Summer of love and baseball

Prolouge

"You know you're pretty good for a girl." The boy who I was catching with at the playground in the baseball stadium earlier said.

"Yeah and you're pretty good for a guy." I snap back playfully.

He laughs. "Yeah I guess so. "

I look down into the field and see my dad catch a high fly ball.

"Whooo! Way to go dad!" I cheer.

He looks up and smiles at me. I smile back and wave.

"No way! Jonathan Rodriguez is your dad!" The boy exclaims.

"Yeah. Why'd you think I was here?" I ask.

"Oh I don't know. Maybe you snuck in." He says.

"Possibly." I say.

We stay quiet for a while, watching the Dodgers practice. Then I ask, "So who's your dad? Or did you sneak in."

He chuckles then answers, "The shortstop."

I roll my eyes playfully. "Yeah well you mind telling me which one? We have like 5."

The boy blushes. "Oh yeah. Umm Jay McKinley."

"Oh my gosh! No way! Your dad is Jay. Jay, my way or the highway, McKinley!" I exclaim.

"Yeah."

"Oh so you're Michael?" I ask.

"Yeah why?"

"Oh well my dad said that you and I are the only kids on this team in the same grade." I say.

"Oh yeah. My dad told me that. So you're in the first grade?" Michael asks.

"Yeah."

"Do you know who your teacher is yet?"

"Um yeah her name is Mrs. Sanchez."

"Hey that's cool, we're in the same class." Michael says.

"Hey that's cool." I say. There was another silence.

"So you want to go catch again?" Michael asks, nodding to the playground.

----•after practice•----

"Okay, okay so who's the best baseball player ever?" I ask as Michael catches the ball.

"Oh Babe Ruth, no question." He answers as he throws it back.

My glove hand drops just as I was going to catch the ball. It went rolling away, hit the wall behind me and went into the field. I give Michael an are you kidding me look.

"What?" He asks.

"Babe Ruth? Really?" I ask shifting my weight to my right leg and put my hand on my hip

"You don't agree?" He asks.

"Oh heck no! All he was good for was eating hot dogs and just that one home run he's famous for." I say.

"Oh okay so if the Babe isn't the best who is?"

"I'll give you a hint." I put up 4 fingers on my right hand then 2.

"42? Jack Roosevelt Robinson."

"Mm hmm. Yup. Even you have to admit he's better than the Babe." I say.

"Yeah I guess." He says laughing. "But my favorite player is still the Babe."

I roll my eyes playfully. "Okay fine." I laugh.

"Hey guys time to go." I hear a voice coming towards us say.

I look to my right and see my dad and Jay walking to us with their baseball bags.

"Aww." Michael and I say at the same time.

"Well looks like you two were having fun." Jay says as Michael jumps off the playground and into the field.

"Yeah we were but we were having a little discussion in the end." I say as I jump into the field as well.

"Oh really about what?" My dad asks.

"Who the best baseball player who ever lived was." Michael answers as we all start walking to the exit.

"What did you answer?" Jay asks Michael.

"Babe Ruth."

"And what did you answer mija." My dad asks.

"Quien mas. Jackie Robinson." I answer.

My dad laughs. "That's my girl."

Once we reached the parking lot we went our separate ways. As soon as I was about to close the car door Michael came and put a hand on it.

"Oh my gosh what are you doing?" I ask.

"I never got your name." He says out of breath.

"Oh umm..Marissa." I answer.

"Okay, see you next practice Marissa." And with that he leaves.

I think we're going to be good friends.