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~*~*~*~ Chap. 1 - Grand Slam~*~*~*~
~ " It's the bottom of the ninth. I'm Rick G and we're here in Westchester New York with the High School Baseball Championships. This year, it's the LP Lions against the Westchester Wildcats. Going up on base is LP's MVP, Jodi Roseman. Her oppenent on the mound will be none other than Westchester's best, one -n- only Jesse "Fast Break" McCartney. So far, the score is tied. The bases are loaded and the pressure is on for these two young athletes. Can they handle it? We'll be back shortly after this."
In the dug out, Jodi tries to chake off the pressure

"C'mon slugger, you can do this," Alli, Jodi's best friend and team mate tells her." Dont let the pressure get to you."

"Haha, that's easy for you to say. You're not up there batting last for the championships.. I mean, this could be it for us. We could win. What if I stike out?!" Jodi complained back.

"You won't, Jo. You'll do fine."

"Thanks, Alli". Jodi grabs her bat and heads out to the plate.
"Dude, man, you've been pitching the entire game. Ain't you tired?" Chris asks Jesse.

Jesse shakes his head, " No man. I can handle it."

Frankie just looks at his band mate, " I'd choke out there man. I dont kno how you could stand the pressure."

Jesse just laughs. Matt ruffles Jesse's hair. " Go get 'em kid"

Greg gives Matt a look. "Kid? Go get em kid? where did that come from? You sound like his father!" They all cracked up. Matt chucked a baseball at Greg, but missed. Coach Thomas came by then, " Hey, Jess, it's time to get out there. Strike Roseman out.. Get goin."
Up on base, Jodi does a few practice swings. "No pressure, no pressure" she keeps telling herslef. "haha, yea rite" She looks up towards the stands and smiles. All her family and friends are there supporting her. She finally sees the pitcher run up onto the field. She watched him run, his blond hair blowing in the wind. "Hmmmm.." she thought to herslef, " kinda cute" Jodi snapped out of it before she started to drool.
On the mound, Jesse eyes the batter. "A girl?" he thinks to himself " They send out a girl to finsih off the game?!" He shakes his head and looks up into the stands, where his family and friends were. He waves and gives them a thumbs up. The umpire then signals for the game to continue. Jesse and the catcher takes a few seconds to decide what kind of pitch to do. They finally decided to end the game off with Jesse's famous curve ball, the "Fast Break". The time has still yet to come for someone to hit it.. Jesse was sure he was goin to stike her out.
Jesse pitches and to his surprise, she hits it. It was a grand slam. This ended the game. the Lions win. Jesse stood on the mound motionless and speechless. He watches Jodi run around the bases and getting lifted by her team mates onto their shoulders. He finally becomes aware of the fact that he lost and throws his mitt on the ground.

"Dammit" He kicks his mitt. His team mates and band members ran up to him.

"Its okay", " DOnt worry bou it Jess", and " you did great " were heard from his friends.

Matt puches Jesse on the arm " C'mon Jess, its alrite." Jesse jst shakes his head. His mom walked up to him, followed by his siblings Lea and Timmy.

"You okay sweetie?" she asks.

He nodds his head, "yea, ill be fine."

" Alrite then, I'm goin to go talk to MaryAnn. So come get me when you're ready to leave."

Jesse nodds as his mom, bro and sis walk off in the direction of where Greg's mom was.

"Yo man, you okay?" Frankie asks.

Jesse replies, "Yea. I'm fine."

They were all chillin when Jodi walked up.

"Nice game" she said and stuck out her hand for a shake.

Jesse looked at her and siad 'Nice game" but didnt shake her hand. Instead, he jst turned back around and started talkin to his band mates. Jodi stood there looking at Jesse.

"okay...." she said , turned around and left.

Greg looked at Jesse, "what was that Jess? Whats with the attitude all of a sudden? showing bad sportsman ship!"

Jesse just turned and watched her walk away.
Back at home, Jodi changes out of her uniform and sat down on her bed thinking. Suddenly the phone rang. She reached over to her nightstand and picked up the phone.

"Hello?"

"Hey Jo, awesome game today."

"Thanks, Alli."

"No problem. So who was that pitcher? He was pretty cute. hehe."

"Oh man. Are you serious? He was such an asshole when I went over thereto shake hands!"

Alli sounded surprised on the other end. "Are you sure? hmmm… Well looks can be deceiving!"

"Rite Alli, well, hey look, I gotta go. You're still coming to work with me tomorrow rite?"

"Aww.. do I have to? Haha Yea, sure. What are we gonna be doin?"

"I dunno. but I'll pick you up in the morning. Later"

"Later Jo."

Jodi hung up the phone. She got up off her bed and went outside to the living room. She flipped on the TV and channel surfed until she found something good. MTV Crib was on. "Good enough" Jodi said to herself. She sat there watching until she fell asleep.