“It’s been maybe a month since we started talking. I don’t know if reformed is a word I would use yet. But he’s been sweet to me.” I searched for Jake amid the boys who’d come out of the dugout as they threw cleats and gloves into their bat bags.
Feeling anxious for him, I walked over to the end of the cinderblock dugout and rounded the corner. Jake stood stock-still in front of his father, his features tight and his lips pulled into a line.
“I don’t know if you’ll get any offers after the way you played today, Jake. You looked like an absolute idiot when you swung and missed at that curveball. Grab your things. We’re going to go practice again at home.” I watched as Mr. White grabbed Jake’s upper arm, pushing him toward the dugout.
“Dad, I’ve got to work at the diner again.”
I shook my head, knowing he hadn’t been scheduled for that night, and Jake’s gaze drifted in my direction, his eyes going wide as if trying to tell me something.
His father’s phone rang, and he turned to answer it. In that time, Jake shook his head, looking terrified.
“Don’t let him see you. I’ll talk to you later,” he said, looking like he was going to be sick.
I took a few steps back, glancing at his father’s back. It was tempting to stay and give Dave White a piece of my mind after everything Jake had told me. But it seemed like now wasn’t the time.
“Just remember how awesome you are,” I said just loud enough for him to hear before I turned and made my way back to Kate.
“What happened? Did you get to talk to him?” Kate looked more confused than ever and pointed in the direction Jake was standing.
I grabbed her arm and pulled her along behind me. “I think Jake and his dad are having a little argument. I need to grab my bag.”
“Okay, well, some of us are meeting at the ice cream shop in about thirty minutes. Brynn, Hazel, and Serena are going to meet us there. You coming?”
I jogged to grab my bag and ran back to her, grateful Jake’s dad was still on the phone. “Let me see what’s going on at home, and I’ll let you know.”
What I really wanted to do was make sure Jake would be okay, that he had some out if he needed it. My dad liked the fact that I pushed myself to practice as much as I did, but after a long game, more practice wasn’t going to help.
“Sounds good. Text me when you’re on your way.”
I hung out in the parking lot for another twenty minutes, waiting for Jake and his dad to appear from the field. At one point, I even walked down far enough to see his dad throwing pitches to him from behind a screen.
No wonder Jake had begun to hate baseball.
After several more pitches, they picked up the balls and packed up.
I ran back to my car and drove it up next to Jake’s Jeep so I’d have a chance to talk to him, hopefully alone.
Jake walked into the locker room, and his dad continued on to his car. When I saw him pull out on to the main road, I breathed a sigh of relief. I don’t know what I expected, maybe that his dad would start beating him right there if I didn’t stick around to help.
Ten minutes later, Jake emerged from the school, rubbing his wet hair as he walked out to his car.
I opened my door and stepped out, taking in the look of frustration on his face. “Hey,” I said, leaning on my car.
“Hey.” It was short and clipped, the tone bothering me a bit. How selfish was I? The guy had just been ripped to shreds by his father, and I was worrying about how he was reacting?
“I think you did pretty well out there. That one play you made, diving to get the guy out at—”
“Not now, Pen.” He put out his hand in a stopping motion and then raised it to rub at the sides of his forehead.
I hesitated, unsure of how to help him. I’d never seen this side of Jake, the broken spirit and looking so tired. Taking a step forward, I wrapped my arms around his waist from the back as he loaded his bag into the back of the Jeep.
“I’m here when you need me, okay?” I mumbled into his back.
He slammed the door shut and turned slowly in my embrace, his arms warm around my neck. “Thanks. I’m going to head out.”
“Go home? What about your dad? You told him you had to work.”
Jake released his grip on me and shook his head. “Dad called Lou and asked. Because I lied, I had to do more batting practice right then.” He looked like he was near tears then, and I pulled his face toward mine, resting my forehead on his.
“You’ve got me. Just know that I care about you, no matter how you play on the field. Come with me to the ice cream shop. At least that will help you avoid him for a little bit.” I searched his face, looking for any emotion that might help me know how to comfort him. But it was a smooth mask at the moment, and I wasn’t prepared with a Jake manual that addressed this kind of mood.
He finally nodded. “Okay. I’ll meet you there.”
Stepping away, he started the car and took off, leaving me in a cloud of black smoke.
I was torn. How was I supposed to help him when I didn’t completely understand what he was going through? Did I just make myself available to listen when he needed it?
Never had I longed more for the simpler days before our lives had been upturned. It was going to take longer than I thought to get back there, but I knew it would be worth it. At least, I hoped it was.
Chapter 25
Jake
I had no desire to socialize with anyone at that point, but anything was better than heading back home. Mental and physical exhaustion took over, and a measure of humiliation flooded through me as I wondered who else had seen the scene my dad had made.
Penny waiting for me in the parking lot was one of the last things I wanted, and I hoped she hadn’t heard any of what my dad said. After each ball I’d hit, he’d spout off some critique, usually ending it with a few colorful words and some insult to my skills. I’d started to love baseball again, but if this was how my life would be for the next year and a half until I graduated, I wasn’t sure I even wanted to stay on the team. But then again, what would I have to look forward to every day? At least my dad was gone during the week.
But when Penny hugged me, telling me that her being there was not based on my performance on the field, it felt more like home than my physical house did. And as much as I didn’t want to interact with anyone else at the moment, I needed more assurance that I could be just another teen out with friends. Besides, I had no intention of seeing my father in the next few hours, and staying away from him was the best way to accomplish that.
The group was big when I got to the ice cream shop. It was actually a good thing as I didn’t have all the attention on me like it usually was, to provide some kind of entertainment or commentary.
Penny sat next to me, her hand on mine under the table, and I was grateful for her presence. If anything, reconnecting with her had made a huge difference over the past month. If only I could shield her from the fury of my father.
“What’s wrong with you, man?” Colt asked, punching me in the right shoulder.
“Long day, man. Just need to chill for a bit. What brought you guys here?” I looked behind him and saw Dax, Ben, and Nate. Dax’s eyes dipped down to Penny’s hand on mine, and he grinned. I pulled it away and scratched the crown of my head, avoiding Penny’s gaze and hoping she would understand why I did it.
I slid out of the booth to greet them with our random handshakes, and several of the people at the tables around, all from the same group, were watching us with an intensity I wasn’t in the mood for.
“We heard a bunch of people were coming here. We didn’t expect to see you here, though, especially after the conversation with your dad.” Dax’s eyes narrowed.
My stomach sank, and I looked at my shoes like I was inspecting something. I wished he wasn’t able to read me so easily. He reminded me of Troy, and while I needed someone like that in my life, I wished they didn’t see everything when I didn’t want them to.
“Yo
u can all join us,” Kate said from behind Penny.
Dax’s eyes flicked to her and went wide. He turned and pretended to inspect the menu. I’d have to ask him what was going on there later.
I glanced back at Penny and Kate, seeing Penny’s hooded eyes.
“We’re good,” Ben said, giving a short wave. “I think we’re going to head out to the new movie at the theater.” He gripped the shoulders of Nate and Colt, his grin more of a demand than a question.
“Okay, good luck. I’ll see you at school tomorrow,” I murmured as they waved on their way to the door.
Dax grabbed a cone and headed out behind the guys, taking a look back at Kate before leaving the ice cream shop. There was definitely something there, and it relieved something inside of me. Kate seemed like a nice girl, totally opposite from the girls Dax usually went for. Maybe she’d be good for him in the long run.
I slid back into the booth next to Penny and moved my hand over to her leg. Her elbows were on the table, her hands cradling her head as she listened to a conversation going on across the table. She didn’t look my way at all, and I knew it was my fault. I wasn’t used to having a girlfriend for long amounts of time, but is that what we were? Boyfriend and girlfriend? Or were we just slowly getting back to the friend stage?
I reflected on our kiss, knowing that was way more intense than what friends would feel. Time. That’s what we needed: more time. I’d just have to talk to her and tell her that maybe if we took things slow, we’d have a chance of something more than just next-door neighbor best friends.
The group finished up their desserts, and a bunch of people talked about meeting up at someone’s house for a movie.
I pulled Penny to the side. “I’m not really feeling like a movie right now, but I’d like to talk. Do you want to meet back at home, and we’ll chat?”
She avoided my gaze, her lips pursed and arms folded tightly against her chest. When she spoke, her voice was soft but tense. “If you’re going to tell me you’re no longer talking to me because of your friends, you might as well do it here.”
“What are you talking about?” I asked, placing my hands on her upper arms. “I’m not going back to the jerk I was before, okay? I would just rather spend time as the two of us than a big group tonight. Come on. It’s been a long day, and I could use that listening ear you claimed to have.”
Her lips turned up at the corners, though hesitant, and she looked me in the eyes. “Okay, I’ll meet you at home.”
The whole drive I tried to think of what I wanted to talk about, hoping I could word things better than I usually did around Penny. I wanted to keep going in our relationship, but I had been dubbed the “playboy” or the “serial dater” for so long that I really didn’t know how to make anything work long term.
I pulled into my driveway right after she pulled into hers. She stepped out, and I jogged to her in a few steps.
“Let’s go out on the swing.” I motioned behind me to my backyard. The swing was sitting underneath the small deck my father had built when I was eight or nine, the only thing my parents allowed to be out during the night.
Reaching for her hand, I enveloped it with my own. “Your hand is cold. Do you want me to go get a blanket?”
Penny shook her head. “No, I’ll be fine. We just had ice cream, remember?”
I’d nearly forgotten that with my mind spinning on the way home.
Penny sat on the swing first, and I took a spot next to her. I wrapped my arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer to me, the comfort I’d felt during our earlier hug returning. The smell of vanilla from her hair seemed to relax me even more, and I stared out into the dark sky spotted with billions of stars.
She sighed, and I waited a bit longer, making sure I had what I wanted to say ready to go.
“I’m sorry about the ice cream shop, Pen. To be honest, I’m just that awkward and didn’t know how to explain us holding hands to Dax.”
Her head popped up, and she stared into my eyes, not believing it. “What do you mean you’re awkward? Aren’t you supposed to be some ladies’ man?”
The comment stung a bit, but I knew she was right. “You mean a lot to me, Penny. More than any girl I’ve ever gone out with, and I just don’t want to screw things up, you know? I’ve already done that once, and I know if it happens again, you won’t be giving me another chance.”
“You’re right about that,” she said, nodding. “So what do you want to do about it? Is this one of those ‘define the relationship’ talks I’ve heard so much about?”
The way she said it pulled a laugh right out of me, and I doubled over, trying to control myself. She punched me lightly, and I sat back, finally calming down.
“I’m sorry, but I think that was one of the best lines I’ve heard from you in a while.” I wiped at a few tears that had escaped from my outburst and grinned at her. “Sure, I guess you could say this is a DTR moment. Would you want to date me, Penelope Davis?”
It was her turn to laugh, and she said, “I think if you can stop being an idiot, being your girlfriend would be good. But you can’t just pretend we aren’t together when your friends are around. Are you ashamed to be seen with me because I’m not some high school Barbie?”
Point taken. “I promise I’m not ashamed to be with you. And you are hotter than any Barbie I’ve ever seen.” I paused, giving her a small smile. “I just don’t want to hurt you. Ever again. But will you go easy on me for the first few weeks? I’ve never dated someone longer than a week, maybe two.”
“So you’re saying you want us to be together for three weeks?” One corner of her mouth lifted, and the smirk sent a shockwave of feeling through me. Most of the girls I’d dated in the past were all about the notoriety of hanging out with me, of kissing me, etc. Penny was different, and for the first time in my life, I realized I needed that.
I rolled my eyes and gave an exaggerated sigh. “Please. I want this to go on as long as it works for us.”
I reached over and intertwined my fingers with hers, feeling the rush of heat and excitement flood to the rest of my body. Leaning over, I pressed my lips to hers, keeping the kiss simple but filled with promise.
In that moment, I felt like the awkward young teenager I was, but somehow I knew this was right. I’d been chasing cheap imitations of Penny for too long, and it was nice to finally be where we were. If I was going to make this work, I’d have to do the opposite of everything I usually did with other girls. But with her support, I might just survive high school.
Chapter 26
Penny
The next month passed like the blink of an eye with both Jake and I busy with baseball and softball, homework, and working at the diner. We often studied at each other’s houses, sharing kisses here and there, which made me realize why everyone made such a big deal about relationships. There were always going to be challenges, but to have my best friend back was like a dream come true. And the fact that he was now my boyfriend? The preteen me would have been squealing for weeks at the thought.
It was interesting to see the changes in Jake too. He’d kept his word at taking things slow, and it was almost like our separation had never happened. He was also working harder and with more determination to reach his new goals for after high school than I’d seen before we started hanging out again. With grades higher and a few letters from schools to play baseball, he was finally getting more excited about the prospect of what could happen in the future.
He’d had a few run-ins with his father, but we’d talked about them for the most part. It was hard to see him so down about things when, in reality, his father had just skewed the facts, making it look as though Jake hadn’t been improving or wasn’t trying. But at least we’d managed to convince his dad we would practice together instead of him repeating the scene from that game with the college coaches.
It was April, and I was feeling the pressure as I studied for each of my advanced placement classes. I’d be taking the tests at the end of April, a
nd as each day passed, my stomach tightened even further. Doubt came soon after. Would I be able to pass all the tests I had to take? What had I been thinking to take this heavy of a schedule?
Jake had been over at the beginning of the week, but we’d missed each other the past few nights, so the knock on the front door on Thursday evening didn’t mean much to me.
Derrick came up to my room. “There’s something at the door for you.” He grinned, and I frowned. I didn’t have money to order anything online, and it wasn’t like people were constantly throwing gifts in my direction.
I threw on a hoodie and walked downstairs, grumbling about being interrupted while I was studying. Opening the door, I found several candles all over the porch with a giant blow-up baseball.
Poking my head out, I glanced around the dark yard, wondering what was happening.
“Why don’t you actually read what it says on the ball, Penny?” Derrick’s voice sounded annoyed.
My bare feet stepped onto the porch, and I pulled the ball toward me, seeing writing on it. The script was more feminine than anything.
Reading it out loud, I said, “‘I might strike out asking, but will you be my catch at prom?’” Was this someone asking me to prom in two weeks? I’d been to a girl’s-ask dance and had done a creative ask, but the guys had always just accepted it at school. This was new territory for me.
I turned to Derrick. “Did you see who did this? Was it Jake?” We hadn’t talked about the dance at all, and I wasn’t even sure if he was up for things like that.
My brother shrugged and leaned against the wall. “I don’t know. Maybe you should look around for the clues to the name. That’s what most people do in these situations.”
I poked him in the chest, laughing. “Oh yeah, Mr. I’ve-never-gone-on-a-date. What makes you the expert now?”
He raised his arms in defense. “I’m a good listener. Most of the girls will talk about it during classes when their older siblings have asked people to dances.”
The Perfect Play: A Boy Next Door Young Adult Romance (Rosemont High Baseball Book 1) Page 11