8 Take Me Out

Eight take me out. HARRIS CONTINUED TO WORRY about the future of their friendship. One afternoon, on the ride home following another Chargers victory, Harris's parents surprised him. "How would you like to go to see the Newtown Knights?" his mom said, holding up a handful of tickets.

The Newtown Knights were the local professional minor-league team. Many players from the Knights went on to play in the major leagues. Their stadium was just a few miles from where Harris lived. "Wow!" Harris said, smiling for the first time in days. "That's so cool!"

"We've loved taking you to see the Knights ever since you were little," his mom said. "That's where I learned to love baseball!" Harris replied, feeling his mood lifting for the first time in a while. "And we got enough tickets for Roxy and Zeke to come, too!" his dad added.

Harris's mood sank again. He felt nervous. He really hadn't spent much time with Zeke lately, apart from on the field. "Great," he said half-heartedly.

About a week later, Harris, Roxy, and Zeke piled into the backseat of Harris's parents' car. His mom and dad rode up front. "I can't wait to see Dylan Williams," Roxy said. "He's my favorite player." "Why do you like Dylan Williams so much?" Zeke asked.

"Well, he has the most home runs in the league," Harris jumped in. "He steals lots of bases, and he's a great shortstop. That's why Roxy likes him, since she plays shortstop, too." "That's true," Roxy added. "But I also like him because he's not a cheater." Zeke's eyes opened wide. He looked past Roxy, who sat between the two boys, right at Harris. Could he have said something to Roxy? Zeke wondered.