Kate Kellner Throws a Wicked Changeup

By: Mindy Killgrove

Farrington High School Junior, Kate Kellner, has her whole future planned and a list of high-priority goals aligned. This season, she's going to lead the Fighting Falcons to their first ever Midlands Conference title, break all the school pitching records, and impress a boatload of college recruiters so she can pick where she wants to go after she graduates from high school. But then, one day in the middle of a training session, Grady Hughes walks into her multipurpose room.

Grady and his family just moved to Farrington. Because his mom is a staff sergeant in the United States Air Force, he's used to leaving one town for another, but it's rotten luck that she got her orders to get up and go in the middle of his senior year. He decides to try out for the baseball team and that's when he first encounters Kate Kellner. She's strong, powerful, and unbelievably intense. From their very first meeting, he's blown away by her drive and determination. He's never known anyone like her who is simultaneously stable and well-adjusted but also daring and audacious. Just watching her fire one pitch after another at the wall is enough to capture Grady's interest.

Smitten, he sets out to make friends with Kate, but not everyone in her life is thrilled by the way she reciprocates his attentions. Ty Masterson, Kate's best friend since childhood and next-door neighbor, is less than pleased by Grady's laid back, casual, and carefree attitude. And even Kate's teammates speculate if having Grady as her friend is too much of a distraction. Will Kate be able to pull it altogether? Can she sacrifice a little of her self-discipline, in hopes of getting a whole lot in return? And is she really willing to risk losing everything she already holds dear just so she can have another close friend? Find out by reading...KATE KELLNER THROWS A WICKED CHANGEUP.