The Last Out

Marcus stood at the edge of Miller's farm, baseball cleats digging into dirt, heart pounding like a bass line at a school dance. Next to him, Jenna—his best friend since seventh grade, the one who knew about his crush on Sarah and still didn't roast him (much)—adjusted her ponytail with that I've-got-a-plan glint in her eyes.

"So the legend goes," Jenna said, "old man Miller's prize bull, Buster, ate the home run ball that would've won us the championship last spring. If we can find it, we're legends."

Marcus groaned. "First of all, that's straight-up bull. Second, what's the plan? We just waltz in there?"

Jenna revealed her backup: a coil of heavy-duty cable from her dad's garage. "I found the ball's location on Miller's Facebook. It's near the old oak tree. We use the cable to swing over the fence, grab it, and bounce before Buster notices."

"You've been watching too many movies," Marcus said, but he was already grabbing the cable.

Twenty minutes later, they were pressed against the oak tree, baseball within reach. Buster the bull lay twenty feet away, massive and scary-calm, occasionally twitching his ears. Marcus reached for the ball—and the cable snapped.

The bull's eyes snapped open.

"RUN," Jenna hissed, grabbing Marcus's arm. They bolted, baseball forgotten, Buster's snorts like thunder behind them. They scrambled through the fence, collapsing against the outside, chests heaving, faces flushed with adrenaline and laughter.

"Worth it?" Marcus panted.

"Totally." Jenna high-fived him. "Besides, Sarah will think you're a legend for almost dying over a baseball."

Marcus laughed, realizing Jenna had no idea Sarah had moved away last month. Some things you keep to yourself. "You're the worst," he said, smiling. "Best friend, but also the worst."

"Flattery will get you nowhere." She gestured toward home. "Race you there? Loser buys Slurpees."

Marcus took off, Jenna at his heels, the summer stretching ahead like an infinite promise, and he knew—whatever happened next year, whatever colleges or drama or changes came their way—this would be the summer he'd remember forever.