Stealing First

Chapter 6

Saturday morning dawned warm and cloudless. Charlie bounced out of bed and into the shower. She had been looking forward to the trip all week. As much as she loved living in Tokyo, she had to admit that there was also a lot she missed about Australia and her enthusiasm for the beach outing hinted that she was probably a little more homesick than she had realised. She brushed her purple locks up into a messy bun and donned a white linen shift dress and sandals, grabbing the bag she had packed the night before on her way out the door.

She heard her friends before she saw them. Across the courtyard she spotted the three baseball players, joking around loudly while they waited. She smiled, considering how fortunate she was that she had found friends who she felt so at ease with. Charlie didn't always make friends easily and she had been nervous at the prospect of spending three lonely years in a Tokyo high school if things hadn't gone well in the social department. She wasn't sure what she would do when they all graduated before her, but hey, that was years away and future Charlie's problem. Today was reserved for fun.

"Good morning, Charlie!" Kuramochi was the first to notice her heading their way, and he waved his arm in greeting. He noticed a certain spring in her step and thought she looked a little different somehow. "You look well today. A day off studying must agree with you."

"Thanks, Mochi," she replied, smiling, "I am definitely looking forward to a day at the beach. And the weather is perfect too. Oh, and of course hanging out with you guys won't be so bad either," she added cheekily.

"Is that anyway to address your seniors?" Ryo piped up, a mocking smile playing on his lips.

"So sorry, Ryo-senpai. What a bad little kouhai I am. Can you ever forgive me?" Charlie shot back in a mocking tone of her own, arranging her face in an overly dramatic pout.

"That depends..." began the second baseman, a devilish look in her eye.

Charlie responded by clipping him across the back of his head with her palm. "You're terrible! So early in the morning for such a filthy mind. Now which way to the train station?" Charlie and Ryo began to walk down the street, continuing their banter as they went. The two second years trailed behind.

"I didn't realise that Charlie and Ryo were so close," remarked Miyuki, hanging back out of earshot from the pair in front. He had been surprised at the level of apparent intimacy in their exchange; it was certainly more familiar than he had seen Ryo with any other girl in the time he had known him, and it definitely had a flirty undertone.

"Yeah, they get along really well actually. They do study together a fair bit, and they also have the same taste in music. Oh and they both enjoy sharp, witty comebacks which makes double trouble for me when we are all together." Kuramochi grinned despite his complaint.

"So, do you think Ryo has a crush on her?" Miyuki couldn't really explain his sudden interest, given he usually wasn't one to take notice of that kind of thing.

The short stop laughed loudly at the suggestion. "Why don't you ask him that?" he challenged, laughing again when he imagined the kind of reply the catcher might get in response to such a question.

Miyuki frowned, before shrugging and changing tack. "Anyway, how are you going to go restraining yourself if Charlie DOES wear a bikini?" Having successfully deflected the attention, his familiar arrogant smirk was back and he received the expected whack on the arm from his teammate.

"Shut up, Miyuki," he replied, running a hand self-consciously through his wayward olive hair. "C'mon let's pick up the pace or we'll miss the next train."

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Stepping off the platform at Zushi Station, Charlie caught a whiff of salty sea air and let out an audible sigh. "Smells like home," she breathed.