For the first time in forever, my mom seemed like she cared.
I thought about Ben dressed up, supporting his mom. Of all the people I could have fallen for, he would be the most supportive of anything I wanted to accomplish. I just hoped he was feeling the same way about me.
Twenty-Two
Ben
The summer seemed to be passing faster than the months did when we were in school, my time being used up with all the practices and work. Serena and I had hung out a few more times, and each time I was split between thinking I was the luckiest guy in the world and wondering when she was going to move on like she’d done with the other guys in school.
We had fun on the Fourth of July, roasting hot dogs and s’mores with our combined friend group, and I even got brave enough to hold her hand a few times in front of all of them. But as the days wore on, I got more and more nervous about the upcoming tournaments, and without extra time to work on my pitches each day because of practice and work, I started to feel like I was running on a treadmill that kept increasing in speed but my legs couldn’t catch up. I was just waiting for the moment when I flew off, my dreams crashing into my reality.
“Ben!” my father called up the stairs. I heard it just as I went to call Serena. We’d never really defined our relationship, but as much as we texted and talked on the phone, we may as well have been official.
I walked down the stairs, curious about what he could want from me at nearly ten o’clock on a weeknight. He’d been working late again, and it had been a few days since I’d physically seen him.
“What’s up, Dad?” I stopped on the last stair and leaned against the banister, looking into the kitchen.
“Why does it say you’ve only worked twenty hours in the last two weeks?” He was holding up my paycheck, and from the tightness of his lips, he wasn’t in a great mood.
“I’ve had a lot of practices and then tournaments. We’re almost done with those, though, so I’ll be taking more hours at the clinic.” I was glad my voice came out in a normal tone instead of conveying the nerves rattling around inside me.
He wiped a hand over his face, his expression just as tight as it had been. I was ready for an explosion, for him to start yelling like he’d done so many times before when it came to my life choices.
“Ben, you just need to move on from this fantasy that you’re going to play professional baseball. Do you know how much guys in the lower levels actually make? It’s pennies, Ben. And the amount of time they have to travel on buses and stay in run-down motels?” He hadn’t raised his voice, but his stare showed me his disappointment. I wished I could just go to my room and lock the door for a few days.
My brain called up a picture of Serena and I thought about what she would do in a situation like that. “I love baseball, Dad. Why can’t I at least give it a shot?” I’d started out strong but sounded like I was begging by the end.
“You need to be saving up for college rather than wasting your time throwing pitches all the time. I’m not going to be covering for you after graduation, and the less money you have saved up, the longer it will take you to go through school.”
I bit the end of my tongue for a few seconds, trying to organize my thoughts before I said something I shouldn’t. “You didn’t always want to be a lawyer, Dad. I’m not giving up baseball, not yet. Maybe I won’t pitch in the major leagues, but maybe I can get a scholarship to play in college.”
My words hit him like a slap in the face. Without another word, he turned and stormed off to the master bedroom.
I ran up the stairs, adrenaline pumping through me. I waited a few minutes before dialing Serena, knowing she could understand at least a little of what I was going through with my father.
“Hey, what are you up to?” Serena asked.
I glanced around my bedroom. It was a disaster from running in and out all the time, dropping my baseball gear before leaving for work, changing from work clothes into nicer clothes to go out, and then the pile of pajama pants I needed to wash.
“Not much. Just got done throwing outside. And then had an argument with my dad.”
“What about?”
I took in a deep breath and blew it all out quickly. “About baseball and how it’s taking time away from making money to save for college.”
She paused before saying, “I’m so sorry. At least you get lectured about your life choices.”
I chuckled. “Right now, I’d be happy if I didn’t get yelled at for something I love.” The words replayed quickly in my head, and I panicked, hoping she didn’t take that the wrong way. My feelings for her grew every time we were together, but I didn’t know what love was, nor did I think I was ready for that.
“If it makes you feel any better, in exchange for helping model at my mom’s show, she promised to be at all my games this year. Isn’t that some kind of written rule in the parenting handbook? You’re supposed to support your kid in their activities—without bribery?”
I thought about her words, surprised by the bitterness in them. I had at least one parent who supported me at everything possible. “You’re amazing, Serena. I’ll be there to watch you play.”
“I’d like that. Are you nervous for your tournament this weekend?”
I thought about the question for several seconds, even though I knew the answer. “Yes and no. My pitches were working really well tonight, so that’s a plus. But this is a big tournament. I just don’t want to screw it up.”
“You’re going to be fine, Ben. You work harder on your sport than anyone I know, and I’m sure you’ll strike out everyone this weekend.” Her light laugh filtered through the line, and I smiled, despite the ache in my stomach. “You’ll impress the college coaches and get a scholarship.”
“If I’m lucky. There are a couple of guys who have been throwing way better than I have. Their stats are so low that I don’t know if I can even compete.”
Serena sighed a bit. “Ben, you can’t worry about what the other guys are doing. Just play your game. Throw one pitch at a time until you make it to the end of the game. Then repeat until the end of the tournament.”
“Thank you,” I said, blowing out a breath.
“For what?”
“For being patient with me.”
“That’s what girlfriends are for, right?” Her words caused me to freeze, afraid to take a breath if that would change her mind about what she’d just said.
I rubbed the back of my neck, grateful she couldn’t see the half-excited, half-scared look on my face. “Girlfriend, huh?”
There was a long pause, and I pulled the phone away, checking to see if she was still on the line.
“Um, I mean, if you want me to be your girlfriend, I’m up for it.” Her words sounded so unsure, and it made me wonder if that’s how I sounded when I was nervous.
“I like the sound of that.” I lay back on my bed, trying to sound casual while my insides were having a party. Knowing she liked me enough to say that helped boost my confidence a few notches.
She laughed. “I have to go. A bunch of the girls from the team want to start some pre-season conditioning before it gets too hot in the morning. Do you have to work tomorrow?”
“Yeah, I’ve got the early shift. Too bad you’re all done with rehab and can’t come visit me.” It was the most forward thing I’d ever said, but I needed the reassurance that her being my girlfriend wasn’t just a fluke.
“That’s what happens when you work for a great clinic. Patients get all better and don’t have to come by anymore.” She paused and giggled. “I’ll see if I can stop by. If not, do you want to do something tomorrow night?”
I was already scheduled for an eight-hour shift at the clinic and knew I’d need at least two hours after that for pitching and conditioning. “Yeah, I’ll call you when I’m done with everything, and we’ll watch a movie or something.”
“Sounds good. I can grab some snacks on my way to your house.”
I smiled, liking the fact that she felt
so comfortable at my house. My dad still gave me a warning look every time he saw her over, but Daniel and my mom loved her, and that was all that mattered really.
“Good luck running,” I said, snickering.
“Thanks, I need all the help I can get.”
We said good night, and I stared at my ceiling, amazed at how the summer had gone. I’d ended the school year with a crush on a girl, and now she was my girlfriend. I never would have called that almost two months ago.
Twenty-Three
Serena
It was a rare day to find my friends available to hang out during the day, but for once, none of them had to work.
Penny and I were sitting next to the pool in Kate’s backyard, drying off from a swim. I’d needed the chance to hang out with the girls because I was running out of places to go during the day. My big house was too quiet, and there were only so many hours of TV I could watch before boredom set in.
Working out with my teammates that morning had been fun, and I was already feeling the soreness in my muscles. Since I’d been discharged from therapy, I’d been wearing a brace to make sure I didn’t do anything to mess it up again, but it felt good to move and train.
“How’s the job search going?” Penny asked. She was lying on her stomach on one of the pool chairs, her eyes closed. Since Kate and Brynn were still in the pool, I assumed she was talking to me.
“Job search? I haven’t really been looking for a job.” I adjusted my sunglasses, tipping up the sides a bit so they didn’t bite down on the tops of my ears.
Penny pushed up with her hands and flipped around on the chair, leaning back with her face tipped to the sky. “The diner is hiring. Jake finished paying off the window they broke and got a job at one of the dealerships in town. Lou would love to have someone take over his job.”
“Wasn’t he a busboy?” I wrinkled my nose, thinking of cleaning up after people.
“Yeah, but that’s not the worst thing in the world. I started there.” Penny turned to look at me, her auburn hair a brighter copper in the sun.
I chewed on the side of my lip. The food industry wasn’t my first choice of places to work, but maybe a job would help with my boredom. And then I’d have something to do.
“You think I need a job?” I asked, teasing her.
Penny laughed and shrugged her shoulders. “It wouldn’t hurt. You might find something you’re good at. I know you’ve taken an interest in being a nurse, but you still have a while before you can go to school for that. Having some other jobs to add to a resume might help when it comes time to find a job.”
I didn’t like the fact that she was right, mostly because I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. Hopefully, people were willing to hire an almost-seventeen-year-old, but I preferred not to smell like grease for the rest of my life.
“You can always help at a nursing home,” Brynn said, popping out of the water closest to Serena. “My great-grandmother’s nursing home has a girl about our age who helps out around the place, wheeling the residents to the places they need to go, visiting them, that kind of thing. It might be a good start.” She grabbed a towel and dried off.
The day wore on, and I headed home, hoping to hear something from Ben. I showered and started looking up jobs in Pecan Flatts, hoping something would spark my interest. I didn’t have the skills or the desire to change oil in cars, and I’d never mowed a lawn or babysat before. But it could be fun working in a mall.
I spent the next thirty minutes filling out applications for different openings at nursing homes and a few of the hospitals, throwing in a few for clothing stores as a backup. I checked my email in between each one, just in case I got a response back from the previous ones. Why I was suddenly excited to work, I wasn’t sure. It felt like a step I needed to take, and if it got me out of the house and doing something for a few more hours, I’d take it.
I checked my phone at seven, but there was still no message or call from Ben. Maybe I’d just swing by and see if he was home. I dressed in shorts and a t-shirt, not bothering to take my hair out of the top knot it was in. Looking in the cabinet, I found several treats and snacks. Liza must have done the grocery shopping.
After grabbing a few of the packages of gummies and chocolate, I strolled out to my car. It didn’t take long to get to Ben’s house. His truck was sitting outside, and I wondered why he hadn’t called.
I blew out a breath before knocking on the front door, hoping Ben’s dad wouldn’t open it. I’d only met him a couple of times, but each time I got the vibe he wasn’t a big fan of me hanging out with his son.
“Serena!” Daniel said, grinning at me as he swung the door open. “You brought treats. You’re my favorite person.”
Ben’s mom came up behind him with a smile on her face. “Oh, hi, Serena. Ben didn’t tell me you were coming over. He’s out in the backyard. Come on in.”
I wondered if I’d done the right thing and hesitated. Maybe it would be better to wait for him to call me. But we’d established the relationship. We were boyfriend/girlfriend so it shouldn’t be a big deal, right?
“Thanks. We’d talked about doing something, but I didn’t hear from him. I thought I’d come over and bring a few treats.”
Mrs. Gates laughed. “Calm down, Daniel. I’m sure Ben will share some with you. Let’s go find him.”
Daniel took off, bounding for the back door, his voice shouting before I’d even crossed the kitchen. “Serena’s here, Ben! And she brought treats. Can I have some, please?”
I’d reached the door by then, gazing through the screen door. Ben rubbed his hand through Daniel’s hair and turned, smiling up at me. I walked onto the porch steps and returned the smile.
“Hey, I didn’t know you were going to stop by.” He strode over and gave me a quick hug. It felt more like something a brother would give to a sister. I had to relax. His mom and brother were around. Maybe it was awkward for him.
My brain replayed the words he’d said in our conversation the night before, and I was sure I wasn’t crazy. “Oh, you said we’d do something tonight. I was bored at home, so I thought I’d come by and see if you still wanted to watch a movie or something.”
“Uh, yeah. That would be fun. Do you mind if I finish this bucket of balls first? I haven’t been as consistent hitting the corners, and I need to throw a few more.”
“Can I have some of your candy, Ben?” Daniel asked, waving one of the packages I’d brought.
“Yeah, but you better ask Mom first.”
Daniel turned and ran back inside, calling out for his mom.
I shrugged, glancing around the backyard. I’d never been out here, but I was impressed with the beauty of it. In one corner stood a swing next to a big sandbox. Beautiful trees lined the back fence, and flowers grew along the base of the house. At the other end of the yard were several large nets and mats. Ben stood on what looked to be a removable mound. It seemed like the perfect setup to help him practice at home. So why had he gone to the park the day I’d sprained my ankle?
“Wow, I didn’t realize you’d need all of that for pitching,” I said, gesturing to the nets at the other end.
“It’s kind of my own design. I’ve had to piece things together as I’ve gotten money from work. What would be awesome would be to have a real mound and a net down the rest of the backyard as a batting-cage type thing, but my dad has said no more times than I can remember. This is better than having to go somewhere every time.”
I found a bucket with a lid sitting on the grass a few feet away from the one Ben was grabbing balls out of, and I dragged it over. He threw a pitch, missing the hole on the inside corner by about an inch.
He groaned, leaning over to grab another ball. He set up his feet on the mound, bringing the ball into his glove before striding toward home plate and letting go of the ball.
I grabbed a ball and tossed it up to him so he didn’t have to bend over every time.
“Thanks,” he said with a small smile. He turned back to the mats a
t the other end, striding forward again. This time he missed high by about two inches.
He tensed up, looking more frustrated than I felt when the ball landed on the floor on our side of the court. I opened my mouth to say something, but I got the feeling he’d already forgotten about me sitting here, his sole focus on hitting the hole.
Ten minutes later, he’d finished throwing the last ball in the bucket, only making one pitch through the hole he’d been aiming for. I stood and walked next to him as he grabbed the bucket, his anger evident as he whipped it around and started mumbling under his breath. I’d never seen him this way, so intense and beating himself up.
After picking up a couple of balls and tossing them into the bucket, I stepped over and touched his shoulder. “Ben, are you okay?”
His eyes turned to me, looking as though he didn’t really see me. “I’m fine. I just can’t get this pitch to work.”
I let out a nervous laugh and bent over to pick up another ball. “I don’t think you missed more than two inches on this entire bucket, and there’s, what, fifty balls in it?”
“Fifty-six.” His voice was flat. He walked to the corner of the fence and grabbed the last few balls. He chucked them into the bucket, and I started toward the house. When I turned and found him positioned on the mound again, I frowned.
“Hey, I thought we were going to go watch a movie after that bucket.” I folded my arms across my chest, hoping he’d get the hint that practice should be over.
He shook his head. “Just give me one more bucket. I won’t be able to concentrate or sleep tonight until I’ve gotten more through the hole.”
A ball sailed toward the net, hitting the edge of the hole and banking in.
“That was awesome!” I said. I turned to look at him, but his expression only relaxed for a second before he bent down to retrieve another ball. Shaking my head, I said, “You’re going to hurt yourself. I’m going inside.”
Irritation rose in my chest as he didn’t even nod or look as though he’d heard me.
The Perfect Game: A Young Adult Romance (Rosemont High Baseball Book 2) Page 12
