𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐫 ✰ 𝘤𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘳 ✔

t w e n t y - t w o ✺ hellos and goodbyes

t w e n t y - t w o ✺ hellos and goodbyes

(Sometime in September)

As the end of the season neared, my life got way more chaotic. Me and Taylor were going steady (no, we haven't taken that step yet), and Richie was getting sent up and down faster than you can say "bazinga!"

College had been well, as my grades had been well, and my job couldn't been better. Starting January, me, Kiefer, and Riley would be starting a new block called "3 Kids Talk Baseball" from 6-9 AM weekday mornings. We were excited.

And to celebrate, there was going to be a big party at a pavilion in Clearwater.

Little did I know, my life was about to change forever.

----
6 PM

I look at myself in the mirror. I was wearing a cute off-white shirt with high-waisted jeans and a flannel wrapped around my waist. Me and Riley had deemed the party "casual", so people could wear whatever was comfortable, and not just what was cute.

I walk out of the room I shared with Taylor, and he greets me with a cat call.

"Damn, baby." He grabs me and kisses me. "How'd I become so lucky?"

"I don't know." I smile and stroke his cheek.

"Let's get this show on the road." Taylor tells me. "I can't wait to see my newscaster shine."

"I'm not a newscaster?" I smack him on the shoulder. "I'm going to be on the radio, not on TV."

"Same thing." Taylor shrugs, and opens the door for me.

>>>

Half an hour later and we make it to Pinellas Bay Memorial Center. The pavilion was big, and perfect to host the type of celebration we were having tonight.

"Reasie! Taylor!" Kiefer greets us at the door. "Glad you could make it!"

"It wouldn't be 3 Kids without all 3. Is Riley here?"

Kief nodded. "Yup. And apparently, with a new dude, too."

"She moved on fast." Taylor snorted.

"Honestly." Kiefer said as we all walked in.

Taylor then went his own way as me and Kiefer approach Riley. Indeed, she was with a new guy...that guy being Matt Duffy.

"Wait...Duffman?" Kiefer's jaw drops.

"We're just friends." Riley shrugs, looking to me. "Kief, can I borrow Rease?"

"Uh...sure." He waves and leaves me with Riley and Matt.

"I'll butt out as well." Matt points to the punch bowl.

Riley sighed. "Anyway. Has she messaged you?"

After Kiefer told me of his high school sweetheart, I told Riley, and we located her in Orlando. We had invited her tonight as a surprise.

"Yes. She's here." I point to the skinny blonde-haired girl snacking on oyster crackers.

"Nice. There's Andre on stage. Let's get this show on the road."

"Hello everyone, welcome to this celebration."

Applause.

"These three individuals are the next generation of sportscasting in the Tampa/St. Pete area. They are determined to make baseball a popular sport in Tampa, to become role models to the youth. Can we please welcome Riley Poole, Rease Shaffer, and Kiefer Tamberelli?"