Catching His Heart

Chapter One

Adrian Daniels

I was nervous.

I heard that my new school, Harrington High School, had one of the best baseball team in the state. The freaking state!

I had to make this team, if not all my dreams of making it to the majors could end right here.

With this realization I step out of the dugout and on to the field with a newfound confidence, and begin my walk to the pitcher’s mound, taking a deep breath along the way.

I look over to their catcher Dani Connors, now that guy is probably one of the best catchers in not just the state but the country, if he keeps doing what he does best then he is almost a shoe in for the majors, I just hope I’m with him for that journey.

The rest of the team is continuing on with practice with the help of their assistant coach, but I do notice a few of them staring at me with curiosity burning behind their eyes.

Finally reaching the mound, I get the okay from Coach Martinez to begin. Martinez used to play for the Dodgers back when they were still in Brooklyn, and while his body was a bit old, he was still young at heart and had a passion for the game, so for me to even get the opportunity to try-out for his varsity team right before the season begins is big. He’s had this team set up for months now.

Taking a deep breath to calm my nerves, I wind my arm back and throw my fast ball; I’ve been able to hit speeds up to 85 miles per hour, close to an average MLB pitcher. I do this for a few minutes before switching to my curve ball and then my screw ball.

I have to give props to Dani though too. Not to sound so full of myself or anything, but most people would flinch or shy away from my pitches, yet he catches each and every one of them as if it was a little league pitcher.

I haven’t even been pitching for thirty minutes when Coach Martinez blows his whistle and calls me and Dani in. I get there first to see another man standing next to Coach Martinez.

“Adrian, this man right here is Coach Anderson, he will be your pitching coach,” He says and I shake hands with Anderson, “Congratulations son you made it to the team,” He finishes and I can’t help but smile in relief.

“Thank you, coach.” I say still smiling and he nods looking at something over my shoulder.

“Dani! Girl you better hurry up my dead grandmother is faster than you!” He shouts but not in that stern intimidating voice he uses on me or any of the other players, but rather a teasing tone, one with a hint of admiration, but something he said caught my attention.

Why did he refer to Dani as a girl? Someone who plays on an all-BOYS baseball team?

I turn around to see Dani running up to us as he takes off his face mask, and as he does so long strands of wild red curls fall down his back and I realize that he is not a he, but rather a she, and she is quiet beautiful.

Even with sweat plastering her red curls around her face she manages to look radiant with her bright white smile and green eyes that pop. I continue to look at her and notice that not only does she have a beautiful face but an amazing body as well.

Looking up to her face again, I see her arch an eyebrow and know I was caught checking her out, but instead of being embarrassed at being caught I just wink at her just as she reaches us, obviously catching her off guard.

“Dani, meet our new starting pitcher Adrian, Adrian this is our starting catcher Danielle Connors but don’t ever call her that unless you want to receive her death glares, just like I am right now,” Coach Martinez says and true to his word Danielle is glaring at him.

“Um well I’ll leave you two to it now.” He says uncomfortable and walks off with Coach Anderson to check up on the other boys, leaving me and Danielle alone for the first time.

“So,” I begin, “How did a girl like you make it on an all-boys baseball team,” I ask truly curious.

She walks off with me following behind her as she picks up her catchers gear, “Same way the rest of the guys did, I tried out and was better than everyone else,” she says and shrugs as if it were that easy.

“Really?” I ask knowing there’s more to the story.

“Really.” She says and begins to walk off the field with her catchers gear and towards the storage room, but I won’t let her get away that easily.

“That can’t be all of it.” I say urging her on as we enter the storage room.

“You’re right,” she says as she looks over her shoulder at me, then throws the gear in a corner of the storage room and begins to exit but stops and turns toward me as she reaches the doorway, ”But that’s all you’re going to get for now.”

And with that she walks off leaving me stunned.