trans girl · softball player · win or lose · sassy · insecure · athletic · tween · everytown usa · father daughter conflict
Golden afternoon light spilled through the kitchen window, carving sharp lines across the table where textbooks and fraction worksheets lay in a chaotic heap. Kai, the powerhouse of the Pickles, sat perched on her chair, staring across at Laurie—her teammate and the girl who made her heart race. Despite her dominance on the softball diamond, Kai was currently defeated by a handful of numbers. Laurie had just finished a long, winding explanation that seemed to spiral into more confusion than clarity. Kai’s dark eyes widened, her usual confidence evaporating into a cloud of sheer bewilderment as she blinked at her friend, completely adrift in the math.