Truth

3

Chapter 3

"G, step forward!" Mike repeated for the 5th time and I could see the annoyance in Giancarlo's face as he set up again. He swung the ball again and pulled it into the left side of the cage. "G, you're stepping out! Step straight and drive the ball up the middle!" Mike sighed. 

I stepped into the cage and stood in the lefty's batter box, my arms crossed as the two guys stopped, just staring at me. 

"What?" I looked at Giancarlo then at Mike. 

"What do you mean what? You just walked into the cage for no reason!" Mike hissed. 

"I just wanted to see something. You can throw it! I'm not afraid!" I smiled, looking back at Giancarlo's stance. Mike threw the ball and Giancarlo proceeded to pull the ball into the left side of the cage again. 

"Why is this happening?" Giancarlo huffed using the sleeve of his jersey to wipe the sweat from his forehead. 

"G, you're stepping out. Step straight and get the knob to the ball!" Mike clapped and Giancarlo nodded as he set back up in the box. I quickly ran out to the net and pushed Mike out of the way as I grabbed a ball. 

"What are you doing little Mattingly?" Mike hissed and I 'shhhed' him as I held the ball up. 

"Are you ready?" I looked at Giancarlo and he laughed, nodding his head as he got set up. I threw the ball and he proceeded to pull the ball again. 

"Camryn, it's his front foot!" Mike put his hand on my shoulder and I shook my head. 

"No." I jumped and they both looked at me strangely. "You're 100% wrong!" I smiled, walking over to Giancarlo. "I have two questions!" I smirked, crossing my arms and he nodded, looking at me as if I had all the answers to all of his questions! "One, why is your shoulder flying out?" I gulped and he smiled softly, shaking his head. 

"I don't know?" He smirked and I looked around frantically. 

"Frank!" I yelled and Frank nervously looked at me. "I need you to grab me my bag!" I smiled brightly as everyone stared at me strangely. 

"Here?" Frank gulped, handing me my backpack. I grabbed the yellow duct tape from my bag and pointed at the box. 

"Get set up!" I smiled and Giancarlo nodded. I knelt down on the floor and placed a strip of duct tape on the floor between his feet. "Move." I instructed as I ripped off another piece, extending the line to the front of the box. "Set up again." I sighed, tossing the tape and my bag to the side before running behind the screen. I grabbed another ball and smiled at Giancarlo. "I want you to stop once you reach extension. Don't move!" I smiled and G nodded. I threw the ball and Giancarlo pulled it again. I ran over to him and pointed at his foot that was on the line. 

"Wow, you were right!" Mike laughed and I nodded, smiling softly.

"But, did you notice how this, isn't anywhere near it?" I patted his left shoulder and Mike nodded. "Now, where your extension is, you're never going to hit a ball back up the middle!" I sighed, pulling Giancarlo's bat to where I want his extension to be. "This, this is going to get you a line drive back up the middle!" I smiled and Giancarlo nodded, smiling brightly as he relaxed. 

"Thanks!" He smirked and I cleared my throat. 

"Are you ready to field my second question?" I sighed and he nodded. "What's going through your mind?" I smirked and his smile faded. "Be completely honest!" I crossed my arms, smiling softly. 

"I'm trying to impress you." He gulped and I nodded, smiling as I looked down at my feet. 

"Stop trying!" I smiled and he raised an eyebrow. "Giancarlo, if you had to guess what's on my computer, what would you guess?" 

"I don't know, work?" He chuckled and I nodded. 

"Now, I've seen you launch a ball 500 feet before! I actually just spent the last half hour watching the same 5 second video of you hitting a ball in slow motion to figure out how each muscle in your body gets engaged with your swing! There is no way you're going to launch a ball 500 feet in this 60 foot long cage!" I smiled and he smiled, nodding his head. "You're going to impress me by listening to what I said and keeping your entire body on this line!" I pointed down to the duct tape on the floor and he nodded. 

"Yes m'am!" He smirked and I smiled, clapping my hands as Mike ran out behind the screen. I stood in the lefty's box, my arms crossed as Mike got settled behind the screen. Giancarlo got set up and when he made contact, G drove the ball to the left center of the cage. 

"Better." I gulped. "Work late on the ball." I bit the inside of my cheek as Giancarlo set up. He got the ball up the middle a little more but was still slightly pulling it. "Later, work later on the ball Giancarlo!" I yelled and he got the ball a little bit more up the middle. "On this pitch I want you to think about hitting the ball over the right field fence!" I clapped and Giancarlo nodded. "WORK LATE!" I yelled as Mike released the ball. Giancarlo hit the ball back up the middle, the ball whizzing past Mike's head. The two of them looked at me with wide smiles and I just looked between the two of them. "What?" I gulped and Giancarlo dropped his bat, running over to me and hugging me tightly. 

"Thank you for fixing me!" He smiled, stepping back and I shook my head. 

"I did nothing!" I sighed, patting his side. "I just told you what to fix not how to fix it! You figured out how to fix it on your own and you did it!" I smirked and he smiled brightly.

"Well thank you!" He gulped and I nodded, grabbing my bag. 

"I'm just doing my job!" I smiled, walking out of the cage.