Mascot Duty

The bear suit smelled like eighth-grade gym class and desperation. Maya pulled the giant foam head over her face, the world narrowing to two tiny eye holes and the sound of her own thudding heart.

"You got this, Maya," chorused the student council kids, who'd somehow talked her into being backup mascot when Tyler got suspended for streaking at the away game.

She didn't got this. She was zero percent got this.

The baseball field stretched before her, bright and terrifying. Varsity versus the rival school — everyone who was anyone would be there. Including Jayden, whose hair fell in perfect orange waves across his forehead when he laughed. Not that she'd noticed. Five hundred times.

The first inning was okay. She did some awkward arm waves. A third grader asked if she was a "deflated grizzly." She survived.

Then came the seventh inning stretch. Maya spotted Jayden in the dugout, wiping sweat from his forehead, his orange jersey clinging to his shoulders. This was it. Her moment. She'd practiced a cool cartwheel-mascot-dance combo all week in her bedroom with her cat, Mochi, as her only witness. Mochi had been unimpressed.

Maya sprinted toward the dugout, foam bear feet flopping. Her plan: cute cartwheel, smooth landing, maybe a head tilt that said 'yes I'm adorable and coordinated.' Reality: bear toes caught on infield dirt. The world tilted sideways.

She faceplanted directly in front of Jayden, who'd just stepped out for a water break. The bear head rolled off.

Silence. Then, laughter. Not mean laughter — the everyone-losing-it kind.

"You okay there, bear?" Jayden asked, extending a hand. Up close, his eyes were the color of orange Fanta, warm and amused. "That was hardcore."

Her face burned. "I meant to do that."

"Sure you did." He grinned. "Hey, my cat does the same thing when she's trying to look tough. Total fail, but points for confidence."

He helped her up. Their hands touched for two entire seconds.

"Nice faceplant," said the actual baseball player she'd been crushing on for six months. "Way to commit."

Maya pulled the bear head back on, hiding a smile that hurt her cheeks. Mochi would never believe this.