Pacific Bell High

> XVII <

"So you are going to do it, right?" Justianny overheard America Posey ask Ashley Greene.

"I do it every year, America. It wouldn't make sense if I didn't do it this year." Ashley had told her in an obvious tone. Her hazel brown eyes then looked over at Justianny with a semi-hard glare. "I already know who not to invite to my party."

As she looked away, Justianny let out a deep breath. She and the girls from the softball team were sitting inside the dugout, taking their break from softball practice.

Ashley had been talking about a party that she always held on Halloween and was indecisive on what she was going to dress up as.

Justianny would have thought that maybe — just maybe — she had formed some type of relationship with her teammates.

But, seeing the position in which she was in, all alone at the edge of the bench while they were on the other side, she knew that wouldn't happen any time soon.

"I already know Ashley's behind your scowl, sophomore. She's just mad you took her spot as 'captain.'" Andrea had sat down in front of her and leaned her back against the gates. She had just come from running her laps (her Journalism teacher let her out later), and let out a humorless laugh. "Being honest, she never really was one, so I don't understand what she's so uptight about."

Justianny could hear the talking stop and felt the glares that came in their direction. Pretty soon, after a bitter 'Anyways', the talking continued.

"I'm sure—"

"No." Andrea cut her off with a shake of her head. "Don't give me that 'we can be friends at the end of the day' shit." Andrea looked up at Justianny with a hopeless look. "I don't how it is in Cali, but here in Pacific Bell, the bitches are vicious." She rolled her eyes again, "She should also know that there is no 's' in 'Anyway', so there's no need to sound like a snake."

Justianny let out an inaudible sigh and shook her head slowly. "I just don't want to be seen as someone that takes people's positions for fun."

"You're not." Andrea told her as she rolled her eyes. "You're taking them because you're good at them — you're doing a great job at playing the position and you deliver with ease." Andrea's eyes came in contact with Justianny's. "If Coach was to ever take me out and put you in my position, I wouldn't be mad. I'd go straight to the position you were in, shut the fuck up and play."

Justianny gave her a small smile, she knew Andrea was slowly starting to rile up because of everything and decided to lighten the mood. "I can never take your spot, Andrea. I may say that I play every position but catcher is not my strongest."

The anger disappeared from her eyes and a mischievous look now sported her face. "I mean, of course. The catcher's gear looks so much better on me." She then let out a shrug. "Plus, the more squats, the bigger of an ass I get — look at these babies!"

She patted twice on her thighs and Justianny giggled. "Four years of work, sophomore. And I can definitely say that it's done good to me."

"Alright, break's over!" Coach Davids announced as he stood up from the pitcher's mound. "Batting practice now — we're going in the order of the lineup, so Lydia, get your gloves. Everybody else, on the field!"