Ruby (Rue) Mack is on the varsity softball team. She started pitching for all three years of her high school career, and she hasn't struck out at bat once throughout all of her seasons.
When a mysterious note appears at her locker, threatening to b...
Without mysteries, life would be very dull indeed. What would be left to strive for if everything were known? - Charles de Lint
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The mysterious stranger didn't come around the next two days. It's like they knew they would've gotten caught on camera.
School dragged on; I knew senior year was supposed to be super important still for grades, but all I could think about today was our game. The smell of the dirt, the sound of the fans, and the feel of the ball as I throw it from my hand to Breanna's glove. It all felt so much more important than this English test I'm gonna fail today.
I felt a jab in my left side. Jolting awake, Bailee's eyes swim with mischief.
I mouth, "What do you want?" to her.
She responds in a bit so very quiet way, "You seem like you're losing sleep. Did that creep find out where you live now?"
My eyebrows scrunch together in disgust.
"No, I'm serious," she continues. "Maybe Coach'll put me in to play today since you feel the need to daydream."
"Are you kidding me?" I ask incredulously. "We're talking Seal Bay here, not some dumb little scrimmage against Jefferson High."
"Miss Mack," the teacher states. "Is there something more important than my class that you feel the need to interrupt?"
My cheeks heat up. "No, ma'am. It won't happen again."
"Let's see that it doesn't." She continues speaking about some Shakespearean language that I've never heard of before. In between trying to understand her and thinking about the game tonight, I can make out the soft whispering of Bailee singing,
"Miss Ruby Mack, Mack, Mack..."
~~~🦋🦋🦋~~~
I'll never get over the euphoric feeling of how cleats connect with the dirt of the softball diamond. They lightly crunch on the sand, flicking up small dirt clouds as we run our warm up lap around the bases.
Seal Bay hasn't shown up yet; usually they never do. They're very secretive of how they warm up. Normally, they show up exactly when the game is supposed to start, practicing at their own field before coming to ours.
As per usual, practice is the same. I warm up, I hit, then I rest up before having to pitch a whole seven innings. Bailee warms up too, surprisingly. I guess every girl can have her chance, even if she'll be watching me rock it the whole game tonight from the bench.
Seal Bay shows up as soon as they're supposed to: exactly 6:00. I watch their green and white uniforms saunter into the guest dugout like they own it, giving me even more reason to defeat their team.
The umpires call for coaches and captains, and Breanna and I stride out into the field to meet the captains of the other team. We don't introduce ourselves to Seal Bay, and they don't make an effort to do so, either.
