It was the bottom of the sixth inning. Callie Jacobs and the Kal Central Tigers were up three to two. The quietness of the crowd comforted Callie as she stepped on the mound. The count was three balls and two strikes with bases loaded. The next pitch could either mean a bittersweet victory and the National Championship or it could be a horrific loss of Callie's softball career. Callie took a deep breath, nodded her head at the catcher's third call, a knuckleball--Callie's lethal pitch. She gripped the ball, wound her pitch up and fired the ball towards the catcher's mitt. 

    "Callie? Callie honey, wake up, or you're going to be late for school," Callie hear her mother's voice, the image of the ball floating towards the mitt starting to fade. Her eyes began to open and there stood her mother, peering down at her.

    "Ugh mom you just woke me up from a pretty awesome dream," Callie groans as she rubs her eyes, laying in her king size bed.

    "What was it about?" as her mom plants herself on the edge of the bed.

    "Well I was pitching a National Championship game, and bases were loaded, the count was full," as Callie sits up, getting into the story she's telling her mom. "We were ahead by one, I pitched the ball, my knuckleball determined the games fate, then BAM!" Callie claps her hands, causing her mother to jump, "you woke me up."

    Callie winks at her mom, climbing out of the bed and over to the closet. 

    "Yeah well if you're late for school, that dream won't become a reality missy," as her mother gets up from Callie's bed, walking out. 

    Kalamazoo, Michigan, population exceeding 75,000 people and home to many sights to see as its about 142.2 miles from Detroit. Callie and her family have lived in this cozy city all their lives. Her dad, Stan Jacobs is one of the top highest paid lawyers in the state of Michigan. Her mother, Angie, is a laid back kindergarten teacher. Callie is a senior at Kal Central High School, home of the tigers. Kal Central is one of the biggest high schools in Kalamazoo County. To gain the title of the "biggest", Kal Central has over 1,500 students, about 250 faculty and staff, two stories with tennis courts, football, baseball and softball fields and a track around the football field. They are also equipped with two basketball courts, a soccer field, and a pool

    With the big school, they also live up their sports teams. The Kal Central Tigers are extraordinary in their sports teams as well as their academics, all around fantastic high school for anybody's children to attend. The Tigers football team has brought home many titles and have also been the home of college and NFL draft picks. The same thing goes for the softball team. This is where Callie Jacobs comes into play. Callie Jacobs is the definition of dedication and hard work. She is one of the star players on the team and is very studious, a straight A student, member of the National Honor Society, and in the Art Club. Hardly having time for her friends can be very hard, but Callie knows (and also what her parents have drilled into her head) that school comes first before friends, even though at times she wished it was reversed. But when she isn't studying for her next test or quiz, she's constantly practicing her pitching. Her academic career has really paid off, but her athletic one has been the main factor. 

    In the middle of the her Junior Year she was offered a full ride scholarship to The University of Austin Texas on her pitching and with a lot of thinking and weighing her options that were thrown at her, Callie committed herself to the Texas Longhorns, her first real commitment ever. Even though her friends are always giving her a hard time about not going out that much though she already has a lined up, it doesn't bother her. She's practically used to everyone's comments. But it's not just Callie who is strict on keeping up her grades and softball, her parents are even worse. They have shared that they are strict on her because they know she has star potential and won't even allow her to date. Callie has never had a boyfriend, a date, let alone kissed a guy. Now that's what strict is all about.

    As Callie gets ready, she wonders what her day will consist of. She's pretty convinced that is going to be a typical day. She's going to go to class, talk to her friends between periods, study during lunch instead of eating, and last but not least, practice before heading home. Getting home wehre she'll break out homework and continue to do homework till she passes out from exhaustion. Dressed in jeans, a purple tank top, a black cardigan, and a little makeup Callie makes her way downstairs. Turning the corner to the kitchen, she walks in, her mother cooking breakfast, and her father sitting on the barstool drinking his coffee and reading the morning paper.

    "Morning," Callie calls out, getting out the freshly squeezed pitcher of orange juice, pouring herself a glass.

    "Morning hun," her dad chimes in.

    "Do you have time for breakfast?" asks her mother getting out a plate and filling it with scrambled eggs and sausage.

    Callie sits down at the barstool beside her dad and starts to eat.

    "Get that paper done last night?" her dad asks, not looking away from the newspaper.    

    "Yes."

    "And your history presentation?"

    "Yes," Callie answers again. She finishes eating her breakfast just as her phone dings in her pocket, alerting her of a text message.

    "Can you give me a ride to school?" the message reads, it coming from her best friend Courtney.

    "I got to go, Courtney wants me to pick her up," Callie slides off the barstool and places her dishes in the sink.

    "Thanks for the breakfast, I'll see you guys after practice," grabbingg her backpack and practice bag, giving both her parents a kiss on the cheek.