542 V2 ch14 (1/2)

”Is something wrong?” Jeremy asked after everyone left us alone. He lifted the rope so I could go under it and be on the same side as him. ”Are you fighting with the Atkins?”

I shook my head. ”No, I just wanted to talk to you alone.”

”How unusual.” He looked at me, showing concern. ”Not that I don't want to talk to you. It's just-” He frowned.

”We're disconnected.” I told him.

He looked down at me, then away, then back at me. ”Yea...something like that. I feel like whatever I say, sounds fake. And insincere. I don't want to fake my emotions with you like I do with the fans.”

”You fake being happy with the fans?” I was confused. He genuinely looked happy to me.

He shrugged. ”Sort of. Their just strangers. I appreciate their support and in a way they're the reason I can make money doing what I love. But, we aren't friends. They don't really know me. They just know my statistics.”

His words were similar to Zeke's. Zeke really had good intuition. He could probably be a therapist too.

”I want to get to know you.” I told him. ”I mean, if you don't mind.”

Before I could look away or change my mind, Jeremy smiled down at me. ”I would like that. I've been feeling tension between us like we don't know how to approach one another or speak to one another.” He lifted his hat and ran his fingers through his hair. ”I'm not going to lie to you, I feel stressed when we're together or when I think about you. I've messed up and I don't really know how to fix it. We've talked about trying to have a relationship with one another, but what kind? Brothers? Are there brothers who worry this much?”

I shrugged, not sure myself. ”We said we would try. And I noticed that, I haven't been. As much as I should. It's superficial.” I looked down at my feet, kicking the grass.

”It doesn't help that I'm in season.” He sighed. ”If we had more time, we could, I don't know, try to hang out?”

I didn't say anything. Not because I didn't agree, but because what could I say to that? Stop playing baseball? That's selfish. And dumb.

”Hey! I know!” His excitement got my attention, making me look up at him. ”You're going to be on summer break soon, right?”

I nodded.

”Why don't you and the Atkins come to a few more games this summer? On me, of course. I can provide the tickets. Maybe you can come during the day to hang out before I have to come here for work.”

”I'll have to ask.” I told him.

”Yea, you do that.” He gave a weak smile. ”If you don't want to do that, we can try some other arrangements. With school being out, I could visit in the mornings when we have home games. Maybe take you and Noah to those batting cages. You like that, right?”

I nodded. ”Yea. I like the batting cages.”

I blushed.

”I'm amazed. You had so many. I'm happy for you. And proud of you.” He scratched the stubble on his cheek. ”I wasn't like you at all during my freshman year. You're definitely growing into a better player than I was in high school.”

”What were you like in high school?” I asked.

He stopped scratching. ”I, uhh, I, I was-hmm.” He tried for find the words. ”I lacked motivation and commitment. I was a bit arrogant.” He caught my look of disbelief and misinterpreted it. ”Okay, really arrogant. I thought I was the best player out there.”

”But you're a great player now. Noah said so.”

He chuckled. ”It took a lot of work. I wasn't a team player. My attitude was...I was...” He rubbed his nose. ”It's probably better to save this conversation for when we have more time.”

”Oh. Okay.”

He faced his dugout and waved to someone, calling them over. ”Hey, Chuck!”