I wake up with the sun beaming through my window. I can hear Eric’s loud voice shouting about something in the distance. I follow his voice out of my bedroom, down the steps, and into the living room. I see Jason and Eric sitting on the couch watching television.
“What are you two doing?” I ask them.
“Hey, Iva,” Jason says with a charming smirk.
“Aren’t you guys tired?” I ask with a yawn.
“Not tired enough to miss this game,” Eric says.
Eric grips his messy hair as if he wants to rip it out.
“Give me a break. Another foul-ball?” Eric asks the television.
"What are you guys watching?"
I look at the screen and notice they’re watching some kind of sports game.”
"Baseball,” Jason responds with his eyes refusing to turn away from the screen.
I chuckle.
"Do you guys ever go home?”
"No,” they reply at the same time.
"Have you ever met my parents?" Eric asks.
I chuckle again.
"Okay, you have a good excuse not to go home. But what about you?"
"Me?" Jason asks.
"Yeah, you,” I reply.
He shakes his head and fight over his words.
"Iva, it’s a long story,” he replies.
"I have time.”
He pauses for a second, but before he’s able to speak, Eric interrupts.
"His parents are overly protective. If he goes back, he'll never see us again,” Eric blurts out.
Jason stares at Eric with a blank expression.
"Thanks for summing that up for me.”
Eric smiles brightly and replies...
"You’re welcome.”
I hear a knocking sound coming from the television, followed by an uproar of cheers from the audience. Eric and Jason both gasp. I watch their eyes widen with excitement as the crowd on TV starts to cheer wildly.
"What a hit!" Eric shouts.
They both rise to their feet with their jaws dangling.
"Come on, come on,” Jason says with erupting excitement. “Home run baby!” he says with his arms shooting into the air.
"Wooooooooooo!" Eric shouts joyfully. “That’s what I’m talking about.”
Eric starts to applaud as he lowers back into the couch. Then, just like that, they're quiet again. The game on TV has them completely vexed.
"Man that was a good hit,” Eric states.
"We could've caught that ball from here,” Jason adds.
"The guy is a monster. He can't be stopped. Best rookie player ever,” Eric gives his opinion.
"What’s so interesting about watching sports?"
They both look at me with confusion.
"It’s more than just a game. This is baseball,” Jason says enthusiastically.
“I just can’t get into sports, at all,” I respond.
"Everyone has different taste,” Jason explains. “What I'd like to do, is different from what you like to do. For instance, what do you like to do?"
I think for a moment and realize I don't really care for anything except for reading. I look at them, looking back at me, waiting patiently for an answer. I stare down at the floor, thinking way too hard about a simple, harmless, question. Then an answer finally comes to my mind. I look up at them with a warm smile and reply...
"I like hanging out with my friends.”
They smile back at me.
"I like hanging out with you too,” Eric replies.
"Me too,” Jason includes subtlety.
Jason looks back at the TV.
"We all should savor these moments together, the good and the bad. Soon, we won’t be able to do these things together anymore,” Jason says in a low voice.
Eric nods in agreement lowers his face.
“Enjoy it while we can,” Eric adds to Jason’s statement.
I walk over and sit down between them to break their gloomy moods. I glance left at Eric and then right at Jason. We all give each other a soothing smile.
"Do you understand now?" Jason says in a soft voice. "How it’s more than a game to us. We'll always remember these moments, no matter what. Even if our lives are taken, that’s one thing our enemies will never take from us.”
I let his words marinate in my mind. I have contemplated death so much recently that I forgot about the subtle things in life. I now realize that simply because death is evident, that should never stop you from enjoying life. I look at the television screen and watch the game with them.
"So, who's winning?" I ask, bringing new life into our conversation.
Just like that, their joy comes back. They begin to rant about the game and their favorite rookie player, James Wellington. And you know what? I’m actually enjoying watching baseball with them...
CHAPTER 30: THE BASEBALL
Untamed Page 43