The Perfect Game (The Perfect Game 1)

I suck, I suck, I suck.

I overheard one scout ask another, “What did you clock him to first?” Referring to Jack’s base running speed from home plate to first base.

The other scout glanced at his stopwatch. “Four point one. ” The first scout nodded his head in agreement and scribbled down more notes.

The photographer in me couldn’t hold out any lo

nger. I zoomed in on Jack’s hands, now covered in batting gloves as he stepped away from second base with three long strides. Click. The dark of his eyes, now shadowed from his helmet, gave him an almost ominous appearance. Click.

“Gonna make a Jack photo album for yourself later?” Melissa flicked a finger at my shoulder as she teased me.

“You’re the one who said I needed to work on my action shots!” I whisper-shouted.

“I didn’t say they all had to be of Jack. ”

“Shit. ” I snapped the lens cap on and quickly flipped the power button into the Off position, where it stayed for the remainder of the game.

When it finally ended, Jack had pitched all nine innings and only gave up one run and three hits. The final score was eight to one, us. I grabbed my camera and shoved it into my purse before looking back at the team celebrating on the field. The coach pulled Jack aside and escorted him over to the press area where he was besieged by reporters, scouts, and fans.

Jack glanced up from the field and directly into my eyes. That single look stopped me in my tracks, and I was slammed into by the man walking behind me. Jack smiled and turned his attention back toward the cameras and journalists.

FOUR

I strolled through the tree-lined campus, following the cement pathway that would eventually lead me to the Trunk offices. I’d joined the award-winning student-run magazine at the insistence of my visual communications professor. Even though I was required to take writing classes with my major, my focus was on the visual reporting side of things. I yearned to improve my craft, bringing life-changing visuals to accompanying articles.

I spotted the one-story brick building up ahead. All the newer buildings on campus were constructed with red and white brick, while the original buildings were large white stucco structures. It never made sense to me why they wouldn’t at least attempt to match the newer buildings with the older ones.

I pulled the tinted glass door open and a gush of air conditioning greeted my face. I moved my sunglasses on top of my head, pulling my long hair back with them as I rounded the corner.

“Hey, Dani,” I said as I entered, not wanting to startle Danielle, who squinted at the computer before she looked up.

“Hey, Cassie, come look at this. ” She waved me over, her expression still tight. I peered around her puffy brown ponytail and over her shoulder at the photograph on the screen. “I need this picture to have more expression. It’s not giving me what I want. What am I missing?”

I looked at the eight-year-old boy standing in front of spilled water buckets, his expression sorrowful. “First of all, I don’t think it should be in black and white. The details get lost in this photo. May I?” I pointed at the seat she occupied.

“Please. ” She jumped up from the seat as we switched positions.

I reopened the original picture in the photo editing software and manipulated the colors before pointing to the screen. “Look at the dirty rug hanging behind him. I barely noticed it in black and white. The cracks in the buckets, and the rubble at his feet,” I paused, “were all lost before. This picture needs to be in color. This picture deserves to be in color. ”

Her hands clapped together behind my head before she squeezed my shoulders. “You’re such a fucking genius. I love you. ”

I smiled, my eyes glued to the screen. “Thanks. ”

“So what’s up?” Dani smiled, the tension creases between her eyes easing up as she relaxed.

“I just stopped by to work on some photos I took of last night’s game. I thought you might want to use them for the feature you’re running on Jack Carter. ”

“Tell me you’re not one of…” she hesitated, “them. ”

“One of…what?” I asked, my eyebrows furrowing.

“One of the hundreds of girls on campus in love with all things Jack Carter. ” She rolled her eyes and let out a sigh.

I guffawed. “Uh, no. I can’t stand the guy. ”

“Well that’s a first,” she admitted with a laugh. “We have a million pictures of Jack, but in all honesty, I’d love to see anything you shot. ”

“Thanks, Dani. ” I sat up a little straighter and smiled, unable to quell the little rise of pride welling up inside me.