346 Game: @ Etna H.S. 1

The bus ride to Etna High School was the quietest one yet. Mostly in part to the fact that the JV and freshman team didn't have to go. Etna only had a varsity team so we had the whole bus to ourselves. Meaning...everyone had their own seat! The quietness could also have something to do with it being another morning game and most of the team chose to nap on the hour long drive.

I wish I could do the same, but even with a seat of my own, I just couldn't fall asleep. It's weird that I'd be okay with sharing a room with a stranger like Noah, yet everyone else puts me on edge. I just closed my eyes to rest as the bus rolled on.

As soon as we arrived, my eyes were the first to open. Or so I thought until I heard Dave groaning. "This is insane. I can't believe I didn't even get a wink of sleep." Dave stood up. His left hand was grasping his right wrist as his face twisted in agony. "I'm so tired, I could probably sleep for a day straight."

"Stop your whining." Kyle yawned. "It's not like you're playing today. Just sit in the bullpen and relax."

"No way am I going to sit in the bullpen and be the only one that can't pitch." Dave replied with disgust. He glared at his own hand in anger.

After yesterday's second practice, we came home before Dave and were able to clean up before he even got back. The first thing we noticed was the crazy amount of bandage on his finger. The second thing was his twisted facial expression.

"The anesthetic must be wearing off." Mrs. Atkins told us while rubbing Dave's back. "They numbed the finger in order to cut off the nail up to the nail bed. They said he'll be okay to pitch once the nail grows over the nail bed again. So maybe a week. Or two."

"Damn. How bad did you rip the nail?!" Noah got a closer look at the bulging finger, hiding under mounds of gauze and tape.

"Language." Mrs. Atkins warned.

Dave gently held his right hand in his left, almost cradling it. "It was split to the nail bed. One half was ripped off already and that's where the blood was coming from. They just made it more even." He held his hand like it was a dying pet. "I never realized how important my nail could be."

"Dude. It's just a nail." Kyle scoffed. "Get over it. Kelvin got nailed in the elbow. Who knows when he'll be able to play again."

Dave sighed. "Could be worse I guess."

Mrs. Atkins gave him a half hug around the shoulders. "Don't worry dear, it'll be okay. We just have to make sure to put neosporin on it every morning to fight off any infections."

Dave went pale. "Mom, please don't say things like that. It's practically a curse."

Mrs. Atkins laughed like it was funny, but the way Dave looked at his finger made me think it wasn't a joke.

***

Warmups went smoothly with Zeke in the lead. Kyle and Alex joined us in the dugout after doing their warmup in the bullpen.

Kyle was rotating his shoulders. "Let's get this game going! I'm ready to kick butt!"

"To show off to your girlfriend?" Noah snickered.

Kyle made a funny face at Noah. "What do you mean?"

Noah lifted his hands with a shrug. "I was just asking if you were trying to show off since your girlfriend is here?"

Kyle ran out of the dugout to check the stands.

From the gate, I could easily spot Marie and Kaylee in the visitor stands, just a few rows back from Mr. and Mrs. Atkins. I looked back at Noah. "Did you know about this?"

"Of course." He snorted. "Kaylee asked last night about the game like the time and location. I can't wait to see how Kyle performs now." He laughed to himself.

"Hey, hey! Did you set that up?" Dave asked, looking excited.

Noah nodded proudly.

"Excellent!" Dave held out his fist and Noah bumped it with his own. "I wonder if he has the jitters now."

"He better not, or I know who to hold responsible." Zeke appeared out of nowhere, making the three of us jump.

Dave immediately pointed at Noah. "It was all him. I knew nothing."

Noah glared. "You dummy. Zeke was bluffing. How could he have known it was me?"

"Welp. I gotta go talk to Kelvin, over there. Discuss our injuries, you know? Okay, good luck out there, bye." Dave hurried away from the perpetrator and the investigator. I guess I would be the bystander.

Zeke stared Noah down, waiting for an explanation.

"It was all in good fun." Noah shrugged. "They would have found out the time and location from someone else."

"But how would they know that Kyle was pitching today?" Zeke raised an eyebrow.

"They could have asked the other guys too." Noah claimed. "If Kaylee had asked Jake, he would have told them. C'mon, stop being such a party-pooper"

Zeke rolled his eyes. "Use your head a little more, little brother." He turned away and walked over to Coach.

"What does that mean?" Noah asked.

"Noah! You little twat!" Kyle reappeared, and started to shake Noah by his shoulders. "Why would you do this to me? Are you trying to sabotage my love life?"

"Sabotage?!" Noah gasped. "I'm trying to help it! You should be thanking me!"

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"Bro, how!" Kyle used his hands to turn Noah to the visitor stands. "Look! Mom and Dad are here! Are you dumb enough to think they won't start introducing themselves once they hear them cheer for me?? As soon as she tells them her name, Mom and Dad are going to know that this is the girl, I broke curfew for."

Technically we broke curfew too, but right now didn't seem like a good time to jump in.

"Well, they would know eventually, right?" Noah defended himself.

"Yea! After I tell them how good she is in school and softball. We went to a party! I still needed time for them to forget, forgive, and feed them details about how good of a person Marie is." Kyle looked like he was about to meltdown. Jitters may be the least of our worries.

"You're way too much." Garret came over and slapped Kyle on the back. "Parents don't care too much about high school relationships. The odds are already in their favor...high school relationships last, on average, three months. They probably just think it's puppy love."

"Are you cursing me too?!" Kyle turned to glare at him.

"No, idiot." Garret knocked him on the head. "There's Nothing you can do about it now. Just let it be. Your parents aren't rude enough to scare her off. I'm just saying, if they don't like her, they'll probably just let nature run its course. It's up to you and Marie how it'll work out in the end. Stop acting so dramatic."

That seemed to settle Kyle down "Right. Right. Mom and Dad won't be mean to her or anything. It'll be okay...at least until I get home." He gulped.