(Complete) Kenzie Lynch grew up around baseball, but her father refuses to let her get involved with any players. Christopher Jett's loves baseball, Coach Lynch and the girl he can't have. After six years, can they learn to be friends and will frie...
Stealing signs: When a team that is at bat tries to see the sign the catcher is giving to the pitcher (indicating what type of pitch to throw), the team is said to be stealing signs. This may be done by a runner who is on base (typically second base) watching the catcher's signs to the pitcher and giving a signal of some kind to the batter. (To prevent this, the pitcher and catcher may change their signs when there is a runner on second base.)
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Ten years ago...
Jett was excited for his first game at NHA. He had already learned more from Coach than he knew when he showed up on September first. In the past seven months, the Lynch house had become his second home. He stayed for countless meals and slept over most every weekend.
He was excited, but also nervous because his parents were coming to the game. His father paid a lot of money for him to go to NHA and Jett wanted to show him it was worth it. He was afraid the combination of emotions would cause him to make errors. He had been hitting well during practice and didn't want to strike out.
Coach must have sensed his turmoil, because he called him over and looked him in the eye. His mentor put his hand on Jett's shoulder. "You're good. Forget about everyone just play like you're in my backyard."
He smiled and refrained from saying Kenzie wouldn't be catching flies in the outfield.
He was nervous enough with his parents watching and not wanting to let Coach down. He didn't even want to think about Kenzie and her friend in the stands too. Maybe she would be too busy watching if Davy could throw in the strike zone. Jett's biggest challenge would be corralling the wild pitches.
The game went better than he expected. He had two hits and Davy didn't walk every batter he faced. They won by a run because they made fewer errors than their opponent. It wasn't a pretty game. In the locker room, Coach didn't rant and rave like his old one had. He told them good effort and he had a list of things to address in practice.
When they left the locker room, he looked in the dwindling crowd for his parents. Instead, he saw her laughing. She looked beautiful when she laughed. He felt the heat in his ears as he realized she was laughing with his parents.
Tentatively, he walked toward them. Would his mother embarrass him in front of her? Would she let on that she hated him? Why did she hate him so much?
His mother's smile grew bigger as he approached. "Oh, sweetheart!" The heat moved into his cheeks as Kenzie stopped laughing. "You did amazing!"
His father slapped him on his back. "So proud son."
Laura said, "Jett dear, you can ride with us to the house."
"The house?" He asked, confused.
"Coach Lynch invited us for dinner." She smiled as if he should have known.
He looked at Kenzie who was nodding.
Laura added, "Kenzie, come with us. I'm sure your father has things he needs to do first."
"Shouldn't we wait?" Jett asked, concerned.
Kenzie shrugged. "It's fine."
Jett scanned for Ben, but didn't see him. The house was closer as the birds flies or through the path in the woods than by car. Jett climbed in the backseat of his mother's Subaru and was suddenly aware of Kenzie close to him.
He wanted to reach out and take her hand, but she'd probably smack him. Instead, he asked, "Where did your other half go?"
Kenzie rolled her eyes. "She's hanging out with Davy to make Ben jealous."
Jett didn't think it was a good idea, but he wasn't Kimmy's keeper. He protected Kenzie from Davy which was what mattered to him. Kenzie ignored him, as she told his father where to turn.
Jett trusted his parents would not look down on the Lynch's small house. Kenzie welcomed them in. It was her home and she was proud of it. Did she know all the other North Hill kids had money?
"Mr. and Mrs. Jett, what would like to drink?"
"Water is fine, dear." Stephen nodded. Jett sat and watched Kenzie play hostess until the back door slammed.
Ben said, "Dad's coming. Kenzie, I'm starving."
"Good, you two can set the table," she said.
Ben grumbled, but Jett didn't mind. He felt like a part of the family.
He heard his mother. "He never helped me. You're a good influence."
Jett watched as Kenzie didn't respond and buried her head in the fridge before pulling out lettuce and other things to make a salad.
Luckily, he made it through the dinner without Kenzie telling his parents she hated him. He breathed a sigh of relief as he walked out into the cold April night air with his parents.
His father asked, "Are you going to stay with us at the hotel? They have an indoor pool."
He missed being a family. Even if his father snored, he wanted to stay with his parents until they left the following day. After a stop at his dorm for some clothes, they drove to the hotel. He listened as his mother filled him in on everything he was missing at home. He missed the feeling of comfort and familiarity that home gave, like driving down the street and knowing who lived in the houses. Not for the first time, he wondered if he would have made it at NHA without Coach, Ben, and Kenzie.
While Jett was swimming, he wished he invited Ben. Then he thought about Kenzie in a bathing suit. He had to use his imagination because she always wore baggy clothes. Shaking the thought out of his head, it was family time.
Back in the room, he talked to his parents until the snoring started. His father was accustomed to being up early. He laughed at the noise coming from the normally quiet man.
"How can you sleep with that?"
"When you love someone, you're willing to put up with more than just snoring." Jett shrugged but didn't think Kenzie snored. As if she were a mind reader, she asked, "Does Kenzie like you too?"
He stammered. "What? how? She, um she hates me." His mother smiled. "Why are you smiling? She hates me! Meanwhile, I love her."
She reached up and pulled his head onto her shoulder and ran her fingers through his hair. "Oh Chris, there is a fine line between love and hate. If you haven't given her a good reason to hate you then she may not know what she feels. You're only sixteen and too young for only one love. If you really love her, it will work out."
He sure hoped his mother was right. Maybe he'd hang out with a girl who liked him to see if Kenzie got jealous.
