Behind the Bull Mask

The polyester bull suit smelled like three years of other people's sweat, but honestly? It was better than being out there as myself.

"You good, Marcus?" Tyler yelled from the dugout, adjusting his cap. I gave two thumbs up through the foam fingers, my heart practically **running** a marathon in my chest. Tyler didn't know I existed most days, but now? Now I was the mascot, and he'd actually spoken to me.

Being the school **bull** mascot was supposed to be this fun, low-stakes way to be part of the team without having actual athletic talent. But somewhere between putting on this hot, smelly head and realizing I could literally do anything and nobody would know it was me, things had shifted.

I'd started **spying** on Tyler weeks ago—not in a creepy way, okay? Just... observation. I knew he tapped his bat three times before each pitch. I knew he chewed the same piece of gum from warm-ups through the seventh inning. I knew his laugh sounded like sunlight actually made sound.

The **baseball** game was tied, bottom of the ninth, and Tyler was up to bat. The crowd went wild when he hit a line drive toward center field. The ball kept going, and so did Tyler—rounding first, second, third.

He was **running** home, and I was already there, dancing like an idiot because that's what mascots do. But when he scored, the team poured out of the dugout, and in the chaos, someone tackled me. We both went down in a tangle of limbs and foam.

"Nice hustle, man," Tyler said, helping me up. He couldn't see my face through the mesh eyes, couldn't see I was blushing so hard I might actually combust.

"Thanks," I said, my voice weirdly muffled. "You too."

"Whatever," he grinned. "You're literally the best mascot we've ever had. Don't tell anyone I said that."

Later, when I finally peeled off the suit, my hair was plastered to my forehead with sweat, and I smelled terrible, but I caught Tyler's eye across the parking lot. He didn't look away.

Maybe tomorrow I'd talk to him without the bull mask. Or maybe I'd just sign up for mascot duty again next season. Some secrets were worth keeping.