Playing for Keeps

Jasmine

Jack POV: 

After that text where she said she was going on another date I lost it. I began pacing my house like a fucking neanderthal, all I needed to do was bang on my chest. After what felt like an eternity, my alarm shot off reminding me I still had work to do and I had to leave to make it on time. 

I grab my bag from the chair and drive to the ballpark. I've never felt this amount of dread and I am sure no one has ever seen me in such a shitty mode, not even when my life was a shit show. I sit by my locker, eyes closed and music on my earbuds blasting. I am trying to relax but nothing is working, I'm losing my shit. I feel someone grab my shoulder firmly and I turn to see Scott grabbing a chair to sit next to me. 

"Hey man, what's going on. Please talk to me, we've never seen you like this" concern plastered all over his face. 

"I'm losing Lily. She is going on a fucking date with some douche tonight." I bite my nails as I continue to stare at the lockers. Scott pats my leg and when I turn, he says "what happened? I thought shit was going good?"

I sigh because I need to talk to someone about this before I combust. "Scott, I meet Lily online playing Call of Duty of all places. These past months have been amazing, talking to her daily and I- "dread fills my chest as the realization hits "I love her. The thing is I know what she looks like but she doesn't know what I look like. It's mostly because I'm a fucking coward and don't want things to change when she sees this" I point to the locker room and the equipment, gesturing to my life as a baseball player. Its not that I think she will turn into something else when she realizes who I am, it's because I know she will run when she does. 

"So, she doesn't know you're you? and why is she going on a date?"

"Because I'm a dumbass. I've not mustered the balls to talk to her about my feelings. I asked her if she wanted to talk after the game and she said she was going out to bar in DT on a date"

"Pfft, to a bar? That's the worst date ever. Well, I am going to help you get the girl. You use this-" He gestured to my body as if motioning to all the anger and frustration I am feeling and bundling it into a ball "energy to win today, and we head to the bar after the game. It's a date not a relationship, you can still get the girl. Is that what you really want?" he looks at me firmly. 

"You're an amazing friend" I get up give him a hug and say "Let's fucking do this shit, I have a girl to go win back" 

We walked into the packed bar praying no one recognizes us. Luckily, most people are into their own thing and pay no attention. We squeeze through the people as I look around looking for Lily. When Scott called his wife, Mel, to tell her the story she made him promise he would not let me leave without the girl. 

After five minutes of walking around I spot her sitting on a table with a tall brunette guy that looks like an washed off version of Jacob Elordi. She is looking at him confused and a few seconds later he leans in and grabs her hand. I feel the rage creeping in as I clench my jaw and use all my self control to not go over and pound the guy. I am staring at them, she is smiling while he is talking when I feel Scott next to me "That's her? Man, she's gorgeous" I turn to look at him and he gives me a knowing smile. 

"Yeah, she is." I smile back. We didn't come here for me to ruin it all, I appreciate Scott taking this time to help me out instead of being with his wife and kid. 

"Let's find a table so we can plan something out" he says pointing toward an empty table a few feet from where Lily is with that jerk. Once we are settled Scott leans over and says "First step is you not staring at her all night, let's try to not make it so obvious." He laughs as I stare back at him. We decide to wait for an opportunity for me to casually bump into her and see where it goes from there. 

We wait for about 45 minutes when Scott notices her getting up to go to the bathroom, alone. This is my chance. "Go stand by the bathroom, I'll go grab drinks" Scott tells me. I can feel my heart thumping in my chest, what if this all goes to shit and I ruin everything. What if she is really into this dude and tells me to fuck off. My legs feel heavy as I walk towards the bathroom, waiting for her to come out.  What am I going to do, how am I going to talk to her. I feel myself panicking when she steps out of the bathroom, her curls bouncing around her face, a small crease formed in the middle of it. 

She walks toward the bar and I feel the pull towards her, she is looking for a way to get to the front. I stand behind her about to tap her shoulder when she takes a step back and bumps into me. Her Jasmine scent enveloping me completely. She turns around with her big brown eyes looking directly at me. I feel my heart stop and my breath catch. 

"Fuck I'm sorry"  she mumbles as I see the red tint forming around her tiny freckled face. I feel my smile growing as I take her in, she is even more beautiful face to face.  "Shit, let me get you a new beer, I can't let you go walking around with an empty glass" she says to me as she notices the beer in my hand had been spilled on the floor. I hadn't noticed until she mentioned it, even if it splashed over my arm. 

"Are you hitting on me?" I say smirking at her, seeing how the red from her face begins to extend to her ears and neck. Fuck, she is perfect. "I, I uh no no" she says in more of a mumble than I know she intended. I stand there wondering if she can also feel the electric pull I feel.

"I'm joking, what are you trying to get from the bar?" I reply to her, smiling broadly my eyes roaming her face.

"Uh, a shot, and your beer." she responds timidly. "Wait for me here, let me squeeze through and-"

"Don't worry, my friend's up front" I reply as I take my phone out to text Scott. 

bring shots and a beer, fuck she is perfect.

10-4

 We stand there in silence as I take her in. Her heart shaped face, those big big eyes that are a window to her soul. I can feel the zaps of electricity crackling around us. A few minutes later Scott arrives looking smug with three shots and a beer. Mental note to remind him how much I fucking appreciate him. 

"Oh hey, there" he says handing her a shot. He gives me another one as he puts his shot to the middle. I put my shot to the middle looking over at her as I say "To new friends" and smile widely at her, she clinks the shot before the three of us throw it back.

"How much I owe you?" she asks Scott. 

"On the house, here I got you a beer as well" he says as he hands her the beer and stretches his hand to introduce himself. "Scott nice to meet you" she smiles at him and shakes his hand, "Liliana" she turns to me with a smile so bright I swear its the sun shining in. I extend my hand to her as well "Nice to meet you Liliana, I'm-" before I can finish her friend from the ballpark grabs her arm and stares at her, if looks could kill. I am extremely annoyed at her coming over interrupting us but as I look over at Lily she says "Thanks for the shot and the beer, duty calls" shooting us a wink as she walks away, taking my heart with her.