Can anyone hear us?

19

Where was Aron? Why wasn't he celebrating with us? We just beat an all white team- the biggest team- and won the series! But he wasn't here. I searched the players and the people who rushed onto the field to celebrate with them, but couldn't find him.

A striking thought hit me hard- the AMF coach wasn't here either. I think his name was Dave....

I pushed through the crowd and stumbled to the dugout just in time to see Dave punch Aron in the gut, sending him into a series of coughs.

"Dave! What do you think you're doing to my player?" I yelled and grabbed him by his shoulders, making him pinned to the wall. Aron was on the ground coughing.

"You didn't hear? Aron is going to jail. I'm just sending him a good bye gift." Dave smirked.

"Jail?" I asked confused.

"I told Aron before he pitched that if he won, I would tell the authorities that he hit one of my players. I would threaten to sue if the police would not take Aron. So they would have no choice since I'm the one with all the money."

"Get out!" I spat in his face.

"The police are already in their way." Dave replied with a grin.

"Get Out!" I yelled and he walked out glumly.

I kneeled by Aron who was still sitting on the ground. "Are you okay?"

"No! I'm not!" He said frustratedly and threw his hat on the ground.

"Why didn't you tell me? The team would have understood."

"Because we deserved to win! After all the abuse, we needed to earn respect!" He looked up at me with glossy eyes. "I don't want to spend my life in jail for a crime I never committed. Coach, I don't want to follow my dad's footsteps."

I opened my mouth but no words came out. Aron had done the right thing. I didn't know what to say. All I felt was sorrow for him.

And police were almost here. I sat down next to Aron and wrapped my arm around him, not knowing what else to do.

"I'll fix this. I promise. I won't let you go to jail for even a day." I said. After a minute or so, I left Aron and walked out of the dugout. A few team members were waiting outside the dugout.

"Is it true?" Jake asked. He was with two other teammates and Ted. I sucked in a deep breath of air and didn't say anything. A headache was threatening to come. Ted ran into the crowd and I was confused what he was doing.

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"Welcome to your new home. You'll be here for a long, long time son." The police officer said as he showed me a jail cell.

My eyes widened with horror and my body froze. Inside was a man in an orange suit facing the corner of the cell. He faced me and his yellow and gold teeth showed as he grimly smiled.

"Come in. Enjoy your stay." The prisoner said and chuckled. What was that supposed to mean?

I shuffled inside the room and the cell door slammed shut with a loud bang. The prisoner walked up to me so we were face to face.

"You make me angry." He said.

"What? How?" I asked confused.

He pushed me hard against the wall and raised his fist to punch me. He swung, landing perfectly in my jaw.

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"Aron!" Someone shook my shoulder and I was startled awake. It was Jake who was sitting next to me. I must've fallen asleep...

"They are here." He pointed towards the two police men who was standing at the entrance of the dugout.

"He didn't do anything wrong! Can't you see? He would never hit another player!" Jake said to the officers.

"His record shows him getting in street fights." Replied one of them. He has a thick mustache and barely any other hair. He was almost seven feet tall and looked like he lifted weights whenever he could. "And we would get sued if we didn't arrest him."

So they would get sued. Don't they have any money? It's better than ruining my life.

The police moved and I stood as they put my hands behind my back and wrapped the cuffs around them.

As we exited the dugout with the police holding my arms, a loud announcement came on.

"Everyone, look at the famous pitcher Aron!" Ted was standing on a table over the crowd yelling. The whole crowd quieted and looked at me, their faces confused at why I was being arrested.

"He is being arrested for being accused of hitting an AMF player!" Ted yelled. "AMF players, did he hit any of you?" All of the players slightly shook their head no.

"Exactly! The police are being lied to by the AMF coach who has tormented and messed with Aron's life!" The crowd began to murmur.

"This was never about a baseball game, it was always a war! A battle being fought against society."

Ted began to share stories about what I've done. I begged him to stop but he didn't. What if he told the story about me breaking in to the animal shelter? I'd be arrested for sure.

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A tear ran down my face as I rubbed my bruised face.

"This is your fault! We lost because of you and your relationship!" My dad screamed.

"If you never met Aron, he never would have become a pitcher! You're the one who encouraged him to be one!" Dad slapped me hard across the face and I fell to the floor.

"Promise me you will break up with him." He got so close to my face, There was hardly any space between him and I. "Promise me!"

He raised his hand to slap me again but I screamed, "Okay! I'll break up with him."

"Prove it to mean! Let me see you text him."

Out of fear, I showed him my screen.

It's over. I'm done dating you. It read.

After my dad let, I cried until I had no strength to cry. I heard my mom downstairs arguing with him and I prayed that he wouldn't hit her.

"Elizabeth." I heard my name in a loud whisper. I peered my head up from my bed.

"Elizabeth." I heard again. I looked out my window and Aron's dad was there.

Aron's dad?