The Baseball Girl

Change

Crack

A small smirk played on my lips as I dropped my bat and rounded the bases. The feeling of my foot hitting each base sent warmness up my legs and into my chest.

Once I reached home plate, a pair of small arms wrapped around me knocking me off balance. I quickly steadied my self and picked up the small child attached to me. He looked at me with sparkling eyes and a huge grin. His brown hair and bright blue eyes were a reflection of my own. His face was smudged with dirt and my face probably had the same dirt mask.

"Adi that was so cool! You hit it and it went like BAM and then WOOSH!" The kid laughed and leaned back so he almost fell from my arms. I laughed too and threw him into the air, carefully catching him.

"Calm down Milo. We're just messing around." I smiled gently at my younger sibling. I glanced around the field to see our little group of kids running around and tossing balls to each other.

Ever since my brother made it into the pros, our entire town developed an obsession with baseball that I didn't necessarily find healthy. Kids constantly bugged me to play with them though I didn't really mind. When my brother left I thought I wouldn't have anyone to play ball daily like I use to. Fortunately I was wrong.

In any small town of only 276 people on the California coast there tends to be very few kids your age there. In my case I only had my two best friends and an extremely annoying group of boys.

One of said annoying boys ran up to me and slapped my back, forcing me forward. He let out an annoying bray of laughter. A slight tick mark appeared on my forehead as my eye twitched as I recognized the boy as Jake Reed.

"Do that ever again and I will bite your hand off." I threatened effectively shutting the kid up. He shuddered under my gaze and glared at Milo who was hiding laughter behind his hand.

"Adi I thought we talked about this." The voice of one of my best friends called out to me. She paused with her hand on her hip and shook her finger at me like she was scolding a child. Her blonde hair flipped over her shoulder and splayed across the front of her dress which had a flower pattern on it and flared out at the hip ending at her waist. " No threatening to bite peoples limbs off."

I pouted like a kid and began to whine "But Emmmm-". She gave me a pointed look. "No buts" she scolded. I began to snicker.

"Nice to see your going cold turkey." I snickered. She gave me a confused look. I responded with an exasperated one.

"Em, she means that since you like boys and always go on about their 'smexy' butts" another voice interrupted. The person did finger quoted around the word "smexy" and continued. "And you said 'no buts' so she took it as 'no butts'" she patted her hip. " So it's funny because you just said no to the thing you love oh so very much." The girl finished. She twirled her black hair around her finger and looked at us with deep black bored eyes. I easily IDed her as my other best friend Dakota.

Em looked at us with a confused look. I leaned over to Dakota. "She's blonde. She doesn't get it." I said loud enough for the four people around me to hear. Dakota snorted while Milo, Jake and I laughed at Em's indignant shout of "Hey!".

Little did I know that once I got home my whole life would turn upside down.

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I waved good-bye to my best friends and my new bestie Jake. I bounced on my heels to readjust the sleeping Milo on my back. Using my elbow I somehow managed to open the door with a sleeping child and a million pound bag burdening me.

I dropped the bag at the front door and headed to Milo's room to put him to bed. I carefully wrapped him in his blankets and tucked him in with a small goodnight kiss to the forehead. Once I exited the room I slowly closed the door and turned around coming face to face with my mother.

A startled gasp escaped my lips and I pressed my hand to my chest to calm my raging heartbeat. My mom chuckled lightly and motioned for me to follow her. I obediently walked behind her into the kitchen and sat at the bar on the opposite side of my mom.

We stayed silent as she picked up an envelope and slide it towards me. I glanced at it suspiciously as then my eyes went back to my mom uncertainly.

She nodded at me and gently said " Go ahead. Open it.". My hands shook as I ripped open the top of the envelope and took out the paper. I unfolded it and my eyes scanned the page. My brow furrowed and my lips puckered. It read:

Dear Adamine Ravenscar,

We have received a letter from your elder sibling, Loke Ravenscar, requesting that you be accepted into Seido High School. As you may know Seido specializes in baseball and academics. Due to your test scores at your previous schools you would have to take more advanced classes than the other first years. Your brother testified to your baseball skills and your records speak for themselves in academics. If you do accept our offer which includes meals, lodging, allowance, and of course access to baseball equipment all day everyday. We would be honored if you came to join us here at Seido.

Sincerely,

Baseball Advisor

Rei Takashima

My eyes met my mom's and I raised my eyebrow, leaning back against my chair.

"Sounds interesting. Though I wonder why brother wanted me to go." I thought out loud. Mom looked at me with intense eyes making me worry a bit.

" Adi, do you have any interest in this school? " Mom asked me seriously. I swallowed hard and licked my lips. " Um maybe a little. But I don't want to go if you need me here. Or if I'm the only one going. Where is this place anyways?" I responded.

The envelope was slide towards me again. I picked it up and looked at the address on front. A couple moments passed. Mom gave me a worried look as my eyes widened.

"WHAT?!" I screeched. My body responded on its own. I jumped up and flailed my arms around in disbelief. " No way! No way I'm going there! I'm not going to leave my friends! Are you crazy?!" I shouted.

"You should go Adi. This is a once in a lifetime experience. If you don't take this opportunity I'll make you. Whether you like it or not you're going there." Mom yelled back. " Your father wanted you to go like your brother didn't have the chance to." I winced like the mention of my father caused me pain, which it kind of did.

My mom gasped and covered her mouth with her hand in shock of what she just said. "Adi, I'm so sorry." My mom tried. I shook my head with my bangs covering my eyes.

"Mom. Just... Sorry. I can't." I tried to respond but my voice cracked. I ran to my room and jumped on my bed. I buried my head in my arms and began to cry. I fell asleep like that and prepared myself to leave my family.