April, 2001
Sarah watched Freddy Garcia wind up for the third pitch of the bottom of the first inning. She and Brittany were on a two week break from school and four hours ago Brittany had decided she wanted to go back home to Tampa Bay, Florida to go to the Mariners' game and watch Freddy pitch. And when Brittany wanted to do something, it happened. She did it. There was no sitting around contemplating. She had, of course, like always, dragged Sarah along with her.
The two girls had transferred from the University in Tampa to NYU to complete their college careers. So there the two of them were, just a "few" miles from their current home just to watch a baseball game. Brittany's reasoning: she hadn't seen her friend in six and a half months. That's how long it had been ... six and a half months since the night of the club opening, six and a half months since Brittany had seen "her crush" and one of her best friends ... six and a half months since Sarah had met Nick Carter. She couldn't believe how fast the time had gone by ... she couldn't believe how that one meeting had SO NOT satisfied her longing. She would have been perfectly happy marrying him, and bearing his children all in that one night, but that wasn't only physically impossible, but also just a highly unlikely dream. A dream she had all but given up on. Woe was her.
As for Brittany, she was just trying to keep her love for Freddy under wraps long enough to finish school. She was getting good grades even though schoolwork really wasn't what was on her mind. Oh, if only she could jump the man who was currently winding up for what could be the last pitch of the inning's second half. She loved his stance when he was receiving signals from the catcher, whether it be Dan Wilson or Tom Lampkin. His hip to the side ... oh, how she loved him. She felt like squealing, but Sarah was already rolling her eyes at the look on Brittany's face.
"I can't help it," Brittany sighed. "Why won't he just kiss me?! Why do I have to be like a little sister to him?!"
Sarah groaned, annoyed, and tried to stop herself from rolling her eyes again, but couldn't, "Look, at least you can BE with the guy you're in love with."
"Sorry, Sar," Brittany apologized after a minute of watching her friend's distraught expression. "I know how hard this is on you, and I'm sorry."
She had come to realize in the past six or so months that Sara didn't have some petty prepubescent crush on Nick Carter. She really did care about him. Brittany would admit that more than a few times she had belittled Sarah's feelings for Nick. But that was before Sarah had met him. Now Brittany felt terrible for how she'd labeled Sarah's feelings. Most of all, she hated seeing her best friend so upset. Giving Sarah a hug, she felt relieved as she watched a smile grace her friend's face. Sarah had decided not to waste their baseball time by fretting over something she couldn't change. This was America's favorite pastime! And by golly, if she couldn't have Nick Carter ... at least she had peanuts and cracker jacks!
Nick
"Brian, give me back my peanuts!" Nick squealed, but combined with the noise of the stadium it sure didn't sound like 'peanuts'.
"Why does Brian have your penis?!" AJ cracked up laughing, thinking he was just so incredibly funny.
"Shut up, Age," Nick growled, grabbing the bag of peanuts back from Brian. "Gosh, you're so immature."
Kevin merely looked on with a roll of his eyes and finally a laugh, "You're one to talk."
Nick grinned suddenly. "Hey, Howie man, hand me the binoculars - I wanna see if there're any hotties here."
Howie rolled his eyes, and handing them over he watched as Nick scanned the stadium. Their team, the Devil Rays, sucked, and were getting creamed by Seattle, so it was no wonder Nick was getting bored and in need of some female eye candy.
Bret Boone of the Mariners fouled a ball back into the crowd and Nick watched as a girl with dark hair caught it before passing it to her grinning blonde friend. There was something familiar about both of them, but in different ways. He could swear that he'd seen the blonde on TV and in magazines a few times, but the brunette he knew. But how? And then he placed it ... the blonde was Derek Jeter's little sister and the brunette: "This is my little sister's best friend Sarah" The girl from the club four months before. They'd talked and danced, but like all fun times it had come to an end when the night ended -- or maybe it was early morning. What did it matter anyway? She looked cute in her little Mariners baseball cap ... wait a minute, Mariners? He laughed at the thought, glancing at the score board ... he may as well be rooting for them too.
Sarah/Brittany
Sarah giggled as she handed Brittany the baseball she'd just caught bare handed.
"Your hand okay?" Brittany grinned after thanking Sarah for the ball hit by Boone. Not like she didn't have 1,000 signed baseballs already.
"Yeah, it's fine. Stings a little -- but I'm fine. Think Freddy has realized we're here yet?"
Brittany shrugged, "Maybe."
"How else are we gonna get back there after the game?"
"Hopefully the security will recognize me, otherwise Derek will be comin' down here later to give it to 'em," she grinned.
Sarah laughed, "Anything for his baby sister."
"Precisely."
Freddy
Freddy glanced up into the crowd to see where Bret Boone's fly ball landed. He watched as a fan caught it with her bare hand before passing it off to her friend.
"Isn't that Brittany and Sarah?" first baseman John Olerud asked, standing next to him.
Freddy squinted a bit and a grin slowly formed on his face, "Yeah, it is. Wonder what they're doin' here."
"Coming to see you of course. Brittany's only you're number one fan."
Freddy laughed, "Yeah, she's a great friend."
"Friend?"
Freddy looked at him and was about to ask what he'd meant, but it was John's turn to go up on deck.
