The Hitting Zone
chapter-1185

Ryan showed up earlier than expected, meeting us at the football stadium for the graduation walk. He shook hands with all of us from Grampa, all the way down to me.

"What are you doing here?" Noah asked, confused. "Is it normal for agents to go to high school graduations?"

"Noah." Mom gave him a pointed look. "I think it's very nice and thoughtful he wanted to celebrate with us."

"Sure, I guess." Noah discreetly rolled his eyes my way.

I nudged him. "It's probably Kyle's contract." I whispered to remind him.

Noah immediately turned to Ryan. "Did you already negotiate the contract? What kind of salary and bonus is he looking at?"

Ryan glanced at Mom and Dad. "Would you guys like to hear about it first? Or wait until we sit down with Kyle?"

"Of course we should wait for Kyle." Mom made the command decision. She gave Noah another pointed look.

Noah cooled down. "Yea. Yea. That makes sense. I know." He looked to Ryan one more time. "Just tell me this, did he make it to half a million."

Ryan just smiled. But the way he squinted his eyes gave off the impression that Noah was on the right track.

Noah reached out to squeeze my arm. "Jake. He's rich."

I let out a small laugh. "I think you guys were already rich." Certainly well off. They never needed any of the basics like food or shampoo.

"It's not the same when it comes from your parents." Noah argued.

"When what comes from your parents?" Kaylee showed up in our row, finding a seat on the other side of me at the end. Her parents stopped near Mom and Dad, sitting closer with them.

"Money. Don't you feel richer when you have control over money you earn versus given to you by parents?" Noah asked.

Kaylee grimaced. "What money? I legit have ten dollars to my name."

"Really?!" Noah asked, raising his voice.

I nervously glance towards her parents.

"Don't worry. Even if they heard, they wouldn't get mad." Kaylee said. "In fact, you'll be lucky if they don't convince your parents to have complete financial control over your lives."

Noah laughed. "I think we would have the advantage here. Mom has always believed that we should learn how to spend and save money. Plus, we got a lump sum when our Gramma passed during winter break."

"So you guys have money money?" Kaylee's eyes widened.

I nodded while Noah shook his head.

"I'm more inclined to believe Jake." Kaylee said.

"He doesn't count. His vision is skewed from being dirt poor." Noah stated.

I looked at Kaylee. "Just a reminder, Mom and Dad are letting the twins each have a car. And they'll buy a new one. Isn't that the definition of having money?"

Kaylee laughed. "He's got a point, Noah."

"Marie has her own car too." Noah pointed out.

"We each have a bank account that Dad puts money in every week." I told her. "Just to use. Whenever we want."

"It's not a whole lot." Noah rolled his eyes.

"I think we all have different definitions of a lot." She said. She focused back on me. "Like I said, I only have ten dollars to my name. If I wanted to go to the movies with Alisha this weekend, I would have to beg my parents for more money. Maybe sit through a lecture on how the cinema is a waste of money and I should watch something on tv."

I pulled out my phone and opened my bank app. "We're not supposed to touch our savings, but look at my checking account."

Kaylee peeked over, then gasped.

Noah leaned over. "Hey, how do you have more than me?"

"I don't buy ice cream every time we go to the cages." I pointed out.

Noah rubbed his nose, guilty. "Okay. So that adds up."

Kaylee sat back up and readjusted her sling. "Noah…I think you could use a reality check. To see how normal teenagers live."

"What?" He was taken aback. "I am a normal teenager."

Kaylee rolled her eyes. "You have too much to be normal. Half the school doesn't even have a fifth of what Jake has in his account. You guys are rich. Maybe not rich rich but still. Multiple cars. Allowances. Heck, none of your brothers had jobs or had to worry about gas money." She shook her head. "And then you start to think of all the baseball games you go to and how your parents can afford to stay in a hotel near Stanford."

"Okay, so our parents have some money." Noah conceded. "But we were originally talking about how Kyle is going to have money of his own." He moved his eyebrows up and down. "His first contract is in. He'll get to review it tonight. He's looking like half of a millionaire."

"Wow." Kaylee was surprised. Probably even more so than us. "I can't believe we know someone making so much out of high school. Wait." She paused. "Does this mean Garret gets even more as a first rounder?"

"At least double. He's a real millionaire." Noah confirmed.

"Shoot." Kaylee muttered. "Marie should have picked the better pitcher."

I nudged her.

Noah gave a condescending look. "Please. Only an idiot like Kyle would like someone as mean as your sister."

"My sister isn't mean to Kyle." She shot back. She relaxed into her seat, changing the position of her injured arm again. "This just feels so surreal though. Like I only know a handful of people working minimum wage jobs. Now I've practically have a future brother-in-law that is richer than both my parents. With potential to earn even more." She glanced at me. "Is this how you felt, coming to the Atkins' family?"

I grinned. "Like a whole new world."

"What does that mean?" Noah asked.

"I just think you guys live an almost fairytale life." I told him. "Honestly, Mom making breakfast most mornings really made me feel out of place. I never had that. Then the whole not worrying about food or money."

"You've got it good now." Kaylee sighed.

I nodded in agreement.

Principal Bodon took the stage and stepped up to the mike to welcome all the families and friends of the graduating seniors. He turned it over to a few other adults and even some of the graduates, one speech after another. Unlike last year, I didn't know any of them. But the consensus was the same: we did it, we're moving on to the next step in our lives. Wherever that may take us. Up the road or across the country.

My eyes started to sting as I realize that bigger changes were on the way once again. Zeke went away to college, but at least he was relatively close. We still got to see him here and there. But Dave…he's going to Nashville, Tennessee. It takes a flight over four hours. Who knows how long for a drive.

"Are you crying?" Kaylee leaned over and whispered.

"He does that." Noah whispered back, waving her off. "Especially during happy events."

I wiped my eyes. "They're leaving us."

Noah threw his arm around my shoulders. "Yea, but not for good. We get Dave all summer. We've got the holidays and winter break. And besides, you've still got me."

"You better cry the day I move away." Kaylee remarked. "Otherwise I'm going to feel less important than those idiots." She gestured to the field where said idiots were fighting over who should get their diploma first.

We laughed. Then cheered for Dave as his name was announced. Then for Kyle. Then for other seniors we knew like: Matt, Tanner, Garret, Tyler, Jason, and Jesse. Just like that, a third of our undefeated team was gone.