'Okay, so the boy can run, play baseball, and other sports..so what? Psh, I'm not intimidated.'

"ThunderThighs, batter up." Bryson adviced me, his bubblegum lips pursed.

My eyes widened

"Hell no!" I stammered.

"C'mon ThunderThighs get loose. Let's do this Miss.Championship!"

I really wished he hadn't said that, all the boys ooh'd me, grinning at me.

"This girl is Miss.Championship?" One of the teammates asked, Eric, I think was his name.

Rolling my eyes, and ignoring his statement I shot back, "I am not gonna play baseball with a bunch of snoozeballs-" They laughed some more. " And besides, is this not your practice?" I asked him.

"Well yeah, but as you saw, we already practiced. " He gestured sarcastically with his fingers.

"Anders!" A voice yelled.

The all too familiar figure started jogging towards us.

"Jaxon?" I whispered out loud.

I didn't think I'd run into him again in person.

I just felt awkward with him during text so I never really replied back, it's not like he did either though.

'Was he here the whole time?'

Once he catched up to us, he rested his hand on Bryson's shoulder then noticed me, his eyes widening.

"Oh, H-hey Koleen. How you doin?" He asked me.

Well shit, and to think I thought he was too much of a coward to even acknowledge me.

"Hi, What are you doing here?" I asked him.

"I'm actually volunteering with these boys. Looks good on paper." He explains, still in disbelief to see me again. "What?" He asks as I keep starring at him.

"Nothing. Um, one of your idiot players wants me join and play with y'all." My eyes slid to Brysons. "But it's their practice so I'd rather not disrupt. "

Jaxon looked at Bryson, me catching a glimspe of his amazing jawline with the sun hitting it.

Even if things didn't really work out, I couldn't lie to myself and not think he was attractive.

He was still pretty hot.

"Anders, you done?" He asked Bryson.

"Yeah Jax, got home run." He smirked.

"Good. Koleen you can play now."

"What? No! " I protested.

I didn't expect him to agree!

"C'mon Leeny, show me what else you can do besides running. " Jaxon crossed his arms, revealing his arm muscles.

"Yeah ThunderThighs, show us. Or are you a sore loser!" A boy chanted, which irked me.

I was getting used to the name coming from Bryson, but to hear it from someone else annoyed me.

Jaxon laughed, at the boy's mockery, as did the rest of the team too.

"Bro, good one!" Brian bro-fisted him.

Oh my gosh, this is not happening.

Part of me didn't want to give them what they want, but another part of me wanted to show them that I could do it.

But I've never even played softball, much less baseball.

My legs stood up with a mind of its own.

I then picked up the bat, jogged towards my position and yelled, "Batter up!"

"Yeaahh!!" They all cheered.

"Aye Gonzalez! Let me be pitcher." Bryce offered.

"Take care of my ball Anders." 'Gonzalez' warned him winking for some unknown reason and taking another position.

'No, no, no' I told myself.

He smirked at me, tossing the ball up and down as well.

I glared at him, gripping the bat, my feet in hitting position.

Just then Bryson did some kind of bird movement with his body, swinging the ball like a cannon.

The ball swooshed past me, once I thought it was a good moment to swing, I missed.

"Strike one!" The boy yelled behind me.

I freaking missed.

They all laughed, Bryson clutching his stomach.

"That wasn't fair!" I screeched, throwing the bat to the ground frustratingly.

"Life isn't fair." He replied back, tossing the ball up and down again mocking me.

Stupid mocking bird Bryson.

Scowling, I stomped my foot against the dirt aggravated.

"No, you did that bird thing with your body!"

"ThunderThighs, you mean The Krane?"

My face scrunched up in confusion, "What the fuck is a krane?"

"The Krane," Jaxon explained to me, "Is what gets our opponents complain like a big baby."

Stomping my foot again I shoot at them, "But I am obviously not your freaking opponent, this is "just a game" for me to "get loose." So don't freaking do that to me!"

"Awee." Bryce puckered his lips like a little kid, " You get so cute when you're competitively angry."

"Again! This time none of your tricks!"

"Oh, I got way more tricks than that. Meet me in your bed after this." He mocked, his lips pursed.

"Anders, as your assistant coach I believe I should tell you to respect this young lady. Apologize." Jaxon tells him.

"I already did." Bryson confirms

"No you didn't...?" I said confused.

He glared at me, but quickly straightened his face respectfully towards Jaxon.

"Chicken Runner just throw already." A team mate called.

"Wait, im not rea-"

"Strike 2!" The catcher called.

"I wasn't ready!" I whined like a little girl.

Ugh, I swear, he just wanted me to play to embarass myself.

"Better luck next time ThunderThighs." Bryson called, winking at me.

I rolled my eyes, "I still have e more try, so fucking come at me!"

"Koleen! We dont use that language on my field!" Jaxon informed me.

I ignored him, and positioned myself again.

I glared at Bryson's glorious smile.

'I will beat this game'

Bryson gripped the ball, swinging it backward and shooting straight at me, once I was sure it was the right rime, I gripped the bat, eyes closed, and hit it full force.

My eyes opened, seeing the ball fall far away, a few more boys after that and I sprinted my heart to home base.

I breathed heavily, my arms in the air victoriously, "I did it! Take that losers!" I yelled at everyone.

Surprisingly the boys cheered for me, Bryson making his way towards me.

"See, that wasn't so bad now was it?" He replied, hand resting on my shoulder.

"No. It really wasn't. But I will never do it again." I gave him a serious look.

"Koleen, you did great out there. Ever played softball?" Jaxon asked me.

"Jaxon, I've told you the sports I've played. Softball wasn't one of them." I reminded him.

He cheeks heated up alittle, nodding his head in agreement.

"Ok guys, since you already completed what was needed to be worked on. You can go home now, today was an easy day but tomorrow is muscle so get your asses ready." Jaxon told the whole team, making the boys groan in frustration.

'I need to go to the gym' I thought to myself.

I need to get better too.

"ThunderThighs lets go." Bryson called for me.

We drove back to the school parking lot where my car was, I quickly got out to open the door before he left me alone when surprisingly, he parked next to me.

"What is it?" I asked him when he got out.

"You had fun?"

I looked at him confused, I didn't think he would care if I had a good time or not. Was he trying to play nice?

"Yeah, sure." I opened the door to get in when he walked closer.

"So, uh... do you still talk to Jaxon?" He asks not looking at me.

"What?" I asked confused.

He shook his head. "Nothing. Never mind. So where are you going?" He asks changing the subject.

"Why do you want to know?" I asked him.

••○○○○

"Grab 45 pound plates, with fives and set them on." I ordered Bryson who followed me to the gym.

After why felt like twenty minutes of arguing what I was doing, and why he wanted to know I finally told him.

I didn't expect him to come with me though.

"ThunderThighs, you're gonna need a spotter for that, and I'm not a good spotter." He replied.

"I don't need a spotter ."

"But you need someone watching you, and getting close. ThunderThighs I know you don't want me looking or touching you..." He trailed off.

My cheeks heated up at the thought of it, "Fine. I get it, I get it. I'll go light." I reponded getting 15 pounds instead. "Oh, um, you could go work on something else. I'm going light ok?" I stated gripping the bar. He stared at me one more time, before going to another part of the gym.

There were a few people at the gym, not many came on weekdays. I stood up with the bar, my hands already getting clammy, then squatted low and stood back up squeezing my butt cheeks then repeating 3 sets of 15.

I was in the middle of cable kickbacks when a sweaty hand touched my shoulder.

"What is-" My eyes widened as I saw a sweaty six pack.

"ThunderThighs, my eyes are right up here." Bryson told me, gesturimg with his fingers

"Where is your shirt? " I screamed at him.

"ThunderThighs it's a fucking gym. I can take off my shirt all I want, chill."

I took off the cable and got up, my legs feeling like jello because of all the reps I've done.

"What do you want then?"

"Let's go, because I'm hungry." He whined like a baby patting his six pack belly.

I rolled my eyes and responded, " Fine. But we are not gonna eat crap like McDonalds and shit."

"Fuck, Why?"

I quoted, "Because when I eat like crap, I feel like crap. Now let's go to my house so I can show your dumb self what real food is."

He wiggled his eyebrows in response, "Ooh, so you're inviting me to your house now?"

I blinked.

"You can't eat at your house. I'm going to my house."

"No, no, no. You already invited me. It is rather rude to take back invites Thunderthighs."

I groaned.

Why didn't I think before I spoke?

♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤

"Dont touch that!" I smacked him.

He was seriously examining everything in my house, and he told me to keep my hands to myself last time.

"Bryson stop touching everything, you've already seen my house!"

"Yeah, but I didn't fully observe it." He commented, opening my cupboard, and examining what food I have placed in there. "Ooh Chips Ahoy! Don't mind if I do."

"Bryson," I took the cookies away from him, and placed them somewhere else. "Those are my dad's you ding dong."

"I'm sure he wouldn't mind."

"Just stop."

Opening my fridge, I got the veggies out and all the supplies I needed to make our meals.

"Grab two plates." I ordered him.

"Where are they?" He asked openning every door.

I rolled my eyes, "Top shelf by the fridge, and they have to be deep bowls too."

I quickly prepared the meals, the boiling eggs and chicken already cooking.

Bryson surprisingly fished two deep bowls and placed them on the island.

"What else can I do?"

"Nothing. Just wait." I informed him doing the rest.

"This looks...not so shitty." Bryson commented, placing one of his hands on my shoulder as he examined me putting the meals together.

"Yeah because I made it." I mocked him, turning around only to face him.

I looked at him, then to the floor, then up at him again.

'Why was he standing so close?'

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