Chapter 53
SELENA
As a fan, regular season games are fun. Playoff games can get intense. But there’s nothing like a championship game. Those are electric!
As a player, I try to think of every game as just that, a regular old game. It helps keep me focused. Because when you’re on the field, you can help control the game. When you’re in the stands, you have no power to do anything, except hope and pray things go your way.
Lions Baseball games tend to be televised and streamed, but there’s even more cameras today. They’re everywhere.
The past three years, I’ve been a regular at Lions home baseball games to cheer on my brother.
And I’ve never seen it like this. The excitement is palpable.
Maybe that’s just how home games are nowadays?
I haven’t been to a game since the first time Grayson and I slept together.
I was too embarrassed, confused, aroused, you name it, to attend.
Even though things are different, I’m feeling really nervous about us. Grayson and me. We have such a short time together, I don’t want to make any mistakes, like wearing his jersey. Which I’m doing right now. Because I’m a dork who reads too many sports romance books.
When I asked the girls, Letty was all for it. I think it had something to do with the fact she wanted to wear Big Mike’s jersey, too.
Jess had the opposite reaction, saying, “I’m not wearing some guy’s jersey, he can wear mine.”
Both are super valid points, but I ended up buying a Rhodes 22 Home Jersey even though I can’t afford it.
Worse, now I’m wondering if he’ll care or if it’ll bother him, which should be the last of my worries since this such an important game.
I need to get out of my head and try not overthink everything.
We’re sitting behind the Lions dugout, I’m between Jess and Letty with most of our teammates around us. All the girls are wearing Lions colors, hoodies, t-shirts, and two are wearing his jersey?! What the hell?
Samatha and Lucia are both wearing Rhodes 22 jerseys and it’s making me feel some sort of way. Okay, fine, I don’t like it.
“Girl, relax,” Letty says, shoving my arm to get my attention. “They always wear his jersey.”
I never noticed. “Why?”
“Because he’s hot! And they probably have a crush on him.” I frown at her words. “Or they might be huge baseball fans. Maybe they just want to support a fellow Tower Lake Lion.”
“What are you guys arguing about?” Jess asks.
Letty’s laughing. “We’re not arguing, Selena’s just jealous.”
“I’m not!”
Jess smirks at me.
“Sel says she’s the only one allowed to wear Gray-Gray’s jersey.”
“What?! I didn’t—”
“Bet you thought it,” Letty cuts me off, giving me a shit-eating grin.
Honestly, I wasn’t thinking that before, but I am now! Which is so dumb!
“Well, I agree,” Jess assures me, patting my arm. “You should only be allowed to wear the jersey if the person wakes up in your bed,” she says, shrugging and sounding casual, but looking anything but. I can tell she’s about to bust out laughing.
“You’re both dorks,” I tell them, rolling my eyes, but trying not to laugh too.
“Wait, back up! He woke up in your bed?!”
“Shh, game’s starting,” I say, waving Letty’s question away because I am not prepared to talk about anything related to Grayson Rhodes with so many people nearby, especially my teammate Samantha.
The guys take the field, wearing their white home game uniforms. I can’t control how hard and fast my heart starts beating as I watch Grayson take the mound.
My lungs seize and butterflies swirl in my stomach.
He looks so freaking good… His dark, tussled hair sticking out under his baseball hat, his defined forearms on display when he throw as a warm up pitch, his butt in those pants…
“You’re blushing!” Jess whispers.
“Drooling too,” Letty snorts.
They tease me some more, but I hardly hear them over the crowd cheering. We’re all cheering soon, excited that the game starts off so well. Grayson strikes out the first two batters. The third, hits a pop fly to Big Mike in right field, and the top of the inning is over!
It seems like I blink and we’re in the bottom of the third already. The game is going so fast. Unfortunately for us, there’s great pitching from their team too.
Grayson comes up to bat. The commentator sounds excited.
“Batting: Number 22–” The crowd cheers. I do too. I expect Come As You Are by Nirvana to play as his walk-up song. I mean, it’s been the same for four years. All the guys tend to switch it up every season, but not him.
Except, that’s not what happens. It’s not a guitar rift at the beginning, but something else’s. It’s a song I recognize nonetheless. I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing by Aerosmith plays as the commentator calls his name, “—Grayson Rhodes.”
A rush of so many emotions hits me all at once. This song played when we were up in his room. My first time. Our first time.
“When did he change his walk up song?” I ask Letty.
She looks at me like I’m crazy. “A few weeks ago,” she replies at the same time Grayson swings and hits the ball to left field!
“Was it before or after Troy’s birthday?” I insist, my mind racing.
“Before, I think.” She turns to look at me, suspicion in her eyes. “Why?”
I don’t meet her gaze. “Just wondering,” I reply, keeping my eyes on him.
“What aren’t you saying?!” Jess laughs.
“I don’t remember him ever having a different song, that’s all.”
That’s not all, but I know I shouldn’t think about wanting more. This is temporary. I know it and he knows it.
Shoving those thoughts away, I watch Grayson round the bases.
A tiny voice in the back of my head keeps pushing the idea that he must have changed his walk-up song after our night together.
The fact that he changed it to the first song that played in his room before we… My heart swells and tears fill my eyes.
I’m lost in my thoughts again when I feel my stomach twist with awareness. I look out at the field again and meet his gaze. Grayson’s on third base now, staring back at me.
Blue eyes meet my green ones. His expression is unreadable at a moment. But then, then he looks from my face down to the jersey I’m wearing. Oh shit—this is definitely an oh shit moment.
I forgot I was wearing it for a second and hold my breath. When his eyes meet mine again, time literally stops until his lips turn up and his dimples appear.
“Holy fucking shit!” someone yells.
“Everyone down the third base line is now pregnant!” another person adds and many in our section laugh.
I’m not laughing. I’m barely breathing. My pulse flutters. There’s an excitement stirring in my chest that I don’t understand and an ache between my legs that I do.
That’s when Grayson does the most unexpected thing; he winks at me. Right there. On the field. With everyone looking at him.
The grumpy pitcher who never smiles. Who’s always focused solely on the game. Who doesn’t do relationships.
“Did you see that?!” some girl shrieks. “Grayson Rhodes just winked at me!”
And I can feel her excitement because it’s the same way I’m feeling. Grayson’s looking at me. Smiling at me. Winking at me. And I’m smiling back.
“Stop distracting the players!” Letty smirks, bumping my shoulder with her own. “Get your head in the game, Gray-Gray!” she yells at him, clapping her hands to get his attention.
He looks from me to her. Schooling his expression, he tips his head, thanking Letty for the reminder. Then, he’s refocused on the game again.
“What did I say about his ass in those pants?” some other girl behind us hollers. And I can’t even be mad because I was thinking the same thing.
It’s the top of the ninth and the guys are up 1-0. The only run came in the bottom of the third when Grayson scored off of Troy’s double.
It hasn’t been an easy game though. Despite having a rough seventh inning where the other team got walked twice and nearly scored, Grayson’s still pitching. It’s been such a dominant performance otherwise.
You got this, Grayson. Just three more outs.
The first batter hits it to Trevor and it’s an easy out. The second batter goes down swinging.
One more out.
Their game, their season, his college career comes down to one last batter. I don’t think I’ve ever been more stressed out during a game.
Before I know it, it’s a full count. Three balls and two strikes.
I hold my breath as I watch Grayson inhale deeply. He winds up, eyes focused on home plate, and he throws. The ball takes forever to travel those 60 feet.
My eyes are on him, on the ball, then on the batter, who swings and misses!
“Strike!” the umpire calls and the stadium erupts into chaos!
They won! The guys won! They’re national champions! Oh my God! They did it! Grayson did it! He struck out the last batter!
I’m cheering like everyone else as Grayson throws his hands in the air. Sammy secures the ball in his back pocket and then he’s running towards him, jumping up and down like everyone else on that field.
Trevor throws his glove up in the air. Troy flings his hat into the night sky. Big Mike is running in from the outfield.
Every player, on the field and from the dugout, is swarming the mound. They’re jumping and screaming and hugging each other!
Everywhere I look, fans, students, parents and faculty, everyone is celebrating. A lot of them have even made their way onto the field.
Letty grabs my hand and I grab Jess. Together, we follow others jumping over a small fence to join the team on the field too.
As we get closer, I notice a lot of the guys are being interviewed.
Sammy’s behind home plate answering questions.
Trevor and Troy are near first base talking to the school paper.
Big Mike is hugging some of the younger players, while Grayson’s being interviewed near the mound.
Bright light and dozens of cameras are in his face. He doesn’t seem fazed though.
With so many people surrounding him that tower over me, it makes it easy to get close and listen to the interview without being seen.
“Congratulations on a fantastic season, Grayson! How are you feeling after winning that game with such a dominant pitching performance?” the reporter asks.
“Thank you, we’ve worked hard to get here.”
He sounds very serious but he’s grinning. During interviews he tends to be very stoic, but not right now.
“You chose not to declare for the draft, what are your plans now that the season’s over?”
“First, I have to find my girl.” My heart beats out of control. My insides twirl and flip and I’m smiling from ear to ear. Some reporters ask for her name and others simply go, “Aww.”
“Then, I’m celebrating with my teammates!” Grayson continues. “We just won the national championship!” Everyone around us cheers and claps. “Finally, my agent has work to do.”
The crowd shifts and murmurs travel through the huddled group. My eyes are wide. Does he mean…
“Do you mean—” The reporter clears her throat. “Are we getting an exclusive here, Grayson?” The reporter’s eyes look a bit manic. “Might this game not be the last of your baseball career?“
Grayson’s smile grows until both dimples are present and accounted for. He looks so happy and carefree. Not sure I’ve ever seen him look that way outside of a bedroom.
“I’m not giving up baseball after graduation,” Grayson replies and my heart stops.
Did I hear him right? He can’t mean that.
If he does, then his father will disinherit and disown him.
Worse, he’ll lose access to The Rhodes Foundation, which when he admitted that, seemed to almost physically hurt him.
Reporters and fans alike are gaping in surprise. I know I am too. I look for Jess and Letty, but I’ve lost them among all the people on the field.
“I’m going to keep playing ball,” Grayson continues and before I can process what this could mean, a million questions are thrown at him. Reporters shove me out to the way to get closer to him.
“Are you playing abroad?” “What teams have you been in talks with?” “Why the change of heart?”
Grayson doesn’t reply to any question, instead, he adds, “I do want to thank my father and The Rhodes Foundation for promising to fund the Lions Baseball program indefinitely, as well as the Men’s and Women’s Soccer Programs, which my mom was a huge fan of!”
Oh my god! He didn’t just do that!
I want to laugh and cry and run to him. Grayson is giving it all up. Everything! To follow his dreams, his own path. And by mentioning the foundation by name, if his father decides not to honor what Grayson just mentioned publicly, his father will be the one who looks bad!
“Thanks everyone,” Grayson waves, walking away towards the dugout, leaving everyone in a tizzy. I try to move towards him, but there’s too many people to cut through.
“Well folks,” the reporter says, “you heard it here first, Grayson Rhodes is not hanging up his cleats. What team will he end up with? Stay tuned as we send it back to the desk for a break down of tonight’s game and this breaking news!”