to me. He's kind of a big deal now. As I sit there and talk to myself my phone buzzes and I see it's Kris.

"Hey superstar" I say and I hear him laugh. Such a great sound.

"Hey Mac. I'm guessing you watched" he says.

"Of course. I'm always watching" I admit. We catch up for a little and eventually I see that we've been talking for four hours. He tells me about his teammates and I tell him about my internship I'm about to do with the Red Sox. It almost feels like he's still here with me, but the sad reality is that his isn't.

"I miss you so much" he says randomly.

"Please... you probably have thousands of girls hanging all over you" I laugh.

"Maybe. But all I want is you" he says softly. I feel a lump form in my throat and try my best to swallow it. This was hard.

"I miss you too" I whisper. I feel the tears form as I cover my mouth. Wow, this was really hard.

"I still have that shirt you gave me the day I left, it still smells like you. I keep it by a picture of us on my nightstand. All the guys on the team wonder why I never date or even look at another girl and it because I know they will be nothing like you. They won't have that long blonde hair that fits perfectly in a baseball cap or brilliant green eyes that only see the best in me. They won't make me feel the way you do. Your touch, your glance, the way you say my name, that's all I can think about at times. And every time I get out on the field I look to the mound and hope to find you there one day. So many times I thought about dropping everything and finding you and never leaving your side but I know you would be mad if I throw away my baseball career. But sometimes I don't feel like I want this lavish career without you in it" he says. The tears were now flowing as my chest tightens. Hearing that hurt so bad. I grasp the locket he gave me and pull it closer to my heart.

"You still there" he asks.

"Yeah. Just trying to convince myself we made the right decision" I laugh.

"Sometimes the right decision is the hardest decision. In this case probably the hardest thing I've ever done" he replies.

"I wish it didn't have to be this way" I sigh.

"Me too. But I know one day we will find each other again and this time I'm not going to let you go" he claims.

"I can't wait" I smile. We talk for a little more and I say hi to Mike and Sue before it gets late and he has to go. I lay in bed and stare at the ceiling while playing with my locket around my neck. I thought the love would fade as distance increased but it actually made it stronger. I miss the way he always looked at me, like I was the only one in the room. I miss looking at third base and him sending me a wink when I lost command on the mound. I missed it all and I wanted it all back.

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In 2014 Kris tears it up in the minors. He's named the minor league player of the year and well deserved at that. I graduate this may and I find myself along the top of my class yet again. I've interned with the Red Sox last year and loved every second of it, but I was more interested in the job I applied for. I wait by my phone and pace the apartment as I await a call. It rings and I quickly answer it.

"Hello, is this McKayla Jennings" a deep voice asks.

"This is her" I reply.

"We're calling about of your application to be the sports phycologist for the Chicago Cubs. On behalf of the team we are happy to say the job is yours if you chose to accept."

"Oh wow. It would be a honor to work with you."

"That's great to hear. Can you start at the beginning of April?"

"Yeah. I graduate in a few weeks then can be on the first flight over from Boston to Chicago."

"Great. Glad to have a mind like yours in the organization. We have a place ready for you when you arrive. Just let us know when you get here and we'll send someone to help."

"Thank you so much" I reply before handing up. I let out a squeal and jump up and down in the small one bedroom apartment I was occupying. Now I have to decide, do I tell Kris or surprise him? I want to surprise him but I don't know if I can contain my excitement, but I'll try.