Page 10 of Signs and Signals

I glance around the room, trying to get a feel for where I need to be and who I need to speak to before the evening is over. As I wander around, catching up with people I haven’t seen in a while and talking baseball with others, I feel a sense of camaraderie and nostalgia. These are the moments that remind me why I love this sport and the community it brings together.

The host’s voice cuts through the chatter, announcing that the evening is about to begin and asking us to make our way to our seats. I take one last look around, appreciating the effort that went into making this night special, before heading to my assigned table. The anticipation in the room is palpable, and I can’t help but feel a mix of excitement and curiosity about what the night will bring.

I find my table easily; as usual, I am seated with my parents and siblings. As I glance around the table, I grit my teeth, trying to hold in all the anger that wants to spill out. Mallory is sitting in the chair next to the one that has my name on it. I tighten my hands into fists, as she looks at me like I am a snack, and she wants to devour me. Not today, Satan. You are not going to ruin this night for me; this is the only gala I look forward to every year. No one, not my mother, father, or even this bitch, Mallory, is going to devalue the evening for me.

Mallory sits up straighter as I draw closer, ready to sink in her claws. But before I can reach her, I catch a familiar scent—fresh and floral, like a spring morning. A smile takes over myface as I turn, just in time to be hit with a tiny tornado known as my little sister, Lyra.

Lyra is a twenty-two-year-old spitfire, with no filter, no shame, and no problem standing up for what she believes in and those she loves. Her dark, wild curls bounce as she throws her arms around me, her laughter infectious.

“Atlas!” she exclaims, her voice full of excitement. “I’ve missed you!”

I hug her back, feeling a rush of warmth and affection. “I’ve missed you too, Lyra. How have you been?”

She pulls back, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Oh, you know, causing trouble and making sure everyone knows it,” she says with a wink. “But enough about me. How’s my big brother doing?”

We chat until Lyra notices Mallory sitting at our assigned table, not giving me a chance to respond. Lyra hates Mallory, not only for what she did to me all those times, but also because one of the guys she slept with was Lyra’s longtime boyfriend. Lyra had been with Nick since she was in fifth grade. Mallory decided that since I had broken up with her, she would take her revenge out on my sister. Well, apparently, she didn’t think that through, because Lyra came home early and caught them in the act.

It turns out my little sister can hold her own; she beat both of their asses to the point that they had matching fat lips and a matching black eye. Nick tried to come up with the excuse that he didn’t know what was happening, and Mallory tricked him, blah, blah, blah. He took the hint when Lyra told him the next time she saw him, if he didn’t remove himself from her sight, she would have both of her brothers knocking on his door. She hasn’t seen or heard from him in years. I think I heard he moved to the East Coast, if I’m not mistaken. If only he had taken Mallory with him.

Lyra’s eyes narrow as she spots Mallory, her posture stiffening. “Whore," she greets.

“Excuse me, but who do you think you are calling a whore, you little—”

“Watch your words around my sister, Mallory, or I will have you escorted from the building,” I interrupt what she is about to say. I can deal with a lot of things, but when it comes to my brother and sister, especially my little sister, I will bring hell down on the person who causes her any type of pain.

“Why are you at this table, anyway? This table is for family only, and you are definitely not anywhere close to being family,” I ask, already knowing the answer.

“Your mother said I could sit next to you so we can present a united front for the charity, showing people that we are still close, and that we ar—”

“You are as delusional as our mother. That is never going to happen. Atlas will never give you another chance. So go find another place to sit, or it will be me and my mother you sit between all night, and I will make it my mission to be your shadow. I’ll let everyone you speak to know the type of person you truly are beneath the designer clothing and thirty layers of makeup. You should probably start moving before I change my mind about being civil and give you a chance to retreat on your own,” Lyra says, giving her a smile that says, I am a sweetheart; if you fuck with me or my brothers, I will break your face.

I just stand there chuckling. Every time Mallory gives me a look that says, ‘Are you going to say something to her?’ I simply shake my head and continue chuckling. My little sister is a badass, and she knows she will follow through with her threats, no matter where we are or who is around; that is just the way Lyra works. Mallory gathers her things quickly and leaves the area.

We don’t watch to see where she ends up, as long as it is not near me. I grab Lyra up in a hug so tight, she starts pushing away, saying she gets it, but she can’t breathe. I set her down on her feet as my parents and brother find their way to the table. My mom looks around, confused, but doesn’t say anything about the missing person she had sitting next to me. Lyra and I look at each other, rolling our eyes and shaking our heads. Mom will keep up with her antics until she has to face the consequences of her actions, which I don’t have time to implement. But they are coming, and she is going to be very unsettled when they do.

The gala begins with the speakers, and the first three are from different public schools in the surrounding areas. Each one steps up to the podium with a mix of nerves and determination, their voices echoing through the grand hall.

The first speaker, a young woman with bright eyes and a hopeful smile, talks about what it would mean to the students to have the opportunity for the scholarships. “For many of us,” she says, her voice steady despite the emotion behind it, “these scholarships are more than just financial aid. They are a lifeline. Without them, we wouldn’t be able to afford the education we need to succeed.”

The second speaker, a tall boy with a confident stance, shares his story. “I come from a family where college was always a dream, but never a reality. These scholarships make that dream possible. They give us a chance to break the cycle and build a better future.”

The third speaker, a soft-spoken girl with a shy smile, adds, “Education is the key to unlocking our potential. With these scholarships, we can pursue our passions and contribute to our communities in ways we never thought possible.”

As they speak, the room falls silent, the weight of their words sinking in. The audience listens intently, moved by theheartfelt stories and the undeniable impact these scholarships can have on the lives of these young students.

The elementary school principal from Riverside speaks next, telling the audience that it is great to see that there are still people in this world who care about children’s education. Out of all the speakers, my old high school principal is the one who touches my heart the most.

“Good evening. My name is Terry Lane, and I am the principal of Riverside High School. I know every one of the speakers has mentioned what a great opportunity this is for the students. I want to take that a little further, more in-depth, to explain what it would mean to have this spectacular opportunity. To do that, I would like to introduce you to Cameron Peters. Cameron is a sophomore at my high school and would like to tell you what it would mean to him personally to get a scholarship like this.”

Principal Lane passes the microphone to a tall, scrawny-looking kid with light brown shaggy hair that keeps falling into his light brown eyes. The best thing about this kid is that he is wearing scuffed-up sneakers with his black dress pants and light blue button-down. Cameron looks a little green in the face as he takes the microphone from Principal Lane.

“Hey everyone, I’m Cameron. When Principal Lane asked me to accompany him tonight, I thought he had lost his mind. For one, I live in the trailer park on the side of town most of you wouldn’t dare to enter, with a single mom of four kids all under the age of sixteen. Two, what made him think I enjoy giving speeches to groups of people, especially one this size?”

The audience laughs, and Cameron seems to relax a bit, encouraged by their response. He waits for the laughter to die down before continuing.

“I thought about it for a couple of days, and then when he told me the Riverside Legends were more than likely going tobe in attendance—I jumped on board like I was a speaker for the Senate. Huge fan right here, Legends players out there.”

All the players in attendance, including the coaching staff, give the kid a standing ovation. The way his eyes bulge lets me know he hadn’t noticed any of us before. His cheeks turn a rosy pink, and he clears his throat before continuing.

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