Stealing Home

The July heat hit me like a wall as I walked up the driveway. Alexa's annual end-of-summer bash. Same crowd, same awkward vibes, same me standing in the corner with a solo cup pretending I had somewhere better to be.

'You playing baseball or what?' Jason yelled from the makeshift field in the backyard. He was that guy — starting varsity, always loud, somehow made everything look effortless. Including making me feel like I didn't belong.

'I'm good,' I started, but then I saw her. Maya, leaning against the oak tree, laughing at something Jason said. My stomach did that annoying flippy thing it always did around her. 'Actually, yeah. I'm in.'

Big mistake. Huge.

Three innings later, I'd already struck out twice, missed a fly ball that practically hit me in the head, and managed to trip over my own feet while running to first base. Jason's friends were losing it. Maya too.

'You okay, bro?' Jason called out, smirking. 'Need some water?' He tossed me a bottle, but my hands were sweating so bad I fumbled it. Water everywhere. Down my shirt, soaking my shorts. The laughter got louder.

Something in me snapped. Maybe it was the humidity, maybe it was months of feeling invisible, maybe it was just — I don't know — done.

'That's it.' I dropped the bat. 'I'm out.'

'What's wrong, you can't handle a little —'

'No.' I turned to face him. 'You know what? Screw this. The whole acting like everything's a joke, like other people's embarrassment is your personal entertainment — it's not funny, Jason. It's actually kind of pathetic.'

Silence. The kind where you can hear yourself breathing.

I started running. Not away — toward the woods behind Alexa's house. My sneakers hit pavement, then grass, then dirt. Just running, like if I went fast enough I could outpace everything I'd just said, everyone who'd watched me say it.

'Marcus!' footsteps behind me. Maya.

I slowed down. 'Yeah, no, I totally didn't just make a scene in front of literally everyone.'

'That was kind of legendary, though.' She fell into step beside me. 'Jason's been a jerk to everyone since seventh grade. Nobody ever calls him on it.'

'Really? Because it felt like I just ended my social life forever.'

She laughed. 'Dude, trust me. This is the most interesting thing that's happened at one of these parties since...' She thought about it. 'Since ever.'

We walked in comfortable silence for a minute. The sun was starting to set, painting everything gold and purple.

'So,' she said. 'You hungry? I think there might still be pizza.'

'Only if you promise not to watch me eat. I've already embarrassed myself enough for one day.'

'Maybe.' She grinned. 'No promises though.'

For the first time all summer, I didn't feel like running anymore.