So, That's Your Dad? (Freddie Mercury)

Chapter Thirty Eight: A Hundred Miles Per Hour

Tryouts took place this afternoon. Was I ready? Not really. I actually mean not at all. Joe was trying to explain to me the object of the game based on the few that he had watched at our old school. That means he is not reliable. "All that you have to do to pitch the ball is that windmill thing with your arm." He tried to say. I raise my eyebrow. "Joe, I have no idea what the windmill thing is." I respond. "Tiff, you'll know once you're on the field. But don't put all of your energy into it because then the ball will go out of bounds, and the opposite team will walk through the bases." Joe went on. I frown and take off the visor on my head.

       Joe, Ralph and I looked so dumb with them on. What am I even doing here? I already know the outcome and this will just be a waste of my time. But this is what my father wants me to do. I'm doing this for him. Not that I have a choice anyways. "Josephine this is pointless." Is all I say to him. He wraps his arm around my shoulder. Now he's going to try and persuade me that my life isn't so bad. When I could wish to be anyone else but Tiffany Bulsara in this stage of my life. "Tiffany, Tiffany. This isn't pointless. Our dad wants us to do something new and this is the only one that we could agree on. You can't quit now. He's not a quitter and neither should you." He does everything he can to motivate me.

       "I would say that this is a shitty idea as well, we're the only boys here." Ralph complained. "Well then this should be a dream come true for you, you're going to be bumping into girls for two months straight." Joe said. An adult soon accompanied us with a clipboard in hand. I look closely, it's my English teacher. She seemed nice as a teacher, I wonder how she will act as a coach. "Hi everyone." She greeted warmly. Nicole groaned. "Not this bitch again." She said under her breath. No one heard her but me. What is she talking about? Our English teacher seems like the most delightful person I have met in this place so far. "Hi Ms. Beckham." I reply. She smiles at me and pushes some of her blonde hair behind her ear.

       "May I have everyone gather around home plate?" She requested. We all stand up from the bench and I grab my glove. Home plate is right around us. I still can't believe that I'm actually here. "How are you all today?" She asks. "Good." We all answer in unison, obviously lying. "Ok. Well for those of you who do not know me, I am Ms. Beckham. I teach twelfth grade literature and I am your softball coach. With that being said, I am going to just get right down to business. We will work on throwing techniques later this week, but right now I want to put you all in your positions, so we're just going to practice defense and I will post your positions on the bulletin board tomorrow if I don't tell you today. For right now, infield: Sarah you're catcher and Nicole you're pitcher. Olivia, first base. Ebony, second, Sarah third and Ralph you're going to be short stop." Ralph was relieved. Fuck. Either I'm hitting first or I'm in the outfield. Both suck, I wanted to be pitcher. Maybe I'll have my chance later.

        "And in out field: Tamra in right, Joe in center and Tiffany in left. Allison you're up first get a helmet on." Ms. Beckham directed. I have to prepare myself to do a horrible job in a position I am not meant to play. I believe that Nicole's pitching skills suck. I am not saying that to be a bitch. But she actually is terrible. The past three people have been walking to the bases. If either of us are the pitcher then we will lose every single game of this season. Ms. Beckham looked down at her clipboard. "Tiffany!" She called me out. I furrowed my brows, wanting to know what she needed. "Could you and Nicole switch places?" She asks.

I didn't think that I would actually pitch today. Now that I am, I forget almost everything that Joe has taught me. I don't know what to do. "Um, sure." I reply and start walking to the infield. Nicole stared me down the entire time when making her way to the outfield. All eyes were on me. Everyone needs to stop, it only makes me more insecure. I turn to Joe for only a second. He showed me the motion for pitching the ball. I just nod and face forward. One foot ahead of the other is the proper stance. The catcher attempts to throw the large green ball. It hit me on my knee. I don't think that it was an accident, this was Nicole's friend. "Ow!" I yell but still pick up the ball. The girl laughed and our coach seemed disgusted.

She stared down at the clipboard again. "Joe! Get the catcher's equipment on!" She yelled. The girl groaned and took the cage of a mask off of her face and ripped all of the padding from her body. Joe ran to home plate and hooked on the set of knee pads and eventually the helmet that covers his face with the series of lines. I place the glove to my chest with the ball inside. Here I go, this will either make or break me. I slowly take the ball out of my glove and circle my arm back and quickly pitch the ball.

I didn't expect this. The perfect pitch. Okay, I did it once. Maybe I can do it again. "Strike one!" Joe yelled and tossed the ball back to me. I'm back towards the normal stance and throw the ball again. Another one. "Strike two!" Joe yelled and gave me the ball. I throw it again and this time the girl at home plate hits the ball and runs. I watch as Ralph was quickly able to catch the ball and throw it to first base. She's out.

Three quick hours go by and I'm proud of myself. I'm not the best pitcher, but I'm certainly not the worst. "Ok everyone gather around!" Ms. Beckham yelled and we all grouped at home plate. "That was actually very good for your first practice. This is our official team, nobody is getting cut. I will tell you your official positions tomorrow. All I know right now, is that Joe is going to be our catcher and Tiffany is our pitcher." She explained. What? She's lying. There's no way that I'm actually the pitcher. But alright, I got what I wanted. "What?! But I've been a pitcher since year nine!" Nicole protested. "Well, I'm really sorry. But I want Tiffany as the pitcher. If you have that deep of a problem with it, then you don't have to be on the team." She replied.

I covered my smile with my freehand. "Okay, practice is tomorrow so I hope to see you all. Have a great rest of your day and you are dismissed." Our coach said and with that Joe, Ralph and I started walking away. "Tiffany you did fucking great! See I told you that you would be the pitcher!" Joe complimented. "Thank you. So did you." I replied. "Yeah you threw that ball almost a hundred miles per hour." Ralph said. I chuckled. "Now you're just being dramatic." I say as we are walking into our building. I had never known that there was a gym in our building. But here we are watching many working out on treadmills and lifting weights. Then I saw someone who I longed to talk to since the incident last week. I predicted that she was a boxer and I was right. She could potentially punch the bag all the way across the room.

       "Guys I'll catch up with you later." I tell them and we go our separate ways. I make it across the gym and see her still assaulting the bag. Then she saw that I was close and stared at me. "Hey." I greet her enthusiastically. "Hi." Linda replied and put her hands on both ends of the bag to keep it still. "See, I sort of had an idea that you were a boxer." I inform. She chuckled as she was taking off her gloves. "Yeah, it's my job actually." She responded. "Oh that's really cool. My dad used to box as a kid, so I know a few things." I joke. She's looking ahead. Is there another fight that's about to go on?

        "Nicole is staring at you. She's giving you the unpleasant look." Linda told my while still eyeing her. I sigh. "Probably my fault, I'm the pitcher this year instead of her." I said. "Damn girl, you're in deep shit then." She chuckled and so did I. "So you do this for a living?" I ask because I'm interested. "Not for a living, but I do get paid to do it. I have a match tonight if you would like to come. Bring some friends too, I really don't have an entourage. I'm kind of new to the whole thing." She said. I smiled. I immediately want to accept the offer. I need to get out of here at some point. Even if it's just for five minutes I want to leave. "Ok, yeah I would really like that. Thanks for asking."  I say eagerly. "Ok, I'll pick you guys up at nine. What's your room number?" She asked.

       "733." I answer normally. Her entire facial expression changed. I wonder why. I question what was wrong. "I used to live in that room. I'll tell you about my experience in there later."