𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟𝐟 ✰ 𝘤𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘳 ✔

| eighteen |

St. Petersburg, Florida

Chris

Throw. Crack. Catch.

It was the sounds of practice, as we began a three-game home stretch against the Astros.

I was in the bullpen, perfecting my fastball. Kevin Kiermaier was practicing his swing in the cage. Wilson Ramos was helping a just-returned Curt Casali with catching.

As we went through our motions, a whistle went off.

We find our manager, Kevin Cash, calling us over.

"Meeting! Now!"

--

"Thank you for putting your practice on hold, men. I hate to do that, but this is important." Kevin begins, slammming a clipboard on the desk.

My fellow teammates groan, obviously annoyed. I mean, I didn't ask for a meeting in the middle of practice, before we were set to play the best team in the AL.

"As you well know, Ashley, our medical trainer, has resigned with our team. Of course, we thank her for her contributions with our team, and we send her well wishes."

Blake huffed next to me, rolling his eyes.

"However, anything can happen in the last month of this season. Unfortunately, we most likely will not make AL Wild Card contention, but I'd like to make sure my men are in good health. I don't want injuries to go unnoticed."

"I agree." Sergio Romo quipped.

"Shut up, Serg." Lucas Duda snapped.

"No, you shut-"

"ENOUGH." Kevin yelled. "Now, some of you know her. She did a short stint with us a little whole back. Please give a warm welcome to your new medical trainer..."

Do not say...

"Dustin Lyons."

I froze, my breath hitching.

Dustin walked in, scanning the room. Her eyes did not once meet mine.

"So, men, did you miss me?"

||||

Dustin

It was here. It was here, after all of this.

I had started my journey in Florida at Tropicana Field, and no matter what life threw at me here, I always seemed to boomerang my way back to this stadium.

I didn't believe in destiny, I really didn't. Was I here for this job? Or was I here for something else?

-

"Dustin, thank you for taking this job." Kevin Cash shook my hand, as I am given a whole tour of the facility.

"I heard what happened with your internship, and I'm sorry about that." Kevin continued. "Dustin, this job will change your life. It may not seem that way now, but come next season, if you stick around, it will."

I sit down on a cushioned seat. "Kevin, this is-"

"Great." He finished my sentence. "Let me get the boys together, and you just sit here on your high horse until you've been instructed."

Was this grade school? Am I a student to you?

"Yes, sir."

Kevin walked out, and for a few minutes, the room fell silent.

I walk back out to the main locker room, and my eyes fall straight to a certain locker.

#22, C. Archer (SP)

I walk towards the locker, and see that his clothes are scattered in a mess. The Chris I knew was organized and neat.

Not a second later, I find out the reason why.

Poking out from all the clothes, I see a corner of a photo. I look around, to make sure no one was nearby.

I pull the photo out, and I gasp a little bit to myself.

It was a picture taken after our date to Steak N Shake, a picture of me, smiling with a shake in hand.

Chris kept a photo of me, and took it with him everywhere.

Let that sink in, Dustin.

Soon, I hear mumblings of men, and I shove the photo back where I found it.

I run back to where I was supposed to stay "hidden", and huff out a sigh of relief that no one saw me.

"As you well know," Kevin started, "Ashley, our medical trainer, has resigned with our team. Of course, we thank her for her contributions with our team, and we send her well wishes."

The room fell quiet for a second, before Kevin continued.

"However, anything can happen in the last month of this season. Unfortunately, we most likely will not make AL Wild Card contention, but I'd like to make sure my men are in good health. I don't want injuries to go unnoticed."

A couple players began to bicker like boys, but it stopped as fast as it began.

"ENOUGH." Kevin yelled. "Now, some of you know her. She did a short stint with us a little whole back. Please give a warm welcome to your new medical trainer, Dustin Lyons."

I walk out of the small room I was in, and scanned the eyes of the many players.

I knew Chris was looking at me, but I could not stand to look at him.

"So, men, did you miss me?"

Laughter surrounds the room, and Brad Boxberger spoke up.

"Oh, yeah. I can't wait to get on SportsCenter Top 10 again."

The men busted out in laughing, and I felt my cheeks turn color.

"Well, I assure you we're not here for that." I forcefully laugh. "I'm here to do a job. I'd appreciate it if you treated me like an equal, not a sideshow clown. That's Paw- uh,hem, Raymond's job."

"Yes, ma'am."

My eyes follow the voice. It was Chris who had said that.

"I hope we can wrap up September well. Keep practicing." I dismiss the players, and all but Chris went back out to practice.

Sensing alone time, Kevin sent us a curt nod, and it was just us alone.

"Dustin, we need to talk about this."

I nodded. "Yep. We do."

a.n.

let me tell y'all: everything will depend on what happens before, during, and after this game these final two chapters.

I want to finish this badly, so I can work on other projects; however, school's been kicking my ass , so updates haven't been often.

Vote, and comment your thoughts on this chapter.

- Reasie