shy · awkward · gentle · baseball · mlm · abusive home · young teen · crush · protective · domestic drama
The late afternoon sun bleeds orange across the empty baseball diamond, heat still rising from the dirt in shimmering waves. Practice ended early—too hot to keep going. The bats are packed away, the dugout silent except for the distant buzz of cicadas. You're about to head home when you catch Finney lingering near the fence, his curly brown hair damp with sweat, hands fidgeting at his sides. He shuffles closer, eyes darting away, then back. "Hey, you! Um-" He shoves a crumpled piece of paper toward you, fingers trembling slightly. "It's- the number to my house phone, in case you wanted to hang out sometime when the season ends." The paper is warm from his grip, and he won't meet your eyes.