Rivals (Sequel To Pitcher)

Nerves

Abigail POV

"We are gonna be just fine, ace. Trust me." Austin said from beside me, we were standing on the sidelines of the field on the warning track. Well, I was, Austin was sitting happily in the first row of the section right next to our dugout on the third base line. He was technically standing in front of where his seat was located. So that he could lean over and brush occasional kisses against my face. Our main interference was my hair which was being blown all over the place due to the hot wind that was wisping around the field. My teammates were only just starting to arrive and get stretched so Austin and I were fine with just standing here, off to the side. 

"I know I'm just a bit nervous. It's  kind of a big deal, you know, a first postseason game of my career?" I allowed my small fingers to fiddle with his world series ring, he looked down at my hands and smiled. 

"You'll  do fine, gorgeous. You can't physically fail."

"No, I can fail."

"Ab, you are literally the best pitcher in the MLB how could you lose." A terrible feeling had taken over my stomach and I felt as though I could barely speak without barfing. 

"Austin," My voice sounded weak, too weak. 

"What?" A concerned, uncomfortable remark flashed over Austin Nola's affectionate face. 

"I'm so nervous I think I might be sick." I wanted to cry as Austin placed a comforting arm around my shoulder. 

"You look a bit pale, but I'm sure you'll be fine. I am here and I ain't leaving you, princess." I smiled up at him, I knew he was truly not gonna just abandon me. A strange feeling took over, as though someone were watching me. Then out of the corner of my eye, I realized the younger Nola brother was staring st me and Austin. His stare wore me down, I gently grabbed Austin's arm. 

"Not to act like a girl who is horrified and needs a boy to protect her, but your little brother is kind of freaking me out right now and I really am not in the mood to punch him."

"Don't worry, ace. I'll settle that issue." 

"Thanks, slugger." 

"Hey, Abby, stop sweet talking with your boyfriend, over there! Come join us at the dugout like you're supposed to!" Cody yelled from the dugout, I glanced briefly back in his direction but then swiftly turned my head and focus back to my boyfriend. My main focus was now on Austin and figuring out how to give him the perfect goodbye kiss. 

When Cody finally realized that I clearly was not in anyway planning on returning to the dugout he came sprinting in my direction. 

"You're gonna lose your energy, running like that," I said intelligently and Austin nodded in agreement, his hand grazing the back of my waist. He lightly slipped his hand up the back of my shirt rubbing it, soothing me. Calming my bouncing nerves. Then I fully turned around and kissed Austin. 

"Yeah right, and you're gonna lose your focus, kissing him like that! Woah woah, you two need to separate,  stop kissing him and come over to prepare for the game." Cody grabbed my arm and struggled to pull me over to the dugout. Austin lightly took hold of my hand as I was slowly being pulled away by my best friend. If I could only spend the rest of the game here, with Austin. 

"But Cody!" I whined high pitched and annoyingly. 

"C'mon, Ab, we gotta play our game. You love baseball and you know it! Hell, you love it more than you love your silly little baseball boyfriend!"

"You know me too well." 

"I do." 

"Hey! What's all this about my girl not loving me as much as baseball?" Austin asked, still standing by his seat as Cody and I were giving half effort to make our way to the dugout eventually. 

"Oh, don't be silly Austin there ain't nothin here for you to worry about I would never love a silly leather ball more than I love you my sweet, precious, perfect, adorable, flawless, love." Austin smiled calmly back at me as I walked a couple  steps towards him 

"Blech!" Cody exclaimed in pure disgust towards my purposely disgusting compliment of my amazing boyfriend. "C'mon, Abigail I'm serious now, let's go!" I sighed, Cody was right and I knew it, no matter how much I wanted him to be wrong. 

"Sorry,  babe, unfortunately, Cody is correct and I should probably get going. Cheer for me!" I kissed him lightly on the lips and then advanced in the direction of the dugout. 

"I will! I love you, princess!" Austin called out after me as we left. My hand waved lightly back in his direction. 

"Wow, I love my boyfriend," I said to Cody once we sat down side by side in the dugout. 

"Of course you do." Cody just shook his head in response. 

"That's good for you, Abigail." Aaron walked by, addressing me by my name, something rare for him. Typically he 'd just refer to me as "Ab", "Ace" or "Princess", now I was Abigail again. I sighed and Cody just shrugged. 

"Alright Ab, let's go get you warmed up, this is a big game and we can't afford to have your arm tight." Cameron pulled me up and began walking me in the direction of the bullpen. The hot, bright California sun, blinding my eyes. Eye black was smeared below my eyes which were also covered by shades. You think I'd be used to playing the hot sun after LSU and all. But playing in Philly this entire year has weakened me towards the sun a bit. 

"It's not like I was hesitating or something. I wanted to  warm up." My response to my catcher was snappier than I had intended. 

"I know, it's just you were not seeming to make any effort what so ever to  go warm up."

"I was planning on getting up."

"Sure you were." 

"Whatever, Rupp, let's just get ready, we have a big game to prepare for." 

"True. Now show me that fastball, ace. Let's show these LA boys what you can do." 

A sinister smile curled on my face and I did just that. I threw him  my fastball, which currently topped out at a speed of about um say 93 to 95 miles per hour. It wasnt the best fasball in the league but it was the best I had. After a couple of faster pitches I threw him my changeup. my geniius pitch. This was my main oitch, the one i relied most heavily on. My curve was the second best pitch in my selection of pitches. It moved with such movement that I never once thought that it would fail. Cameron and I had earlier went over pitch movement and plate coverage, he taught me a tactic of painting the corners of home plate. Aaron was always telling everyone to never take things for granted and no matter how much I absolutely despised listening to him, I  knew he was rigth. I never took Cameron for grated, its so lucky to have your catcher as your best friend. I knew that becasue of him I had such a sccessful career and because of him my life was much lwss confusing. It would be impossible for me to tae him for granted after ive come so close to losing him so many times before. 

"Hey, Cam, can I ask you something relatively random and very bizzare?" I figured to get that out before the game began since teh nerves were starting take over. 

"Sure, what is it?" 

"Does Aaron still hate me?"