Page 100 of Praising the Pitcher

The second, she fouls off while making contact, meaning she can hit off Gigi’s speed which isn’t easy, seeing as she pitches close to eighty miles an hour and has the fastest pitch ever recorded in the women’s pro league.

When the next pitch comes in, I expect a changeup because my sister is anticipating a ball traveling near eighty miles an hour, so she’d be way ahead of Gigi’s pitch. Instead, my girl throws a riseball, and because she’s so damn good at that type of pitch, my sister misses it.

“Oooh, bet she’s pissed,” Dallas utters. “We all know how mad she gets when she strikes out.”

“I think normally she would be,” my mom whispers. “But I bet deep down, she’s happy for her best friend.”

Harley says something to Haven—no doubt something encouraging because even if they weren’t best friends, Harley is one of the nicest people in the world. And even though I’m sure my sister is still upset with herself, she nods and hustles back to the dugout.

Even though she just sent my sister’s ass back to the dugout, and I feel kind of bad about that, I clap and cup my hands over my mouth, cheering for my girlfriend.

She just got her first professional strikeout ever. All her hard work. The blood, sweat, and tears. The sacrifices made … they were all for this.

“Your sister is probably shooting you some devil daggers,” my dad utters, dunking a chip in cheese and shoving it in his mouth. “She’s probably plotting your death actually.”

“Yeah, well, when I’m in the NFL and play D’s team, she can pay me back.” I shrug, knowing goddamn well that when that day comes, she’ll be fully decked out in Carolina colors, and she’ll be cheering solely for Dallas.

My mom has started pacing, just like I knew she would. While we were all excited for this game, we also knew how hard it would be for the girls.

My eyes can’t leave Gigi, watching her as she bends down and grabs a small handful of dirt, jiggling it around in her hand before releasing it, an action she does basically between each pitch.

I could watch her do her thing forever, and I’d never once get bored.

GIGI

Even in the dugout, as the cheers erupt around me and the celebration begins, even when one of my best friends, Harley, throws her arms around me, I’m just … frozen. And not in a bad way, or the kind of way when you wish it was over. No, this can only be described as being so incredibly grateful for this moment in time that all you want to do is observe everything about it and bank it in your memory so you’ll have it forever.

I think about little Gigi, the one who was out on her front lawn, picturing this moment right now, being in the AUSL, and I know even though I hoped for it, I never dreamed it would feel quite this magical.

When everyone is chanting my name, I finally pull myself out of my own little bubble and look around. My entire team files out of the dugout, tugging me with them as they continue their cheers. Tears fill my eyes, and my heart swells because this right here … this feeling … it’s what I’ve been chasing my whole life.

This is everything I thought it would be—and then some.

Despite the Northern Nor’easters winning, and me striking Haven out twice today, she runs toward me, throwing her arms around my body and nearly knocking us both to the ground.

“You did so good. Even though you struck me out, you bitch!” she cries then stills, hugging me tightly. “You belong here, Gigi. You are going to inspire so many girls around the world.”

“Thank you.” I sniffle, burying my face against her shoulder. “Not sure I’d be here if it wasn’t for your family.”

“Yes, you would have,” she says before pulling back and looking me in the eyes. “And it’s not my family—it’s our family.” She smiles before looking behind me. “And look … there they are.”

When she releases me, I whirl around to find her leaping into Dallas’s arms, Anna, Mason, and of course, my favorite person in the whole entire world …

Noah.

I rush toward them all, but before I get there, he takes off running toward me. He lifts me up, spinning me around and kissing me.

“You did so good, Smoke,” he murmurs against my lips. “So fucking good.”

“Thank you,” I whisper, my emotions from the day finally catching up with me now that he’s here. He has the ability to do that, to make me strong while also giving me a safe place to fall apart. And that’s what I do. With thousands of fans, and cameras everywhere, I fall apart as tears of joy drip down my cheeks.

When he sets me down, I throw my arms around his waist and squeeze him tightly.

He is home for me.

Since it’s summer break for NEU, he’s been able to stay here in Portsmouth, New Hampshire while I’ve been training for the season to start, but soon, he’ll head back to campus to finish his final year of college before hopefully playing in the NFL. While I’m so grateful NEU is only an hour from here, it’s still going to be hard not to spend every night together like we have for years.

“Was today everything you’d dreamed it would be?” he murmurs against my head before pressing a kiss to my hair.