Could I Be? (BxB)

Chapter 13

The next two weeks of practice go by pretty smoothly. Now that Luke's been put on equipment duty, I feel like I can take it easy, but that's before I learn that Charles is as much of a hardass as Luke was, except there are less insults. But at least practice has become a lot more enjoyable and I'm getting a lot closer with the rest of the team.

It's really cool to know how accepting they are of me, even with several guys that are from Texas. Jack and I are becoming a better battery. He's starting to know what I'm going to throw when I'm going to throw it despite me not giving any noticeable signs. It's almost like he reads my mind before I even know what I'm thinking.

It's now February 22nd and I'm getting ready to head out to the busses to leave. The first game of the baseball season is tonight and I'm feeling nervous as all fucking hell. This is my first game as a player for the Stanford Cardinal, my first game as a college player, and I'm the starting pitcher. Talk about pressure.

After my last class of the day, I grab my gym bag and head over to Klein Field. After crossing campus, I walk into the locker room and feel a heaviness in the air. I step over to the lockers and see many of my teammates, but not one of them is speaking. Glancing around at everyone, I walk over to my locker and set my bag down.

Thankfully my locker door has been replaced with a new one and the red painted metal is flawless. I no longer have to look at that ugly word every time I come in here to change. I open my locker and start to undress. "You ready for today?"

Ty's appears out of nowhere once again and is standing at his locker right behind mine. "I guess," I say. "I'm a fucking basket case, though."

"I hear you. It's the first game of the season. Everyone must be feeling pretty nervous because it's an away game. Hell, I can't stop my hands from shaking. Look."

Ty holds his hands up and I see they're both stricken with violent tremors. "Makes me look incredibly calm," I say.

He lowers his hands and goes back to his locker. Shane comes in a minute later and I see his tanned face looks several shades lighter than normal, so I can tell he's nervous without him telling us. The team changes into our warm-ups and we start packing up our bags. "C'mon, you sissies!"

Everyone stops at the sound of Charles' voice. "If you aren't outside in the next ten seconds, you're going to scrub every inch of the locker room with nothing but a toothbrush and your own spit for water! And that includes the toilets!"

We all scramble to grab our bags, knowing Charles will actually go through with that threat if we don't listen to him. We practically sprint out of the locker room and find Charles standing outside with his arms crossed over his chest and the other coaches by his side. "Eight seconds," he says. "Let this be a lesson for the future. Next time, I'm going to make you clean the locker room with your tongues."

Everyone involuntarily shudders at the thought of licking dried sweat and dirt off the locker room floor. "The bus is waiting for us," Charles says.

We all follow behind our coaches, all of us fearing if we say something Charles will bite our heads off. We get to the bus and Charles stands in front of the door, facing all of us. We all stand at attention in front of the former commanding army officer. "For God's sake, loosen up," he says.

The statement takes us all by surprise. "Look," Charles continues. "I know it's the first game of the season and I know you're all nervous and worried. Hell, I am too. But there's only one rule I want you all to follow. Can anyone guess what that rule is?"

"Always say please and thank you?" Ty says.

Everyone, including Charles, gets a small laugh out of that. "Okay, two rules. But can anyone tell me my number one rule?"