The Hitting Zone

"We leave after lunch time so make sure you bring your backpacks and books to the car." Zeke instructed Monday morning after we arrived at the school parking lot. "We'll change out our school bags for the baseball bags then meet at the bus by the softball field."

"Why the softball field?" Noah asked.

"Because why should the girls have to walk further?" Dave snorted.

"If you've got a problem with it, then take your baseball bag to class with you." Zeke replied, leaving us behind.

Even though the twins had something against the softball team, they left their baseball bags in the car and hurried to catch up to Zeke.

Noah and I patiently waited for Mr. Miller by the field.

I tightened my backpack straps, pulling my bag higher up on my back. "What's with the softball team?"

Noah shrugged. "How am I supposed to know? I only hang out with you?"

"What about last year though? That would have been the twins first year of varsity and their first time sharing a bus with the softball team."

"Jake...I was in middle school last year. I couldn't go to their away games. I also had practice after school so they wouldn't get me until they were already back." He thought for a minute. "Maybe something was said about the softball team before but I really don't recall."

Yea, it's no use to ask the baseball maniac.

"Do you know any of the girls that play softball?" I asked, finally seeing Mr. Miller driving his golf cart to us.

Noah gave me a funny look, like I asked a dumb question or something. "Jake, we share most of the same classes. If you didn't notice anyone then neither did I. Softball isn't that interesting anyways."

Mr. Miller arrived just in time to hear Noah's last statement. "Have you even watched a softball game?"

Noah scratched his eyebrow. "Well...no. But that's because I don't find it interesting." We got on the cart together.

"You didn't play softball in PE in middle school?" I asked, slightly confused.

Noah shook his head. "In middle school, our PE classes were divided by gender. We played baseball. Soccer. Basketball. Volleyball. Track and field. Flag football."

Oh. How old fashioned. My school didn't separate us by gender. And we didn't try every sport like he did.

Mr. Miller let out a short laugh. "Don't let anyone else hear you say that it's not interesting. Most people would agree that softball is a bit better than baseball."

"What?! Why?!" Noah leaned forward.

"Because its a little more exciting in the action aspect. Smaller field, smaller base paths, and there's even a shorter distance between the pitcher and hitter. Everything is tight. The fielders and batters alike have to react faster than they would in baseball."

Noah pouted. "Hey, are you sure you're a baseball coach and not a softball one?"

Mr. Miller laughed just as parked at the front of the school building. "I also work on the softball field so I know them quite well. I also play in an adult softball league. It's fun. Go learn something and stop talking smack on a sport you haven't watched."

We got off the cart and he drove back down the field. We turned away and headed to Noah's locker that we shared.

"I don't see the appeal." Noah sighed, still hung up on softball. "Do you think we'll have to watch?"

"I don't know. Maybe. If Zeke or Coach says so."

"Did you bring your reaction ball? Maybe we can play with that instead!"

I nodded. "It's in my baseball bag."

Just like that, Noah stopped complaining about softball and started to recap and discuss this past weekend. He stated that Zeke would still go to the draft instead of taking the full ride to college. Then the conversation moved to our classes, classwork, homework, and so on. At lunch, we happily ate the homemade lunch Mrs. Atkins had packed us. Noah had his cookie ban lifted and was happy to enjoy what was given. After lunch ended we hurried down the hill, running into a few of the other guys, who were also walking to their own cars.

"Hey Jason!" Noah waved over Jason Morris. "How's your foot? Good to go today?"

Jason nodded, falling in step with us as we walked to Zeke's car. "Yep! Got cleared for everything. Coach said he'll put me in the starting lineup since Chris was suspended all week. He didn't get to practice so he'll have to sit the bench for this game too."

I froze. Chris gets to come back? So soon? My good mood left, and my anxiety settled in.

Noah smacked me on the back, sending me a few steps forward. "Chin up. Chris has learned his lesson. He's probably only mad at himself now."

"Yea." Jason agreed. "He'll probably ignore you for good. He's a senior and needs to treat this year seriously if he wants to get in a better college."

"Where does he want to go?" Noah asked Jason, gripping my sleeve and dragging me along too. We arrived at the car before Zeke and the twins and had to wait for Zeke to unlock the doors.

"Of course the dream is a D1 school. But he only got a few offers from D3 schools. He could probably be a walk-on at a D2 though." Jason replied.

I relaxed a little knowing that Chris had something else to focus on. Soon we saw Zeke coming down with the twins right behind.

Noah looked at Jason and tilted his head. "Do you know why the twins don't like traveling with the softball team?"

Jason gave us a funny look while raising an eyebrow. "The twins don't like traveling with the girls on the softball team? I think they're all pretty nice. They have a good team this year. I think they could be league champions like us."

Noah sighed. "So you don't know?"

Jason shook his head. "I was on JV last year so we only traveled with the freshman. I think the twins were the only sophomores on the team besides Garret. Other than that, you'll have to ask a senior."

"Dang it." Noah huffed.

"Okay, well I have to go grab my stuff too. I'll see you kids on the bus." He left to go to his car as Noah's brothers arrived.

Zeke unlocked the car and we switched out our bags. Except Zeke, who kept both. Noah asked why, and he replied he had a lot of homework to finish. Noah and I hardly had anything due tomorrow so we didn't bother. Who knows about the twins. We didn't go to math today and that was the only class I shared with them so I at least knew that they didn't have any math homework.

We hiked back up the hill to the upper fields where the bus would meet us beside the softball field. Noah focused solely on the twins as we got closer to the yellow school bus. They didn't act any different than normal which was odd since they were so against riding with the softball team.

A couple of coaches stood by the entrance of the bus, clipboards in hands, marking off the students who got on the bus. I followed the Atkins in putting my baseball bag with theirs in the lower compartment of the bus, before walking to the coaches.

Coach Wilcox greeted all of us, but then put his attention on Zeke to ask him about his college visit. Coach Luis was the one with a clipboard and checked off our names as we were loaded into the bus. Three strangers, one with their own clipboard, stood in the same area. They must be the Softball coaches.

Two of the three were women, and one was an older man that looked to be a grandfather. Both women could be my mothers age. I shuffled a little closer to Noah, knocking into his back.

Noah turned around. "You okay, Jake?" Worry covered his face.

I glanced at the women. "Can we sit far away from them, please?" I whispered.

Noah nodded, knowing my fears.