A Lion's Will

Chapter 1 Part 4: A Newcomer Enters the Chat

“I’m just teasing you, Ness.” She says.

I roll my eyes at her, the blush dissipating, “I know besides, we don’t even know if he is available.”

“Who is available?” Warren asks, his voice dangerously close.

Katie turns her deadly attention to Warren, “If you are available, Goodlooking.”

“Me?” He asks.

She nods, “Yeah, we’ve been wondering since girls are practically throwing themselves at you and you haven’t taken a phone number or snapchat one.”

Warren chuckles and tingles radiate down my body. I shake my head pushing my feelings down so that if he isn’t available for snagging I won’t be so disappointed.

“Well, maybe I just haven’t gotten the right offer from the right girl.” He says flashing another quick smile.

Katie grins even wider, “So, there isn’t a mysterious girlfriend back where you came from?”

Warren shakes his head, “No, just a lot of pining girls hoping for an opportunity.”

“A little full of yourself, aren’t you?” I say, a little more pointedly than intended.

He winces but smiles irregardless, “Well, let’s just say I know what I’ve got to offer.”

I roll my eyes and turn my attention elsewhere already done with the conversation, cocky he’s really cocky.

The bus rattles down the road and at some point I must have dozed off staring out of the window because someone is shaking me awake. I open my eyes to see Warren a couple of inches away.

I flinch back, and he backs away with his hands up, “Sorry, no one else was waking you up so I figured I’d give it a whirl.”

“Next time don’t stand so close, I tend to punch first and ask questions later when a stranger wakes me.” I say yawning.

He nods, “I will take that into consideration.”

Katie throws my visor at me. I snag it out of the air and shove it on before pulling myself out of my seat.

“You ready to kick some ass?” She asks, putting two black lines under her eyes.

I nod, throwing a piece of gum in my mouth as we exit the bus. We enter the field looking like hell in cleats and that’s just what we are. Warming up I can tell that the other team's pitcher is nervous by the way she sets her shoulders stiffly. I take a few practice swings while I watch her pitch. She’s good, but she’s not confident in her abilities, and that is going to play to our advantage. Katie sees it too and begins telling the rest of the team to pass it along. Now my job is to make her even more nervous. Katie and I as a pitching and catching duo are unstoppable on the field especially if we know that we make the other team so nervous. But it’s not just us, Sam is one of the best shortstops I’ve ever seen, Karly is a rockstar on third, Mandy is hands down the best first basemen, Rebecca, our second basemen, can read the batter and adjust herself and the rest of the outfield within the first two pitches, and our outfield will eat dirt and climb fences to make the catch. If that wasn’t enough to strike fear into the hearts of any team that we face, we are all utility players, meaning we can move into any position and play just as good.

Coach says we are the most versatile team he has ever coached. We all take pride in that. So, with that in mind when the first batter enters the batter's box and sees my grinning face behind the catching mask I can practically feel their nerves start to fray.

The game goes exactly as planned ending in a twenty five to five score in favor of The Lady Vikings. Our team cheers as we exit the field heading back for the bus. Warren nudges me as we walk.

“So, why are you guys so ridiculously good?” He asks, raising his eyebrows.

I shrug, “We put in the work, we bond as a team, and we trust each other on the field.”

He shakes his head, “No, it’s something more, it’s like you all know what the ball is going to do before its hit, and then position yourselves to make the most efficient play.”

I laugh at him, “We’re not clairvoyant Warren, it’s just easy to guess what the batter is going to swing at after going through the lineup once or twice, and when you trust your team to have your back and make the plays it's just easier.”

Warren shrugs, adjusting the bags that rest on his shoulder, “I guess, but I don’t know. You guys move like a well oiled machine.”

I laugh again, “I guess it would look like that to someone who has just watched us play for the first time.”

He nods, “Maybe, you know your laugh is really nice, you should do it more often. Instead of being an ice queen.”

I feel a blush creep into my cheeks and thank god that it is dark outside. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.” I reply before Katie links her arms through both of ours.

“So, what’re you guys talking about?” She asks, her smile infectious.

“Warren thinks we’re all androids specifically made to play softball, or that we’re clairvoyant.” I say poking fun at him.

Katie laughs, “No, we’re just a really good team.”

He rolls his eyes at us as we reach the bus, “Hey how many of those bags were you carrying?” I ask him as he drops them to the ground with a thump.

He shrugs, “Like five or six.” He says.

My jaw drops a little, “Alright muscles, well hurry up, I wanna go eat before everything closes.”

He laughs and my body hums again, how I wish he would never stop laughing. I turn and follow Katie into the bus.

“So, are you going to flirt back with him, or are you that blind?” She asks, inspecting her fingernails in the bus lights.

I laugh at her, “Warren isn’t flirting with me, he’s just being nice.” I say.

Katie rolls her eyes, “Ness, he’s single, you’re hot, and he couldn’t stop looking at you all of the game. Even when you were spitting sunflower seeds into the dirt.”

“He was not.” I retort, rolling my eyes at her before sinking into my seat.

“Fine, I’ll make you a deal, if I can prove that Warren likes you and that he is going to ask you out at some point, then you have to accept and you have to let me drive the Impala to school and to the cafe from practice.” She says, extending her hand towards me.

I think it over for a minute, “Fine, but it’s never going to happen, guys like Warren don’t go for girls like me. They go for girls like…well like you.” I say motioning between us.

We shake hands and Katie gives me another Cheshire grin that is beginning to make me think I made the wrong decision. “Oh, Vanessa, how wrong you are.” She says.

Warren ducks into the bus and I plop down in my seat before pulling my headphones on. We pull up into a Mcdonald's parking lot and I turn to grab my wallet out of my bag, but I can’t seem to find it. I turn my bag over in my seat and even check inside my cleats, but nothing. I turn to look at Katie only to find her seat already empty.

“What’s wrong?” Warren asks, standing next to my seat.

I shake my head, “Katie thinks she’s being funny and took my wallet.”

“Oh well, are you sure it didn’t fall out of your bag at the field?” He asks, dropping down to look on the floor under my seat.

“No, I always leave it in the inside pocket that zips closed.” I tell him absolutely convinced that Katie has my wallet.

“Why would Katie take your wallet though?” He asks as he stands back up and dusts his hands off.

I shrug and feel a light blush creep into my cheeks, “Because she thinks that you have a thing for me, which is insane since you don’t even know me.”

Warren looks down at me with a slight rise in his eyebrow, “Huh, interesting, and you don’t think that someone could be interested in you, why?”

I shrug, “If you knew me then you’d know why. I’m sure someone will tell you eventually.”

“Why don’t you tell me?” He says slightly blocking my path with his massive build.

I raise my eyebrow up at him, “You’ll have to be around for more than twelve hours for that. Plus, the rumors are so much more interesting. Just ask Juliana, I’m sure she’ll tell you anything you could possibly want to know.”

“No, I prefer to hear everything from the source.” He says standing firm when I try to sneak past him.

“Why are you so interested?” I ask, meeting his determined gaze with one of my own.

Warren lets an absolutely stunning smile slide onto his features and I almost forgot that we’re on a bus in public, and oh yeah that we’re supposed to be friends.

“Because I’m trying to be your friend, but it’s really hard to be friends with someone you don’t know.” He says, leaning into my seat to let some of the remaining girls slide past him.

I give him a small smile, “Well, friend you forget that I don’t know much about you either.”

He nods before moving out of my way with a wave of his hand, “Fair enough, why don’t we get to know each other first.”

I nod feeling a knot tighten in my chest, “Sounds good to me.” I say fully intending to tell him nothing of what happened between me and Jesse.

We enter the restaurant and I make a beeline for Katie. She smiles at me when I reach her with my hands on my hips.

“Hand it over.” I tell, her my hand extended towards her.

She crosses her arms, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

I glare down at her, “Katrina, give it back.”

Her smile fades and she reaches into her hoodie pocket and pulls my wallet out, “Here, I’m sorry. It was just a joke.”

I take my wallet and go to stand in line. Warren steps in behind me, and I’m fully aware of how close he is standing. Once I’ve ordered I pay for my food and go to sit with Katie and Sam.

“I really am sorry.” Katie says, crossing her arms protectively over her chest.

I sigh, “It’s fine, and I appreciate what you’re trying to do, but I’m good.”

Katie gives a smile, “I know what I’m talking about Ness.”

“Katie, seriously just drop it.” I say feeling my anger rise at her persistence.

She looks me dead in my eyes, “Never.”

I roll my eyes at her, “Fine.”

“Drop what?” Warren asks inches away from my ear.

I jump slightly and goose bumps raise on my arms. “Nothing.” I say scooting over for him to sit in the big booth with the rest of us.