Battle Scars // Daniel Seavey

| S O F T B A L L |

Kelly:

It's the last day of school, thank the gods and it's my last year! They have a bunch of activities planned, especially for us seniors. "Ava let's go!" I yell and she comes running down "Okay, I'm coming" I laugh and we walk out and make our way to the bus stop.

"There's that softball game today for like students, in front of the school, are you doing it?" Yeah, I know I should tell them I have cancer but I just don't feel comfortable. "Think so" I'm so dumb, I can play softball my doctor has said but he says if I get tired I have to immediately, step out. "Great!" I smile and we walk onto the bus. "Have fun today, Ava" I say hugging her for the first time and she hugs back tightly "you too Kelly".

At school

We arrive at school and we immediately go to our lockers and start cleaning them out. "SUMMER!" Sebastien yells and runs up to me "Hey, we still got a couple more hours left" I say and he laughs and hugs me "gonna miss ya" I turn back to my locker and throw out the worthless shit, also know as; any worksheets that a teacher gave me. " are you doing the softball game?" I look over and I see Sebastien still here "Yep" he smiles and gallops down the hallway.

Here in high school, before I was diagnosed; I was their Star softball player. I played every year but not a lot. My coach knew why and that's probably the only other person who knew out of the whole school besides the principal. I couldn't play this year because I was absent to much from my treatments.

"SMITH!"

I turn around and I see my coach running up to me with a shirt in her hands. "I heard you're playing, so I got this for ya" she unravels the jersey and it had my name and number on there "Smith, 25" I smile and hug her "thank you so much" she pats my back and walks off

{}

Everyone gathers outside around the field and I see a bunch of families and I spot my big one, yes I said my family including Avery/Stanford. I wave to them and they all wave. I look and I see Daniel, I run up and hug him tightly "Hey Kell" he says and squeezes me "Hi dani" we hug for a little longer "aww" we hear from Zach and I flip him off. "Alright, I gotta go play. I know dad don't need to tell me" I say knowing what he is gonna say.

I run off onto the field and I pitch. It's Seniors against our teachers. "KILL 'EM SMITH!" I hear Sebastien yell and I remember that the boys have never seen me play. "PLAY BALL" I hear and I dig my cleat into the dirt. "Game on" I mumble. As I'm about to throw I hear my dad say "watch this" I throw it and they said "STRIKE ONE" everyone claps. I stretch my arm out. "READY?" I yell and my teacher nod. I throw again "STRIKE TWO!" I smile over to my dad and he point to the sky. "STRIKE THREE!" I smile and my team claps my hand and I see all the boys with their jaws dropped.

{}

I'm batting now. "Come on Smith!" Sebastien yells again and starts clapping. The pitcher (teacher) throws the ball and I strike. "make it fly baby girl" I hear in my head because that's what my mom used to say. I shake my head. I make eye contact with the teacher and wrap my fingers tightly around the bat. "You go it" they pitch it and I hit it, I watch it "RUN!" I drop to the bat and I start running. I am about to make it to third base. I run as fast as I can and at the final second, I slide....

"SAFE"