The Hitting Zone Chapter 92 Lunch

It was Katella High School versus Pleasant Valley High School. By the ti we showed up, our team was spread out in the stands, munching on sandwiches and snacks. Mr. Atkins pointed us to Zeke and the twins and went to go join the other parents.

"Jake!" Dave hollered as we sat down. "What happened to you, kiddo? Noah said you got sick?" He pushed a plastic bowl over. "Mom delivered soup for you."

I bowed my head over the soup.

"What about ?" Noah pouted.

Zeke placed a wrapped sandwich in his hands. "Ham and cheese."

"Yum!" He quickly unwrapped it and started to devour it.

"Eat up Jake!" Kyle got up and sat behind . He started to massage my shoulders. "You did great this morning! Who knew you would be so talented in fielding!"

His massage wasn’t helping relax at all. In fact, I started to feel nervous. His hands were too close to my neck. He could easily get mad and start to choke . I gulped and tried to slide out of his grasp.

"Don’t get too close." Noah warned. "Jake had a panic attack. He needs so space."

I gave him a weak smile. Even though he wasn’t there in the bathroom when I spoke to Mr. Atkins, he still understood that sothing was off with , ntally.

Kyle sighed. "Alright." He went back to his spot on the other side of Dave. "You’re fielding was spectacular today. I just wanted to show so appreciation."

Noah wiggled his eyebrows at . "Hear that? Kyle wants to treat us to a round at the cages."

My spirits lifted and I looked at Kyle hopefully.

Kyle scratched his cheek. "That might be a bit much. You guys are too expensive."

"Wow We save your perfect ga and this is how you repay us?" Noah said in a loud, obnoxious manner. The team took note and started to jump in.

"Don’t be so cheap, Kyle!"

"Yea! What’s the price of a perfect ga?!"

"I thought you were the nice twin!"

"Hey!" Dave jumped up at that last remark. He pointed at Garret who spouted off. "We’re identical, both in looks and personality. Equal counterparts."

Garret laughed. "Oh? So you’ll be pitching a perfect ga this afternoon too?"

Dave snorted. "That’s not fair. Kyle got the easy team." He straightened up and pounded his chest in a manly manner. "But I will pitch a shutout. We won’t give up a single run in this tournant." He declared.

The guys laughed and cheered in agreent.

"Not realistic at all." Zeke dampened the mood.

"And why not?" Dave said, haughtiness leaking out of him.

Zeke nodded at the ga we were supposed to be watching. "If you stopped fooling around and paid attention, you would see that Pleasant Valley is about to rcy rule Katella."

"Whatttt."

"No way."

"15-3 in the fourth. One more inning, and they could pull off a called ga."

I didn’t know what they were saying. I looked to Noah for help, but he was studiously watching the ga. I shrugged and opened my soup and started to sip it.

"Why even worry?" Julian leaned back in a relaxed movent. "They gave up runs. As long as we score one more than them, we win."

"And," Garret added. "Dave said he would pitch a shutout."

The guys all laughed, joked, and hollered at Dave. Dave didn’t look scared at all. He rely nudged Kyle. "Watch one up you."

Kyle laughed. "In your dreams. Today’s glory belongs to ." He glanced at . "And to Jake. I couldn’t do it without him."

Noah threw his wrapper at Kyle. "Rude. That was my perfect stop that saved the day."

"Wrong." Kyle stated. "What really inspired was Jake’s cheer."

I looked up at him, startled. When did I cheer?

"What. No way. Jake didn’t cheer." Dave refuted.

Kyle nodded. "Oh yes he did. In the top of the seventh inning, against the first batter, I was slightly rattled from a foul. I felt the pressure creeping up on ." It was like he was telling a tall tale, instead of sothing that had just happened. All the guys were quiet, and following what he was recalling. "I’ve never gotten so far against a team without giving up a hit. But there I was, so close, yet so far. Then just as I was ntally crumbling, I heard soone beating on their glove. To my surprise, it was our very own Bambi! And then I thought to myself, ’if Bambi isn’t scared of a ball coming to him, then how could I be outdone?’ I’m fearless compared to Bambi!"

All the guys laughed and I started to blush. So that was why Kyle laughed on the mound. He thought I wasn’t scared of getting the ball sent my way. When, in reality, I was praying that he would strike the guy out so I wouldn’t have to field at all. Awkward.

Dave looked at with a fire in his eyes. "You’ll have my back too, right? I’ve even paid for a batting cage excursion for you!"

"Yea, because you lost a bet!" Noah rolled his eyes. "The way I see it, you should run the laps we owe Zeke." I nodded my head eagerly. Noah looked at Kyle. "Well? You didn’t want to pay for cages? Why don’t you return our great play with so generosity?"

Kyle nervously looked at Zeke. "Is that even allowed?"

Zeke was nonchalant. "I don’t see why not."

"How much do they owe?"

"Ten laps."

Kyle thought about it. "Okay. Deal. I’ll run your laps that you owe from ga one."

Noah’s smiled almost looked like it could split his face. I also happily downed my soup, feeling much more at ease.

"You’re a fool." Brian said from afar. "They owe ten laps, each. That’s twenty laps for you!"

The team almost died laughing from the look on Kyle’s face. Everyone was struggling for air at the sight of his pale complexion.

Zeke stood up very suddenly. Other people in the crowd started to clap and shout so congratulations. Zeke spoke over the team, as the laughter died out. "Pleasant Valley won. rcy rule ended the ga at five innings." The team returned to normal and the intensity in their looks, increased.