Even better.“For sure. See you in a bit.”
I took off from the hotel after asking him to find me the nearest store. It was about half a mile away and I made the walk in good time. The anxiety from earlier came back and I hated it.Will she be upset with me? Mad? Not believe me?
Is she okay?
This was the bullshit I avoided. Fuck.I don’t do relationships.
But this wasn’t one. I relaxed at that notion and marched into the store. It cost fifty dollars with the insurance I’d paid for the phone—thank god I could afford that—and my phone was up and running after twenty minutes. My gut danced with nerves as I waited for it to power on, and when it did, I thought I’d have texts or calls. They could’ve been from my mom or Kenzie, but instead, they were from random chicks who had my number. Dissatisfaction flowed through me.Why didn’t she text me?
I called Kenzie first, waiting for her to pick up, but Aaron’s words replayed in my mind.She’s at work. Fuck.I’d have to leave a voicemail.
“Hey, Kenzie, shit. I am so sorry I couldn’t call or text. One of the freshmen ran into me and my phone shattered on the ground. We had games all day and I just now got a chance to get a new one. I know you’re probably at work, but, let me know when you get home, okay?”
Click.
There, that would have to do. My phone buzzed, not five minutes later, on my walk back, from a text.
Kenzie: Sorry about the phone issue, thanks for telling me! At work now, taking a quick break for food.
Tanner: You’re…you’re not mad?
Kenzie: Well, are you lying?
Tanner: No! I swear. Ask your brother.
Kenzie: Then why would I be mad? It’s not like you could ask Aaron to text me. Lol.
Tanner: I thought you’d be upset with me.
Kenzie: Sorry for trusting you? I can throw a fit if you want.
Kenzie: You lying scum. No more sex for you.
Kenzie: Is that better?
I laughed. She was a riot. My smile hurt my face and any ounce of anxiety I’d had moments earlier left. She wasn’t mad at me.How refreshing.
Tanner: Save the fit until I get back. I want to watch you stomp around.
Kenzie: I bet you would, horn dog. Oh! Clyde needs me back. Good luck tomorrow! Aaron said you guys played really well.
Tanner: Thanks, Ken. Be safe getting back.
Kenzie: There goes my plan to run up and down alleys alone shouting ‘I’m rich’.
Tanner: Smartass. Have you always been this way?
Kenzie: Yup. My tits distracted you though, so really, it’s not your fault you didn’t notice.
God, I laughed again and almost ran into a streetlight.Shit. I shouldn’t walk and text.I waited to see if she sent anything else, but she didn’t, so I assumed she’d gone back to work. That left me heading back to Aaron, her fucking brother, who I couldn’t tell a single thing to.Great.My high from the games lessened and I accepted the fact I couldn’t talk to her.
* * * *
Three days later, after seven more games, four strike outs and a pulled muscle in my leg, my mood plummeted. I played like shit, got hurt and wanted to punch anyone who disagreed with me. Scouts were there, at the fucking tournament, and they saw it. My teammates tried to pick me up or encourage me that I’d be fine, but they asked too much. They didn’t get it—if I couldn’t be one of the best, then my future was tarnished.One injury could set me back for months, years even.
I replayed the entire day in my mind, stretching, warming up, icing after the games. Nothing had been out of place in my routine, and yet, I’d felt a pull when I rounded third and had to be taken out of the game tomake sure I was fine.
Not only had I not scored a run that would’ve tied it, but the backup centerfielder had made two errors. We lost. Yeah, it wasn’t the regular season, but the loss felt heavy on my shoulders, mixing with my guilt and pressure to be the best.
