The Vitamin C Conspiracy

I started taking a vitamin C supplement every morning at exactly 7:03 AM because my older brother Jordan said it would help with 'stress and stuff' before he left for college. Now he's at some prestigious university probably being brilliant and athletic, while I'm here, still in his shadow, still can't make the varsity baseball team, and still talking to my cat about my problems.

Not that I'd ever admit that last part to anyone.

'You're overthinking again, aren't you?' I whispered to Miso, who was currently sprawled across my bed like she owned the place—which, technically, she kind of did. She blinked her golden eyes slowly, as if to say, obviously, human, and went back to cleaning her paw.

The thing was, I couldn't stop overthinking. Tryouts for the baseball team were in two weeks, and I'd been spending every afternoon at the park, practicing my swing until my arms felt like jelly. But every time I stepped up to the plate, I'd freeze up, remembering last year when I struck out in front of everyone—my crush Emma included, who was sitting in the bleachers laughing with her friends.

That memory still made my stomach churn.

I grabbed my backpack and headed to the door. Miso let out this disappointed little meow, like she knew I was leaving and she wasn't invited. 'Sorry, girl,' I said, scratching behind her ears. 'Gotta go to school. Try not to destroy the apartment while I'm gone, okay?'

The walk to school was fine, until I saw Emma and her crew gathered around the baseball field announcement board. They were giggling and pointing, and my stomach did this weird flip thing. I started walking faster, practically running past them, staring determinedly at my phone like I received the world's most important text message.

'Hey, Leo!' someone called out. I froze. It was Marcus, the varsity captain, waving at me from the dugout. 'You coming to tryouts this year? We could use another outfielder.'

I stood there, my mouth slightly open, completely caught off guard. Emma turned around, and our eyes met for like three seconds that felt simultaneously like three hours and three milliseconds.

'Uh, yeah,' I managed to squeak out. 'Definitely.'

'Cool,' Marcus said. 'Bring your A-game, man.'

I walked away feeling like I might throw up, but also—excited? Terrified? Both?

That afternoon, I texted Jordan: 'Got invited to tryouts. Scared out of my mind but doing it anyway.'

He wrote back almost immediately: 'That's my guy. Remember: you can do hard things. Also, still taking those vitamins?'

I smiled, tucking my phone away. Miso was waiting by the door when I got home, and as I picked her up, she purred like a tiny motorboat. Maybe this year would be different. Maybe I'd actually make the team. And maybe, just maybe, I'd finally work up the courage to actually talk to Emma.

Small steps, right?

I popped my vitamin C supplement. 7:03 AM. Exactly.