The Bullpen Cat

Maya's cat wasn't supposed to be at the baseball field. But Barnaby—this tubby, orange disaster of a feline—had other plans. He'd escaped somehow, and now she was sprinting across the parking lot while half the school watched from the bleachers.

"Cat!" someone yelled, and Maya wanted to melt into the asphalt. Freshman year was already mid-level humiliating without her pet turning her into a meme.

Barnaby had reached the bullpen, where the relief pitchers sat. And there was Asher Reyes—junior varsity captain, stupidly handsome, currently holding her cat like it was a baby while his teammates lost it.

"This cat's built different," Asher was saying, scratching behind Barnaby's ears. "Look at him. He's got vibes."

Vibes. Maya couldn't believe this was happening.

"That's... that's my cat," she managed, approaching them. Her voice cracked. Cool.

Asher looked up, grinning. "No shot. This dude's a legend. We're calling him Bull now. Look at that neck. He's built like a bull."

"His name is Barnaby."

"Bull," the team chorused.

Maya's face burned. But Barnaby—now apparently dubbed Bull—was purring so loudly she could hear it from three feet away. Traitor.

Then she noticed something. The guys were actually relaxed. Usually the bullpen was a pressure cooker of nerves and testosterone, especially with playoffs coming up. Now they were just... hanging out. With her cat.

"You guys good?" she heard herself asking. "You seem, like, stressed."

Asher shrugged, still petting Bull. "Coach is riding us. Says we gotta be bulls, you know? Aggressive. Throw strikes. Whatever."

"Maybe," Maya said slowly, "you need more bull energy and less... trying too hard."

Asher blinked. Then he laughed. "Damn, that's facts. Bull's just vibing. No anxiety. Just vibes."

Barnaby chose that moment to yawn dramatically, exposing his tiny sharp teeth, then headbutt Asher's hand.

"See?" Asher said. "Pure confidence."

The team ended up winning that game. Later, Maya found herself sitting on the bleachers with Asher, watching the sunset while Barnaby snoozed between them.

"Your cat's actually good luck," Asher said. "We should keep him around."

Maya smiled, and for the first time since starting high school, the weird knot in her chest loosened. "Maybe. But you're gonna have to call him Barnaby."

Asher grinned. "Deal. No cap."

Barnaby opened one eye, then closed it, completely unimpressed with everything. Maya figured that was exactly the right energy.