182 Game One: Sunset Preparatory 4 (1/2)

Garret left to go sit beside Jordan and probably to speak about his pitching. I felt bad not saying anything encouraging like Noah did, but Garret didn't look bothered. He was strictly focused on his pitching and how the first inning went down.

The top of the second inning brought up Sean, Julian, and Chris so I felt that there was a pretty good chance of me coming up to bat. I set my glove down and changed my hat out for my helmet.

Noah wiggled his eyebrows. ”Think I should get ready too?”

I shrugged. ”Nothing is guaranteed. We could possibly make it to you again.”

Noah dragged me into a loose headlock. ”Aw! I'm so proud! Look how positive you're becoming!”

”We could also go three up, three down.” I mumbled.

He shoved me away. ”Don't put that out there in the universe! Take it back!”

”I take it back...?”

Noah sighed with relief. ”Thank goodness. Never say that kind of stuff. The universe is always listening.”

”Sometimes I wonder if we're ever on the same page.” I mumbled, shaking my head.

”Of course we are.” Noah replied promptly. ”We're two peas in a pod. You're jelly to my peanut butter. Just like Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle.”

”What?” I shook my head in confusion.

”I'll tell ya later.” He pointed at the field. ”Sean just struck out. You're in the hole.”

I grabbed my bat and moved to the entrance of the dugout to watch Julian's at bat. Sadly, it didn't amount to much; he flew out to center field, getting close to the warning track. I moved to the on deck circle and Chris moved to the batter's box. I, lazily, swung my bat as a lefty; doing it more for the stretch and not to time the pitches like normal players. Chris followed in Julian's footsteps, by hitting another high fly to center and making the third and final out of the inning.

I sighed and dragged my bat back to my bag in the dugout.

Noah was waiting there. He quickly slapped my shoulder. ”You must've not taken it back!”

”I did!” I pouted, rubbing my shoulder. ”You heard me take it back.”

”Obviously you weren't very sincere.” Noah lectured. ”Now let's get back on the field and return the favor.”

I nodded and switched out my equipment, then followed him out. Garret took the mound, looking more secure in his pitching. In the bottom of the second, he got the first guy to pop up to me. I felt relaxed as I made to grab and the out. What a good feeling. Garret made the next guy hit a little dribbler to himself. He barehanded it and threw a bullet to Julian. Julian tagged first base and that was out number two. Garret faces off with the next guy with nothing but fastballs and ended up striking him out swinging. Three up, three down.

”What did I tell you?” Noah beamed at me. ”I said we would return the favor and we did. The universe is always listening.”

”But...we didn't really do much. It was all Garret and his pitching.” I replied as we got in the dugout. I started to switch out my hat for a helmet again. I would be first up this inning.

Noah shrugged. ”Okay, So Garret saying he would put in more effort was also put in the universe and the universe answered. Same thing.”