Chapter 38

"What's he doing here?"

"Tony, in the dugout," Coach Calloway said quickly.

"But..."

"Tony, now!"

Reluctantly I walked over to the dugout and sat down.

"What now?" Robbie asked.

"Check out Lake's coaching staff," I said nodding toward the first base dugout. She looked, and her eyes got wide.

"What's he doing here?"

"That was my question." I waited for Coach Calloway to come back. Okay, I didn't just wait, I pouted.

"Okay, here's the deal," the coach said when he came back. Ricky and the rest of the team had joined us on the bench. "Lake's coach, Bill Seguerra, is out for a week because of his appendix. Coach Rich is taking over."

"Why?" Robbie and I said together. "Isn't he suspended?" I added.

"His suspension ended last week. And apparently everyone else had other commitments or didn't want the job." The coach looked straight at me. "Everyone on the field, let's get infield."

The team ran out, but Robbie and I sat.

"Let's play some ball, Tony."

Before I could decide how to answer, Robbie pulled me to my feet and tugged me toward the field. I took my place at short as the coach started hitting to the outfield.

"Look, they all throw like girls," Rich said loudly as Calvin threw the ball into me. I fired and accidently missed Ricky at first base. Coach Rich jumped out of the way just before the ball smashed into the screen in front of the dugout.

Rich glared and I shrugged.

A couple minutes later I missed again. Rich charged over to the umpire. I saw the coach gesturing wildly and the umpire shaking his head and shrugging.

The rest of our infield went smoothly as Rich stayed close to one or the other of the umpires. Lake had already taken infield, so as we finished, Jake took the mound and started throwing warm-up pitches. Chet yelled "Coming down!" and after the next pitch fired to Robbie at second. The throw was perfect. Robbie caught it about a foot over the ground and slapped it down on the bag.

Robbie tossed the ball to me. I should have fired to Ricky, but I didn't. I held the ball several seconds, then looked at Robbie. "I can't do this," I said quietly.

"Don't. Not for me."

I smiled at my best friend. "It's not about you. Not anymore." I walked across the field to Rich, standing in the third base coach's box. I dropped the ball at his feet and kept going toward the dugout.

I hadn't noticed Butz and Mr. Reed in the bleachers until they walked onto the field. "Get back out there," Butz ordered.

"Not happening." I kept going past them toward the dugout.

"You walk off this field and you won't play ball again," Butz yelled.

I stopped and turned. I looked around the field. Everyone was staring at Butz and me. The whole situation felt familiar, and I realized that I hadn't changed since Parker and the locker room. I nodded. "Okay."