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As he stared in the mirror of the high school boy’s bathroom, Cosmo pulled his braids into a loose ponytail, the white beads clanging against each other. He then pulled his hair through the closure of his baseball cap, inspecting his do in the mirror. The boy flipped his hair back and forth for good measure before sighing, pushing his way through the bathroom door, exiting through the front door of the building, and heading towards the field. 

In all sincerity, Cosmo had never been a sportsy guy. Besides watching Sprout run track, the baker had never been interested in sports at all. The boy’s love had been, and always would be, baking sweet treats for his loved ones. Even though he was from the Dominican, he knew virtually nothing about baseball. The hair felt like a cheap, lazy coverup to disguise his lack of athletic ability and knowledge. 

“Here’s what. I’ve been meaning to get a manager for the baseball team. If you come help manage that ragtag group of kids this season, I’ll get you a tux for prom.”

The offer from the week before replayed in his mind.

When Coach McLaughlin had proposed the idea of managing the baseball team, Cosmo had initially refused. He already worked more than enough hours at the restaurant throughout the week, which was on top of running the cooking club with Sprout. Plus, the Hispanic boy already hated handouts, which is exactly what your teacher offering to pay for your prom tuxedo felt like. His mama had instilled into him a hard work ethic, and this felt like the opposite. 

However, the more he mused on it, the heavier the thought became in his mind. He couldn’t stop thinking about it no matter how hard he tried.

“Mama, my teacher offered to pay for my tux for prom.” 

“What? Absolutely not. If you need a tux, we can work to get one for you. Why do you even need a tux, anyway?” 

“I don’t know,” Cosmo mumbled. “I want to, um, look nice.” 

His mama sighed. “Are you going with your… special friend? Sprout?” 

“…Yeah.” 

His mother shook her head, putting her hands on her hips. “Well, you know that boy won’t care what you wear to prom. And if he does, you don’t need that rich boy in your life.” 

“I know, I know… but, my teacher said if I was the manager for the baseball team this season, they’d get me a tux. But I’m gonna tell them no tomorrow.” 

“Manager for baseball?” His mother asked curiously. “You like baseball?” 

“Um… no, not really.” 

“Well, manager could be good for college applications. College scholarships look for things like that, you know.” 

“Yeah… but I have to work! I-I’ll have to cut my hours, and how will we pay the electricity bill? I could skip cooking club until baseball is over, maybe… but will that still be enough? Oh dear…”

“Cosmo,” his mother scolded. “The bill is not your responsibility to worry about. We will figure it out. You need to enjoy yourself in school, baby, not worry about money.” 

“Yeah, but-” 

“No buts! You tell your teacher you’ll do it. But you don’t need the tux.” 

So here Cosmo was, standing in front of the entrance to the baseball field. 

Coach stood shouting at several students sitting inside the dugout, all in the white and green Gardenview High uniforms.

“Cosmo!” Coach McLaughlin waved to the boy. “Come on over, kiddo.” 

Nervously, the boy adjusted his hat, heading inside and toward the dugout. 

The coach turned to the rest of the students. “This here’s our new manager, so you lot spend less time asking me dumb questions. If you need anything, ask our manager. Not me.”

“Hi Cosmo!” Goob yelled out excitedly. 

Coach McLaughlin sighed before handing Cosmo a clipboard. “Your first duty as manager is to take attendance.”

“O-oh!” Cosmo stiffened, gripping the clipboard nervously in his hands. He looked down at the item to find a piece of paper clipped on, an alphabetical list of names typed out on it. “Um…”

“Start at the top, boy. These names aren't new to you.”

“R-right. Um, Boxten?”

“H-Here!” 

“Blot?”

“.ereH”

“…Dandicus?”

“It’s just Dandy, silly!” the short boy grinned.

“Sorry! Um, Finn?” 

“Here!”

“Flyte?”

“Here!”

“Goob?”

“I’m here!” the dirty blonde boy cheered excitedly.

“Looey?”

“Here-io!”

“…Shrimpo?” Cosmo’s voice sounded more confused than anything. 

“WHY DID YOU SAY MY NAME DIFFERENT?” 

“Um, sorry!” the baker cried. “And, Vee?”

“Here.” 

Cosmo looked at the red-head adult. “Is that, um, it?”

“Yup. Small team.” The coach put a hand on their hip, turning toward the players. “Alright, doodleheads! Go find a partner to pass with for warmups. I better not see any balls on the ground!” 

The team quickly got up and jogged to find partners while Cosmo stood watching, questioning why he was even here. One player in particular came in the baker’s direction, a shy smile on his face. “Cosmo! You’re helping with baseball?” 

“Boxten!” Cosmo gave the taller boy a grin. “Yeah! Really sticking to my Dominican roots here,” he joked with a giggle. 

“That’s cool!” The other beamed, adjusting his glasses. “I’m glad you’re here. N-not that I don’t like the others, but it can get awkward sometimes…” 

“Yeah, I get it,” the shorter nodded empathetically. “I bet Finn will have his hands full with Shrimpo…” Cosmo peeked around before leaning in to whisper, “I… didn’t know he played?”

“New this year,” Boxten informed. “I think, uh… Finn’s dad had an extra bat they found. He used to be big into baseball, I guess.” 

“Oh!” Cosmo’s eyes widened. “Well, that’s nice of them. I’m surprised his dad let Shrimpo use it…?”

Boxten shrugged. “My parents would never trust him, but maybe it’s just from the two of them being close.” 

“Boxten!” Looey called over to them from further down the field. “Do you need a partner? You can pass with Blot and I!” 

“Oh, sorry Cosmo. Gotta go. I’ll talk to you later!” The boy waved before rushing off toward the two circus boys. 

Cosmo was then left standing near the dugout, twirling the clipboard he still had in his hands. 

…He’s really in over his head, isn’t he?

“Where’s my manager?” 

The baker stiffened at the baseball coach’s calling, hustling toward the redhead. “Y-yes, Coach?”

“Heya, bud. It seems like these doofuses forgot to bring out the water jug. Would you mind grabbing it? It’s in the gym. One of those big orange Gatorade containers.” 

“Oh, sure!” Cosmo smiled, nervously holding his hands together. He jogged off the field, heading towards the school. 

He entered through the side doors that led to the gym, seeing a few athletes lingering before their respective practices. He scanned the room hesitantly before finding a few water coolers on a bench right next to where he was standing. He smiled happily to himself, walking over to the jugs and patting his hand atop of one. 

“Cosmo? You’re doing sports this year?” 

Cosmo turned his head to see a girl with a fluffy bun atop her head, tied together with a pink bow. He brightened up at her, smiling warmly. 

“Oh, Poppy! Um, no, I’m just helping Coach McLaughlin with baseball.” 

“Oh, no way!” Poppy grinned happily. “I bet Sprout’ll be excited to see you after school,” she added with a wink. 

Cosmo glanced around quickly, hoping he wasn’t present. “Oh, I, uhh… didn’t tell him.” 

“What?” His friend gave him a concerned look. “Why not? Don’t you tell him… literally everything?”

“I’ll… tell you about it later,” Cosmo gave her a sheepish smile to placate. He then grabbed onto the handles of the cooler, pulling it from the bench. 

Poppy peered at him curiously. “Do you want help with that? Softball doesn’t start for another 20 minutes.” 

“No, I’m okay!” 

“…Okay, suit yourself, buddy.” 

As Poppy waltzed off, Cosmo pulled the jug to carry it with his two hands before creating a loud thud on the ground, wincing in embarrassment.

Oh my god. This thing was unbelievably heavy. Why did he refuse Poppy’s help?

He looked back, but Poppy was nowhere to be seen. What was left was a bunch of fairly busy looking students.

…How was he going to get this to the baseball field?

Cosmo sighed in defeat. His next course of action was to carry the cooler in his arms, wrapping one around it to keep it steady and one underneath to keep it from slipping. He could barely see over it, but, with it now secured, the boy waddled out the door with the water jug in his arms. 

Once he got outside, he peered around the cooler to check how far the field was. 

…He had half the length of the parking lot, a set of stairs, and the entire outfield to go through. 

This was going to be a long trip. Why did he agree to this?

As the boy wobbled across the parking lot, his mind wandered to Poppy’s earlier words. Why didn’t he tell Sprout? He and Sprout had been best friends for as long as he could remember. They couldn’t hang out outside of school- Sprout’s parents didn’t allow it- so they spent almost every second of the school days together to make up for it. And, when they weren’t together, they were often texting each other back and forth until they saw each other again. They always updated each other on what they were up to and how their day was going and what they were going to wear the next day. So, it would make sense for Cosmo to tell Sprout ‘Hey, I started helping Coach McLaughlin with baseball today!’

Maybe it was partially the reasoning for it. Cosmo didn’t want it, but the original reason that he had been offered the position was so that he could get a tuxedo for when they go to prom together. However, Cosmo knew his best friend wouldn’t take ‘it looks good on college applications’ as a definitive answer- he knew Cosmo had no interest in sports. If Sprout knew Cosmo was worried about being able to afford a suit, he would go out of his way to get him one himself. Which he would rather not happen. 

As the stout boy reached the stairs, he set down the jug to take a breath. Though he had carried enough bags of flour in his day, this thing was hefty. He took a moment to shake out his arms, sore from carrying the several pounds of water. He stepped back to stretch, when all of a sudden the jug began to tip over. 

“Oh, no no no!” 

Before Cosmo could catch it, the jug rolled on its side, rolling down the step and back into the parking lot. The boy clumsily caught it with his legs, sighing with relief before putting it upright. He looked up to see a trail of water where the cooler had rolled. 

…Hopefully it spilling a bit wasn’t a huge deal. And Cosmo wouldn’t already be fired from the position.

Cosmo again lifted the jug into his arms, holding on a little tighter. Then, with all his might, he trekked up the steps, heading toward the baseball field. 

When he finally reached the dugout, he set the cooler on the ground, his arms drooping dramatically from the pain, sweat dripping from his shoulders. 

While the players ran hitting drills, the coach came up beside Cosmo, giving him an odd look. “…Did you carry that up here by yourself?” 

Cosmo blinked at them. “…Yes?” 

“Jesus, boy. You’re stronger than you look.” The redhead shook their head. “Next time grab one of the players. Or the softball girls. Or your boyfriend.” 

Cosmo’s cheeks heated up, eyes widening in shock. “Hey! He’s not my—”

“ALRIGHT TEAM! Water break! I want you all at first base in 60 seconds!” 

Cosmo groaned in annoyance, watching all the players come by. He picked up the water cooler once more, setting it on the bench. 

Flyte was the first to greet him. “Thanks, Cosmo! I forgot to refill my water after school. I definitely need this today- it’s sweltering!”

“Oh, haha, yeah. It’s important you guys are hydrated out here!” Cosmo smiled kindly, albeit feeling a bit awkward. Though his heart secretly fluttered at the idea he actually did something helpful. “I, um, didn’t know you played baseball, Flyte. Did you quit track?” 

“Nah,” the tall boy shook his head. He squirted his water bottle into his mouth, swallowing before continuing. “I’m doing both this year. Our practice schedules line up so that I only have to leave here 10 minutes early.” 

“Oh. Wow.” Cosmo blinked in surprise. “That’s a lot.” 

“It’s worth it, though!” Flyte grinned confidently, stretching before heading toward the bases. 

Cosmo glanced toward the water cooler, only to see Shrimpo holding the button to squirt the water into his mouth. 

…Was that even sanitary? Where was Shrimpo’s water bottle? 

Cosmo made a mental note to bring cups next time. 

“Cosmo!” Another familiar face greeted him as they filled their water, a bright smile on their face. “Thanks for getting the cooler, pal. Really helps out the team!” 

“Oh, haha, yeah!” Cosmo smiled shyly at Dandy. 

“Only because someone didn’t do their job and grab it like they were supposed to,” a different voice spoke, peering behind Dandy. She had a snarky look on her face, which clearly pressed Dandy’s buttons. 

“Job? What, is it the captain’s job to do everything?” the short, pasty boy growled at her. 

“No one’s captain yet, dingus. We haven’t even finished tryouts.” 

“Well obviously I’m going to get it if that’s your team spirit.” 

Vee kicked the guy’s foot. “Move out of the way. You’re hogging the water.” 

“You don’t even like water!” Dandy groaned before stamping away, Vee snickering as she took a sip from a Gatorade bottle. 

As all the players found their way over, Cosmo seated himself on the bench, watching intently as the team started a sprinting drill. He had no idea what they were doing, but it felt like he needed to absorb as much baseball knowledge as he could. 

“I’m so sore…” Boxten moaned as he slumped on the bench, taking a moment to catch his breath. 

Looey sat on the bench beside him. “I forgot how much work baseball is…” 

“You guys did great, I’m sure,” Cosmo assured, a kind smile on his face. 

“Yeah, I think everyone did fintastic!” Finn cheered happily, earning a smack on the arm from Shrimpo. 

“Stop making those stupid puns,” Shrimpo grumbled. 

“I can’t kelp it!” 

The short ginger boy snarled, beginning to smack Finn repeatedly, who only chuckled in response. 

Blot stood in front of Looey, who began signing something to him. Cosmo had a hard time piecing it together; language had never been his specialty, some days he had a hard enough time translating things to Spanish for his mama. 

“Oh yeah, we can wait for her if you want,” Looey nodded to Blot. “I figured we can go grab dinner and head to my house after.” Blot gave him a thumbs up in response. 

Cosmo frowned. It sure would be nice to have a car. 

Cosmo, seated next to Boxten, leaned over to whisper. “Does the after school bus run this late?” 

Boxten shook his head. “I was planning to walk.” 

“Oh! Should we wait for Poppy too? Is their practice done soon?” 

Boxten shrugged. “I’m pretty sure she’s going out with a few of the girls tonight. So it’s just us.” He glanced toward Finn and Shrimpo, who were still there play fighting. “And them, I guess.” 

Cosmo giggled quietly. “They’re not so bad. Come on, let’s go.” 

As the two boys stood up, Finn tugged Shrimpo’s arm leading him in their direction. The four of them walked together down the steps and into the parking lot. 

“WHY ARE WE WALKING? I HATE WALKING!” Shrimpo barked angrily, crossing his arms. 

“I hear ya, bud,” Finn sympathized. “But it’s a small price to pay to be able to play sports!” He grinned, earning a huff of annoyance from Shrimpo. The Latino boy sighed, shaking his head and adding, “If I win the lottery and can get a car, you’ll be the first to know.” 

“I HATE YOUR CAR.” 

“He doesn’t actually have a car,” Boxten rebutted. 

“YEAH, WELL I HATE THE CAR HE’S GOING TO GET.” 

Boxten groaned in annoyance. “It’s hypothetical, Shrimpo.” 

Cosmo giggled at the other boys’ antics. However, from the corner of his eye, he noticed a certain boy watching them from across the parking lot. 

Day 2 went a lot smoother. 

And by a lot, it did not go smooth at all. 

“Why are you even here, Vee? Girls softball is right over there!” 

“What, are girls not allowed to play baseball now?” 

“You’re only here to one up me!” 

“Not everything is about you, Dandy!” 

While Cosmo and Blot held the Dandy and Vee back from pummeling each other, Goob and Finn ran to grab Coach McLaughlin, who had been teaching a few of the other players the outfield positions while the rest practiced pitching and catching. It had only been a few minutes before Dandy and Vee began to argue about who knows what. 

“When I get my hands on you, I’m gonna make sure you won’t play either sport!” 

“Oh yeah? I’ll make sure you stay as far away from that captain position—”

“Enough.” 

All of them whipped their heads to look at Coach McLaughlin, who towered over them menacingly, a fearsome look in their eyes. Cosmo gulped and felt Dandy straighten up in his arms. 

“You two. On the bench. Now.” 

Neither student protested, just simply scoffed as they stomped over to the dugout. The coach looked to Blot, pinching between their brows. “Just… have everyone practice running the bases, yeah? You can be pitcher, have Loo and Boxten on bases, and everyone else is runnin’.” 

Blot saluted them before hustling back onto the field, leaving Cosmo with the coach. He watched as Coach McLaughlin stepped toward the benches, eyes so ferocious that it seemed both students cowered in fear. 

“Are we serious?” 

Dandy spoke up first. “Vee was just-”

“No, I don’t want to hear it.” The coach immediately cut him off, glaring fiercely. “The two of you are in student council, are supposed to be leaders of our school, and this is how you behave?” 

Vee tried to butt in. “Dandy was telling me-”

“I’m not done,” they snarled. “I know both of you are better than this. Dandicus, in what world do we discourage others from sports just because they’re girls?” 

Dandy looked down shamefully. “But-”

“That kind of behavior certainly won’t earn you captain, let alone a spot on the team.” 

Dandy flinched at their words. Cosmo then watched a sinister smirk appear on Vee’s lips. 

“Do you think this is funny?” It was clear the coach noticed as well. “Do you know what else is funny? Watching you run 10 laps around the field. Go ahead.” 

Vee’s eyes widened fearfully. “N-no, sorry, I was just-”

“Go.” 

Vee groaned in frustration, tears brimming her eyes as she began her jog around the outside edge of the field. Coach McLaughlin then turned to Dandy, demeanor still cold. “Do you want me to put you on the softball team?” 

Dandy gulped. “No?” 

“What, so Vee has to play softball, but you don’t?” 

“N-no, I just-”

“Go run 10 laps around the softball field. I don’t care if the girls start while you’re doing it. You can tell them you wanted to show how much you appreciate them.” 

Dandy looked as if they wanted to speak, but instead shut his mouth, furrowing his brows. “Got it,” he grumbled, trudging toward the softball field. 

Cosmo shivered. He knew Coach McLaughlin could be scary, but he had never seen them this scary. 

“Oh you’ve got to be kidding me.” 

Cosmo turned his head where the coach was looking to find the rest of the team in shambles; Boxten was hunched over holding his knee and groaning in pain, Shrimpo was chasing Looey and screaming about killing him, and Goob was picking flowers from the grass and showing them to Finn. It was clear that, while they had seemingly tried to run a drill, they were unable to do anything without supervision.

Coach McLaughlin then sighed dejectedly. “Water break!” 

Each of them paused, jogging over to the benches to grab some water- Looey sprinted to get away from Shrimpo. Each of them grabbed their water bottles, a few of them filling it with the cooler- Dandy had helped Cosmo carry it up this time- and chatting. A few of them lingered, listening in for their next instructions. 

“After you’ve gotten a drink, you’re all running laps,” the coach announced. “5 each. No expectations.” 

Though there were a few groans, no one really objected, since they knew they had messed up. While many of the players went to start their jogs, Shrimpo stayed back to drink out of the cooler again. 

Cosmo quickly put a hand on his shoulder. “Um, Shrimpo.” He held out a cup. “I… brought cups this time, so you don’t have to drink from the jug. There’s, um, more on the end of the bench too.” 

Shrimpo blinked at him for a moment before snagging the plastic cup from him. “Thanks,” he grumbled before filling the cup, spilling the whole thing into his mouth, and tossing it onto the ground. 

… Well, at least he didn’t drink straight from the spout.

“Um, Coach?” Cosmo looked behind him to see Boxten shyly looking at Coach McLaughlin. “I got hit in the knee with a ball earlier, and it, um, kind of hurts…” 

The coach blinked at him, glancing down to his leg. “Boxten, I just saw you come over to the bench with no issues. It just now hurts?” 

 “W-well, no, I mean I was wondering if I could see if the nurse is still here…” 

“You aren’t going to get out of running, Boxten. You were standing just fine before you came to talk to me.” 

“Yeah, but…”

“I can go grab some ice!” Cosmo interjected. 

Coach looked over to him in surprise before sighing. “Alright. Boxten, try running on it and see if it shakes out. If it gets worse, come see me and you can sit with the ice.” 

Boxten smiled nervously. “Um, okay. Thank you.” 

As he jogged off, Coach looked to Cosmo. “Thanks, bud. That’s good thinking.” 

Cosmo smiled at them before hustling off back to the building to grab some ice from the nurse’s station. 

When Cosmo returned, he could hear Coach McLaughlin shouting at the team from across the field. None of the players would look them in the eye- clearly disappointed with themselves as much as the coach was, or maybe they simply didn’t care. With the bag of ice in hand, Cosmo walked over to hand it to Boxten, who gave a sheepish smile as a thanks. 

“What I’ve seen today is some of the worst. If you think you can get away with the bullcrap most of you pulled today, you can walk out right now and not come back. We’re a team, but it seems like we’re going for the record of worst team to exist.” 

A cough from the crowd. Cosmo noticed Boxten rubbing his arms and Looey biting his fingers. 

“This place better be spotless when I get back. Each ball, bag, cone, or trash I find on the field or benches is a lap for you people.” 

A few utterances of “Got it” could be heard before several of the students had hustled off. 

Flyte approached the coach, adjusting his shirt awkwardly. “Is the team meeting over? I’m kind of late for track.” 

Coach McLaughlin gave a blank expression for a moment before grumbling, “This is some new generation crap, isn’t it?” They scoffed, waving their hand dismissively. “Sure, whatever. Show your team that you don’t care enough to help pick up.” 

Flute grimaced slightly, but in the end jogged off field to head towards the school’s track. Cosmo poked at his cheeks nervously before scooting toward the coach. 

“Um, Coach McLaughlin?” 

A defeated adult turned their head “What now— oh, Cosmo. Sorry, buddy. What’s up?” 

“Um… I was just thinking, maybe some team bonding would help?” 

The coach raised an eyebrow. “Team bonding?” 

Cosmo averted his gaze anxiously, twisting his foot into the dirt. “Yeah, um, like games and get-togethers and… stuff.” He glanced upwards at them again. “Maybe it will help boost some of their spirits?” 

Coach McLaughlin closed their eyes, nodding slowly. They clicked their tongue, then responded with, “Yeah, okay. That’s not a bad idea. When would we do that, though?” 

“…Tomorrow?” 

“If it’s tomorrow, you’re planning it.” 

Cosmo’s eyes widened with surprise. “Oh, o-okay! Yeah, I can.” 

“Great. Good luck finding something that’ll get these bozos into shape.” 

Cosmo visibly lit up. Maybe he could really do something worthwhile for the team, and get them to be one of the best teams in the district!

He eyed over to the field, where he watched Shrimpo chasing Boxten with the bag of cups. 

… Maybe he should aim a little lower. 

Cosmo had gotten to the field a bit early- early enough that no one was on it- to set up for the day’s activities. He had several supplies from the storage shed in hand, including several plastic cones, a few batting tee stands, and a large bucket of water balloons. By the time he reached the plates, it felt like his arms were ready to give out. 

The boy had spent more time planning during the previous evening than he’d like to admit. He had mapped out several activities- and even thought of even more possible future events- that the team would participate in. To be honest, he was quite proud of his work. 

As he set up series of cones in strips on the outfield, Coach McLaughlin stepped onto the field, along with Dandy and Flyte close behind with the water cooler. The coach gazed at the Hispanic boy curiously. “I see you’ve actually got stuff planned.”

Cosmo lifted his head. “Oh, hi Coach!” He excitedly ran over to them, a small smile on his face. “I, um, did more than one thing; I hope that’s okay! I’ve got a relay race, and then maybe they can practice sprinting around the bases as fast as they can or, um, something, and then since it’s pretty hot I got water balloons and maybe they can practice passing and getting batters out with the water balloons. Maybe, I’m not sure if that is good-”

“Wow, that’s a lot of work, kiddo. You sure you aren’t a baseball kid?” the coach chuckled.

“Oh, um… I’ve watched it a few times on the TV with my mama before, but it’s usually pretty boring.” 

The coach guffawed before putting a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Alright, tell me about it before the team shows up so I can teach it.” 

Cosmo grinned happily. Maybe his work would be worth it!

Dandy peered at the bucket by the dugout. “What’re the water balloons for?” 

Cosmo giggled. “You’ll see!”

Sipping a cup of water, Cosmo watched as another water balloon splattered on the field, several players cheering as another person got soaked with water. While they practiced passing between basemen and getting players on the bases out, Cosmo sat with a clipboard and pencil in hand, recording the role of each position, as well as which players played them. Who knew the shortstop did something other than be a backup baseman?

As he scribbled down another pointer, Shrimpo came stomping from the field, throwing himself onto a bench. He growled, shoving his face in his shirt to try and dry himself off. “I HATE BEING WET!” he grumbled through the shirt. 

Giving a sheepish chuckle, Cosmo stood up, jogging over to the water cooler to fill a cup. “Sorry, Shrimpo. I hope it helps with the heat, at least!” He then extended the drink to Shrimpo, a shy smile on his face.

Shrimpo stared blankly at him before abruptly taking the cup from his hands. “Thanks,” he grumbled, abnormally quiet. 

While the red-headed boy drank from the cup, Cosmo glanced back towards the dirt, seeing Dandy spike Goob from the pitcher’s mound with a water balloon. “It’s nice seeing everyone starting to get along, huh?” 

“I don’t care about that stupid stuff,” the other muttered gruffly. 

Cosmo turned back to give the boy a sheepish grin. “Well, at least it’ll make things more fun, right?” 

“Whatever.” Clearly done with the attempt of conversation, Shrimpo pushed past the darker-haired boy, dragging his baseball bat with him. Cosmo smiled; he’d known Shrimpo long enough not to take it to heart. As he watched the boy walk back, he noticed Goob waving Shrimpo over excitedly. 

“Shrimpo!” Goob called to him. “It’s your turn!” 

Shrimpo simply grunted in response, but went up to bat anyway. 

Cosmo grinned to himself. His work even made people want to include someone like Shrimpo!

As the team sat on the benches after their long practice, they looked to the coach and team manager, who were making an announcement. 

“Um, I know our first game is this Saturday, so Coach McLaughlin and I have, um, planned a potluck party to have on the field after the game! To, uh, celebrate our first game as a team and… stuff.” 

A couple of bright eyes and excited faces looked at each other. Even though Cosmo felt like a nervous wreck standing in front of them, at least he’d gotten the point across. 

“We have a sign up sheet for what you’re bringing hanging here in the dugout,” the coach added. “Cosmo’ll bring some pastelitos, and I’m bringing fruit punch and cups. So that leaves plates, utensils, and chips, sandwiches, or anything you want for an early dinner.” 

“Oh, oh! My dad has a portable grill he can bring for burgers and hot dogs!” Dandy piped up with a grin. 

“Oh, really?” Flyte gasped. “That’d be awesome!”

“I can ask my mom if we can bring Cameo cookies, too!” Finn added.

“Sure. Sounds great, boys,” Coach McLaughlin nodded. “Talk to your parents tonight. If you cannot bring anything, don’t worry about it. There’s no shame in that. But we appreciate those that can.” 

As the team began to pack up, someone suddenly wrapped their arms around Cosmo, startling him. “Cosmo! You planned that whole fun practice? AND the potluck? You’re the best manager ever!” 

Cosmo giggled, loosely hugging the boy back. “Hehe. Thanks, Goob.” 

“Yeah, nice going, pastry boy,” Vee commented as she walked by. 

“Haha, thank you, Vee!”

His bag slung over his shoulder, Boxten came to stand beside Cosmo. “Why does she insist on calling you that…?”

Cosmo shrugged. “You ready to go?”

Boxten eyed back to Finn and Shrimpo. “… I think Finn, um, might’ve lost his hat.” 

“Oh!” Cosmo glanced over to the boys as well. “Do you need help?” 

“Nah,” Finn replied. “It’s gotta be here somewhere…”

“I TOLD YOU, YOU SHOULD’VE LEFT IT IN YOUR BAG!” Shrimpo barked at him. 

“Don’t worry, it’s definitely here! Maybe it’s under the bench…”

Cosmo and Boxten decided to help look anyway, walking to opposite sides of the dugout to look on, under, and behind the benches. They even ran laps around the field, but had no luck. After 15 minutes of searching, they had just about given up. 

“Man, that was my fishing hat…” Finn sighed sadly. 

“I HATE WHEN YOU DON’T LISTEN TO ME!” Shrimpo groaned, smacking the Puerto Rican’s shoulder.

“I’m sure it’ll show up somewhere!” Cosmo soothed. “Maybe you left it inside.” 

Finn shrugged. “I’ll look for it tomorrow. I’m hungry.” 

Boxten chuckled. “Okay, let’s go, then.” 

The four boys head off the field, heading towards the parking lot to start their trek home. Finn eyed a small red car, where he saw two boys standing outside of it chatting. “Oh, look. Looey and Blot are still here.” He waved to them, and the two waved back. 

Suddenly, Looey’s eyes widened. “W-wait, guys!” He held up a green bucket hat. “Is this one of yours?” 

Finn gasped happily. “Oh my cod! You found it!” He rushed over to the two, the other three slowly following behind. “Tank you, tank you!”

“Haha, no problem,” Looey grinned sheepishly. “I found it right by the stairs.” 

“THIS IS WHY YOU ALWAYS LOSE THINGS!” Shrimpo scolded, smacking Finn’s arm. Finn simply grinned at him in response.

“What’re you guys still doing here?” Cosmo asked curiously. “Are you waiting for Yatta?” 

Looey shook his head. “Nah, the girls have a later practice today, I think…”

Blot suddenly elbowed Looey, causing the tall boy to rub their arm nervously. “Oh, I, uh… Blot and I were wondering if you have a ride home?” 

“We usually just walk,” Boxten answered. “We don’t live too too far.” 

Blot gave Looey an ‘I told you so’ sort of look. Looey continued, saying, “Well, I wouldn’t mind giving you guys a ride home. You all live on Center Street, right? That’s like a 40 minute walk…” 

“A-are you sure?” Cosmo stuttered. “If it’s out of the way for you guys, it’s totally fine.” 

“Do you have enough room?” Boxten questioned. 

“Yeah, yeah.” Looey waved his hand listlessly. “We can cram you guys in the backseat. Hop in.” 

The four boys looked at each other, but, as Looey and Blot were already climbing into the front seats, they felt as if they shouldn’t refuse. They squished into the back seat, practically on top of one another. 

“I HATE LOOEY’S CAR!” Shrimpo barked. 

“Shh, Shrimpo! They’re kind enough to give us a ride so we don’t have to walk!” Boxten lectured, glaring at the redhead. 

“Haha, don’t worry. I know how Shrimpo is,” Looey placated, turning the keys to start the engine. As he pulled the car into reverse, he stared at the backup camera screen, smacking his lips anxiously. “You know, I’ve, uh, never been over to Center Street. There’s nothing, like, bad over there, right?” 

“Perfectly safe,” a chipper Finn answered. 

“No crime,” Boxten added. 

“Just a bunch of apartments,” Cosmo finished off. “A lot of us live over there, actually.” 

“Ah.” Looey nodded. “Sorry. I don’t mean it like that…”

“No, no, it’s okay!” Cosmo soothed. “It’s just the way society labels it, I guess.” 

“,selohssa ekil kool su ekam uoy, suseJ” Blot muttered. Cosmo smiled nervously; he hated that he could never understand Blot.

“Well, obviously we know you’re great,” Looey placated, earning a huff of annoyance from Shrimpo. “All of us do.” 

“,tuorpS yllaicepsE” Blot teased. 

Finn, having understood that, snickered. 

“Speaking of Sprout…” Looey tapped his chin. “How does he feel about you managing the baseball team? Surprised he didn’t join because of it.” 

“Oh, uh…” Cosmo shrunk in his seat. “I didn’t tell him.” 

“What?” Boxten looked at him flabbergasted. “Why wouldn’t you tell him?” 

“Are you two in a fight?” Finn gasped.

“Oh, no, no, nothing like that…” Cosmo scratched his cheek nervously. “It’s a long story, haha. It’s not a big deal, Coach McLaughlin offered it to me, and at first I said no, but then I did it anyway, but I don’t really want to tell Sprout the reason for it, and…” The boy trailed off, but no one really pressed the issue any further. 

“I hate losers who can’t communicate,” Shrimpo grumbled. Boxten gave him a dirty look. 

“,tuo krow ll’ti erus m’I” Blot soothed as he turned in his seat to look at Cosmo. Cosmo gave him a sheepish smile in return, having no idea what the other boy said. 

“Yeah,” Looey nodded in agreement. “Sprout’ll understand, I bet.”

Cosmo shrugged, turning to stare wistfully out the window. After a moment, he suddenly perked up. “O-oh, are you all going to stay for the potluck?” 

“Of course! That was a fin-tastic idea, Cosmo,” Finn gushed excitedly. 

“Yeah! I’ll have to get some chips or something…” Looey then tilted his head curiously. “Wait, what was that thing that you said you were bringing? Pastelitos?” 

“Oh, yeah!” Cosmo smiled brightly. “They’re like pastries that can be filled with different things. My mom and I usually fill ‘em with cheese or ground beef.” 

“Oooh, sounds good.” 

“They’re really good,” Boxten added. 

“Im hoping it’ll be good for team bonding,” Cosmo continued, nodding smartly. “Being friends will definitely help team morale.” 

“.os epoH”

“Maybe if Dandy and Vee don’t tear each other apart limb from limb first,” Boxten muttered. 

The rest chuckled at his comment. 

The rest of the week went smoothly. While players continued practicing and finding preferable positions, Cosmo helped with writing down the best formations of players on the field, running to grab ice or other things from the trainer, and collecting balls that went off-field. He even took it upon himself to bring a few healthy snacks for players. The rest of the team seemed in high spirits, and Cosmo felt as if he were doing something important. It felt like a win in his books. 

The end of the week came faster than Cosmo anticipated, and it felt like his stomach was wriggling with nerves at the thought of tomorrow’s game. He had written everything he needed to know down— Dandy was pitcher; Finn, Vee, and Blot were on bases; Boxten, Flyte, and Goob were on the outfield, and Looey was shortstop. However, he also had to be ready for this to shift at any given moment, just in case one of the players got tired or hurt, or they needed to adjust based on the opponent team’s offensive strategy. It was quite a lot to wrap his head around, considering he had very minimal baseball knowledge. 

By the end of Friday’s practice, excitement was buzzing among the Gardenview baseball team. It seemed as if the ragtag group of students had turned themselves around into some sort of a group of friends. Goob was often running around giving others sweaty hugs, Flyte, in his brotherly way, often gave running pointers so his teammates didn’t lose stamina during the game, and Vee had been happily recording and posting on social media about the team. Looey and Blot had even taken it upon themselves to drive the boys from Center Street home everyday, which Cosmo, though he hated to admit, appreciated with the warming temperatures. 

That evening, the six of them were walking towards the parking lot to Looey’s car, chatting away about something that had happened during the day. It was almost enough to ease Cosmo’s nerves of before. 

“-they had it playing during Ms. Hurley’s class, and she was livid. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her that mad,” Boxten blabbered animatedly, moving his hands as he spoke. 

“That song is so annoying,” Cosmo grumbled. “I swear Connie only plays it to haunt people at this point.” 

“,ti tuoba em lleT” Blot agreed.

“Ms. Hurley’s face was pretty funny, though,” Finn snickered. 

“Maybe not worth Connie and Gigi’s detention, though,” Boxten hissed through clenched teeth. 

“I HATE DETENTION!” Shrimpo barked. 

“.ti htrow elttil a neeb ev’thgim tI”

Suddenly, Looey elbowed Cosmo, mumbling in his ear. “Wait, isn’t that Sprout?” 

Cosmo followed Looey’s eyes across the parking lot, his tracks abruptly stopping when he saw a tall redhead leaning against a light grey SUV. 

His stomach dropped. It was definitely Sprout. Standing there. In the parking lot. 

Cosmo knew better than to assume he was waiting for anyone other than him. 

“Oh, there’s Sprout!” Finn exclaimed, definitely not aware of the immense dread that fell upon his friend. He waved cheerfully, a bright smile on his face. “Hiya, Sprout!”

Sprout jogged over to the other six standing by Looey’s car, a cordial smile on his face. “Hey, guys! Did you just come from practice?” 

“,puY” Blot responded, smacking his lips at the ‘p’.

“Do you have a late practice today?” Looey asked with a perplexed head tilt. 

“Nah, we just have early practice tomorrow instead. Coach is out sick,” the tall boy said with a shrug. He glanced at Looey’s car. “Are you all going somewhere? Team bonding?” He then squinted, inspecting the vehicle. “…Will you all fit?” 

“WHY DO YOU CARE?” Shrimpo barked. 

“It’s fine for getting them all to the same place,” Looey smiled sheepishly. 

Sprout frowned, crossing his arms pensively. “I don’t mind taking a few of them if it’s easier, I wouldn’t want you to get pulled over…”

Looey and Blot glanced at each other. “Uhh…”

“I-I actually, uh, have to work!” Cosmo piped up nervously. “If you could, uh, drive me to the restaurant.” 

Sprout smiled, responding raspily, “Sure.” 

Looey gave Cosmo a worried look, but the shorter boy simply gave a placating smile. 

“Bye, Cosmo,” Boxten waved. “See you tomorrow.” 

“Bye guys!” 

And then they split. The rest went into Looey’s car, and Cosmo followed Sprout to his. 

Cosmo quietly climbed into the passenger seat, a much cleaner car than Looey’s sedan- not that it was particularly dirty, but it had definitely seen better days. Sprout’s car was shiny, and almost seemed as if it were still brand new. The grey leather seats were spotless, as if there had never been a single crumb inside the car. The cupholders were completely empty except for his pristine metal water bottle, and his backpack sat neatly in the back seat. 

Cosmo gulped anxiously as Sprout climbed into the driver’s seat, buckling the seatbelt while Sprout turned the key to start the ignition. Neither spoke as a few chimes signaled the starting of the car. Cosmo buckled his own seatbelt, hearing the click as the stereo began to softly play a popular boy band hit on the local radio station. As Cosmo was about to thank the heavens for something to ease the awkwardness, Sprout turned the sound down, and backed out of his parking spot. 

Twiddling his thumbs, Cosmo stared out the window, quietly watching as the school grew smaller in the distance. Sprout drove down the road, the car blinker signal rhythmically echoing throughout the car’s thick silence. He then cleared his throat to prepare to speak. 

“I… didn’t know you played baseball,” he stated softly. 

“I-I don’t,” Cosmo quickly negated. “I’m, um, the manager. For the team.”

“Oh.” Sprout tapped his fingers against the wheel, and Cosmo glanced to see the grimace forming on his lips. “You always told me you didn’t really like baseball.” 

“Because I don’t,” he placated, eyes full of regret. “I-it was just something Coach offered me, I swear.” 

“…Why would Coach offer you the position if they know you don’t care for baseball?” 

Cosmo averted his gaze back to the window. “…Because it looks good on college applications. A-and my mama says I need to enjoy school life more.” 

Sprout squinted as he stared at the road. “…Bullshit,” he grumbled. 

“I-I swear! That’s all it is!” Cosmo pleaded, eyes watering. 

“Then why wouldn’t you-” Sprout eyed angrily Cosmo, who he noticed looked immensely sorry. He closed his eyes and sighed, turning back to the road and pulling into the restaurant. “Do you actually have to work?” 

“Yeah. I have to work later because of baseball.” 

“When do you get out?” 

“Um, 9. But I might be late helping with closing…”

Sprout pulled into a parking spot, shifting the gear to park.

“That’s fine, I don’t mind waiting,” Sprout waved his hand dismissively. “I’ll pick you up, and we’ll go grab ice cream.” 

Cosmo’s brows furrowed worriedly. “But-”

“We’ll call your mom later so she knows where you are,” he quickly placated. “I want to hear more about baseball, anyway.” 

“…Okay.” Cosmo tried to give his best smile before climbing out of the car. “Thank you, um, for the ride.” 

“You know I’m always here when you need,” the redhead grinned. 

Cosmo closed the door, heading inside. He watched as Sprout drove off, and he let out a heavy sigh. 

He wiped sweat from his brow as he finished sweeping the floor, the mess of coffee grounds completely gone. He placed the broom against the wall and hung his apron on the hooks, preparing his exit. He checked the sink one last time for dirty dishes, before walking out of the kitchen and into the dining area. 

“Janice, are you, um, sure you don’t need any extra help?” Cosmo meekly asked the on-duty manager, who was stacking chairs onto tables. 

“No, you’re all good, sweetheart. You were very helpful tonight. Do you need a ride home?” 

“Oh, um, no. My friend’s picking me up.” 

“Alright. Have a good night, sweetie.” 

“Thank you, you too!” 

Cosmo headed out the door, grumbling as he was greeted by a light drizzle of rain. He scanned the parking lot for Sprout’s car, struggling to see through the dark, muggy air. He almost went back inside until he was suddenly blinded by bright lights, which then quickly went dim then bright again several times. Cosmo groaned as he trudged in that direction. 

Opening the passenger door, Cosmo climbed into the SUV grumpily. “What, you trying to make my eyeballs pop out?” 

Sprout met his eyes with a mischievous grin. “Not like you had any anyway. Couldn’t figure out which of the three cars at the restaurant were mine?” 

“Shut up,” he hissed, smacking the other boy’s arm, who began to cackle in response. 

Sprout pulled out from the parking spot, driving back onto the road as his window wipers swept the water away. Cosmo glanced down at the radio clock. 9:09. He wasn’t actually that late. 

The car drove by multiple local businesses on the street, the headlights briefly shining on the small, dark buildings as they passed. Everything was likely closed, aside from a few places that had a couple of lights on for closing, or the local liquor store that ran late. It was peaceful. 

“I was thinking we could go over to the gas station and grab a pint,” Sprout suggested, breaking the calm silence. “Then we can sit in the parking lot and eat.” 

Cosmo looked at him curiously. “Will we get in trouble for sitting in a parking lot this late?” 

“Nah,” Sprout shrugged. “I’ll just turn my lights off so we don’t bug anyone.” 

They drove a mile or two before Sprout turned into a gas station. It wasn’t spectacular by any means, but the place seemed clean enough. The two hopped out of the car, running through the rain into the convenience store. They walked over to the freezers, the two boys ogling at the selection. 

“They’ve got chocolate.” 

Cosmo hummed. “We should try a new one,” he suggested. 

Sprout pointed at a mint oreo pint. “That one?” 

“…Do you want that one?” 

“Well, do you want it?” 

“I asked first.” 

“I asked louder.” 

Cosmo groaned. “It sounds really good, but I thought you said mint tastes like-”

“Then we’re getting it,” Sprout stated matter-of-factly, swinging open the freezer door to pull out the container, the door slamming shut behind them. 

“Will you even like it?” Cosmo questioned. 

Sprout nodded. “It’ll taste better ‘cuz it’s with you.” 

Cosmo’s cheeks flushed as he trailed behind, awkwardly standing there while Sprout paid at the counter. The redhead then motioned him outside, and the two ran back to the car. 

They climbed in, huffing as Sprout turned the car on to crank the heat. “Did you grab spoons?” Cosmo asked. 

“Yup.” Sprout held up two plastic spoons. Cosmo grabbed one. 

Sprout ripped the plastic off the cover, shoving it into his pocket before lifting off the lid. Cosmo then reached over to stick his spoon in the ice cream then back into his mouth. 

“Good?” 

Cosmo nodded. “Mmm.” 

Sprout next followed suit, putting the container into a cupholder so that they could both reach. 

“Did you go home first?” Cosmo asked curiously. 

Sprout nodded. “Piano practice,” he said, mouth full of ice cream. “And dinner.” 

Cosmo hummed in response. 

“And I’m guessing you didn’t eat dinner,” Sprout added. 

“….No,” Cosmo admitted. “But that’s because I haven’t been home. Mama’s probably got a plate waiting for me.” 

Sprout nodded, taking another bite of ice cream. He left the spoon in his mouth after he swallowed, spinning it around hesitantly. “…How’s baseball going?” 

“Um, I think good.” Cosmo tapped his chin in thought. “It started off a little chaotic. Everyone was all over the place- Vee and Dandy were fighting, Flyte kept leaving early, Shrimpo’s there…” 

“Wait, Shrimpo?” 

“Yeah, I think Finn convinced him,” Cosmo shrugged. “Anyway, I came up with a bunch of team bonding things, a-and we’re having a potluck after tomorrow's game, so I think the team’s starting to get along. And Coach said I was doing good.” A small, happy smile sat on his cheeks. 

Sprout stared at him adoringly. “Yeah? Doesn’t surprise me you’d make everyone get along. Though, Dandy and Vee are a tough pair.” 

“Hehe, yeah. They at least aren’t fighting over who’s captain now, since they technically both are.” The boy’s eyes lit up in remembrance. “Oh, is Flyte actually allowed to play baseball and run track? Can people do two sports like that?” 

“I guess,” Sprout shrugged. “Doesn’t surprise me Flyte would try. It’s like he can never stop moving those legs.” 

Cosmo giggled at his comment, smiling as he took another bite of ice cream. He fell quiet for a moment as he moved to stick his spoon in the container again, this time spinning it inside. He looked up at Sprout with a gentle smile, eyes apologetic. “I’m… sorry I didn’t tell you about it.” 

Sprout looked at him for a moment. “I mean, I guess you don’t have to tell me what you don’t want to. It’s just… a weird thing to keep from me, y’know?” His gaze fell to his lap as he bit the spoon. “If it was because you didn’t want me on the baseball team, it’s fine, I get it. I know we already spend most of the school day together, so if you need space, I-”

“No, no, that’s definitely not it,” Cosmo cut him off. He averted his eyes, cheeks pinkening. “I… promise I’m not trying to spend any less time with you.” 

“Then what?” Sprout raised a brow. “I know it’s not those other things you said.” 

“Well, it is, kinda,” Cosmo shrugged. “There was, like, another reason Coach asked me, but I didn’t accept.” 

“Another reason?” 

“Yeah, uh… They wanted to make a deal, and I said no.” 

Sprout furrowed his brows. “A deal for what?” 

Cosmo’s face fell, and he scrunched into his seat. “Well…”

Another mouthful of ice cream. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.” 

“No, you deserve the truth after I was weird about this whole thing,” Cosmo shook his head. “It’s just…” He looked away nervously. “…promise you won’t do that thing where you get all worried?” 

Sprout scanned him. “…Should I be worried?” 

“No.” Cosmo looked back at him. “Please. I just don’t want it to be a big deal.” 

Sprout stared at him for a moment. “…Okay. Promise.” 

Cosmo stared off, anxiously twirling a bead in his hair. He bit his cheek before beginning, “I think… Coach knew about us, um, going to prom… together.” 

Sprout scratched his cheek sheepishly. “I… might’ve said something, hehe.” 

Cosmo chuckled softly, but his face quickly fell back to a solemn stare. “I-I mentioned that I was excited, but I wanted to look nice, but I wasn’t sure if I would… be able to afford anything fancy enough.” 

“What? Cosmo, why didn’t you tell me?” Sprout’s voice quavered with concern. “I could get you something if you don’t have the money. You know I don’t care what you wear, but if you want a nice tux, we can-”

“Sprout.” 

Sprout stared at him before slowly closing his mouth. 

“So… then Coach said if I helped manage the baseball team, then they’d get me a tux for prom,” Cosmo continued. “But I turned it down. But then my mom convinced me to be manager anyway, even if I’m not accepting the tux.”

Sprout stared at him quietly for a moment, deep in thought. “Why… wouldn’t you tell me? You know you don’t have to figure this out on your own.” 

“I, um, kind of figured you’d want to help if I told you.” 

“Well, I mean, yeah.” Sprout turned to fully face Cosmo, leaning his head against the seat. “Needing help isn’t a bad thing.” 

“I don’t… like handouts,” Cosmo admitted. “It… feels like I’m admitting that I’m helpless and weak.” He averted his gaze shyly. “I know that might not make any sense, I know people are just being kind, it’s hard to describe-”

Sprout gently took Cosmo’s hand in his. “No, I get it,” he muttered. “It feels less like you’ve earned it.” 

“Yeah,” Cosmo nodded. 

They sat quietly for a moment, before a nervous Cosmo gulped. “So you’re… not mad?” 

“No, I’m not mad,” he smiled sweetly at the other boy. “I just want to make sure you’re okay, that we’re okay. I lo— really care about you, Cosmo. You mean so much to me.” 

Cosmo blushed slightly, a shy smile cracking at his lips. “…I know.” 

“But if I can help you in any way, please let me know,” Sprout offered. “I can give you rides to work, or give you an old tux of mine, or help you with homework or anything.” He cleared his throat. “Seriously. I want to make sure this prom is everything you’ve ever dreamed of. You’re my… best friend. It’s the least I can do for you.” 

Cosmo squeezed his hand, giving him a tender smile. “You being here is enough.” 

“Yeah?” Sprout’s smitten smile grew brighter. “Well… you already know I’m happy to do that.” 

Cosmo snickered. “Yeah.” 

They stared at each other for a while longer, their eyes sparkling with an immense adoration. Cosmo reached to swipe a crumb off the corner of Sprout’s lip. Sprout’s freckled cheeks turned a bright red at the gesture, his eyes flickering down to somewhere lower on Cosmo’s face. 

“You had cookie on your face,” the boy teased. 

“Oh, haha, yeah, whoops.” Sprout turned to face the wheel, a besotted grin on his face as he tried to hide in his shirt. Cosmo did the same, facing forward as he hid his blushing face in his hands. 

Sprout turned the headlights back on, shifting the car into reverse. “As much as I’d love to keep you here all night, I don’t want to worry your mum.” 

Cosmo giggled softly. “Yeah. I have to work in the morning anyway.” 

Sprout pulled out of the gas station, cruising through town as the rain lightened up. Cosmo stared out the window with a shy smile, stealing fond glances toward the redhead in the driver’s seat. The two were at a confusing stage in their friendship: they weren’t dating, but the two were quite aware of how they felt about each other— Cosmo wasn’t sure if Sprout would’ve asked him to prom otherwise. However, it felt like they were stuck playing a game of will they, won’t they, and any moment alone with Sprout made Cosmo think his heart was going to leap out of his chest.

The faded street sign for Centre Street came into view, and Sprout’s car slowed to pull in front of Cosmo’s apartment. He pulled the car into park, looking at Cosmo. “Let me know if you need anything, okay? Anything at all.” 

“Okay, okay,” Cosmo grinned. “I will. Promise.” 

“It’s kind of late to call when I get home. We really need to get you a cellphone, huh? Texting is so much easier, dude.” 

“Maybe just call in the morning so I know you’re not dead.” 

Sprout grinned. “Deal.” 

Cosmo unbuckled his seatbelt, a sweet, awkward silence falling between the two. After a moment, Cosmo opened the door. However, he paused before he stepped out. 

He turned to look at Sprout with a gentle smile. “Thank you. For tonight.” 

He hurriedly pressed his lips to the boy’s cheek. “Bye!”

Before Sprout could respond, the shorter boy rushed out of the car towards the front door, leaving the blushing mess of a boy in the car, trying to shake off his own furiously blushing cheeks.