Welcome to the Innocent World

The sun was beginning to dip in the sky, casting warm, golden light over the baseball field as our game entered its most intense stretch.

Despite our team's early efforts, we were a couple of runs behind, and the pressure was building. The crowd on the benches was on the edge of their seats, with murmurs of excitement and anticipation spreading across the field.

I could feel the weight of the situation; if we didn't score soon, we'd be out.

"Alright, Austin, you've gotta bring it home for us!" Kyle called from the sidelines, his voice carrying a note of urgency. He adjusted his cap, beads of sweat gleaming on his forehead as he paced. "We're counting on you here."

Lena was standing nearby, leaning forward with a fierce look in her eyes. "If anyone can turn this around, it's you, Mast- I mean Austin," she said, her voice filled with absolute confidence.

I nodded, giving a small smirk, keeping up my calm and focused demeanor.

Meanwhile, the opposing team's pitcher was throwing faster than before, each pitch whistling as it crossed the plate. Rose, who was up before me, took a swing and missed, groaning in frustration.

"Ugh! I swear he's aiming for my ankles," she grumbled, stepping back and glaring toward the mound.

"Don't let him get to you, Rose," I said, nodding toward the pitcher. "It's all in his head—just stay focused."

She gave me a thumbs up, but her focus wavered as the next pitch flew by.

Strike three!

She let out an exasperated sigh, heading back to the bench as the crowd cheered for the pitcher.

"Come on, Austin!" Rose called over her shoulder, clapping her hands. "Save us!"

I took a deep breath and stepped up to the plate. The girls in the benches began to cheer even louder, and a few of them shouted, "You've got this, Austin!"

"Look at that form," one of the girls whispered to her friend, watching me intently. "Does he ever look bad?"

Her friend giggled. "I know, right? He's got that mysterious, cool vibe."

"I know right."

"I wonder how he'll feel on bed."

The girls laughed and gossiped.

From the railing, Athlea raising an eyebrow with a small, amused smile as she listened to the girls swooning.

The opposing pitcher wound up, releasing a fastball with a smirk as if daring me to hit it.

*Thud*

I swung and connected, the satisfying crack of the bat against the ball filling the air as I sent it flying just over second base.

I sprinted toward first, adrenaline coursing through me as the crowd erupted in cheers.

"Nice hit!" Kyle shouted, clapping his hands.

"Keep it going, Austin!" Lena cheered.

By the time I made it to second, the crowd's energy had doubled. But the other team was quick on the recovery, and we were still one run short with only one more inning left.

My team lined up, each taking their turn, but the pressure was heavy, and the pitcher was on his game. He struck out Lena and Rose, leaving us with one final shot.

We were in the final inning, down by one with just a few minutes left. I could feel the pressure mounting as I took my stance, glancing back at my teammates, who all wore looks of hopeful determination.

"You're our last shot, Austin!" Kyle yelled, his voice filled with confidence.

The girls from the stands were yelling encouragements.

"Austin! You have to win!" one shouted, leaning over the railing. Another clapped her hands together, saying, "He's so hot when he's focused like that."

Athlea, standing a bit apart from the girls with her groceries, raised her eyebrows at their remarks, a faint blush creeping up her cheeks. She chuckled softly to herself, though, clearly entertained by the situation.

The pitcher threw his first pitch. I swung and hit it, but it was a foul, the ball narrowly missing the right field line.

A murmur of disappointment rippled through the crowd, but I just gripped the bat tighter, zeroing in on the pitcher.

"Come on, Austin! You've got this!" Rose called out.

On the next pitch, I adjusted my stance and swung with precision, sending the ball rocketing over the left-field fence. The crowd erupted into cheers as I made my way around the bases, my teammates shouting in celebration. By the time I rounded third, the noise was deafening.@@novelbin@@

"Austin! Austin!" the girls in the stands chanted.

I stepped on home plate, greeted by high-fives, cheers, and Lena's enthusiastic bear hug.

"You did it! We won!" she yelled, nearly lifting me off my feet.

"Not bad for holding back," I said with a smirk, meeting the eyes of my teammates, who were all grinning from ear to ear.

Kyle, breathing hard from all the excitement, slapped me on the shoulder. "You're a hero, Austin. Seriously, that was incredible!"

As the team celebrated, Lena spotted a few of the players from the opposing team who'd teased her earlier. She narrowed her eyes with a smirk, bringing out her claws.

"Alright, you guys, think you're funny?" she called, chasing after them with playful determination.

The boys laughed, scattering and sprinting to get away from her. "Alright, alright! We take it back!" they yelled, laughing as Lena playfully lunged at them.

The sun had nearly disappeared below the horizon, the field bathed in a soft, golden glow as we began to head off the field.

As we made our way toward the exit, I spotted Athlea standing on the edge of the field, her grocery bags in hand, watching with a gentle smile. I approached her, offering a small nod.

"You played well, Austin," she said, a soft blush on her cheeks as she looked me over. Her gaze lingered, almost as if she was seeing me in a new light. "I don't think I've ever seen you so… determined."

"Thank you, Athlea," I replied, my tone calm, though I couldn't help noticing the warmth in her gaze. "It was a good game."