Full Count

two

"Katherine, get up." I hear Mr. Miller shout.

"Is it time to leave already?" I ask through a stretch.

"Yes, you get to go back to the wonderful little box you call your bedroom."

I look around the room and see that Alexander already left the room. "Did you let me sleep longer than normal?" I ask.

"It's only five after five, Wilson just likes to leave things as soon as possible."

"Because he obviously has better things to do on a Monday afternoon," I say sarcastically as I grab my bag and sling it over my shoulder.

"You know Wilson isn't a bad kid."

"John, just because he's a good pitcher doesn't mean he's not a shitty human."

Mr. Miller raises his eyebrows, "how do you know he's the pitcher? He never said that."

"He's talked about everywhere in town, it's nearly impossible to not hear something about him whether it's about how he plays or who he's recently fucked. I don't try to retain information about him, but the guy always has some shit going on."

"Please never remind me that a student is having sex with other students." Mr. Miller says with a straight face. "But you should make an effort to actually know the team before the season starts." He opens the classroom door and lets me walk by then continues to lock it behind us.

As we start to walk down the hall I continue the conversation. "Did you miss the part where the season still doesn't start for forever?"

"Yeah, but the team is basically the same."

"You mean the varsity team is still the same." I correct him. "JV changes all the time."

"See I knew the girl I remember was in there." Mr Miller says with a smile.

"Yeah, but not much. I'm not going to get to know the team before I have to."

"Why not?"

"I just don't feel like it." I admit with a shrug. "I'll see you in class tomorrow." I say with a little wave before exiting the building.

-

The one downfall about your dads best friends being your teachers, that its not weird for them to get a hold of you outside of school. I'm just not used to it anymore, but for the first time in three years the name "John Miller" shows on my screen above a picture of me and John. I sigh and answer the phone.

"John if you start talking to me about anything school related, I swear to god I will literally hang up no hesitation and act like you never existed ever."

"Does baseball relate to school?"

"Are you calling me about Wilson?" I ask shaking my head holding down laugh.

The lines quiet for a minute.

"Well I had an idea," John starts. "You don't have to get to know him right now in person, but at least do some research."

"Define research for me."

"Do something that you kids do nowadays. Follow him on something, snap a picture, or something like that. Google him for all I care. Just learn something about him or figure out something."

"I won't google him." I say chuckling at John's use of words. "But I'll maybe look him up on Instagram, I guess it can't hurt me."

"Maybe follow him." John suggests.