The Line Drive

epilogue

Dane

I step out of the dugout, swinging the bat slightly in my hand. The pitcher is talking to the ref. More likely the ref is chewing out the pitcher for almost hitting one of our players in the head. "You got this." Noah calls to me. It's the bottom of the ninth inning, we're down by two, and I've hit for shit the whole game. We've got two players on base, two outs, and their pitcher seems to be on a roll. 

I've been trying to scan the stands for Mackenzie the whole game, because I know that she's here, but I haven't found her yet. I figure she'll be sitting by herself, since her roommates don't seem to be big fans of baseball. Also, it's an away game. Only an hour drive from school, but still, a commitment. 

Finally, I find her. She's in the first row, and the reason I didn't see her is because she's sandwiched in between my father and Mellie, on one side, and Henry and Jadyn, on the other. She's wearing a large smile, and nodding along to something my father is saying.

He looks relaxed, and by some odd miracle, he's also smiling. Mackenzie sees me looking and gives me a double thumbs up. Jadyn blows me a kiss, Henry waves, my step-mom smiles, and my father mimics Mackenzie's thumbs up. The two of them getting along is still mind-boggling to me. I think he might like her more than he likes me. 

I step up to the plate as the umpire walks away from the mound. The pitcher and I make eye contact, and then I let myself relax, feeling my breath, feeling the slight breeze tickle my cheeks. The throw is hard and fast, and as I swing, I'm thinking I'm hitting a line drive down left-center.

Instead, my bat collides with the ball just right, and I feel the solid impact. I throw the bat and take off sprinting, but I hear the booing and the cheering, and look up just in time to see my ball sail over the fence.

A home run. Game over.

"Sawyer! Sawyer! Sawyer!" I hear Noah chanting from the dugout. I ease myself into a jog, and watch as my teammates run through home. Their pitcher looks fucking pissed. Rightfully so. I can't keep the smile off my face as I cross home.

I look at Mackenzie and point at her. She's standing on her feet, clapping, cheering, and jumping up and down. Henry, on her other side is yelling into his hands. Jadyn has both of his hands up and is just outright screaming, his face tilted up slightly towards the sky. He looks like a madman. Mellie is choosing the more-demure route of clapping. My eyes finally land on my father. 

He's standing as well. He gives me the a-okay symbol, a massive smile plastered across his face. And I hear his voice, out of all of the noise. "Yeah! Dane!" Someone behind them says something and my dad turns around, suddenly looking pissed. 

Both Mackenzie and my step-mom grab him, say something, and he turns back around, shaking his head. Probably ready to fight some fan from the other team. 

I can't wipe the grin off my face as my team floods out of the dugout and surrounds me. Noah flings his arm around my shoulders. "Fucking incredible man." 

"Did you know they were all coming?" I demand, as I get slapped on the back repeatedly. Noah rolls his eyes.

"It was a surprise." Noah mutters, as if I'm the slowest person alive. 

"Did Mackenzie know?" Noah shrugs. "Did they invite you to dinner?" The smile he gives me is enormous.

"Of course." He tells me. "I'm your best friend." 

Everything is a blur as we leave the field, shower, and get dressed. Noah informs me that we're riding home with my family and Mackenzie, instead of the team, and then drags me out of the away-team locker room.