Love & Softball
Title: Love & Softball
Author: BrennaAimee
Pairing: Callie/Arizona
Rating: PG 13
Summary: Callie transfers to a new high school from one where she is a softball star. Can she prove she belongs on this new team? Can she impress her new captain . . . in more ways than one?
Disclaimer: All television shows, books, movies, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work and the characters, events, and settings thereof are the properties of their respective owners. This is for entertainment purposes only, no profit is being made.
A/N: Little nervous about this fic. Let me know what you think! Constructive criticism is more than welcome. Not all reviews have to be good. =)
There were two things Callie Torres knows for a fact. Number one. . . moving in the middle of the school year and leaving her friends sucks. Number two. . . moving when softball season is about to start and she is the all star pitcher, with scouts coming to watch this season, makes it even worse.
Callie's dad is the sole bread-winner in the house, He makes enough money so Callie's mom never has to work and the family is still well taken care of. Callie has always loved this about her life. Her and her sister are spoiled to say the least. Only now, has she found a huge downfall in this arrangement. Callie's father, Carlos, is the chief executive of a major company. When the company decided to relocate its' main headquarters they needed their head executive in the new location. Carlos was more than happy to accept the offered position. He figured his family can use the change in scenery and doing this comes with many benefits. He will get a new company car and they can get a bigger house with more land.
Carlos knows that his daughters will have a hard time leaving their friends. Aria is upset to leave the tennis players and Callie is upset to leave her softball team behind, but the school they will be enrolled in has more recruiters looking into their sports teams. He has also talked to the guidance counselors at her high school, and at the new high school, and they informed him the coach at the new school said he would allow Callie to do a late try out. Although his daughters are mad now he knows it is what is best for his family.
Callie's P.O.V
"Mija, can I talk to you for a minute?" Carlos asked as I was finishing packing up.
"I guess."
"Look, I know your upset about the move. I know you don't want to leave your friends and the softball team, but I know this is what's best for us. I want you to understand that I would never do anything to mess up your life. You and Aria mean the world to me and I only have your best interest at heart."
"Dad, scouts were coming to watch me play this year. That's a huge deal I'm only a junior and they were by-passing the seniors to watch ME."
"I know Mija. The school you are going to be enrolled in has more scouts to watch them than your school does now. You will have more opportunities and better ones at that."
"But. . . ." I cut off. Tears threatening to escape.
"What is it? You can talk to me."
"What if. . . what if I'm not good enough. I know I'm the star of my team here. What if I can't even make the team there. The team wins games, not a single player. What if the only reason I am as good as I am is because I have my team. We understand each other, we know what the other is going to do with just a look." I never wanted to express these doubts but its been all I could think about since I heard about the new try outs and moving. Softball really is my dream.
"Is this really what you're worried about?" He asked. I could tell it was hurting him to see me like this. He hates seeing me hurting.
All I could do was nod and lean onto his shoulder while crying. He grabbed me by my shoulders to make me look him in the eyes after a few minutes of letting me sob.
"Listen to me, if this has what's got you so concerned you need to let that go. You are a Torres and we excel. You are a rock star and you know it. You are an amazing player all on your own. The fact you know and willingly admit that the team wins the game and not the individual makes you an even better player and an amazing addition to any team. The team may understand you here, but anywhere you go you can make people understand you. You have a God given talent and no one can get in your way. I have no doubt in my mind that you will make that team and scouts will be watching you every step of the way. So you are going to go to that school and show that coach, that team, and those scouts how bad-ass Torres's are, you understand me?"
"Yes Sir." I said trying to suppress my giggle through my tears. Daddy always knows how to make me feel better and boost my confidence, and like he said I am bad-ass and I will have to show everyone just that. "Thanks Dad, I love you." I say while hugging him tight.
"Love you too Mija, make sure that you have everything. We are going to be leaving in a few hours."
|At the new house|
"You want to go rearrange our rooms? You know the movers probably screwed them up." Aria said laughing.
"Yeah we have to fix that mess."
I quickly got to work moving my bed and dresser the way I wanted them, hanging up posters, a couple of bands and a couple of my idol ,Lisa Fernandez, around the room, and rearranging my walk in closet. I had my iHome on full blast, music always helps me think and get done with things quicker. My father already had my room painted baby blue with black trim, my favorite colors.
"Girls!" I hear my mother yell from down the hall. "Your father wants to see you downstairs."
"Ok Ma" My sister and I yell in unison, I turn off my music and run downstairs.
"What's up Dad?" Aria asks.
"I just thought we should take a walk on the land. There is a lot more property here than we had in New York. I think you will be pleasantly surprised at how much room you have." Dad tells us.
"If you say so." I reply rolling my eyes, I don't know why he thinks this will make me happy.
We set out to walk the yard. 'This place is huge' I think. We soon see a fenced in area and realize that it is a singles tennis court.
"Daddy. . . Is that ours?" Aria inquires.
"Yes baby girl, I had it made for you so you can keep practicing and maybe if you get on the tennis team here you can bring a teammate to practice."
With those words Aria has grabbed my arm and we are running full speed to the court. We always work on our respective sports together to help each other improve our game and having a practice space will make everything so much easier. Aria surveys the court. The net is regulation, the court is the right size, and everything is perfect.
"Maybe this won't be that bad Cal." I can tell she is really pleased with the court and I don't want to make a sarcastic remark to spoil her happiness, so I opt not to say anything.
"Calliope." I hear my father yell.
"Yes Papa."
"Walk with me Mija"
I walk with my dad about fifty yards and see a shed. Dad hands me key and tells me to open it. Inside holds all my softball equipment on one side and Aria's tennis equipment on the other. In the back was the heavy equipment we have for practice. My pitching machine for softball, Aria's tennis machine, and my throw back net for practicing pitching. It has my favorite bats lining my side of the shed along with five five gallon buckets of regulation sized softballs. I hear Aria run up and gasp as she enters the shed.
"Its like a sports Barbie dream house." Aria jokes.
All I can do is laugh. Dad pulls me out of the shed and has me walk another twenty yards before coming to another fenced in area. That is longer and rectangle shaped.
"Your own personal batting cage. You can get your pitching machine out and hit or you can get your net and practice pitching. There are two pitching mounds in there. One is high school and one is professional regulation." He tells me.
"Thank you." I say tears welling up in her eyes. My dad really will do anything to make my sister and I happy. I am really greatful for what he has done for us. I decide to try out optimism and think 'Maybe Aria is right, maybe this won't be that bad.'