Secrets Of Third Base

9

Getting the swing of being the away team is a little more challenging than being at home. While the other team is polite, it's immediately made known they are the visitors. This doesn't seem to faze the guys. I mean, how could it when 50% of the games are away like this.

It gets a little rougher after they've won the first two games. The passing conversations cease, and the kind gestures fade.

The Hotshots stay in their lane.

The third game is closer than the first two. Cade is playing out of his skin. Even for him.

It's tied late in the 7th inning when Cade knocks the second of the game out of the park with 2 outs and 2 on base when things start to get really heated.

"Fuck you, Belmount." The Catcher from the other team shouts. It's followed by more profanity and then "It doesn't fucking mean anything when you have a little crybaby ass tantrum every other fucking game you entitled ass little bitch."

The umpire tries to step in, but soon enough Cam is up in his face too.

They're shouting at eachother, and the catcher pushes Cam on the shoulder and Cam starts to shove back.

"And guess what, you've been demoted three times because you can't even get a fuckin base hit." Cam taunts.

They begin shoving again except this time it escalates.

Cade is pushed into the corner of the dugout. Brooke can see the goosebumps on his arms from where she is standing.

Both players end up being tossed.

Cade tries to flag Cam down as he leaves the field, but his eyes are locked on the door and he doesn't budge.

And that's it. Cade starts to shut down then and there.

The dynamic changes after that. In the end, they still end up squeezing out the win, but just barely.

Cade looks more defeated than anyone. The rest of the guys start to perk up, giving high fives and fist bumps on the bus ride to the hotel. They all slap Cam on the back when he makes his way down the isle.

He ruffles Cade's hair when he goes by. He leans down next to him. They're whispering something she can't hear. Cade smiles a little. He probably feels guilty that Cam got thrown out because of him, or at least that's probably how he sees it.

They get back to the hotel and go into thier respective bedrooms. She does note that everyone seems to have a roommate except for Cade.

She had seen something in his file about needing private accommodations. She thought it just had to do with the celebrity attitude she thought he had. She figures now that that probably isn't the case at all.

Given the interaction they'd had on the plane a few days prior, it's not exactly a surpise when there is a knock on her bedroom door at 2am. However it's still instinct to grab the pepper spray she keeps next to her bed when she approaches the door.

She looks through the eyelet to see a very sad looking Cade standing outside.

She's wearing a long t shirt and shorts, but no bra and her hair is probably a mess and there's a good chance there is a line of drool strung down her neck but she still opens it without hesitation.

She doesn't even have to say anything.

She just moves aside and allows him to walk through the open space.

"Rough night?" She asks.

Cade nods. He looks exhausted. He probably hasn't slept at all in the two hours they've been back at the hotel.