Better Than Her by Erica Yang

Author:Erica Yang [Yang, Erica]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2015-09-09T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 12: Bad Pitches Happen

Rebecca stood alone on the diamond with a bucket of balls. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d gone out to practice this way—without friends or coaches. She thought of watching Sydney on the diamond the last night at camp. Later, she’d danced with Sydney and ended up making out with Emma. She was pretty sure Emma had been fine with just having fun, but thinking about that night still bothered Rebecca’s conscience.

She’d always said she didn’t want to commit, and that she liked to enjoy being with whoever she was with at the time. Had she really been with Emma, though? She wasn’t sure. A part of her still hadn’t gotten over that moment in Sydney’s arms.

Are you going to do it?

It had been weeks, but she couldn’t get that sentence out of her head. Her feelings at the time still lingered in her chest, ready to reignite any time she thought about Sydney.

It was no good, though. She’d been over that again and again. First, there was the girlfriend. Second, there was Sydney’s compulsive need for competition. And Rebecca wasn’t sure if she even liked Sydney. Sometimes, she thought maybe they could have fun together. Other times, she worried they’d only make each other feel bad.

She flung a ball toward home plate. It bounced on the dirt like a rock skipping in a lake.

“Whoa there. You’re pitching like the guy whose hat you’re wearing.”

She scowled. It wasn’t like Nathan to insult Koji. “Nathan! You’re early.”

“Nope, not early. You’re late. I’ve been waiting in the car for a while, and I finally figured I’d come check on you. The breakfast sandwiches have gotten pretty cold.” He waved a big hand in her direction. “You’ve apparently lost your mind, so I’m glad I walked out here. Should I call the men in white coats?”

“I know that last pitch was bad, but I’m not sure I need to be institutionalized over it.”

“Yeah, sure, bad pitches happen…”

“But?”

“I mean, maybe I need to get my eyes checked, but I could swear…” He pointed at Rebecca’s head.

She cursed and grabbed for the hat. In the early morning darkness, she’d put on Sydney’s Rays cap, not her own Red Sox cap. Which, by the way, Sydney must still have. She’d been gone by the time yesterday’s game ended, and when Rebecca had asked Alyssa Tang about her, she’d only gotten a sour response.

“You weren’t insulting Koji.”

“God, no.”

“I didn’t mean to put this on.”

He folded his arms over his chest and rocked back onto his heels, grinning.

Rebecca smacked his arm lightly. “Don’t give me that face.”

“I seem to remember a pretty cute girl who likes the Rays…”

“Well, it’s not like that. We traded hats yesterday as a joke. I should probably burn this.” Her stomach flipped over as she said that. “But she’d better not burn mine.”

He shrugged and spread his arms. “You didn’t say hello.”

“Well, you started off insulting my pitching.” Rebecca gave him a hug, but pulled away before it passed beyond friendliness.

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