Chapter 1- Pizza

Pop! The ball bounced off the bat echoing through the cage, "Dude, you need to find a date to the Valentines Day dance," my best friend said from behide me. I rolled my eyes and I watched the next ball approach my bat, I swung and Pop! The machine blinked red telling me I was out of balls.

"Chad, I told you I wasn't going and why should I go some where, where everybody sits around to shy to dance? It seems that only prom or homecoming is when everybody reaches out to the dance floor," I told him pulling the baseball helmet off my head. "Why are you not going?" Chad asked me again. "Because, I don't want to date just any girl there, baseball players don't date the cheerleaders." I pointed out to him, "So, you do not have to date a cheerleader, just take one to the dance like…Kim." I glared at him, "What in your right mind makes you think I would want to take a slut like Kim?" Chad shrugged his shoulders; I dropped my lucky bat into my bag. "That's right, and I swear if she would just wear her bra and underwear to school we wouldn't notice a difference." Chad wiggled his eyebrows and tossed me my jacket.

"Well you are right about that but you are so focused on baseball…"

"Chad, I want to make the draft! I have to keep up my game, my dad and I have pitching lessons or whatever they are in an hour so let's go grab some food, leave, so I can go pitch." Chad looked at me, "Whatever Bolton,"

"Chad!" I whined, "I haven't gotten to pitch in a week! I am dying to get out there on the rubber and lose my mind." I shifted the bag onto my shoulder and we headed out the door. "What if this amazing girl came around, would you date her?" I laughed and I pushed the door open to feel a cold breeze against my face. "I don't know Chad…" I paused to look at him, "Maybe."

He grinned, "I'll take maybe! But seriously I am starving lets go eat." I shook my head and let a small laugh leave my mouth; I got into my dads Ford Edge. My car, Sam, was in the shop after our little accident but it was all good.

"So where do you want to eat? I am in workout…" Chad held his hand up, "You are in training season, no Mickey D's, No Burger King, No Taco Bell, no good food." I started the car, "I got it so that's why I chose the Pizza place on main, and I can get some good pizza while you get some lame ass shit with no cheese."

"It has cheese but it's like…okay maybe it isn't cheese." My voice laughed as I said the last few words, "But it doesn't taste bad, I just can't wait until baseball starts so I am off this stupid thing."

"Yea well I am in season right now…are you coming to the game at least on Friday?" Chad asked, "Totally, but I might be a little late, hitting lessons."

He groaned and hit his head against the window, after groaning again he rubbed his head. "You haven't seen a full game all season long."

"Chad, Hitting is on Fridays at six. Every week. I can not help you with that one, just like pitching is every other week which is starting to suck ass because I want to pitch daily." I turned my blinker on to turn onto Spruce Street.

"Just like I want to run basketball drills daily but you are worse than me. You are out there daily, dedicated Troy and you aren't sick of it."

"I will never be sick of it, at least I hope not because I love it way to much. If I don't pick up that baseball daily I feel like my day isn't complete yet."

I turned onto the street of the restaurant, "I'll talk to my dad to see if we can end a little early on Friday. I mean it shouldn't be a big deal, I have practice on Tuesday…" Chad rubbed his forehead, "Your schedule makes my head hurt, how do you keep it all straight?"

I chuckled, "Trust me if I didn't have my iPhone, I wouldn't know how." I pushed my car door open and I looked at the parking lot. "Cody is working today," I said grinning, "Finally somebody who won't give me a funny look about what I order!"

"Only because he has to eat the same shit, aren't you happy your parents don't make you work?" I shook my head, "You would never see me, see that's why you don't want me to get a girlfriend because then I have to balance all four of you."

"Four?" Cody asked coming up, his black notebook stuffed in his back pocket. "Chad here wants me to get a girlfriend so bad, I was telling him that if I got a girlfriend I would have to balance him, you, baseball, and a girlfriend." I pointed out, "Ahh…" Cody said grabbing two menus.

"Oh come on Cody do we really need menus?" Chad asked, he looked down and he smiled, he put the menus back on the table. "So did you just come from the batting cages or sleeping?" Cody asked as he led us to the table. "Batting cages for an hour, I have pitching in forty five minutes so if we could hurry this party along…" I told him, "Gotcha, I can't believe you throw without me!" he exclaimed

"Ah…well if you didn't have to work all the damn time I would let you come and catch me because trust me you are way better than my dad." I slide into the booth and looked up at him, "I swear he is a major wimp when it comes to my fastballs. I mean he like cringes and shake his hand acting like I broke it." I muttered

"You do throw a hard fastball Troy, I mean hard. You can probably kill somebody but anyways, I am going to put you pizzas put in on emergency rush. Be back soon with a water and Dr. Pepper." He said tapping our table, walking away. "So I am you East High friend, he is your West High friend…" Chad said as he walked away.

"Is it seriously that big a deal to talk to West High kids?"

"No because I do it too but it's crazy, you are the one that made that whole thing okay freshman year."

"I wasn't about to let Cody, Brett, and VJ's relationships fall because our school had a huge issue with rivalry, I mean yeah I want to beat them every single time but I don't want to hurt them. They are my friends, you are my friend." A guy delivered our drinks and walked off.

"Cody told me to tell you that Becca showed up so he took his break," the guy then walked off, I grinned and shook my head. "He is in love," I said looking up at the light bulb. Chad laughed as he took a drink of the Dr. Pepper. "Wow, only if I could get you to fall in love." Grabbing my water, I took two sips before setting it down, "Whatever."

"Mom! Where are the boxes with my bed stuff?" I asked, "Umm…go ask your dad." I pursed my lips and I walked out of the warm house in the semi cold air. It was better than New York but it still had a chill in the air, I tugged on my jacket and I looked up at the cloudy sky.

"Daddy!" I called; he turned around to see me, his dark brown eyes with his shaggy brown hair. He had his hair growing around his face but that was normal for him. I did not think I have seen him any other way.

"Yea sweetheart?" he asked me, "Have you seen the box of my sheets?" he poked his tongue out and looked around confused, "Erm, no." he glanced around some more before he pointed, "Right there!" He called, "Ah! Thank you!" I said running over for it, my bare feet hit against the concert.

"Have you picked out your room yet?" I looked up at him, "Are we moving again?" I asked him, he sighed, "No,"

"But you will be in New York all summer and in Florida all Spring."

"And I will be right here all winter, you visit me during all your vacations honey, there just isn't a good home. Your mom has a great job offer here so she is taking it up and both of your grandparents live out here." I looked at him with my eyes, "Plus they might trade me this year so I can be a little closer." He said pulling me into his arms.

"Like to where daddy? You are the best out there; you are on the best team." He kissed my temple, "Maybe I don't need to be the best baby girl, and I just need to be a father and a great husband."

"You are daddy but…"

"No buts, I love playing with them and all but"

"No buts daddy, you made the rule first." I said poking him in the abs, my dad laughed and he picked me up swirling me around. "Ahh!" I screamed as he tossed me over his shoulder, I giggled and my dad ran around the yard. "You two be careful!" my mom yelled. My dad set me down and I looked at me parents, I was an unplanned baby. My mom had me when she was sixteen and my dad was seventeen.

"Momma," I asked her, she turned around to look at me, "Can I run and grab some pizza really quick?" my mom fished out her keys to her Audi, "Go ahead," I smiled biting down on my lip, "Hey can you get me that one stuff?" I scrunched up my nose, "Is that even real cheese?" he pursed his lips together, "Yes…well no." I breathed out a laugh before getting into my moms car.

Just moving in not but two hours ago, I had no idea where I was really going expect for I had been down here before when I was little. I drove around the town looking until I came across this little pizza place, I shrugged and got out of the car. My dad was going to have to survive if they did not have his 'cheese'

I walked in and the doorbell ringed, "Why hello," I turned around to see a person with black hair who had on a blue shirt with a pair of jeans. "How may I help you?"

"Oh uhm I have a question which could be so odd that you will look at me funny but my dad eats this cheese on his pizza that's healthier…"

"Oh the baseball pizza?" I wrinkled my eyebrows, "The what?" he laughed, "We call it the baseball pizza around here, usually baseball players around here are the only one that orders it, me including." I raised an eyebrow, "Baseball player huh?"

"A little wrestling, football, mostly baseball though." I nodded my head, "Well get me a small baseball pizza or whatever and a large cheese and mushroom." I said, I grabbed my wallet from my purse and started to pull out the debt card. "See you later Newman," I turned around to see a guy with a puffy afro and a guy with shaggy brown hair.

"Bolton, we have somebody else that eats the baseball pizza!" Troy turned around and glanced at me, "Her?" he questioned, his eyes. His eyes were blue. My favorite color of eyes for a guy, I loved them already.

"No, I am guessing her dad since she didn't even know what the cheese is called." I shot the guy a look, the guy who had the afro squinted at me, "Are you new?" he asked after a full minute of staring, "Uh yea?"

The waiter and the shaggy head both started laughing, "Sorry for Chad he has issues," shaggy hair said, the guy started pushing him out the door and I looked back at the waiter.

"Who was that?"

"Troy Bolton and Chad Danforth, aka my best friends." He gladly took my debt card, "I am Cody Newman by the way," he said sticking his hand out, "So you just moved in?"

"Um, yea like two hours ago." I said carefully sticking my hand out to shake it, in my opinion it was gross. "Where you coming from?" he asked me, he pushed in my order on the computer.

"New York, Florida, Kansas City, Los Angles…would you like for me to continue?" I asked him, he laughed, "Nah, I got the gist. So your dad or mom moves a lot for work?" he questioned, he leaned over the counter to talk to me some more.

"Dad. His job is like crazy insane; he only stays with us during winter. He is gone during the whole summer and spring." Cody shaped his mouth into an O. "Well that stinks, you know what school you are going to?"

"East, I start tomorrow morning." I said trying not to yawn, "Oh boy have fun over there, that's where Bolton and Danforth go to school."

I squinted my eyebrows, "Where do you go to school then?"

"West High, rivals and all." I laughed and he handed me two pizzas, "Thanks," I said, "No time but good luck tomorrow."

I nodded, "Thanks."

My body turned to exit out the door; I rushed to the car as the wind speed was picking up. I felt chills run down my back, "God, I this should be amazing but I am cold." I muttered, my phone vibrated in my pocket and I pulled it out to see Dylan Brett calling me.

"Why I haven't talked to you in a long time," I said into the phone, Dylan laughed, "I have been busy lately, and football and baseball are both taking up a lot of my time. Senior year and everything, dad is on my ass." I laughed; Dylan is the all-famous George Brett's kid. Yes, I knew the whole family, nice, dated Dylan for a little bit before deciding we were better off as friends.

"Ahh…lucky me I am still a junior." I said switching lanes, "Ha-ha at least you have your little brain." I made a clicking noise with my teeth, "You got it,"

"So dad told me you all moved again…"

Sighing into the phone I turned into the new subdivision, "It was mom this time; dad is still wanting to play with New York and all but moving to New Mexico…"

"Is he thinking about going back to the Royals?" I shrugged my shoulders even though he could not see, "I don't know, I just hope he stays with the Yankees for now because I love being in New York."

"Selfish much?" he joked, "Hardy har har," I mumbled to him, "I am laughing so hard."

He snorted, "I can tell!"

I pulled up into the drive way and I turned the car off, "Well, I have the town's famous baseball pizza…"

"With the special cheese?"

"Totally. Anyways are you coming down anytime soon?"

"Nah, baseball season is right around the corner, busy, busy, and busy." He muttered through the phone, "Whatever," I said getting out of my car, "You are just to busy with Jessica!" I tormented him, "So funny," he said, "Are you rolling your eyes at me?" I asked him, "I am to damn predictable."

"Yes you are and I gotta go!" I said pulling the phone away from my face; I hung up the phone stuffing it into my pocket. "I got pizza!" I called coming in the house, "Did they have my kind?" my dads head poked out from one of the boxes. "Mhm." I said setting down the two boxes in the kitchen. I walked over to the running fridge pulling out a bottle of water.

"I met some kids while I was out to." My dad raised an eyebrow, "Really now?" I nodded my head, "Three guys, I was asking for your pizza which by the way is called the baseball pizza." I said winking at him, he laughed and my mom walked in grabbing paper plates from the spot above. "I think one of them plays baseball but I am not sure, two of them go to my school." I grabbed a greasy slice of pizza from the box.

"That's good, maybe now you won't be so nervous," he tapped his greasy finger against my cheek, "Hey! Now I have to wash my face!" I said pulling my finger down the side of this cheek. "Hey! Now I have to wash my face!" my dad mimicked, I glared at him, and "Mr. I have to have a certain pizza!"

"Oh it's on now!"

"You two would you just finish your dinner, Gabi you need to get your room and closest all sorted out before tomorrow morning and Alex you need to," my dad interrupted my mom. "I need to finish unpacking, put together the TV in the living room, and call my manger to see when we have to report to Spring Training…I got it." He said leaning forward to kiss her on the lips; I rolled my eyes at the two lovebirds.

"Thank you now you two stop your fighting and hurry, only so many hours left in a day!"

"Babe you need to slow down," he murmured into her ear, I raised an eyebrow as the conversed, "Honey, I can't slow down." She protested. I quietly ate my pizza as the two argued.

"I will lie down soon, I promise."

"Damn," my dad muttered as she started walking away

My mom took her two slices of pizza before heading out into there bedroom across the house, my dad and I busted out into laughter before we continued our little game. "Dang, she was serious wasn't she?" I said, my dad grabbed his pizza, "Of course, your mom just wants everything to be finished and put away."

"She hates moving," I told him, my dad sighed heavily, "Yes, I know." He eyed me for a moment, "How come you don't mind moving as much?" he asked

"My friends are all…" I paused trying to think of the right word, "changeable?" I questioned using the word, "I can find the same friends everywhere I go. I am one of the oldest kids on the baseball team since you had me at so young but I am able to find friends easily."

"I shouldn't even be asking about this but your last boyfriend was Dylan and…"

"Lets just not mention Dylan, I waiting for everything to be permitted before I finally get a guy. Plus being sixteen just isn't my luck; don't want to end up like you guys." He chuckled, "That's good, and I don't want you to be like me either." He leaned over kissing my forehead. "But you will be 17 in two weeks," I sighed looking at him, "Let's not make it a big deal alright?"

"Alright…"

"Troy, curveball." I took a deep breath, I did the motions and I let the ball leave my fingers. "Excellent." Gary looked up at me, I smiled, "It feels so good, and can't we move pitching to weekly!" I begged, "I only get to pitch during the winter on these days!"

"Troy you gotta save your shoulder, doing too much will hurt you no matter what you think." Gary said standing up on the bucket, "So don't be throwing that curveball too much. Focus on your fastball and change up." We started to collect all the balls into a bucket.

"Fine but can I…"

"No,"

"Troy! How was pitching?" my dad came strolling through the door, I looked up to see him in what my mom and I called his uniform, khaki shorts with one of my many teams baseball shirts. "Fantastic," I said smiling up at him.

"Great, now Gary how was it really?" my jaw dropped as he said this, the two men laughed and shook my head, "He did great tonight, his fastball heated up the room, his curve ball was okay in the beginning but we tweaked a few things for that to be fixed, change up as good as usual. That's all we really worked on today,"

I tossed my mitt into the bag sitting on the ground nearby, "And he keeps begging for me to have weekly classes," I smiled a little before looking at my dad. "Troy you start doing once a week in March, a month I think you can hold off. Right now you need to keep school grades up; baseball season is coming around for everything." I sighed, "I got it dad, but can we please…"

"No!" Gary's and my dads voice echoed through the room, "Fine," I grumbled, I picked up the leather ball in my hand, "Can I at least throw a little bit more so my dad can see?" I tossed the ball up in the air. The two guys looked at each other and shrugged there shoulders, "Go at it." My dad picked up my glove tossing it to me then picking up a glove for him. I smiled and stepped onto the rubber.

My dad got onto the bucket that was behide the plate, I came set, and then Pop! You heard the ball from a mile away, "How the hell can Cody handle this?" my dad asked, I grinned as he started to complain again. "Oh come on dad,"

My dad rolled his eyes and tossed the ball back to me, "And the wind up," Grey said from behide, the ball popped into the glove again.

"Alright, that's enough for tonight Troy." I looked up at the two guys and sighed, "Fine," I grumbled, I went over to put all of my stuff away. I slide it all into place and took off my cleats to replace them with my Nike sandals; I jumped when my dad touched my back. "You have the next four nights off, you had batting practice on Friday."

Shit, I needed to ask to shorten it, "Dad?" I asked he turned back around to look at me, "Yea son?"

"Do you think we could possible shorten Fridays hitting lesson, Chad wants me to come to the game Friday and he means all of the game." My voice carried up and his expression was not good, "How about if I call Lance and see if I can get you in any earlier but that might mean a morning session before school." He warned my dad was good about trying to get everything in. In the winter it was not hard he wanted me to have a normal high school life while a nice baseball one.

"Thanks Dad,"

"Come on you need to get home and do your homework from last Friday," I rolled my eyes and picked up my bag, "Cody talked about coming over after work." I said as I pulled out my keys, "You have to do your homework first Troy," I walked into the dark parking lot unlocking my dad's car. "Yea we were going to be homework buddies." I said tossing my bag into the back of the car.

"Whatever as long as your homework is done by midnight." I glared at him, "I have so much homework dad, how about one." I bargained with him, my dad got into the drivers seat stealing the keys from me. "Fine but Cody needs to,"

"Curfew is early for him dad," my dad rolled his eyes, "Are we going to go down to Surprise Arizona for a few days to watch spring training?"

"Nah, it's just the Royals and Texas." I said to him, "Troy, they may just be the Royals or Texas but if you want the majors they are your best chance."

"Oh come on…" I said looking at him; he shrugged his shoulders, "Just saying…"

My dad started the car and I pulled out my cell phone, "Newman," I said answering the phone call that came into my phone, "Bolton, are you still game for tonight?"

"Hell ya, homework has to be done by one." I muttered, "Ah, so we can play video games for an hour before we have to start the homework." He mumbled quietly, I looked over at my dad, "Totally dude, and gotta hit that history book." I said looking at my dad with a smirk. My dad shook his head, "Well I just got out of work, be there in a total of ten minutes." I hung up my phone, "Troy," my dad warned, "It's an hour dad an hour of fun."

"Fine."

Hello! This is your first chapter to Baseball Lovers! What did you all think? I hope you will all enjoy this because this will become a series! Yayy! In addition, this story is going to be on a schedule! Every Sunday it will be updated. There might be days (Like Zac's Birthday, anniversary to something, blah etc) that it will be changed but ALWAYS ON SUNDAYS! Nothing earlier or later unless noted otherwise.

In addition, this story is going to be a little like My Laker Baby, I am going to try to fit another story in that is different in here. However, I need to get it well written out before I can release it. Therefore, you can be looking for those.

MLB will be updated on Valentines Day...Get excited it is going to be an amazing chapter!

So the next chapter will be posted a week from today! Hope you all enjoyed the Super Bowl…for my America Friends ;)

Go Giants! ...PLEASE REVIEW! :D