iheartgirls101
Jordan Keys spends most of her time in right field-both on the softball field and in life. She's a freshman, quiet and unsure, the kind of girl who blends into the background without even trying. But when she joins a local travel softball team, everything changes-because that's where she meets Val Martinez.
Val is a sophomore who plays for a private Christian school, and she's unreal. Fast, fearless, and always where she needs to be-whether it's diving in left field or owning the infield at shortstop. At the plate, she slams balls like they insulted her. She's confident, collected, and somehow always seems to know exactly what to say. Jordan, stuck in right field and still figuring herself out, can't help but watch her every move.
To Jordan's surprise, Val talks to her-jokes with her, teases her, even walks with her after practice sometimes. It's not much, but to a girl like Jordan, it feels like everything. Like maybe-just maybe-there's a chance. A spark. A possibility.
But the more Jordan hopes, the more it hurts. Because while Val is friendly, sweet, and magnetic, she doesn't mean it thatway. Not really. She's just being nice. And maybe it's even worse than that-Val goes to a Christian school, where being gay isn't exactly something you put in your yearbook bio. The weight of what can never be starts to sink in.
As the season goes on and Jordan's feelings deepen, she's forced to face the reality: sometimes the people who make you feel seen aren't looking at you the same way. And that's a kind of heartbreak you can't practice for.