A Promise Is A Promise

[11] Kayla

I watched Frankie out of the corner of my eye, waiting for her to put her bag down on the bench and get her glove out. My heart was beating hard, but I knew I had to do this. I had to ask for her help because I was so tired of being scared and Claire had told me that talking to her would make things easier.

She was laughing and joking with some of the other girls, not a care in the world. I knew it was because her girlfriend was going to be here. Whenever Haylie was around, she had this magic effect on Frankie. She'd get all giggly, and blush, and be at her every beck and call. It was so funny watching her get that way because she'd never been like that with anyone.

It kind of reminded me of the way Claire made me.

Most of the other girls started to leave the dugout for the outfield to warm up their arms, but my closest friend on the team lagged behind. She was digging in her bag for something, though it seemed like she was having little luck finding whatever it was. That didn't surprise me at all, considering she was the messiest and most disorganized person I knew. Still, I saw my chance and took it.

"Hey, Frankie, do you have a second?" I quietly asked, not wanting the few girls left to overhear.

"For sure, K, what's up?" She glanced at me, then back at her bag. A pack of sunflower seeds, the strap of her hat, and one of her batting gloves was clutched in one of her hands. The other was deep inside the middle pocket. Her real glove was between her knees, threatening to fall to the ground every time she shifted her weight.

"It's kind of serious," I told her, my fingers twisting themselves together in front of my belt buckle.

Her movements slowed until they stopped altogether and her head turned to look at me. "What's going on, Kayla?" The serious expression on her face matched the tone in her voice.

"I, um, I have feelings for someone and I don't really know what to do." I took a deep breath, standing up straight when one of the juniors came into the dugout. She didn't even give us a second glance, but I felt like I was being stared at. I felt like she knew what I was confessing. "It's Claire. I think I'm... I think I'm gay," I finished in a whisper.

"Oh." Her head tipped back a little before it fell into a single nod. "Uh, can we talk about this later? It's not that I don't want to, I just want to make sure I can give you all my attention."

I nodded, my heart dropping a bit at the lack of advice, but I knew that this was what was best. What I didn't know was how I was going to keep a grip on my emotions until whenever it was that we would talk.

"All right, after the game, okay? Is then good?"

"Of course," I confirmed, but I had trouble finding my voice. Though the time she'd suggested was much sooner than I thought it would be, I could already tell that this would be a rough couple of hours.

"Sweet." She grinned at me and sighed before dropping her stuff to free her hand, which quickly joined the other in her bag. I started to walk away, but another question passed her lips. "Oh, would you be comfortable with Haylie coming? We were supposed to hang out, but this is more important and I just thought that she could help us figure this out."

"Yeah, it's fine."

"Cool. And hey." She reached for my arm, but her fingers slipped off my skin. "Everything's going to be okay. Just keep breathing. You're going to be all right."

I mumbled my thanks, which was half drowned out by her frustration. "God, where the fuck are my sunglasses?"

She grabbed at the bottom of her bag, ready to turn it upside down, but I jumped forward to stop her. I unzipped a pocket on the side and, sure enough, they were sitting inside, right where she'd left them at the end of practice yesterday.