✔️ | 𝒃𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 ─ 𝒑𝒂𝒙𝒕𝒐𝒏 𝒉.𝒚

THIRTY-EIGHT

Well shit.

Today was the day.

Today was the last softball game Carly Tan will ever play as a Sherman Oaks Cricket.

Now the girl wasn't one to be nervous, no.

It's just, after what Lily told the girl, she did not sleep a wink. She was too busy thinking about how this was her last chance to impress the UCLA coaches. But her new self didn't care if she didn't get in. It was their loss if they didn't want to her.

But you knew a part of Carly did want to still go to UCLA. Whatever happens, happens. Besides her parents don't seem to worry where she's going, why should she?

She was already a hell of a lot better than her older brother, no offense to Jason or anything.

"'You ok?" Paxton chuckled as he saw the girl shakily stuffed her face with her salad.

Urg don't even get the girl started with Paxton. She could not get what he promised her yesterday. Not that she didn't believe him or anything, but it gave her butterflies just thinking about it.

"Fine."

"Ok sure." Paxton said, playfully rolling his eyes. He could tell she was nervous. Her leg shaking gave it away. And he knew there was no doubt about tonight's game. The boy used to be a student athlete once upon a time. He knew how nerves kick in when something big was happening. And that big thing was college scouts.

"Tell you what? After the game we can go to In-n-Out. My treat."

Carly looked at the boy. She took her food really seriously. And she hasn't had a burger is so long, so who was she to refuse the offer. "Even if we lose?"

Paxton nodded. "Even if you lose which isn't gonna happen."

"You're so confident in a team you've barely watched all season."

"Who said I haven't been watching?"

"What?" Carly asked. Who was she to talk? The only people she really could find in the crowd were her parents. But surely she would have noticed if this boy was at her games.

"I've been going to your games since season started."

"You have?"

Paxton nodded. He wasn't joking when he said he loved this girl. Was it wrong of him to blow off both his now ex-girlfriends to watch his ex-girlfriend play a sport she loves? Maybe?

"I have."

"Wow. I didn't know."

"No one did. I would always stand behind the stands."

Carly nodded trying to digest this conversation. The boy has been to almost all her games but she's never seen him. "Then yes. I'd love to go to In-n-Out after."

And all day Paxon had the biggest smile on his face.