Rounding Third - Michelle Lynn Page 0,44
I watch his eyes close briefly, and his lips part, as though he’s talking. As fast as his new ritual appears, it vanishes, and he’s slapping his teammates’ hands on the way back to the dugout.
I sit on the bench for the rest of the game, sneaking sips of Jen’s flask since she left it with me when she went to flirt with a group of guys in the next section over.
Crosby hits a home run in the third inning, strikes out in the fifth, and gets a single in the eighth, but his fielding has him standing out from his teammates. He didn’t miss one ball that went his way. He also got a double play in the seventh inning that had everyone on their feet.
The game ends, and while Jen has disappeared somewhere, I wait outside the locker room with Spencer, Ariel, and Brooke.
“He played awesome,” Ariel says.
I nod. “He did.”
“Let’s hope he can keep it up. I’d hate for him to have a distraction and lose his groove,” Spencer adds.
My sister and I stare over at him.
“What does that mean?” Ariel asks before I get the chance.
“He’s saying that you are probably a distraction.” Brooke steps forward, pointing her neon-pink nail my way.
“That’s not what I was saying.” Spencer vehemently shakes his head, but the damage has been done.
“She’s right,” I mumble.
“No, she’s not.” Ariel steps over to me, her hands gripping my upper arms.
“She is.” My eyes search out Spencer. “What are we doing? Things between us will never be normal.”
He bites his bottom lip in silent agreement.
How did I fool myself into believing Crosby and I could be a regular couple without the haunting reminder of the worst night of our lives? We can’t.
“Listen, I need to go.” I start walking backward out of the tunnel.
Ariel moves to follow me, but I hold my hand up in the air to stop her. She halts her movements, her eyes moving between me and Spencer.
“That’s not what I meant, Ella.” Spencer fights my revelation, but we both know that there will never again be a Crosby and Ella.
“It’s okay. I forgot I have some studying to do.”
“It’s Saturday,” Brooke says.
“I’m pre-med.” I sound like Liam.
“Ella,” Ariel sighs. She relents slightly.
I raise my hand in the air as I walk out of the tunnel. I need to get my head on straight before I talk to Crosby again.
Chapter Eleven
Crosby
My teammates have showered and left the locker room, but I’m still on the bench, gripping Noah’s baseball, my fingers brushing along the red stitching. Our names are scribbled on the browner than white surface.
We signed our names on this baseball when we were ten, promising there would be many more after this. One day, we’d play in the majors together and the ball would set eBay’s record high for bids.
His mom brought it over to me right before we moved, handing me all his baseball equipment, saying it was what he’d want. It was probably the hardest thing I’d had to face—his mom after I’d killed him. I’d brought that pain to her eyes. I’d depleted her heart.
“Thanks, Noah,” I whisper, raising it up in the air before throwing it in my bag.
Swinging my bag over my shoulder, I walk out of the locker room and into the tunnel, finding Spencer, Ariel, and some blonde leaning against the wall. My eyes scan the area, searching for Ella, but all I see is Jen and Saucey making out a few feet down.
“Where is she?” I ask them.
Their guilty faces tell me enough that I pull out my phone.
“She just needs space,” Ariel’s small voice speaks first.
“Space? From what?”
“I said something stupid, and she took it the wrong way.” Spencer pushes himself off the wall and heads toward me.
“What are you talking about?” I fiddle with my phone to start a text.
“I said that I hoped you wouldn’t get distracted and lose the groove you’d started.” Spencer hangs his head down, so I refrain from throwing him up against the brick wall.
“She thinks she’s the distraction,” Ariel adds.
My head is volleying between the both of them.
“I have to text her.” I glance down at my phone, but a blonde-haired girl puts her hand on one side of my face, brings my other cheek to her lips, and snaps a picture. I push her off me, stepping a distance away. “Who is this?” I ask.
Ariel narrows her eyes at the foreign girl. “This is Brooke, my roommate.”
The blonde holds her hand to