Early Saturday morning, all three levels of baseball at our school loaded into the same bus. I was surprised to see so many players especially when it was just earlier this week they were telling me that we travel with the girls varsity team.
I turned to Noah for an explanation, but as a freshman like me, he didn't know either. That only left us with the twins. Zeke had already went straight to the school to start his testing.
"Lassen Union is an all boys school." Kyle answered us. "So of course we wouldn't need to travel with the girls. They probably have an off day or something. Normally they would play an all girls school on days like this, but I don't see a bus for them."
"Oh." Noah replied. "An all boys school? They must be pretty decent then right?"
"Obviously." Dave snorted from his seat next to Kyle. They took up one seat on the bus, with me and Noah right behind them. "There's a reason Coach said to take this seriously. Lassen Union is a private school that allows for special exemptions like athletes. Even though they're not in our league, I would say they're on par with us, maybe slightly worse since we have someone like Zeke."
I swallowed a little harder than normal. "But...we don't have Zeke for today's game."
The three of them got quiet. Only the sounds of the other players loading the bus and finding their seats surrounded us.
I tried changing the topic after spotting some familiar classmates. I looked at a few that sat in the back of our morning classes. "Hey Noah, why don't you converse with the other freshmen baseball players?" It's strange now that I think about it. Noah was very popular and friendly...Shouldn't he hang out with other ball players more often?
Kyle frowned, and Dave rolled his eyes while replying, "Kids these days...nothing but a bunch of brats."
I blinked, surprised that Dave had said something with so much venom in his tone. "I don't get it."
Noah sighed. "I'm not bothered by it anymore. They'll realize how small-minded they are in a couple of years when they make varsity." He looked to me and gave a weak smile. "There's some animosity since I was the only freshman to make varsity."
"The rumors of nepotism came about after the teams were decided." Kyle told me. "Some can't see why Noah made varsity while they have to start at the lowest levels. Some were even cut from the team even though we don't really go to a big school."
I looked at Noah sympathetically.
Noah shoved me away. "I don't need your pity, Jake. It's over. That was all last semester stuff. This semester you made the team and that's good enough to rub in their face.
"But-they were your friends, weren't they?" I asked. "You played little league unlike me. Plus you probably grew up with them."
By Noah's visible flinch, I knew I hit the mark. Dave and Kyle also conveniently turned and sat down properly in their seats. Noah glanced out the window, looking down on some players who have yet to board. There was a trio laughing at something the fourth had said.
"It's okay. Like I said, I'm over it. When they make varsity, they'll realize the level they have to be to make the team. I got here with my own hard work. I know that." Noah looked back at me. "You're the only friend I need."
My heart warmed up and tears threatened to fall.
Noah laughed at my plight and didn't even off a tissue or napkin. "What a sap you are. Come on now that's nothing new. Use your sleeves to wipe your eyes, silly. Really now. Stop being such a baby for little things like this."
I pulled my sweatshirt sleeve over my fingers and dabbed the corner of my eyes. Noah always made me feel welcomed since day one, hour one. I was happy that he became my best friend, but I also feel bad that his friends had left him because he's more outstanding.
After clearing up my face, the bus had finally loaded up and we started to take off. This time with three teams aboard, a lot more players had to stack up to three a seat. This duty fell on the freshmen team and the JV team. At first I felt guilty, but then I remembered that Noah's friends ditched him for rumors.
The trip was a little less than an hour as we headed towards the coast and not the mountains, thankfully. As the bus driver took us to our destination, Coach stood up and announced that each team would play at the same time on their own respective fields. This drew a lot of attention to Lassen Union...they could afford just as much as a public school like ours. And we were on the nicer end from what I've seen so far.
Coach then asked for the varsity players attention as he officially announced the lineup.
1 SS Noah Atkins
2 2B Jake Hollander
3 CF Mahki Holstrom
4 LF Garret Knudsen
5 RF Brian Swoope
6 3B Jason Morris
7 1B Sean Isner
8 C Kelvin Bender
9 P James Lohr
With this, only one-third of the starters were seniors: Mahki, Kelvin, and James. And James would be rotating with the other pitchers, who I knew weren't all seniors. Without Julian and Zeke, the team had lost its mature vibe. Even Tony was benched after starting the last two games. It would be a new look.
We arrived at the school and started to file off the bus, grabbing our bags from the lower department. Like at our school, Lassen Union had a clubhouse behind each dugout for changing and preparation. Only for the varsity field though. The lower levels still had to change in the locker rooms and then head to their own field.