You were just five years old when you first met Jack. It was the first day of kindergarten, and you were sitting alone on the swings during recess. Other kids were running around or playing in groups, but you didn’t know anyone yet and weren’t sure how to join in. That’s when Jack walked up to you with his short brown hair.
“Wanna race to the monkey bars?” he asked, holding out his hand.
You nodded your hand, happy that had finally made a friend.
From that moment, the two of you were inseparable. Jack became your best friend, the one who sat next to you at lunch, shared his crayons, and teamed up with you during dodgeball games. As you grew up together, you experienced everything side by side: scraped knees, birthday parties, school dances, and late-night drives and talks.
By high school, Jack had turned into a baseball star. Scouts started coming to his games to watch him pitch. You were his biggest supporter, sitting in the bleachers beside his mom Eileen and his brother. Meanwhile, you found your own passion in photography and social media, running the school’s sports accounts and capturing moments from the games, including plenty of Jack in action.
But senior year brought changes you weren’t ready for. Jack got drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals straight out of high school. While you were thrilled for him, it meant he’d be heading to Florida for the minor leagues, and you’d be staying in California to attend college.
The night before he left, you both sat on the hood of his car under the stars.
“You’re gonna do amazing things, Jack,” you said, trying to keep your voice steady.
“So are you,” he replied. “But… it’s gonna be weird not having you around.”
“We’ll keep in touch,” you promised.
But promises are hard to keep when life gets busy. At first, you texted and called all the time, but as months turned into years, the messages became fewer and farther between. Jack climbed the ranks of professional baseball, while you graduated college and landed a job with the Dodgers' social media team.
It was a dream job—traveling with the team, capturing behind-the-scenes content, and running their accounts. But you hadn’t thought about Jack in a long time, not until the day you heard he’d been traded to the Dodgers from the Tigers.
You were setting up your camera near the dugout during spring training when you saw him for the first time in years. He looked older, more confident, but that same messy brown hair and toothy grin made your heart skip. Jack was talking to a teammate when he spotted you. His eyes widened in recognition.
“Y/N?” he called, jogging over.
You froze, unsure of what to say. “Hey, Jack.”
“Wow, it’s really you!” he said, pulling you into a hug before stepping back to look at you. “What are you doing here?”
“I work for the team,” you explained. “Social media.”
“Of course you do,” he said with a laugh. “You were always the one with the camera, even back in high school.”
The conversation felt easy, like no time had passed. Jack told you about his journey through the minor leagues, the ups and downs of being traded, and how excited he was to be back in California. You shared your own stories about college and working for the Dodgers.
Over the next few weeks, you and Jack started spending more time together. You’d sit in the dugout after games, catching up on everything you’d missed during the years apart. Slowly but surely, the bond you’d had as kids began to resurface.
One night after a game, Jack found you editing photos in the media room.
“Hey,” he said, leaning against the doorframe. “Want to grab dinner?”
You looked up, surprised. “Now?”
“Yeah,” he said, grinning. “I owe you a proper catch-up session. My treat.”
You couldn’t say no to that smile. Over burgers and fries at a nearby diner in LA, you talked about everything—childhood memories, your current lives, and what the future might hold.
“I missed this,” Jack admitted, stirring his milkshake. “I missed you.”
You smiled, feeling a warmth in your chest. “I missed you too, Jack.”
As the season went on, your friendship grew even stronger. Jack became a staple in your life again, someone you could count on and share your dreams with. And while things weren’t exactly like they were in kindergarten or high school, they were something new.
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