A Long Pitch Home by Natalie Dias Lorenzi Read Free Book Online Page A

your first day of camp?”
    I’m not sure how to answer. Jalaal loves baseball, and I can tell he wants me to love it, too. I decide to answer his question with a question. “Do girls play baseball?”
    At first he looks confused, then he nods. “Right, that girl—what’s her name again? Jen? Jessie?”
    â€œJordan. Like the country.”
    He snaps his fingers. “That’s it—Jordan. She’s Coach Matt’s niece. She and her mom just moved here—from Illinois, I think. Or maybe Iowa.”
    I’ve never heard of either of those cities.
    Jalaal shrugs. “She’ll probably join a softball team in the fall, but it was too late to sign up for a summer camp. Coach said he’d let her play.”
    I’ve never heard of softball. If the ball is soft, it must not be a batting game.
    Before I can ask Jalaal anything else about Jordan, the yellow car with the white flower hubcaps pulls into the driveway next door.
    Jalaal pops up to his feet so fast he startles me, and I drop the ball. But he doesn’t even notice because he’s already halfway across the lawn, jogging toward the neighbor’s driveway.
    A girl steps out of the car, and her hair is as orange as a kinnoo fruit. I’ve seen pictures of people with this kind of hair, but now that I see it in real life, I cannot stop staring. Her hair is curly and falls down her back.The minute she turns and sees Jalaal, her whole face breaks into a smile.
    Jalaal isn’t even acting like himself. Not that I have known him very long, but the way he is standing, with his arms folded, anyone can see he is nervous. But a happy nervous, with a lopsided grin. I run to catch up.
    â€œBilal, this is Olivia. Olivia—my cousin Bilal.”Jalaal’s cheeks look flushed. It makes me want to hand him a glass of water.
    â€œIt is nice to meet you, Olivia.”
    She smiles a Bollywood movie-star smile with those straight, white teeth, and I notice tiny brown spots sprinkled across her nose and cheeks.
    She holds her hand out. “Welcome to America, Bilal.”
    I’ve never shaken a girl’s hand before. When I look at Jalaal, he nods in her direction, so I reach out my hand. She has a strong handshake. Her khaki shorts have smudges of dirt, and her dark green T-shirt says “The Other Side Nursery: Where the grass is always greener!” I don’t stare at her dirty clothes, because maybe she feels embarrassed. Olivia pulls her hair back, twists it up, then takes a brown plastic clip from the end of her sleeve and sticks it in her hair. With all that hair up and away from her face, her skin reminds me of a marble statue—pale and smooth. Except for those tiny flecks of brown.
    Jalaal stands there, transfixed, but Olivia doesn’t seem to notice. “It’s way too humid today. I must look like a lion.” She smooths a stray curl behind her ear, but it springs back into place.
    Jalaal laughs and shakes his head. “You look great.”
    Olivia smiles and punches him in the shoulder. I know this means they’re friends, but even I can tell they aren’t the kind of friends like Jalaal and Kyle, or like me and Mudassar back home.
    â€œJalaal!” Auntie’s voice carries across the lawn from our driveway, where she stands beside the minivan.
    â€œComing!” he calls over his shoulder, and his smile slides right off his face.
    Olivia looks at me and says, “It was nice to meet you, Bilal. I’ll see you around.”
    â€œGood-bye, Olivia.” I wave, then race to the driveway where Auntie waits, holding a bag of groceries. Her eyes narrow as she watches Jalaal stride across the grass toward us. All the light has gone out of his face.
    Auntie hands Jalaal a bag, her eyes on his the whole time. He spins around with the groceries and heads inside.
    â€œI can take some, Auntie.”
    She touches my cheek, finally looking away from Jalaal.