6

The next week, the practice started with Stefanie and Nora having a screaming contest. As usual, Stefanie was being a rude, big-mouth snob. As usual, Nora was calling her out.

Grigor called from the sideline.

"Nora. Over here."

We stood frozen as we didn't expect Nora to be in trouble. We expected Stefanie.

Nora marched across to Grigor with her chin jutting forward, defiant. She didn't like being bossed around by anyone.

"Why are you calling me?" Nora said defensively.

"Because you're a talented baseball player," Grigor said, which surprised her.

"Huh?"

"You're so busy going off at Stefanie, you don't play a proper game," Felik added. "Look, don't waste time yelling at her."

Then Grigor spun around and bellow across the field.

"Stefanie, quit whining and throw the ball!" Then he swung back to Nora with a grin, "Yelling at her is my job, not yours. Now concentrate on your own game, okay?"

Nora peered at Grigor carefully and then she nodded. "Okay."

It wasn't hard to figure out what the coaches were up to at training. They were picking out one kid at a time and working on their strengths and weaknesses.

They worked out some special tricks for Susan.

"We will use your height and power to our advantage," Felik said. I knew that they could never ask her to run fast like Melissa, but she could block access to the bases with sheer body size. And with her mighty hand, she'd shoot the ball like it was from a canon.

The fact that Rosie was so off-the-air really threw the two coaches. When she danced around the field, Grigor would shake his head.

"What's the matter, Rosie?" asked Felik. "You're here to play baseball, not sing karaoke songs, girl."

"Sorry," Rosie said with a sheepish grin. "I can't help it. Singing calms me down."

"Yeah?" Felik said and then pressed his lips hard together, thinking. "What if...what if we select a song to help you with the game. Like, you hum to help keep your brain awake."

"What song?"

Grigor smiled. He hardly ever smiled.

"The Victory Song," he said. Felik laughed and started singing it. All I could hear from where they stood was:

'Each girl stands, her head so proudly high,

Her motto 'Do or Die'

She's not the one to use or need an alibi.'

The only problem now was we needed another catcher. After the three weeks of pre-season training, the coaches still hadn't found anyone.

Charlotte turned up with her camera to the next Thursday night's training and the Thursday after that. She still recorded the Firsts' training session, but she set her gear up in a spot with a good view of the Rejects too.

Olive was a professional snooper.

"Hey, Darci," she said, winking and flicking her head to the direction of Charlotte.

"Is a wasp trying to sting you? What is up with your head?" I asked. She gave me a sour look.

"Have you ever wondered if she's interested in you or the gay Russian baseball-crazed coaches?" she wondered out loud.

"Olive! What garbage are you chucking out of your mouth?"

"I merely observe," she said with a shrug then walked away with her hands up in the air. Very innocent.

~*~

At lunchtime, we went to the cafeteria. It had the best sausages, which lined up on the grill, sizzling and sputtering hot fat. In charge of the club's cafeteria barbecue was April. April didn't play softball. She just helped out her mom while she ran the food hall.

Training had finished in the morning but I put off going home. I mooched over the cafeteria and ordered a sausage. April wedged it into a bread roll and handed it to me. I took a bite, the grease squelching down the corner of my mouth. Charlotte Grace appeared beside me.

"Hi, Darci," she said. My cheeks were bulging like a squirrel and I couldn't respond to her, but she just smiled.

"Enjoy it," she simply said. "I love the sausages here too."

I nodded, trying to swallow the mouthful so that I could stop embarrassing myself. I wondered if it was just me who got embarrassed when people caught me eating. Charlotte gave the same order as mine to April, who took only a few seconds to hand it over.

"You worked hard at training," Charlotte said again, turning to look at me. I didn't expect her to notice, but she did, and it felt kind of nice to hear. I wiped my mouth with a napkin then nodded.

"Our coaches, Felik and Grigor, are working hard for us," I said and watched Charlotte Grace chewing. The grease on her lips just enhanced their plumpness.

Oh, stop, Darci, stop staring!

"They look very cool," Charlotte said. Suddenly, we saw Felik and Grigor came in. They walked towards me and sat down to my right.

"Darci, sorry to interrupt, but just a quick word," Felik said. "Me and Grigor have been discussing. We want you to be the captain of the team."

My eyes bugged out, horrified.

"Me?" I said. "Why me?"

"I have reasons for you," said Felik. "First, you're a good player and can win respect from the others..."

"But what about Stefanie and Nora?" I protested. Charlotte was looking at us in fascination.

"Good players too, but I haven't finished the list of reasons yet. You keep your cool. You see the big picture - not just your own play. And something else...a good judgment, a big heart, I guess."

I felt my face redden. From the corner of my eyes, Charlotte was smiling. But I did not feel worthy of such praises. They hadn't known that this Darci Bloom was planning to give up baseball.

The coaches told me to think about it and then they went to find a table for themselves.

"You should take the role, Darci," Charlotte said. "Why did you hesitate?"

"I'm not really - hmm," I stammered. "I'm not even into softball anymore. I think I might quit."

"Huh?" she tipped her blonde head on one side like a curious bird and stared at me so hard it made me blush.

"Yeah, I don't know," I said with a shrug.

"Well, whatever you see fit," she said. "But to me, I think baseball suits you. Besides the uniform looks great."

Charlotte gave me a once over and then a sweet smile. I was still blinking at all this when we heard a roar behind us. We spun around to see a ball flying off the field at lightning speed. It was headed straight through the opening in the window of the cafeteria.

Behind the counter, April's mom squealed and ducked. Any second the ball was going to break whatever at work in the kitchen, break the glass or bottles or tip over the saucepan.

But then I felt a rush of air beside me. It was April whooshing through space. She rushed from her position behind the sausage sizzle hotplate and stepped on the chair before launching off sideways towards the ball. She seemed to be suspended in mid-air, waiting, until the ball landed with a dull thud in her palm. It was the single most amazing save I'd ever seen.

I looked at Felik and Grigor. I knew exactly what they were thinking, and they knew I knew.

"April," I whispered to them before they even asked what this girl's name was.