House Of Cards

3. "I think swamp water is a perfectly cheap alternative to tea."

"Alright girls, great job. I'll see you one Tuesday for the final cuts." I said, toying the with softball in my hand. 

"Bye, Coach Lauren." Was said simultaneously by almost everyone. I don't know what was weirder, being called coach, a position of authority that further imposed adulthood on me, or the cult-like chorus it came in the form of.

"You know, the rule 'you break it, you buy it' doesn't disappear when you become a coach." Camila came up next to me and nudged me slightly. I looked at her confused. "I'm talking about the softball you just massacred."

I looked down at my hands and, ultimately, at the softball I had managed to unstitch. About a quarter of the thread had been pulled out, thus creating a floppy, tongue-like piece of leather that reminded me of a shoe without the laces. I chuckled.

"I used to do this before almost every game." I revealed. "I would get really nervous during senior year, when my anxiety was at it's peak, and I would need something to distract me but would be mindless enough that I could also focus on my breathing." I tossed the ball to her. "I used to bring my own balls, though."

"I guess I won't charge you for this one." She looked down at the ball, inspected it for a second, then passes it back to me. "Continue it, I've always wanted to see the inside of it."

"It might take me a while," I explained. "I've made a tiny dent."

"You have a whole season," She pointed out. "Are you busy right now?"

"Sorry?"

"Do you have a class or something?" She clarified.

"No," I shook my head. "I'm done for the day."

"Coffee?"

"I'll probably have tea, but sure." I felt the corner of my mouth curve up as I nodded.

"You drink dirty water?" She asked, picking up the bag of gloves.

I laughed, taking a moment to fully process what she just said.

"You don't drink tea?"

She shook her head and turned her head to me as we began walking.

"I think swamp water is a perfectly cheap alternative."

Now, her joke wasn't that funny but, for some reason, I threw my head back in laughter as if it was the funniest thing I had heard. It was by no means superior to a chicken crossing joke, but it was so unexpected, especially coming from her, that I completely lost it.

Then, when a huge smile plastered her face, my reaction became worth it and not overkill in the least bit. It was a smile filled with genuine pride and... astonishment. She brought her hand up to muffle her own small laughs that had somehow found their way out.

Now, I'm not one for cliches, but picture this: we're walking across a softball field, kicking small amounts of sand with every step, the sky is tinted purple as the sun begins setting. To my left, there might be the cutest giggle I've ever heard in my entire life coming from a complete angel -who's also completely off limits, but that's beside the point-, and to top it all off, she's laughing with me and not at me; like that one time I asked for her number not knowing she was becoming a teacher. I'd be lying if I said it didn't burn.

Okay, so Normani is going to squeal in excitement when I admit my crush, exactly like she did when Camila was a student teacher. And maybe I'll let Normani fill my mind with boarderline impossible scenarios that consist of dates at amusement parks. But, I won't get attached because she is, in a way, a coworker and, maybe, but hopefully not, my superior.