The Alien Next Door 5: Baseball Blues Page 2

  to Zeke.

  “I’m doing what you asked,” Zeke

  said. “I’m playing without using my

  powers, and look what’s happening.”

  “You’re getting a lot better with

  every pitch, so just try to relax,” said

  Harris. “You’ll get the next batter!”

  Zeke’s next pitch almost flew over

  Harris’s head. He had to stand up and

  jump to catch it.

  Zeke turned his back to the plate.

  When he turned back around, Harris

  saw a serious, determined look on his

  face.

  Harris put down one finger, the

  signal for Zeke to throw a fastball.

  Zeke nodded, then fired a blazing pitch

  right over the plate. The batter swung

  late and missed. The ball slammed

  into Harris’s glove with a thunderous

  crack for everyone to hear.

  “Strike one!” the umpire cried.

  The home crowd cheered.

  “Come on, Zeke!” shouted Harris’s

  dad from the bleachers.

  But Harris was suspicious. How

  could Zeke find his control so quickly?

  he wondered. And how did he throw it

  so fast?

  Harris signaled for the same pitch

  to see if Zeke could do it twice in a

  row. He did. Right in the same spot.

  “Strike two!” the umpire yelled.

  Harris was pretty sure that Zeke

  was using his powers again. He put

  down two fingers, signaling for a

  curveball. Zeke hasn’t been able to throw

  a curveball yet without cheating. Let’s

  see what he does here, Harris thought.

  Zeke threw a perfect curveball.

  It looked like it was going to hit the

  batter—she leaned away from the

  pitch—but then the ball curved back

  over the plate.

  “Strike three. Yer out!” called the

  umpire.

  Harris was now certain that Zeke

  using his powers.

  “Way to go, Zeke!” Roxy shouted

  from shortstop.

  Mixing fastballs in with curveballs,

  Zeke easily struck out the next two

  batters and didn’t allow a run to score.

  As the Chargers headed for the dugout,

  he headed for the bench with a smile

  on his face.

  Once Zeke sat down and took off

  his glove, Harris pulled him aside.

  “You promised,” he whispered.

  “I’m playing to the best of my

  ability,” Zeke said, looking away.

  “That’s what I’m doing. Nobody else

  seems to mind.”

  Roxy walked past Zeke. “Nice job

  pitching!” she said. “You’re up to bat

  now. Get a hit!”

  “See?” Zeke said to Harris, standing

  up and grabbing a bat.

  “Could you please try to hit without

  using your powers?” Harris asked.

  “Just try.”

  Zeke said nothing and strode quietly

  to the plate.

  ZEKE STEPPED INTO THE BATTER’S BOX.

  He glanced over at Harris and nodded,

  tight-lipped. He turned and stared at

  the pitcher.

  Harris took this as a sign that Zeke

  had decided not to use his powers.

  He watched anxiously as the pitcher

  threw her first pitch.

  Zeke swung wildly. He didn’t even

  coming close to hitting the ball. The

  same thing happened on the next

  pitch, and the one afterward. Three

  swings, three strikes. Zeke was out.

  Harris was up next. As he walked

  to the plate, he passed Zeke heading

  back to the bench with his head down.

  “Good try, Zeke,” Harris said. “Don’t

  worry, you’ll get a hit next time.”

  Zeke said nothing and sat down.

  Harris lined the first pitch he saw into

  left field. After him, the Chargers got a

  bunch of hits. By the time the inning

  ended, they had scored three runs.

  Back out on the mound, Zeke

  continued to play without using his

  powers. His pitching was slowly

  getting better, but the Scrappers still

  managed to score three runs to tie up

  the game.

  “You’re doing good out there, Zeke,”

  Harris said as the two friends sat on

  the bench.

  “But they tied the game,” Zeke

  pointed out.

  “It doesn’t matter,” said Harris.

  “Your pitching is getting better each

  inning.” And then, lowering his voice,

  he added: “without any ‘extra help.’”

  It was Zeke’s turn at bat again. And

  again he swung and missed at three

  pitches in a row.

  Zeke headed back out to the mound.

  Harris could see the frustration

  mounting on his face.

  “Forget about striking out, Zeke,”

  Harris shouted as he took his position

  behind the plate. “Let’s just get these

  next three guys out.”

  Zeke pitched well, but the Scrappers

  scored a run to take a 4–3 lead heading

  into the bottom of the final inning.

  The first two batters for the

  Chargers made two quick outs. With

  nobody on base, Roxy came up to bat.

  “C’mon now! Keep it alive, Roxy!”

  Harris shouted.

  Roxy hit the first pitch to right field

  for a single.

  “Yeah!” cried Harris.

  Zeke was up next. The game was

  on the line.

  “Just focus, Zeke,” Harris said. “You

  can do it!” Harris was worried that

  Zeke might use his powers again.

  Zeke stepped into the batter’s box.

  “Do your best, Zeke!” Roxy shouted

  as she took her lead off first base.

  My best, Zeke thought. Yes, I will do

  my best.

  The pitcher threw a pitch. Using

  his powers, Zeke directed the ball

  right toward his bat. He swung and

  smacked the ball deep to left field.

  The ball sailed over the fence for a

  two-run home run. Zeke had won the

  game for his team!

  All the Chargers rushed onto the

  field. They waited as Zeke rounded the

  bases. Then the whole team jumped

  up and down in a big pile at home

  plate with Zeke in the middle.

  Everyone except Harris.

  “I knew you could do it, Zeke!” Roxy

  shouted. “You’re a superstar!”

  I can’t join the celebration, Harris

  thought, not when Zeke’s a cheater!

  THE CROWD OF HAPPY PLAYERS

  headed off the field. That’s when Roxy

  noticed that Harris wasn’t celebrating

  with the rest of the team.

  “Are you really so jealous of Zeke

  that you can’t even be happy for him?”

  she asked, walking over to Harris. “I’m

  surprised at you, Harris. I really am.”

  Harris looked away. He didn’t know

  what to say.

  I obviously can’t tell Roxy the truth,

  he thought. I promised to keep Zeke’s

  secret, even if it costs
me his friendship.

  And I can’t celebrate Zeke’s cheating and

  make it seem like I think it’s okay for

  him to use his powers.

  He remained silent.

  Roxy rolled her eyes, and stormed

  off with saying anything else.

  Harris met up with his parents in

  the bleachers.

  “What a great win for the Chargers!”

  his mom said excitedly. “You played

  so well! And we’re so happy for Zeke.

  He’s fitting in and everyone on the

  team seems to really like him.”

  “He did good, yeah,” Harris said, as

  they all walked to his parents’ car.

  “You don’t seem all that happy

  about the game,” his dad said.

  “No, I’m happy,” Harris said. “I’m

  glad our team won the game and

  I’m glad Zeke did okay.”

  “Honey, are you sure you’re okay?”

  his mom asked.

  “I’m fine, Mom,” Harris said.

  I can’t talk to anyone about what’s

  really bothering me, he thought. Anyone,

  that is, except Zeke!

  After dinner that evening, Harris

  decided to try to talk to Zeke. He went

  next door to his house.

  “Hello, Harris,” said Zeke’s father,

  Xad, answering the door.

  “It is nice to see you,” said Zeke’s

  mother, Quar. “We are very glad that

  you have taught Zeke all about bases

  and balls.”

  “Yes, he likes this game very much,”

  added Xad.

  Harris smiled and nodded, then

  walked over to his friend. He found

  Zeke, fingertips on the sides of his

  head, mind-projecting his homework

  onto a big screen that hovered above

  a desk.

  “Are you here to tell me to stop

  using my powers again?” Zeke asked,

  turning away from the screen.

  “I’m here because you’re my friend,”

  Harris replied. “And I still think you’re

  not playing fair.”

  “I’m confused,” Zeke said. “My

  understanding of cheating, as people

  on Earth use the term, is breaking the

  rules. I didn’t break any rules.”

  “Well, you’re not actually breaking

  a rule, because there is no rule about

  aliens using their powers. How could

  there be?” Harris asked.

  “You have never had a problem with

  me using my powers before when I was

  careful—like when I saved the camper

  who fell out of a tree at Beaver Scouts

  camp. Or when I used my powers to

  avoid getting hit by a sack of flour at

  the costume contest. Why is this any

  different?” Zeke asked.

  “I’m not sure,” Harris said. “I just

  know that it is.”

  “I’ll be very careful, Harris. No one

  will find out,” Zeke said.

  Harris headed home, frustrated

  and worried more about his friendship

  with Zeke than about Zeke using his

  powers.

  Over the next few games, Zeke

  continued to use his powers. He

  pitched great and got hit after hit. The

  Chargers kept winning. He quickly

  became the most popular player on the

  team. He teammates even nicknamed

  him “Superstar.”

  Everyone was thrilled. Everyone

  except Harris.

  I’ve never been so miserable about my

  team winning games, Harris thought.

  And I don’t know what to do about it!

  HARRIS CONTINUED TO WORRY

  about the future of their friendship.

  One afternoon, on the ride home

  following another Chargers victory,

  Harris’s parents surprised him.

  “How would you like to go to see

  the Newtown Knights?” his mom said,

  holding up a handful of tickets.

  The Newtown Knights were the

  local professional minor-league team.

  Many players from the Knights went

  on to play in the major leagues. Their

  stadium was just a few miles from

  where Harris lived.

  “Wow!” Harris said, smiling for the

  first time in days. “That’s so cool!”

  “We’ve loved taking you to see the

  Knights ever since you were little,” his

  mom said.

  “That’s where I learned to love

  baseball!” Harris replied, feeling his

  mood lifting for the first time in

  a while.

  “And we got enough tickets for Roxy

  and Zeke to come, too!” his dad added.

  Harris’s mood sank again. He felt

  nervous. He really hadn’t spent much

  time with Zeke lately, apart from on

  the field.

  “Great,” he said half-heartedly.

  About a week later, Harris, Roxy,

  and Zeke piled into the backseat of

  Harris’s parents’ car. His mom and

  dad rode up front.

  “I can’t wait to see Dylan Williams,”

  Roxy said. “He’s my favorite player.”

  “Why do you like Dylan Williams

  so much?” Zeke asked.

  “Well, he has the most home runs

  in the league,” Harris jumped in. “He

  steals lots of bases, and he’s a great

  shortstop. That’s why Roxy likes him,

  since she plays shortstop, too.”

  “That’s true,” Roxy added. “But I also

  like him because he’s not a cheater.”

  Zeke’s eyes opened wide. He looked

  past Roxy, who sat between the two

  boys, right at Harris. Could he have said

  something to Roxy? Zeke wondered.

  Harris’s shocked expression told

  Zeke that he hadn’t said anything to

  Roxy. No matter how upset Harris

  may have been, he would never betray

  Zeke’s trust by revealing his secret.

  “What do you mean by that?”

  Zeke asked Roxy.

  “A few players around the league

  were caught cheating,” Roxy explained.

  “Some stole the pitching signs from

  the other team so the batter knew what

  pitch was coming. Some pitchers were

  caught throwing spitballs, which is

  illegal. And some even took steroids.”

  “Steroids?” Zeke asked.

  “It’s something the league banned

  that makes players unfairly strong,

  no matter how hard the other players

  exercise and practice.”

  Harris saw Zeke’s expression

  change. He could see him thinking

  deeply about what Roxy just said.

  They arrived at the stadium and

  entered the ballpark. The sight of the

  green field that greeted fans as they

  walked into the baseball stadium

  brought smiles to Harris’s and Roxy’s

  faces.

  Even Zeke, seeing a professional

  baseball stadium for the first time,

  was moved by the sight—the lights

  shining brightly on the field, the buzz

  of the crowd, and the smells of hot

  dogs, pretzels, and peanuts.

  “Snack time!” said Harris.
/>
  “Price’s Pretzels!” Roxy shouted.

  “Price’s Pretzels?” asked Zeke.

  “It’s a ballpark tradition,” explained

  Roxy. “Come on. We’ll show you.”

  The three friends hurried to the

  concession stand. They each bought a

  huge pretzel.

  “I have never had a pretzel before,”

  said Zeke.

  Harris covered his pretzel with

  mustard. Roxy smothered hers with

  cheese instead.

  “It’s best with mustard,” said Harris.

  “No way!” said Roxy. “It’s much

  better with cheese!”

  Zeke stared at his pretzel, then he

  looked at the container of mustard

  and the tub of cheese. He squeezed

  mustard all over his pretzel, then

  dumped half the tub of cheese on top

  of that and took a bite.

  “Mmm, I like pretzels,” he said with

  his mouth full.

  Roxy and Harris laughed and they

  all headed to their seats.

  The Knights took the field. Roxy

  jumped to her feet and cheered as

  Dylan Williams trotted out to his

  position.

  “PLAY BALL!” shouted Harris’s dad.

  THE FIRST BATTER HIT A BALL

  sharply on the ground toward

  shortstop. Dylan Williams dashed to

  his left, dove toward second base, and

  stuck out his glove. He snagged the

  ball, then popped back up to his feet.

  He turned and fired the ball to first

  base in time for the out.

  “Yeah, Dylan!” shouted Roxy. “You’re

  the best!”

  In the bottom of the inning, Dylan

  lined a ball that dropped in for a hit.