“Uh, well, no” I responded quietly, looking at my feet with a nice tint of red on my cheeks. She tilted my head up with her hand under my chin and motioned toward the hitting stations, signaling to me that we shouldn’t forget about softball. I nodded my head and gave her a small smile which she returned. I seemed to get lost in her, not noticing anything around me for the rest of tryouts, as we were paired up the whole time. I just went through the motions, not really thinking about it. Later everyone told me I did well, but I don’t really remember.

Once coach announced all the names of who did and didn’t make the team after the last day of tryouts, everyone went to the locker rooms-everyone except for me. I took my time packing my stuff up and helping put away all the equipment. I was a team player that way, always trying to help out when I could. Other people saw it as sucking up, but I just thought of it as paying my dues as a freshman.

After the gym was clear I went to the locker room, sure that I was the only one that would be left there after so long. I went to my locker, which was in dark corner, to get my school things and put my bag away. At this point I felt that I had had a lapse in judgment in choosing this locker, as it was secluded and spooky. The original reason I had chosen the location, privacy, seemed to be the same thing that would leave me spooked after school hours when I was in here alone. As I began changing, I heard a strange noise behind me, but when I looked, I saw nothing. ‘This is starting to get weird’’ I thought, slightly spooked. All of a sudden there was a loud bang right behind me. I screamed and probably jumped five feet in the air... I think I might’ve pissed myself a bit as well. When I turned around in my defensive position, I was met with beautiful brown eyes that I immediately melted into.

“Oh dear God, Ashley, was that really necessary? You scared the shit out of me!” I yelled, still shaken.

“I seem to be making a habit of that, don’t I?” she replied with a chuckle.

“SO not funny!” I shouted, but joined in with her laugh. I couldn’t help it, it was contagious.

“Then why are you laughing?” she asked with a sly grin.

“Touché,” I countered. “So what are you doing in here so late?” I asked, suddenly painfully aware of how close she was standing to my smaller form with a lack of shirt and still unbuttoned jeans.

“Oh, just waiting to see if my favorite freshman needed a ride home,” she stated, eyeing my scantily clad form. Those feelings in my stomach were back and stronger than ever.