After practice ended, I was practicing with Coach A. on my pitches.

“Okay, Soph, you’re doing really good. Your arch is super, but just make it...longer. Okay? Let’s try that.” That’s what I loved about Coach. She wasn’t rushing. She took time with each girl to help her. She was the best coach! I practiced with her for another ten minutes or so, and she had to leave.

            I went to the bleachers to where Justin sat. He was all dreamy, thinking. I snapped my fingers at him. He woke out of his “trance”.

“Thinking about me?” I teased.

“Never.” He retorted. He kissed me on the lips. Pure bliss. I pulled apart.

“So, what did you get when you left?” I asked. He took out a baseball mitt from the bleacher behind him.

“Let’s practice!” He shouted. I laughed and put a finger to my lips.

“Remember, you are Justin Timberjerk!” I chuckled. He hit me and laughed.

            “Okay, just a little shorter,” Justin coaxed as I pitched the ball. “Perfect!” He yelled. He came over and pecked me on the cheek. We moved to shortstop. “Plays at first. Okay?”

“Got it.” I replied. He threw the ball and I caught it easily. After a few minutes, we took a break and then went out on the field again.

“I’ll bat,” I suggested. He nodded. I went to home plate and stood, my knees bent just a little, so the souls were directly in the line of Justin.

He pitched the ball. It was a perfect ball, and I hit. I ran all the way to third, and Justin caught me around my waist before I could get home.

“Hey! That’s a foul on Third Baseman! He touched me!” I mockingly shouted.

“Ugh,” Justin moaned. I laughed.

“So where did you get so good at baseball, Mr. Basketball Champ?” I asked.

“Picked it up on tour.” He waggled his eyebrows. I laughed.

“Ahh.... oh, right, how are the guys?” I said, totally forgetting that I was supposed to meet Jane at the store right now.

“They’re fine.” He said. “Move to the left.” I obeyed. I moved a pitch to the left of the plate. “Okay,” He said. He pitched a ball, and I hit it—Wham! Into the outfield. He took off his Oakley’s, and set them atop his hair and stared. “Wow...” he said after a minute. I burst out laughing. He joined in. “You can hit, baby, you can hit! Whoo-Hoo!” He jumped and picked me up in a bear hug and swung me around. Nothing could get better than this.