"It's just a late birthday present.." Penn threw an envelope onto the counter, while closing my laptop.
"A really, really late birthday present. It's been almost two months." I sighed with a smile, tearing it open.
"Or, it's a ten month early birthday present.."
"No way!" I laughed, cutting her off and bringing her in for a hug. "To tonight's game?!" I hopped off the counter, looking at the tickets once more.
"Dodgers versus Padres, baby." She laughed, "Me, you, Coco and Hayden."
"Oh, you're the best, you know? Better late than never." I hugged her again.
I didn't think I'd get to another game this season. Prices skyrocketed since LA clinched the division title. But Penn has her ways, with everything and everyone.
"I know, I know." She teased, snatching the tickets back. "Now go get ready, we're leaving in an hour."
*****
The warm breeze blew the hair from my face. The dull hum of people talking, cheering, shouting. The smell of some of the best food you'll ever have. Man, I love baseball.
"Happy birthday Tori!" Penn shouted, all of us clashing our drinks together, only Penn and Hayden were drinking of course, but I was buzzing off the excitement of the night alone.
"How did you even get these seats, I mean? baseline? You're wild." Coco laughed, nudging Penn's shoulder with a wink.
Soon, the game started and I couldn't take my eyes off of the field. I've been obsessed with baseball for as long as I can remember. Everything about it interests me.
"Cody has a tight ass.." Penn laughed, as he jumped to make a play in the bottom of the fourth. "I'd hit his-"
"And that's the inning, Bellinger's up in the top of the fifth." The announcer seized Penn from drunkenly making another comment about him, like she'd done to Joc, Yasmani, and anyone else wearing a dodgers hat and white baseball pants.
"There's your boy.." Hayden whistles as Cody let out a few practice swings. Rookie of the year alright.
A few seconds went by, my friends quiet and the same dull sounds I loved. I was trying to think of ways to repay Penn for this present, regardless of how much she paid, if she even paid. She's always done nice things for me, more like an older sister than a friend.
Suddenly, the crack of the bat had people around us "ooh'ing." I was confused, until it happened of course.
The universe had perfectly aligned me to be in row one, seat six of section 29 at that exact moment in time. Everything led up to that second, and it was as if the world had stopped around me. The ball barreled towards my face. I brought my arm up to brace for the impact but I was no match for the rebound of a ninety-six mile an hour switch up.
The ball clipped my cheek bone, and it was as if my brain was jello in my head. I pulled my eyes shut and let out an unintentional scream of pure agony.
"Oh my God!" One of my friends yelled as I tried to catch my breath. "Oh my God!"
"Somebody!" Penn bent down, tying to look into my eyes.
People around us yelled for the medical team to come over, and it felt like forever. Blinking hurt. Blood was rushing to my face, and I could feel the swelling.
It was so fast, but so agonizingly and dreadfully slow.
The crowed got quiet, or I blacked out for a second. Probably both.
