I tried to look away, but made eye contact with Coach Luis. His eyes narrowed and I knew I couldn't get away with missing the signs. I resisted the urge to sigh, looked back across the diamond at Mr. Miller and gave the sign that I acknowledged his call. To steal a base. Second base. Ninety feet.
I swallowed a lump in my throat and inched out. One. Two. Three. Four. Five feet. The pitcher merely glanced back at me, mostly focused on Noah at third. He even did a check throw to third, trying to keep Noah closer to the base.
I know it did for me and I was on the opposite side. I had retreated back to first until the pitcher got the ball back and reset himself on the rubber.
"Be brave, Bambi!" Dave hollered from the dugout.
"He ain't worried about you! Take that lead!" Kyle added.
I felt the first baseman's eyes on me.
