The Hitting Zone

I don't know how Noah can say I'll be just fine, when I'm surrounded by strangers. I don't do well with strangers.

Coach assigned the groups to 'stations' where two coaches were at each one. I was forced to right field where a coach would hit high, fly balls at us and mix in some line drives.

It was a cool afternoon at 70 degrees (Fahrenheit) but I was sweating hardcore. My armpits felt soak and my face was burning. I was stiff as a board as I walked to right field.

A quick glance at my group members told me I was right to be nervous and scared. My group had six other guys in it and I knew no one. At all. Not even an inkling. They all stood together and were chatting together, making me feel even more alone.

"Hey-o!" A heavy slap hit my shoulder. "You look like you're about to pee your pants." I looked up and found Garret smiling down at me.

"What-what are you doing here?" I spat out, scared that he would attract unwanted attention from the other six guys.

Garret grinned, holding up his glove. "I'm here for the tryout."

"Pitchers don't need to tryout." One of the guys walk to the two of us. He was watched by the other five. "What are you really doing over here?"

"Ah, but you forget Kam, I'm also an outfielder." Garret smiled. "I don't want Coach to think that I'm not serious about playing." He then threw his left arm around my shoulders. "Plus, I can't let you guys bully my boy over here. We don't have too many lefty's on the team. We have to stick together."

Kam snorted and went back to the group.

With just me and Garret, I felt a little more comfortable. Not completely. But at least I know him and whatnot. "Garret...I'm not a lefty..."

"But you bat left-handed so it's the same thing." Garret let go of me.

I dont think it is, but I let it be.

"Gather around!" One of two coaches yelled out. All eight of us jogged in and formed a small circle. The same coach spoke up. "This will be really simple. Each of you will have to field ten balls back to us. I'll be the one to hit them in your general direction. All you have to do is make the catch, then throw it back to Coach Jace. Back up to the baseline and form a line. I don't care how you do it."

They turned their backs and walked away, heading to a bucket of balls and a bat. Everything had been prearranged.

"C'mon kid." Garret knocked me on the head and we jogged with the others to the baseline.

I backed up even further, giving the others room.

"Should we let the varisty level go first?" One of the six strangers asked. He didn't sound bitter about it nor did he use a snide tone.

"Do you guys want to go first?" Another stranger asked, looking at me and Garret in the back.

Garret peered down at me, and I shook my head vigorously. No way do I want to go first. I don't even want to go at all. "Nah, we'll just go randomly. The coaches don't care what order we go in so no need to think too hard about it. Dillion, you can go first if you want."

"Okay!" The first stranger answered before leaving the group and heading to an open patch of grass. The coaches asked if he was ready before officially starting. He gave a thumbs up.

"Do you really think Coach would want you to try out?" One of the guys ambled over. He smiled, looking the most friendly out of all of them. "You just pitched yesterday. A tough outing too, from what I heard."

Garret gave a friendly smile back. "Yea, I didn't really have it yesterday and then there was this thing with Jordan. But I'm good. I like the exercise."

I looked at him, skeptical. This morning wasn't enough exercise? Who is he kidding?

The guy just nodded. "Sure. And yea, I think everyone has heard about Jordan. What an ego. If he had said that to anyone else, he might have gotten away with it."

Garret stood tall and proud. "What can I say? I rule the mound that I'm on."

The guy laughed and glanced at me. "Don't be taking notes from Garret. He's got an ego of his own."

I just stared at him.

"Ah, Jake, I forget that you get shy around others." Shy? That's putting it mildly, Garret. "This is Tanner. He's a junior like me and the twins. We've all played together since the little league days." He leaned in and whispered. "He's a good guy."

Tanner heard that last part and grinned wholeheartedly. "Wow. Thanks Garret. I didn't know you felt that way about me."

Garret rolled his eyes. "You loser. I was just letting Jake know that you won't kick his ass or anything like that. He's just a kid. A very sensitive kid."

Okay, that last part sounded a little patronizing.

Tanner smiled down at me. "Right, you must have a rough go at things after joining the team? Not everyone welcomes a freshman to the varsity team."

I was about to nod in agreement, but thinking about Noah's situation where he lost his freshmen friends, I didn't really have it that bad. "I'm okay." I shrugged lightly. "Only one or two give me a hard time." At least it wasn't a whole grade level.

Tanner nodded a little. "Yea, it shouldn't be too bad with Zeke around."

"He's one of the guys that give me a hard time." I told him, thinking about the beginning where I had to run a whole lot. All the makeup scenarios at the park. The video lectures. Yep, Zeke gives me the hardest time. But that's only because he wants me to be better.

Tanner and Garret bust out laughing all of a sudden, attracting attention from the others.

Garret rested his hand on my shoulder. "Hahah, Jake, you can't talk about your captain like that."

I didn't really understand, so I just nodded.

"Hey! One you three have to go up next." Kam said, frowning at our rowdiness. "Tanner? Garret? Or freshman?"

Garret sobered up. "Hey, his name is Jake."

"So what. You call him kid, I call him freshman." Kam didn't look affected. "Which one will it be? Evan is almost done."

Tanner put his glove on and waved it a little. "I'll go. I don't want to go after someone like Garret. Wouldn't that be detrimental to my chances of making the team." He moved up and patiently waited for Evan to finish his bit.

I looked up at Garret. Uhhh. "Should I go before you too, then?"

Garret chuckled. "Don't listen to Tanner. He's just trying to be funny to diffuse the situation. Kam is uptight about baseball and he's just worried about making the team, but that doesn't excuse his behavior."

"I'm not bothered by it." I told him honestly. There are worse things in life. "I really am a freshman so it's not like that's an insult."

"You're right." Garret smiled at me. "Good outlook. Kam is just jealous. He's a junior too, but got stuck on JV because our team is pretty talented. Coach once said that my class was the most talented to come in." Looking at just him and the twins, I believe it. There was almost more juniors than seniors on the varsity team. "Our freshmen team during my freshmen year never lost a game. Then me and the twins jumped to varsity as sophomores, completely skipping JV."

Wow. "I would hate to be in the same year as you three." I mumbled.

"What are you saying??" Garret laughed while hitting my shoulder. "You one upped us by joining varsity as a freshmen. You're just like us. Noah too."

Oh. Does that mean I'm going to be surrounded by people like Chris, Austin, and Kam for the rest of my high school life? People who hate me for being better than them in hitting? Ugh. What a fight. I don't know if I can handle that kind of pressure the whole time I play.

"Next!" The coach called.

Garret nudged me forward. "Your turn. Try your best!"