The Sphinx in the Dugout

Leo's palms were sweating so bad he could barely grip his phone. He stood behind the bleachers, watching the varsity **baseball** team practice like he did every Tuesday, pretending to scroll through Instagram while actually stealing glances at Marcus—the guy who'd somehow managed to be both team captain and the only openly queer guy at Northwood High.

"Dude, you're being so weird," said Jen, appearing beside him with her hair in that messy bun she somehow made look intentional. "Just talk to him already."

"I can't," Leo groaned. "I have the social skills of a literal **sphinx**—all mysterious riddles and zero ability to function in normal society." Jen rolled her eyes so hard he almost felt it.

The real problem wasn't Leo's crush. The problem was his cousin's **bear** of a dog, Buster, who was currently loose on school grounds because Leo's aunt had dropped him off "just for an hour" and somehow managed to leave the gate open. A hundred pounds of enthusiastic golden fur was currently charging toward the baseball field.

"BUSTER!" Leo screamed, abandoning all dignity as he sprinted across the grass. The dog dove straight into the dugout, emerging moments later with a practice jersey in his mouth. The entire baseball team stopped. Marcus turned around, grinning as Buster dropped the jersey at his feet like a prize.

"Is this your dog?" Marcus called out, laughing as Buster nudged his hand.

Leo wanted the earth to swallow him whole. Instead, he trudged over, face burning. "Yeah, sorry. He's got zero **bull** in him—like, he wouldn't hurt a fly, but his enthusiasm is definitely a lot."

Marcus was still petting Buster. "He's awesome. You're Leo, right? From Mr. Harrison's English class?"

Leo's brain short-circuited. "Uh. Yeah. That's me."

"Wanna hang out after practice?" Marcus asked, totally casual. "We could get boba or something."

Jen, watching from the bleachers, mouthed 'I TOLD YOU SO' so dramatically Leo could read it from twenty feet away. His palms had stopped sweating. He grinned, finally. "Yeah. Yeah, I'd like that."