Page 138 of Friends Like This

Chapter seventeen

What the Hell?

AllIhearisscreaming.

It’s the High School Baseball State Championship game.

We’re at the local minor league stadium and there’s a shocking amount of people here, but I don’t think anyone is as into it as us. Sarah, Mackie, and I are here with Jesse and all the parents, mine, Aaron’s, Miles’s, and Joel’s. Mackenzie’s mom isn’t much into baseball. She got that love from her dad, who lives a few hours away. We’re going nuts cheering on Miles, Joel, and Aaron, who are all on the team.

Aaron has always been an amazing pitcher. Teamed up with Miles as catcher, he holds the state record for the number of shutouts pitched. Their infield is a well-oiled machine and their outfield is solid as well. Joel plays second base. Nick plays shortstop, and he’s really good. I always say if I was on third, they’d have the real dream team, but Trevor is a solid third baseman.

And Davey plays first base. However our relationship might have gone, he’s a good first baseman, and I know he wants to win tonight.

In the outfield are our friends Greg, Ian, and Chuck. Chuck and Davey are the only seniors on the team, but every single person on the team or rooting for them is feeling theonce in a lifetimeexcitement that’s in the air tonight.

But I can’t lie. While I’ve been cheering for the whole team and screaming for Miles and Joel, my focus all night has been on Aaron. Because I can’t stop thinking about him. It’s been just over two weeks since I decided to open my heart and mind to the possibility of us. And in that time, it’s possible I’ve developed a bit of a crush. I can’t stop staring at him. He’s so sexy.

Watching him pitch is always fun. But tonight, I’mwatchinghim pitch. And up on the mound, pitching an amazing game, he has lookeddamn good. Especially the way his biceps and shoulder muscles flex when he throws the ball. Or how tight his pants are on his ass when he lifts his leg up before throwing. Speaking of those gray baseball pants, they hug him inall the right places.And the bright red jersey brings out the intensity of his brown eyes. Whenever he lifts his baseball cap off and runs his hand through his golden-blond hair, it gets a little more mussed—and all I can think about is running my fingers through it. But what’s getting me more than anything is his perfect smirk. The one that creeps onto his lips every time he nails a pitch. And he’s been doing that all night long. Every so often, I swear he glances at me, eyes dancing, like he’s telling me that pitch wasjust for me.And—I’m sorry, where was I going with this? Oh yeah. Aaron’s fucking hot. But he’s also an amazing pitcher.

Even though the boys are all good and with the right coaching and conditioning would at least have a shot at the minors, none of them held onto a dream of making a career out of baseball. Tonight is their last night playing together for the season. It’s almost the end of junior year. This is the first time our school has made it to State in nineteen years. The air is heavy with emotion.

The game started with the freshman pitcher, Jamie Henderson. He’s great and has a lot of potential. He’s not quite as good as Aaron—he’s still learning finesse and control—but Aaron has worked with him a lot, and I think Jamie will probably be even better than him by the time he’s a senior.

It’s an insanely close game. Jamie gave up one run in the second, and Aaron gave up one in the fourth when he came in. Since then, he’s practically been pitching a shutout, but so has the other team. We’re tied two-two. Our last run was in the fifth, and it’s the bottom of the eighth now. And that’s why there’s so much screaming.

Miles just stepped to the plate. Miles is the best hitter on our team. He has a .470 batting average and leads in home runs for our division.

First pitch. Strike.

Second pitch. Strike.

But Miles isn’t fazed.

Third pitch. It’s a hit!

It’s a fly ball way into the outfield, conveniently between the right and center fielders. Miles makes it to second.

Did I mention we’re all screaming?

Trevor is up next. Pop fly. Our second out.

Now it’s Davey’s turn. I cheer in ahelp win this damn gamekind of way.

He hits a line drive between first and second. Miles to third. Davey to first. Nick is up. Nick’s a good hitter. Probably second best on the team to Miles.

We’re all on our feet, cheering loudly. We haven’t sat down since Miles got his hit. There are two outs, but Miles is on third. Come on, Nick.

First pitch. Foul. Second pitch deep left field.

We’re all screaming, we’re all jumping.

Miles scores, Davey hauls ass to third. Nick’s on second.

Joel’s up next.

The other team calls a time-out. Their pitcher is taking hell, but he started the game. He’s probably done for the night.

Our team made the right choice to start Aaron in the fourth. It means he’s still pitching well.

---