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I’m up to bat, because I plan to bat a home run!”
    “You always like to win,” Rachel mumbled as she walked to center field.
    “What was that?” Orlie called.
    “Oh, nothing.”
    The first few balls never made it past the infield, so that made two outs. Then came a couple of foul balls. Rachel wondered if any balls would ever come her way, when suddenly—
smack!
—Aaron King hit a ball that sailed right over Jacob’s head.
    “Catch it, Rachel!” Orlie hollered. “Get that ball!”
    Rachel saw a blur of white whiz past her head, but when she reached out to grab it, the ball flew over her glove. She lunged for it and fell on her face.
Oomph!
    “Are you all right, Rachel?” Audra called from first base. “Your
naas
[nose] isn’t bleeding, I hope.”
    Rachel touched her nose and was relieved not to see any blood on her fingers. Last month, when she’d been playing ball, she’d gotten smacked in the nose and ended up with a nasty nosebleed.
    “What’s the matter with you, Rachel?” Jacob called. “Didn’t you see that ball coming?”
    “I saw it. I just missed, that’s all.” Rachel wasn’t about to admit that the ball had looked like a blurry snowball whizzing past her head.
    Jacob frowned. “Jah, well, you’d better keep a close watch on the ball from now on.”
    Rachel wrinkled her nose. “Maybe I should have played on the teeter-totter or swings. At least no one would be picking on me.”
    “Oh, don’t be like that,” Jacob said. “When our team’s up to bat, I’m sure you’ll do better.”
    Maybe Jacob’s right
, Rachel thought.
I am pretty good at hitting the ball. I might even make a home run. That would show Orlie
.
    Rachel sat on the bench waiting for her turn to bat. Orlie went first and hit a ball that took him to second base. Then Jacob was up, and his ball sailed into right field and brought Orlie home. Lonnie Byler was up next, but he struck out. Then Audra batted, and she struck out, too.
    Now it was Rachel’s turn. She stepped up to the plate, took her stance, and waited for the ball. It came quickly—
swish!
Rachel swung—and missed.
    “Strike one!” David Miller shouted.
    “Don’t swing unless it’s right over the plate,” Jacob called to Rachel.
    “I won’t!”
    The pitcher threw the ball again, but the blur of white whizzed right past Rachel.
    “Strike two!”
    Rachel gripped the bat tighter. The fuzzy white ball came again—
swish!
She swung hard—and missed.
    “Strike three—you’re out!”
    Rachel groaned. So much for getting a home run! So much for showing Orlie how well she could play! He probably thought she was a real loser today.
    “What’s the matter with you, Rachel?” Jacob grumbled. “You acted like you couldn’t even see that ball!”
    “I could see it. I just missed, that’s all.”
    Jacob wrinkled his nose. “Jah, well, I’ll think twice before I ask you to be on my team again.”
    “That’s fine with me. I’d rather play on the swings anyway!” Rachel dropped the bat and hurried away. She’d never admit it to Jacob, but she was worried. Was it possible that she hadn’t seen the ball clearly because something was wrong with her eyes? Oh, she hoped not!

Chapter 5
Blurry Words

    A re you coming with me to see Grandpa and Grandma Yoder?” Rachel asked Jacob as they walked home from school the next day.
    “I don’t think so,” Jacob said. “Pap’s gonna need my help this afternoon.”
    “When I saw Grandma at church the other day, she said Grandpa was going fishing today, and she thought it would be nice if she and I baked something.” Rachel smiled. “I’ll probably bring home some cookies.”
    “Just be sure you don’t mess up the recipe like you did before.”
    Rachel glared at Jacob. “Why do you always say mean things?”
    “I was just stating facts.”
    Rachel kicked a stone and kept walking. She figured that if she said anything back to Jacob, they’d end up arguing, and she didn’t want to arrive at