Can anyone hear us?

17

"Why would we let these people change the laws that we have had for so long? Do we really need to?" Quinn said.

"We will not let them get on that field and win! It would be embarrassing to the white race." He added.

"So, what do you what us to do, Boss?" Blake asked. He sat in front of Quinn. He knew that planning to hurt someone was wrong and he knew Quinn was racist. He didn't support racism at all. The thought of it made his muscles tense with anger. But he was doing it for money. Quinn pays him for succeeding and he needs money. Needs Quinn.

"The star player is Aron. He is a batter and pitcher. Hurt him somehow so he doesn't play as well as he could."

"Of course. This will be a breeze. The KKK will not fall."

--------------------------

I walked on the sidewalk in an awkward silence with my dad by my side. We didn't say anything.

"So..." Dad began. "Got a girlfriend?"

"Ugh, yeah and she is very nice."

"I didn't know."

"I never told you."

More silence followed. Until, "Have you had sex yet?"

"Ok this got awkward." I said and practically jogged to the baseball field when it came into view, desperately wanting to talk no more.

Ted was outside the field.

"Hey man. What up?" He said.

"Nothing much. You ready?" I asked.

"No, not at all. I'm so frikin' nervous! Thanks for lettin' Vex stay in your shed by the way. It looked like a real bedroom."

"Yeah don't talk too loud."

"Your dad doesn't know? He's gonna kill ya."

"He's actually opening up, kinda. See you inside." I said and walked inside our new field. It went through renovations during our away game from all the money sponsors are giving to us. It looks almost at good as the AMF's field.

As I walked on the field and began to stretch, I saw my dad in the middle of all the rows. He was on his phone but I figured that is the best he is gonna get.

"Aron!" Coach waved me over, I jogged up to him.

"Coach?" I asked.

"There is this guy who says he knows you in the locker room. He wants to see you."

"Ok." It must be Ted or Jake. Elizabeth passes me on the way to the locker room.

"Good luck, Aron." She smiled.

"Thanks."

"So I was thinking if we can hang out after. And I need to tell you something once you're available. Before the game starts."

"Ok, hold on. I'll be right back." I said and entered the locker room. Elizabeth waited outside.

"You got my note." I heard a males voice say in one of the locker rows. I searched the rows and finally found him sitting on the bench.

"How did you get in here?"

"Does it matter? Look, I don't want to hurt you but if you agree to play today I will."

"Then I guess we are doing this the hard way." There was no way I wasn't gonna play. "Just let me be. You know what we are doing isn't gonna stop."

"I know. But I have to make a stand against people like you who make whites look like fools!" The man lunged at me but I dodged him and he fell to the floor.

"Stop!" I yelled but another man appeared from the locker bay behind me and tackled me to the ground. He punched me twice before I could punch him back. I raised my fist and hit him as hard as I could in his jaw, knocking him off me. The other man was just getting up when I barreled down the lockers and out the door.

Some people walking by stopped and stared at me running down the hall. I found Elizabeth and abruptly stopped.

"Aron! What happened to you?" She asked, observing my bruised cheek.

"Nothing. What did you want to tell me?"

"I wanted to tell you earlier-"

"What? Hurry and as soon as you're done go into the stands."

"Why? Aron, you're scaring me."

"Because. The game is starting soon. And I can't be late." I lied.

"You're versing the AMF."

Anger boiled inside me. She knew this whole time and just decided to tell me. She knew what they did do me. She could've told me earlier so I could talk to the team and her dad.

"Go in the stands." I said and she walked away. I began to continually look behind me for those men but they hadn't come after me yet.

"Aron, slow down. What happened?" Coach asked as I told him everything in the dugout. All the a mates huddled around us eager to listen.

"They attacked me. They said we were a disgrace to the white race. I guess they wanted us to lose."

"Don't let this effect you. We are gonna win and prove them wrong. I just wish you told us about the note earlier."

A medical team was examining my eye. The man punched me in my right eye making it swollen shut so I couldn't see out of that eye.

Coach let out a frustrated moan. "Where are the police when you need them?" He added.

"Maybe we should cancel the game. More people could be out there waiting to hurt any one of us." Jake said.

"No, canceling will make people mad at us and won't lead to anything good." Ted replied.

"Some people are wondering why the game hasn't started. We are twenty minutes over." Coach said, staring at the large crowd that filled the new stadium. "Aron, this is your choice. Should we cancel?"

"No, let's just win this so we can celebrate even harder." I said.

"Can you play?"

"Yeah. It's not like I'm dying."

"Well you're only playing the second half." Coach said.

The crowd began cheering as we finally made the first pitch. We were at bat. Although we are a half hour late, it doesn't seem like anyone minded. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw two police officers eyeing the dugout. One of them made eye contact with me and I quickly sat down further inside the dugout.

Perhaps they were just surveying the game....

Besides blacks and whites mixed are bound to start fights right?

Right?