673 V2 ch145

The car ride back to the school was quiet. Extremely silent. Rhys didn't play the radio, nor did we talk. It was only the sound of the road. It was dark and street lights would flash into the car. 

I stared out the window with a heavy heart. 

I had done another round against all three pitchers, doing another three at-bats for each one. It wasn't pretty. I fouled a lot more and got at least a dribbler to the pitcher for one at-bat, but overall...I sucked. 

Rhys drove the thirty minutes back to the school and parked his car. We got out and started the walk back to the dorm building. 

"Jake." Rhys stopped suddenly. 

I paused and looked back at him. "Yea?"

"Are you okay? You're real quiet right now." He sighed. "I didn't mean for all that to happen. I thought...you would..."

"That I would what?" I asked, frowning. 

"That you would like...I don't know." He sighed. "I thought you would like it. Going up against better pitchers."