Chapter 6
Now that Kuki was gone, they needed ANOTHER back-up player. So Emma finally agreed.
"Alright team!" Kacey said at practice. "After this, we have one more game to decide who wins!"
"Yes! It's totally gonna be us!" David said. "I can feel it."
"Sure..." Christian said.
"OK, let's go!" Emma said. She and Abby began hitting balls back and forth.
"Hey, Wally?" Raleigh asked. "You OK?"
Wally was sitting on the sidewalk, a piece of paper in his hand. He sighed, then looked up.
"Ya, ya. I'm fine." He said.
"Well, then, c'mon, we're practicing." Raleigh pointed over to the team. Megan pitched a ball to David. It nailed him in the stomach, and he toppled over. Christian and Emma went to see what happened, and then Kacey told Megan this is why she wasn't catcher the night Hoagie was injured.
"I, um, uh..." Wally stuttered. Raleigh sat down next to him.
"I know what you're going through." She said.
"What?" Wally asked. "You couldn't know! My girlfriend just quit the team because of me! And joined the other team!"
Raleigh sighed. "I mean I've gone through the dating thing."
"Really?" Wally asked.
"Yup. In preschool."
Wally facepalmed. "Whatever." He sighed.
Raleigh glanced at the picture. It was a drawing of him and Kuki. Raleigh felt really bad. She smiled.
"C'mon, champ, let's go play ball." Raleigh helped him up.
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Finally, the day of the next game arrived. The Hyenas walked in, Wally leading them.
"How'd you get him to cheer up?" Kiki asked Raleigh.
"You wouldn't understand." Raleigh said. "Kid stuff."
So the game began, and the Hyenas were fielding. Wally stood on the pitcher's mound. Over in the Tornados' box, he could see Sak. His hideous, huge smile was open.
Then, a girl with a three on her jersey stepped by home plate. Her face was sad.
Wally looked at her. Kuki.
"I… can't do it..." Wally said.
"C'mon!” Kacey yelled. “Just throw it!”
Wally closed his eyes, and then chucked the ball.
He managed to aim for home plate, but it hit Kacey.
Kacey was shoved back by the ball’s force, and landed into the umpire. The two toppled over.
Kuki kneeled down to their aid, and Wally ran over to home plate.
“You guys OK?” Kuki asked.
Kacey looked up. “Fine.” She got up, and then helped the umpire up.
Kuki looked at Wally. “I’m sorry.” She said. “I never should have criticized you.”
“Well, I was kinda bossy.” Wally said.
Kacey immediately grabbed the umpire’s microphone headset and held it in between Kuki and Wally.
“I never should have left the team.” Kuki took off the batting helmet.
“I never should have worked you guys too hard.” Wally said.
“Ya got that right.” Kacey muttered.
Kuki hugged Wally, and the crowd awed.
“Oh wow.” Megan said. “Pukifying.”
“Isn’t love beautiful?” The umpire asked Kacey.
“Ya, if you’re looking to induce someone to vomit.” She answered.
“Hey! Lay your hands off my best teammate, Wallabee!” Sak yelled, running toward them.
“Ya, continue the game!” Emma yelled.
Kuki kissed Wally’s cheek, and then put her helmet back on. She grabbed her bat.
Wally ran back to the pitcher’s mound, blushing. He put on his mitt and was tossed a ball. Kuki winked at him, and then he threw the ball.
By the end of the game, the Tornados won.
“Good try.” Kuki said.
“You too. You won.” Wally said.
Raleigh came over. She whispered something to her team except Wally.
“You want us to vomit?” Christian yelled.
“You wanna win the World Series?” Raleigh snapped.
“Fine. If it gets Wally back to normal, I’m in.” David said.
Everyone else agreed.
“OK.” Raleigh said. He stood behind Wally as he was talking with Kuki. Kiki stood behind Kuki. They nodded to each other, pushing the kids in towards the other. This resulted to a kiss.
Both blushing, the two stood there, lip-to-lip. Then, Kuki grabbed Wally’s head, like their first kiss.
“Anyone got a doggy bag?” Kacey asked. She grabbed Megan. “GIVE ME YOUR HAT!”
“Ewww, no.” Megan said.
The crowd awed, and Sak was PISSED. He walked up to Kacey, Raleigh, and Emma.
“If this,” He pointed to the couple. “Is gonna distract them, they need to break up! I need Kuki focused!”
“And this is the only way to keep Wally focused!” Raleigh argued.
“Fine, but this kiss will be their last!” Sak yelled. He was inches away from Kacey’s face. Then, all three girls nailed him in the stomach.
“Don’t try to ruin my cousin’s love life.” Kacey told him. “I may not like watching it, but if he’s happy… I’m happy.”
Emma smirked. “Get a life.”
When Kuki broke away, she smiled. She put her hands on Wally’s shoulders.
“Bye.” She said. She went back to the box.
“Bye, Kuki…” Wally replied.
Sak winced, and went over to Megan. “Call me.” He said weakly. He limped over to their box, then to their limo.
“Hey, um, thanks for sticking up for me.” Wally told the team.
“No problem!” David said, ruffling Wally’s hair. “We’d do it for anyone.”