Strike One

Chapter One- At First Sight

Chandler's point of view:

Chandler is in his second year at the University of Michigan as the catcher for their team. He gained his spot half way through his freshman year when he outhit the seniors on the team. Chandler has a lot of respect from his upperclassmen as well as his coaches on the team. Not to mention, all the players'moms adore him and compliment him frequently of his good manners and superb attitude.

Chandler's best friend on the team is Lucas. Lucas Nixon, a pitcher who got a full ride from a high school outside of San Francisco. They got paired up immediately as freshmen and became best friends ever since. This year they purchased a two-bedroom apartment together for the school year. Lucas, his only goal is to go pro - school is a speed bump for him, but that’s not the same for Chandler. That is usually where they butt heads - Chandler will come home and begin to do homework, where Lucas wants to hang out/party etc.

Chandler frequents the library to get away from the rowdy loud teammates he’s around frequently and sometimes to get away from Luke who tends to play video games at an incredibly loud volume. Today is nothing different, its the first day of meet and greet for the softball and baseball teams, and because of fall ball, we all had to get there 2 weeks before standard freshmen orientation due to practices and games. We needed to be at the baseball field at noon, so I headed to the library around 9 to read until I need to walk to the field.

I find my typical spot on the third floor near the bay window and sit down with my book and open up to where I left off previously. I’m reading Heads up Baseball for the 100th time. It really gets my mind on track for the season and makes me really think about how i want to play and what type of player I want to become, not just for myself but for my team and community.

I leaned up against the back of the chair and dive in. About a half hour later, I heard a small giggle come from the couch across the way. I peer over my book and try and find where the giggle originated. I see her, her smile is breathtaking and her giggle is infectious. She is reading. God what is she reading that is making her giggle so much? I try and look closer without being a total creep and I look and laugh a bit to myself, “Girl Wash Your Face” is what she is reading.

So, either this beautiful blonde haired woman is insecure or, like me, is just looking for a pick me up. I’m going with number two. I’ve never really had the urge to approach a woman before. I don’t even know what to say. I decided to text my best friend, Alex. I sent a quick text:

“Hi Alexandra”

“Ew, Hi Dweeb, don’t call me that.”

“Sorry lex, I need your help,”

“Mine? Did you kill someone…”

“No, you don’t need to bury a body.”

“ OK, so… what do you need to get dressed for an event?”

“No, there is a girl at the library.”

“I’m sure that’s a normal thing?”

“Jesus, Lex I don’t know how to approach her!”

“There it is.”

“You are an ASS”

“Be you, walk over to her and ask her something about what she is reading or compliment her. OH, or say, look, I didn’t know how to approach you so I asked my friend and they told me to just come over…that could work too.”

“Gah, this is why I don’t do this - I dont like this feeling.”

“Oh, living, that feeling makes you alive. You never feel it because everything is so easy for you.”

“Again, ass.”

“Go get her buddy, call me after your meet and greet thing.”

“K”

Alex, she is my childhood best friend and parents neighbor. We grew up watching TV on each other’s couches, attending dances together as best friends, she is my ride or die. Alexandra McKielson and I competed for the top spot of our class. We drove one another to be better in all aspects of life. She taught me how to be a “good” friend. I trust her with my life and will protect her until the day I die. During our senior year in high school, we made a pact that if we are both still single at 30 we would get married and adopt kids. I have always loved Alex. I tell her nearly every day. I, however, am not in love with her, nor is she in love with me. We both thought about dating at one point in our lives- but, ultimately, agreed it was for the best. We didnt because we both found one another not attractive in the way we should in order to be a couple.

I decide if she is still there when I go to get up and leave for the meet and greet, I will introduce myself and talk to her.

I continue to read but grow incredibly anxious. I keep staring at my Apple Watch, hoping the time goes faster so I have an excuse to just get up and talk to her. It’s 11:20, so I decide to get up and when I glance up she is already gone. NO! How did that happen? She was just there!

I walked fast to the stairs and speeded down the flights and burst out the door to see if I had just missed her, to no luck. I felt defeated and immediately felt a frown on my face heading to the baseball field that was only a couple of blocks away. I heard footsteps behind me in a hurry and turned around to see Luke trying to catch up with me. He is on time. I’m impressed.

“Trying to make a good impression and not have us run poles till we vomit on our first day Luke?” He slaps me on the back, “I wouldn’t dream of it, besides, we are the dream team, you and me. Me being the ace and you being the brains behind the plate - we will be unstoppable.” I look at him and smile because he is right- we are pretty good when paired together.

The way it happened last year was that the baseball team met on their field and then we joined the softball team in between the two fields for a cookout and a “get to know each other” opportunity. It’s nice because a lot of our events, study table and weight room are places we run into one another. We tend to split time or will be going in as they are coming out etc, so it’s always nice to put a face with a name. The men also like to follow the girls and their stats, so when it comes to their World Series we know enough to cheer them on!

The coach has us all separate Seniors, Juniors, Sophomores and then Freshmen. Surprisingly for Sophomores, it's Luke, Drake, a back up short stop who could get his spot maybe this year or next, Chase, a first baseman who will get his spot in junior year, and finally, me. I’m pretty close with my entire class here, more so Luke than the others, but Drake and Chase are always with us. Chase is 21, the rest of us are 20. We are all relatively old for our year, but we are mostly summer birthdays, so that makes sense.

My parents have a summer house on Lake Michigan, so this summer I brought the guys there along with some upper classmen to celebrate our birthdays together. We drank a lot of beer and, for once, I was thankful my parents had money and we had a maid's service because - I wasn’t going to be cleaning that up.

We all shake hands and re-acquaint ourselves. Coach brings up the freshmen and introduces them all to us one by one of the 10 new players to the team. The coach introduced Nick Suchy. He is a catcher and one I didn’t know would be on the team. A pick up. He must have been a late add. There is another catcher too, but I’m not worried about him, he is a strict bullpen guy until I’m gone. Nick though, Nick could ruin me. He is good. He played in Ohio but we all heard of him as seniors in high school. He was an amazing junior in high school, so we all assumed he would go somewhere amazing if he was not drafted - and he is here. Great.

I have to remind myself to smile at them and congratulate them for being on the team. We all do a couple of team-building activities - basically name game business, and then get ready to head to meet the softball team. Coach stops us, “Don’t think about it boys, the girls… Coach Hutch over there won’t let them even think twice about you. They will work harder than you ever do and they win championships because of it. So, don’t go and ruin any of their lives,” he says.

I hear Nick Laugh, and Jeff, a senior, turns around and yells, “Suchy, shut it.” We all go stone cold. Jeff is cool, calm and collected. He has never raised his voice, not to my knowledge, he must be taking this captain thing very seriously.

Coach breaks us up to go gather coolers, grills, and tables. Hutch looks like she has the girls grabbing chairs and condiments.

Alright, it’s time to meet the potential 2022 Softball National Champions.

It’s upsetting that i don’t even consider us to be contenders, but who knows, maybe this is our year? Nah…