Courage: An Ace of Diamond Fanfic

Chapter 8

Cough

Chapter 8 is finally out...

More info at the end.

Enjoy

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"Haha, you loser!"

"You're so weak that you can't even throw ten feet and you still try out for the baseball team!"

"Don't you know? Girls can't play baseball!"

"Get lost!"

"Yeah, no one wants you here!"

A tiny girl cowered in the corner. Her hunched form made her look even smaller. Anyone could see that she was trembling.

"S-Stop, p-please!" The girl had no idea what she did wrong. All she had wanted to do was make the baseball team, to prove to everyone that girls can play baseball!

Her tormentors began to kick her and others threw stones and bits of whatever was nearby. She reached out a hand, begging for anyone to help her. No one stepped forward.

A large shadow descended on her face. She looked up and saw the bottom of a young boy's shoe. The girl squeezed her eyes shut and heard the sickening crunch of a bo—

Akio gasped. Her face was drenched with sweat and she was breathing heavily. Sitting up slowly, Akio curled up into a ball and pressed herself against the wall.

"I let the team down again," she whispered. She sat in silence, the only illumination of the room was through the few rays that seeped in through the covered windows.

A knock sounded on the door and Akio looked up to see Miyuki poking his head through the door. His eyes lit up when he saw Akio awake.

"Hey, how are you?"

"What?" Akio asked, ignoring Miyuki's question.

"The team is having their meeting right now and I was wondering if you were able to join us?" he asked awkwardly, scratching the nape of his neck.

"How long was I out?"

"Probably about half the day," Miyuki said. "You passed out during the game. The doctor came in to check on you while you were out. He suspected that you passed out possibly due to over-exhaustion which added to your already growing fever. How come you never told me, or any of us, that you were sick? The coach would have pulled you out immediately."

Pull me out?... Of a game?... no... no... no no NO!

Akio glared at Miyuki. "I'm not obliged to answer your question," she snapped.

Miyuki stared back. He didn't put up a fight which surprised her. "Fine, have it your way."

Akio felt a bit guilty inside having snapped at Miyuki.

He looked at her a moment more, then shrugged. "We're having the team meeting right now so if you think you're strong enough to hold out, then you're welcome to join," Miyuki said, repeating what he said earlier.

She nodded. "I'll go."

Akio was about to find a change of clothes when she looked down and realized that she was still in her practice clothes.

"It's fine if I wear these, right?"

Miyuki nodded but said, "You will stand out. No one is wearing their uniform at this hour."