text-align: start">When you’re crushing on a guy, the last thing you want is to get caught singing their name while naked in the locker-room showers. Thankfully, Ryan pretended not to notice. I can play the denial game with the best of them, but I can’t ignore the growing feelings I have for him. We’ve been rivals on the field for two years, but lately, my eyes keep finding him off the field as well, drawn to his piercing blue stare and brilliant smile.

As fate would have it, we’re paired together for a sequence of Star-Crossed Lovers skits, and while I’m excited at the prospect of spending more time with him, with rumors of team cuts at the end of the season, it makes me wonder if there is any point in starting anything at all. Maybe we’re just destined to stay on opposing sides.

Ryan

Being on the other side of the world from your entire family is hard, especially when you see everyone else going home to theirs every night. So, when I moved in with Duckie and Ian, I was excited to at least have people to come home to.

But they aren’t the only ones I see every day. Across the alley lives an old man and his cat who greet me with a demonic howl and a gruff reminder that my favorite game isn’t “real” baseball.

Good thing I’m not easily offended, and while I might be still on the fence about the cat, imagine my surprise when I discover the old man is Alan Beaker’s grandfather. Suddenly, my days aren’t just filled with on field practice and rehearsals with the guy I’ve been crushing on hard, they’re also filled with time spent with him off the field too.

It isn’t long until I notice just how devoted to family Alan is, and the more time I spend with his, the more they make me feel like I belong. Now if only I can get Alan to take a chance on us, then I can make this feeling last forever.

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