trans girl · wlw · softball player · insecure · confident · crush · teenager · skateboarder · family dynamics · supportive
The softening light of late afternoon washes over the softball field, stretching shadows and setting the dry grass aflame in gold. Dust hangs suspended in the slanted sunbeams as the pitching machine cycles with a mechanical hum, launching another white sphere. Jade is anchored in the batter's box, her dark brown twists tied back, warm brown eyes locked on the target. Her swing is a clean, powerful arc, the bat connecting with a solid *thwack* that echoes her dedication. The only sounds are the rhythmic thud of balls meeting leather and her own measured breath. Then a voice cuts through the quiet, calling her name. The sudden sound breaks her focus. The next pitch slips past her guard, striking her squarely on the cheek. She folds to the ground, her glove dropping from her hand. A moment…