386 Bad Mood (1/2)

I had a much easier time falling asleep after comforting myself with those thoughts. It was peaceful and long. I didn't wake up until I started to hear stirrings in the room. Someone was here. I slowly opened my eyes to see Noah. Or more precisely, his back. He left the room with clothes in hand. He must have just gotten back from the game.

I closed my eyes and decided to rest my eyes until he came back.

I must have dozed off, because it felt like seconds had only passed by until I heard him come back. I sat up and found him pulling out his homework from his backpack.

He heard me moving and looked up. ”Oh, did I wake you? Sorry.” His eyes were slightly red like they've been rubbed or maybe even from crying.

I squinted at him. ”Are you okay?”

He touched his eyes as if there were tears to wipe away. ”Ah. This? I'm fine. Good.”

I lifted an eyebrow.

”I...I didn't play well today...” He mumbled, hanging his head in depression.

”Oh. I'm sorry.” I told him. ”What was the score?”

”3-2.” He mumbled under his breath.

”Oh. That's a close one.” I said, getting up.

”Not close enough.” He sighed. ”It was 3-2. Them. They won. We lost at home. For the first time this season.”

Ohhhh. That explains the crying. I was up, out of bed, so I went over to pat his shoulder. ”I'm sorry.”

”It's okay. It's not your fault.” He wiped his eyes again.

”Don't be lying!” Kyle yelled, making us jump. He pointed at me. ”How dare you take a sick day! And in the middle of the week?! Have some shame!”

Shame? I tilted my head and thought about it. I guess it could be my fault then. I wasn't there. I didn't do anything to help...in fact I probably made things worse since I couldn't warn Coach ahead of time that I wasn't going to be there. I gulped.

”Stop that.” Dave hit Kyle from behind, smacking him on the head. ”Mom and Dad will ground you for life if they heard you.” He looked into our room. ”Don't listen to his crap, Jake. He's just mad that he couldn't do anything for the team either.”

Kyle rubbed his head. ”You didn't have to hit me. He knows I was just joking.”

”No way. Jake takes everything seriously.”

”What do you guys want?” Noah glared at them with his reddened eyes.

”Mom said dinner is almost ready so I was sent up here to wake Jake.” Kyle said. ”Wake Jake?” He laughed. ”Hah! That rhymes!”

Noah rolled his eyes. ”Okay. He's awake. Now get lost.”

”Wow. So testy.” Kyle shook his head and walked away.

Dave gave Noah a look. ”It's just a game, Noah. You don't have to take that lost so hard.”

Noah looked on, angry. ”You can say that because you didn't play! You don't know what it's like to go hitless through four at-bats! I did nothing today. Do you understand?? I'm gonna have to go to school tomorrow and face the other freshmen, who think they're better than me.”

Dave's eyes narrowed on his little brother. ”It's not all about you, ya know. How do you think Sean will feel if he heard you? He also didn't get a hit in four at-bats. He's a first year varsity player as a sophomore. Do you think there aren't any other sophomores on jv who think they can do better than him?”

Noah looked at his feet. ”I'm just—mad, okay?” He looked at me. ”Not at you, Jake. Just at myself.” He clenched his fist. ”I need to get better.”

I didn't know what to say. I didn't know that they would lose. ”What did Zeke do?”

”He drove in both runs.” Dave told me. ”Zeke wasn't happy either though. He went 2-4. But with a loss...it just puts everyone in a bad mood.”

I looked at him skeptically. ”You don't look like you're in a bad mood..?”

Dave laughed. ”I'm still not allowed to pitch, of course I'm in a bad mood.” He lifted his hand with the injured finger. ”It's looking good though. I'm going to ask Drew tomorrow if I can throw a light bullpen session. Just something to warmup the arm.”

”Boysss!” I heard Mrs. Atkins call from the bottom of the stairs.

”We better get going.” Noah said, wiping his face one more time. He walked out, then Dave and I followed. ”Like Zeke said at the end of the game, we'll get them next time.”

”Yea, but next time might even be harder.” Dave sighed, putting his hands behind his head. ”They didn't even put Brady on the mound. That's how confident they were.”