Chapter Two
Threeweeks later, my high school softball career ended. I’d pitched every game, winning the championship for the fourth year in a row.
Now I sat in a torture device, otherwise known as a hard plastic chair, in front of my teammates’ loved ones at our varsity banquet.
I hated these things.
The urge to start acting like some type of zoo animal while people gawked at me was strong. These thoughts always came at the worst time. I'd never gone through with the impulse, but like they say, there’s a first time for everything.
I sat next to Renee and four other senior girls from our team. Thankfully the night was coming to a close and the last thing on the agenda was announcing where we’d committed to going to college.
Coach Hamm rattled off the stats of Noel, our second baseman before having her announce the college she picked.
After Noel made her announcement, Coach Hamm turned the mic over to our pitching coach, Coach Rutching, or Bruno as he always wanted the team to call him.
With extreme force I kept my mouth neutral instead of wearing the sneer pulling at it, making my nose twitch from the opposing signals pulling and pushing around it. Renee smacked my leg, giving me her big eyes, silently telling me to cut it out.
Coach Rutching annoyed the ever loving hell out of me. Doc, my private pitching coach, whom my parents paid for, couldn't stand him. Doc made me swear I wouldn't heed any advice Coach Rutching gave me.
It was a double edge sword. My pitching skills harnessed from Doc won championships, yet the school blindly assumed Coach Rutching was a fundamental part of the winning process.
Bruno cleared his throat, a nervous habit that made my skin crawl. Even though I'd been offered scholarships all over the United States, I committed to San Diego State. Coach Rutching was furious when he heard my decision.
San Diego State wasn't a tier one school, and according to Bruno, I was wasting the talent he had "honed" the last four years.
Cue epic eye roll.
He didn’t understand it was my future husband’s alma mater. Obviously Bruno had no idea what he was talking about.
Renee pinched my thigh, bringing me out of my musings just in time to hear Coach Rutching go into his speech about me. "The moment I saw McKenna pitch her freshman year, I knew I’d found my star. She’s one of the most dedicated girls on our team. While the other girls were out being teenagers, you could always find Kenna on the field practicing."
Thanks for bringing up my inability to act like a normal teenager, Bruno.
Jane, our right fielder, let out a light snicker. Renee whipped her head around and gave her one of the meanest evil eyes I'd ever witnessed. Jane averted her eyes to her shoes, thoroughly chastised. My teeth bit into my cheek to keep from letting my tongue slip out to taunt Jane more. I was fairly certain I was on the verge of making a face at her before chanting nanner, nanner, nanner.
"McKenna had offers from all over the US. Some of the top tier schools were calling me night and day to get her to commit. Her dedication to all academic areas makes her even more valuable to any college, as she will be entering having already earned her associates degree. That being said, she's also very dedicated to her family, making her choice easy. McKenna Raine." Coach Rutching looked at me, his eyes flickering over to Renee before landing back on me.
Renee sucked in a sharp breath and pinched my leg again. I raised my eyebrow at her before making the dreaded walk to the podium. It only took six long strides to get there, and I was proud of myself for not busting out monkey moves at every step.
"Hi." I waved at the crowd, wishing the podium had a portal to a wizarding school in it.
My knee hit the solid wood podium, my entrance to witchcraft and wizardry denied. "I have committed to San Diego State after graduation. I'll be studying physical therapy with an emphasis on sports injuries and have been extended a spot in their PT program as long as I continue to meet their requirements and standards."
Coach Rutching clapped me on the shoulder and I took that as the permission I needed to go back to my chair. Coach Hamm stepped up to relieve Coach Rutching since I was the only player he represented.
Before Bruno could step away, Coach Hamm slung his arm over Coach Rutching's shoulder, keeping him at the podium. "Before Renee comes up for her announcement, I wanted to congratulate Coach Rutching."
Bruno's eyes widened, making Coach Hamm let out a soft chuckle. "Don't worry, Bruno, I have permission from your wife to let the cat out of the bag. Or should I say baby? It's with much happiness I get to announce our own Coach Rutching's expecting the next great pitcher with his lovely wife, Anna."
Renee's fingers dug into my thigh as I clapped along with everyone else.
"What is it?" I whispered out of the corner of my mouth.
Anna, the coach’s wife, stood up from her chair in the front row and waved to the people around her. She blew Coach Rutching a kiss, which he reciprocated. Bruno shook Coach Hamm's hand and descended the stairs to join his glowing wife.
"I need to get out of here," Renee hissed in my ear. Her fingers still pinched the fuck out of my thigh.
"Do you have to pee? Are you going to throw up?" My head finally turned to make sure I wasn't going to get spewed on.
