Grand-Slam

∞Chapter 2∞

Song: Playing With the Boys- Kenny Loggins 

"Once in a lifetime, you meet someone who changes everything." -Anonymous

School on Tuesday was buzzing. Nate Jackson was coming to town today, and I could guarantee all the girls in the state of Alabama would be standing by the town's entrance, fighting like lunatics to catch the first glimpse of the man himself. The girls came to me for questions, asking how long he was staying, was he doing meet and greets, could they marry him (to which I responded, knock yourselves out), the usual when a celebrity comes to town, but I knew nothing, mostly because I couldn't care less, and mom never dished out the details about her musicians. Not that I minded. A day without hearing about that guy was a day in heaven.

When I arrived home on Tuesday, I wanted to rip my hair out. It was becoming more and more evident that he was coming, especially when I walked in to see mom ordering people around, telling them to "put this there", or "don't move that", frantically trying to get the house ready for his arrival. I didn't see the point in trying to achieve perfection for him. It wasn't like we were letting Jesus stay at our house, it was Nate Jackson. I wouldn't care if we let him live in a box for the time being.

What a lie, Brooke! You wouldn't let anybody-- not even Nate Jackson-- live in a box when your house was fully capable of having another guest.

Pft. My subconscious had a habit of being the good. I didn't like the good right now-- not when it was on the devil's side.

I slowly walked over to mom who was standing in the kitchen, her hands on her hips. "Mom, what's going on?"

"Nate is coming to town today." She picked up her ringing phone and ran off to her office. I walked upstairs and started on my homework, seeing as the rest of my day was bound to be busy and hectic. Once I was finished, I slid on a pair of black shorts and my softball shirt from the tournament we won last year, slipped on my Nike socks, and headed downstairs. I grabbed my bag and met dad in his truck. He turned his key in the ignition, and we drove to the field. All the girls were sitting in the dugout, and I walked in, hanging my bag up.

"Alright, girls! Make a circle so we can stretch!" We move to the middle of the field and stretch. Low conversations fill the air, and I take in the afternoon, closing my eyes and letting the warm summer breeze blow through my hair. With everything going on, and everything that's bound to come, it was nice to just sit and breathe in the warm, Alabama air. Once we were done stretching, we run two laps around the field, and then I grab my playbook from the dugout, calling for the girls. "Marilyn, you're pitcher, and Jamie is her catcher. Go out and warm up."

They nodded, grabbing their clothes and gear. The rest of the girls grabbed their gloves and mouth guards before they huddled around me. "Jessica, go to shortstop. Bella, second base, and Renee, first. Sally will be at third, and the rest will be in the outfield."

The rest of the girls run to their positions, and I jog to home base with my bat. I dug my cleats into the dirt, studying the field. Lifting my bat, I tap it on the base twice before swinging it up into position.

"Sammy, it's coming to you! Throw it to second!" I hit the ball out to Sammy in left field, and she successfully caught it, throwing it into second. Bella caught it with ease and threw it into the pitcher. "Marilyn, give me a curve. Get ready third and right field!"

Marilyn pitched a perfect curve, and it headed straight to right field. Sarah threw it to Sally, and she threw it to me. I caught the ball easily and twisted it in my hand, smirking. "Jessica, throw it to first. I'll run there."

I hit the ball to Jessica before I dropped the bat and ran towards first. She threw the ball, but she had too much force behind her arm, and it flew over Renee's head. I ran through first, letting out a deep breath.