no connection {j. baez}

1~

I felt the warm water run quickly down my face while my mind raced. Tomorrow was gonna be the best day of my life.

My first cubs game since I was 8 years old. I never was allowed to go with my friends or family after that, my parents constantly forced me into watching the Sox play hoping that by drilling the useless information of their top prospects and new trades that it would interest me enough to become a fan.

After I turned 13 I realized that I could fool them into thinking I was actually becoming a fan. I hung posters of Chris Sale and other players all over my room and always flipped the station from the Cubs game to the Sox game when my parents walked in.

They were season ticket holders, front row seats right behind the dugout, so I was frequently at games. I would take pictures of all the players and represent #49 on my cheek and on my jersey, fake cheering whenever a good play occurred (rarely, may I say). As soon as we got home from the game I would rip off the jersey, delete the pictures, and scrub the number off my face, turning on the Cubs game I had secretly recorded while we were gone.

This continued until I graduated the senior year early and went to Minnesota State for college. I never had a summer break to attend any of those games because I left early for Minnesota so I could escape from my crazy parents.

I got a job and an apartment in Minnesota, and only returned to Chicago once a year, during winter break.

During my senior year of college, I met my best friend, Holly. She was a major cubs fan as well, from Arizona. Every time the Cubs played we gathered in her apartment and cheered on all of our favorite players, mine Baez, and hers Russell.

After senior year we decided to move into a little apartment in a Chicago suburb, about 15 minutes away from Wrigley.

And, that leads me to now, obsessing over how I am going to get Javy's attention from the 10th row on the opposing team's side. Those tickets were the only one's Holly and I could afford, after the Cubs won the world series ticket prices skyrocketed and for front row tickets behind their dugout you were paying $900 a person.

As I turned off the shower I decided I would make a poster and hold it up while Javy was at first. I dried off and put on some sweatpants and a t-shirt before walking into the living room finding Holly passed out watching some Netflix show. I shook her awake, she groaned and kicked me away before finally getting up.

"Hey Hol do you wanna run to Walmart and get poster paper with me?" I asked while I grabbed my keys off the counter.

"You are absolutely ridiculous Kenz it is 2 AM and he isn't going to see your sign!" Holly managed to get out in between yawns.

"So is that a no?"

"Of course not let me grab my shoes." She said dragging herself off the small couch and over towards where I was propping the door open with my butt. She slipped on some Nike slides and reluctantly followed me out of the apartment to my Jeep Wrangler.

The drive to Walmart was about 15 minutes so I played some Drake and we jammed out in the car. Once we got there I went into the crafts aisle and grabbed a big poster board and some multi-colored sharpies. I also stopped in the clothing section so I could buy a pair of Cubs socks. Holly met me by the check out with 2 gallons of cookie dough ice cream in her arms.

The boy at the register wasn't just checking out our groceries, he was head to toe checking Holly out. He was cute, and he looked to be about 21. I was waiting for him to grow a pair and say something to Holly before we left, but I lost that hope as I grabbed the last bag and we started walking off.

"Um.. uh.. I was just wondering if I could get your number" He finally mustered out scratching the back of his neck. Holly must've been thinking the same things as me because as soon as he asked her smile spread across her whole face.

"I don't know, maybe." She said smirking. I gave her a death glare.

"Of course she will" I practically yelled as she laughed and pulled out her phone handing it to him. He put in his number as "Hottie @walmart" and we walked back to the car.