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And my heart couldn’t help but feel a little sad about it.

I mean, there wasn’t any harm in me texting him first. But since the first time we texted, Colton had always been the one to initiate the conversation, so I couldn’t help but find it a bit nerve-wracking to be the one to send the first text.

Plus, friends text each other, right?

It wasn’t as if I was doing anything that was out of the ordinary for a friend to do.

And I really wanted to send him that good luck text.

Even though Colton’s game was starting at 2 p.m., they would most likely be on the field before to get ready. Sending it an hour earlier seemed like the most optimum time.

‘It’s just a text,’ I muttered to myself.

I started typing out the message, and immediately sent it before I had a chance to back out.

Clara:

Good luck with the game today!

There’s my text, now you owe me a home run.

A few minutes passed and he hadn’t replied.

Was I too late? Are they already on the field?

The lecture hall started to fill up with more students, and before I knew it, the lecturer had already entered, preparing his slides on the computer.

I was about to turn my phone on airplane mode, when his reply came just in time.

Colton:

Hit a home run for you?

You got it, partner.

The lecture ended exactly at 3 p.m., and I had a free hour before my last class of the day. Usually, I would head to the coffee shop to get some reading, but as I stepped out of the lecture hall to its open outdoor space, I was greeted with a soft breeze and the afternoon glow of the sun.

Fortunately, my next class was close to a shaded sitting area under a tree, and it seemed the universe was on my side when there was an unoccupied table. Settling into one of the seats, I took out my planner to go through all the assignments that had a next-week deadline.

I had managed to stay on top of my work that semester—at least by then, I had.

Moreover, I had already started both the assignments that were to be submitted soon, one of them was even halfway done.

My initial plan was to finish both the day after, since I didn’t have any classes, but I could try to get ahead with this free time.

Thinking I could get some work done while waiting for my next class, I took out my laptop and opened the Word document.

One minute.

Then, two.

And now, five minutes had passed, and I was still staring at the same document.

Adding nothing, cutting nothing, the only movement was the cursor blinking, as it waited for me to pour out my words. But it seemed my brain was already locked in on me facing this assignment the next day and nothing came to mind.

I let out a sigh. Might as well have continued my binge of Schitt’s Creek, and just enjoy the leisure since I already had my laptop out.

But just as I was about to click on Netflix, a better idea came along.

I went to our college’s website to look at the baseball team’s fall exhibition games schedule. Seeing who they were battling up against that day, and then searching for the opposing team’s Facebook page.

Bingo.

They had a live stream for the game.

I took out my earphones from my backpack, and plugged them into the laptop before clicking on the stream.

I wasn’t sure which inning the game was in, but from what I could see, based on the colours of their jerseys, it was then the other university’s turn to bat.

The stream was taken from a wide-angle shot, so you could see everything, which made it hard to identify who was who.

But I knew that Colton played first base, so I tried my best to seek him out, based on his position on the field.

As time passed, I immersed myself in the game as the other team managed to score a point, until, finally, a third player was struck out and we were starting a new inning.

When it was time for the next player to step up to bat, I quickly checked the time on my phone and realized that my next class was starting in fifteen minutes.

That was my cue to turn off my laptop and get ready for class.

But just as I was about to exit my browser, I heard the commentator announce, ‘And up next to bat is Colton Reed.’

And there he was, stepping up to the plate.

I quickly estimated how long his turn might take, and if I could still make it to class on time after watching him bat.

‘I have time,’ I muttered to myself.

With my decision made, I gave my full attention to the game.

Once both players were prepared, it was time for Colton to bat.

The pitcher threw the first ball.

Colton didn’t swing.

But fortunately, the ball went above the striking zone.

And that’s 1-0 on the ball-to-strike count.

The ball was tossed back to the pitcher, then it was thrown the second time.

Colton swung.

He missed.

Strike one for Colton.

The ball was back into the pitcher’s glove as both players prepared one more time.

Then the third throw came, and Colton swung again.

And this time, his bat managed to hit the ball.

Perfectly positioned and timed with the throw, redirecting the ball as it flew to right field. And continued to fly over the fence. It was a home run.

‘Ahhhhhhhhhh!’ I shrieked in excitement, as Colton jogged his way around the infield.

I wasn’t aware of how loud I was being, but at the same time, I didn’t care. I was filled with joy from having to witness such a moment, and no one was going to take it away from me.

When the next batter stepped up, I quickly, but gently, shut my laptop before sprinting to my last class of the day.

I was once again in a battle with the cursor on the Word document, as I was fighting my procrastination and willing my brain would churn out words.

It was Friday afternoon, and after a day of isolating myself in the apartment—moving from the desk in my room to the kitchen island, and finally ending up on the couch—I was left with one final part of the assignment.

But trying to complete two assignments in a day finally caught up to me, as I began to struggle to write the conclusion.

For a second, I thought about just finishing it off later that night, and just take a break to recharge. But at the same time, I was left with one small part to complete the whole thing.

‘You can do this,’ I told myself.

Just as I was about to type, someone knocked at the front door.

At first, I thought I must have misheard it, and continued typing when I heard the knocks again.

I grabbed my laptop from my lap and put it on the coffee table, standing up to see who it was.

I wasn’t really expecting anyone, and Nina had her keys. Usually, she would text me in case she had forgotten to bring them and asked if I was home. Or it might be Lily or Claudia popping in for a surprise visit as they like to do occasionally.

But when I finally opened the door, it was the last person I expected to see.