Rivals (Sequel To Pitcher)

Loyalty

Cameron looked at me, his eyebrows raised, then he glanced over calmly at Aaron. Aaron was standing on the other side of the field, watching practice intently. I wondered what it would have been like if I had told him about my anxiety. Would he have helped? Would he have even cared? Something inside of me tore slightly when I remembered I could not have him, I wanted to hug him, one more time.

"Why would that matter to you?" Cameron asked me curiously, his eyes wandered to Austin who was ironically sitting next to Aaron's girlfriend, Ginger. Austin looked so utterly fascinated by the practice happening before him.

"Becuase...I don't know, Cam. My mind is just such a mess right now." I rubbed my head which had now developed a slight ache. Right then Cameron smiled and put a hand on my pitching shoulder.

"Ab, it's okay I know." As if all of the other confusing things going on in my brain weren't enough to make my mind ache with overwhelming thoughts, Cameron's empty, confusing statement had me in a struggle to even grasp reality anymore.

"Know what?" Cameron just smiled at me and got up, giving me a pat on the back, leaving me alone in the bullpen with my thoughts. The ball still rested peacefully in my hand, the seams smoothly fitting in the grips of my rough hands.

"How ya feeling kid?" My pitching coach came up to me briefly before the game. I probably didn't look like I was feeling all too well. I had been standing in roughly the same spot Cameron had left me at for about a half hour now. Honestly, though, I didn't feel that well. The nerves from earlier were overwhelmingly worse and I could feel as though I were on the verge of anther breakdown.

"Great!" I smiled and nodded, trying to be as convincingly fine as possible. Luckily he believed me and went back to focusing on another pitcher.

My heartbeat had become the only thing I could hear and my legs went completely numb. My eyes began frantically searching for Austin. I left the bullpen for the field but when I tried to find Austin he was gone. My legs took me limply to the clubhouse where I searched around for one of my friends. Thankfully I walked right into Odubel Herrera.

"El Torito!"I expressed loudly as his arms wrapped around my waist.

"Sorry, Abster, I was just headed to work on hitting, wanna come with?" I nodded, I felt like I was going to faint. Maybe Odubel could tell how negatively I was feeling that day or he was just being his regular likable, kind self. But Odubel quickly walked by my side, as though I would fall if he did not walk there. He looked over at me and he realized that I maybe was not at my 100%.

"Hey, you ok?"

"Uh, Odubel, I don't feel too well." He grabbed my arm and pulled me to the side. His dark brown eyes piercing through mine. Odubel lowered his strong Spanish voice so no one else could hear. "Well, are you going to have a breakdown or something?"

"I don't know, maybe. I just feel like I'm gonna be sick. Plus, my legs feel like they are going to fall out from underneath me."

"What should we do? Like are you going to be ok or do I need to take you somewhere?"

"Yeah, uh maybe let's just go outside somewhere or something."

"Ok, I'll come with you. You're not stable enough to go on your own."

"You think?" We walked together slowly, our feet falling into the same pace. He was right by my side, having his support, right there next to me was helpful. But even with his amazing support I still felt faint. My stomach felt like it would turn inside out. He found a spot for me just outside the stadium.

An awful feeling hit me all in one huge wave. I leaned over and threw up. Right then and there, in front of my teammate. Odubel rubbed my back, and just stared at me, worried. I had never thrown up due to nerves before, this was all so unlike me.

"You ok?" I looked up at him he had a sincere expression on his face.

"I feel a bit better. My legs are still shaking, though." He helped me up and put an arm around my shoulder lightly. As we walked I could feel my weary legs giving out and half of my weight shifted onto Odubel. I felt a bit bad, first I throw up right in front of him and now I am about to push him over, not my finest moment. But nonetheless, Odubel being as loyal s he is, still walked right by my side. Allowing me to rest my head gently upon his shoulder.

It was odd I hadn't really touched a man other than Austin lately. Which wasn't an issue, it was just odd to be using Odubel as support as opposed to Austin. Odubel decided it would be best to just walk around together, outside, side by side. The fresh helped, he was right. Once I had begun to slowly regain the strength I had straightened up slightly more. We were now just talking, two friends having a conversation. Sure there were brief moments where I'd need to help Odubel with his English, but for the most part, it was fine. He agreed to teach me Spanish I taught him more English. Then he let me spill out all of my nerves. He told me to tell him what was on my mind that was bugging me so much. I tould him I could not tell. We discussed our complex childhoods and our family, I smiled as he talked about his home country, Venezuela. He listened to me talk longingly about Louisiana. We had been walking for a little while longer than I had thought. Yet again my head was resting on his shoulder, except this time for no reason in particular. Just to relax a bit. My mind had drifted off and I kind of zoned out and forgot the situation. That's when it happened.

Without any meaning or intent, my fingers gently, slowly slipped into his. My small, slender hand was intertwined with his, big, strong, hand. The warmth from his hand soothed me as we walked. A slight smile curled at the corner of y lips. I turned my head to look at him, he had the same smile. But then he paused, briefly, our hands were still intertwined together.

I probably should not have stopped walking, he shouldn't have stopped either. But we did. We stopped walking as though we had had it planned all along. Then without talking, we looked at each other, his dark brown eyes meeting mine. His head tilted slightly to one side and mine did the same, like a mirror. My lips were tingling with a sensation of a longing, a strange longing, a longing for his lips. For lips to be pressed against mine. It was not right. I had a boyfriend. He probably had a girlfriend. Bu all at once it suddenly felt fine. Like it was the right thing to fo. Our lips were still not yet touching, though. Thay had not yet met the meeting place in between us just a bit too far. Something compelled him to put an arm lightly behind my neck and my hand fell on his cheek. Odubel Herrera began to pull me closer to his lips.

"las bella mujer," Odubel said in Spanish. I quickly mentally translated it to, beautiful woman. I smiled lightly.

"Odubel, where is Abby, Austin's been..." Just then Aaron appeared a couple steps away from us, his expression was shocked. He froze at the sight of the scene unfolding before him. "Holy shit."

Odubel cursed something silently in Spanish under his breath. I looked between Aaron and Odubel back and forth. I ran, quickly past Aaron. The sounds of their shouts fading behind me.