The Girl With the Killer Arm

Chapter 9

I changed the name of Cody Johnson to Cody Bellinger, because I wanted it to be a real person. The other players in this chapter are real players. 

As we pull into the stadium, Jessica starts going nuts in the backseat. She is jumping around so much the car is literally shaking. I'm smiling, Tommy is smiling, Trevor is smiling, Jessica is practically screaming for joy, and Tyler? Well, Tyler is scowling. If looks could kill, the whole car would be dead. I don't think he is happy he had to sit in the back seat. 

Tommy pulls the car around by where the players go into the clubhouse. As we walk in, Tommy says hello to people he obviously knows, and by the bags they are carrying, I guess they are players. 

"Did you know the players would be here today?" I ask Tommy. 

"Maybe." He says. 

I hit him in the arm and say, "You're useless." 

"I can't hear you. I'm up here." He points right above my head. 

I stand up on my tiptoe and am about to say that I am only two inches shorter than him, but the words die in my mouth when I see some of the Dodger players. Even though I don't know who any of them are, I gasp, then shut my mouth. I turn to Jessica, and her mouth is open and her eyes are wide. I laugh and reach over. I close her mouth, but it drops right back open. 

"Jessica, close your mouth. Some bug might think it is their new home."

She closes her mouth and swallows. Now we are walking down a hallway in the clubhouse. 

"Tommy, have you been here before?" I ask. 

"Maybe." He says. 

"You are still completely useless." I say. 

"Again, I'm up here." He points above my head again. 

I smack him on the arm and say, "I am only two inches shorter than you."

"Exactly. I'm two inches taller than you." 

I'm about to fire off a smart-ass comment when I see a sign that says "Dugout" with an arrow pointing in front of us. We walk up the stairs into the dugout, the one of the 3rd base side. The Dodgers dugout. 

As we walk out onto the field, I can see people taking batting practice. I know that tonight is second game after Opening Day. The Dodgers are playing the D-Backs. What I didn't realize was that they took batting practice so early. It was just past 2, and the game was at 6:10. 

Anyway, as we watched them take batting practice, I saw who it was. Kike Hernandez. Cody Bellinger. Chris Taylor. Justin Turner. Max Muncy. Joc Pederson. Corey Seager. And some other new players.

Cody Bellinger sees Tommy and walks over to him. The two hug, and he asks what he is doing st the stadium. 

"My dad said we could play on the field when you guys are done."

"Hey guys!" Cody yells. 

They look over at Tommy and Cody, with Tyler, Trevor, Jessica, and I standing off to the side. 

"Wanna help them make a full team to play a pickup game?" 

A bunch of them nod their heads or say yes, and Tommy is smiling. Trevor and Tyler are smiling. Trevor and Tyler walk over too.  

I lean over to Jessica and whisper, "Who said they could play with us?"

She laughs, which draws some of the players' attentions over to us. She smiles, and we walk over to Tommy, Trevor, Tyler, and Cody.