As Kieran walked to his truck, he wondered if this was a mistake. The taunts and laughs from school gym class stuck with him. 'You call that a push-up?' 'You can't expect him to play on our team' or his all-time favourite of 'Check out that fat-ass try to run.'

He couldn't imagine a thought like that rolling through Naomi's head or past her lips, but people surprised you. He'd grown up having plenty of crushes who seemed sweet and friendly until he raised the prospect of romance. Then he was shocking and irrational to consider someone might want to date him.

His phone buzzed with a text from Naomi and a photo of a bunch of sugary snacks.

Naomi: Still on for tonight? PS, this is only a bribe if you want it to be.

Was she different? They grew closer each time they spoke, and he'd never had a friend crave his physical touch as much as she did. Their words bordered on romantic, and she always seemed to encourage his flirting, but she was also in a very vulnerable place. Jake was right. The safest option was to remain friends.

Naomi: Please?

She sent a picture of a koala with wide, pleading eyes. The warmth of her embrace built anticipation in his chest.

Kieran: I am a sucker for Starburst.

Naomi: Noted. Thanks for coming. I really need a day like today.

Kieran: Anytime.

When he arrived at the batting cages, Naomi's car was already there, and she leaned against it. She'd crossed her long legs at her ankles and wore loose-fitting black shorts that exposed most of her thighs. She drew the attention of other passersby. Although her t-shirt hung loosely, it still flattered her thin figure. She smiled as he pulled into a spot beside her.

He grabbed a couple of sports drinks from the passenger side and a ball cap his dad had picked up from a Habs game years ago.

As he stepped out of the truck, she chuckled. "You're a brave man wearing another team's logo after the Jets' defeat last week."

"We placed worse than they did." He held the sports drinks out. "As Jake would say, which colour of food dye, sugar and chemical-filled beverage would you prefer?"

She laughed. "I like the orange ones. It reminds me of those Terry Fox runs or sporting events with that free McDonald's drink from our childhoods."

He handed it over. "It was the best part of those days." His memories were less pleasant than hers, he imagined, as kids loved to mock the kid who couldn't keep the pace of the rest even at a charity event. But perhaps today would undo some of that.

"Thank you."

She tucked the drink in her sports bag and leaned into the car to grab a bat. He tried not to stare at her butt but failed. That had to be taboo with ace people, and it didn't help his plan to keep this a friendship.

"Are we supposed to bring our own bat?" he asked to cover up his embarrassment.

"No, they have plenty. It's the one I use during our games, and it helps to practice with it."

Her shoulders slumped after she mentioned the game, and he sensed her ex was behind that.

"Everything okay?"

She forced a smile. "As good as it'll get."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, let's go hit things as hard as we can." She grabbed her sports bag and locked her car. He'd have to remember not to piss her off with the flex of her biceps. When they arrived at the concession, she handed them a twenty and got a handful of coupons and change. "A hundred pitches."

His eyes widened. Would they split that? Swinging and missing 50 times would be embarrassing.

"You seem worried."

"I'm going to miss all of mine."

"Hey, I promised to help, and I will." She led him into one of the batting cages, picking up a helmet and bat on the way. "Righty or lefty?"

"Righty."

"Okay, stand here." She motioned to two corners of the plate with the bat. "Place your feet as wide as your shoulders and bend your knees. Plant your back foot."

Kieran must have appeared ridiculous, but Naomi smiled at him and brought the bat closer.

"Hold your hands out and wrap your fingers around the handle. A light grip will help the most."

It was light for a metal object. She guided his grip lower on the neck of the bat with her soft hands. His heart beat faster. Just friends, he told himself.

"Okay, bring that bat back, over your shoulder, not that far back." The bat lifted with Naomi's help. "That's a better angle." Her hands found his again as she whispered, "Relax your grip. It's like you're holding someone's hand for the first time. It's gentle and light."

Did she realize how her words filled him with optimism and conflict? Her gaze could go either way, so he kept his response casual. "I wish I had your confidence on first dates."

Naomi laughed, but it came out differently than usual. Her touch vanished, and she hugged her arms over her stomach, gripping them at her forearms.

"My last first date and all of my recent dates have been nervous disasters. So do as I say, not as I do."

Would she be nervous if they ever dated?

Shake it off. It's not the time for that distraction.

"How do I hit the ball?"

"Put your weight on your back foot, and once I step away, swing through."

Once he'd confirmed she shuffled away, he swung. He raised an eyebrow at her.

"Relax a little more and swing all the way through." She picked up her bat and gave a very natural swing.

"I'm pretty sure mine looked exactly like that, ponytail swish and all."

Naomi laughed and returned to his side. She lifted her hand to his arm. "Do you mind?" After he shook his head, she gently raised his elbow and raised the bat. "And when you swing, it'll be like this."

She pressed her body tight to his to reach around him and place her hands atop his. She was soft and warm against him, her breasts pressing into his back and her head against his shoulder. Whatever she said afterward was lost on him as the whole moment played out to the soundtrack of his rapid-firing heart. Being this close to him made it clear he wanted this with her. A distant friendship wasn't enough. He craved her physical closeness, the romantic rush, their connection. But would he crave more than she was comfortable with?

Before he had time to contemplate further, her body moved his into a powerful swing that he worried would whip back and hit her but didn't.

"Was that better?" she asked.

"Much, but that was all you."

"I can show you with a few pitches if you want."

"I'm very cool with being your moral support."

Naomi grabbed a pair of black gloves and a helmet from her bag. If she was serious enough to have gloves, he would make a fool out of himself.

She never spoke condescendingly to Brinny, and she'd been nothing but supportive. Relax.

She nodded to Kieran, and he started the machine with a button. She stood at the plate as he had but looked like an athlete. The first one shot out, and she fired it to the far fence. The next hit was even harder, and the ball clanged against the metal pole. She took a dozen pitches then signalled at him to stop.

She panted with a grin on her face. "I needed that. You want to go?"

"Sure, but remember, you promised not to laugh."

Before she hit the button, Naomi adjusted something on the machine then stood in the corner. "You've got this, Kieran," she cheered.

He took a deep breath. As long as he didn't injure himself, this would be okay. He tried to recall what she told him to do, but the second he imagined that moment, he only pictured her embrace.

The first three pitches sailed by, with him swinging long after the ball had passed.

"I'm wasting your money out here," he said.

"You're getting a sense of the speed. Start your swing right after it releases."

Kieran followed her advice and caught a corner of the ball, sending it into a side fence. Naomi cheered like he'd accomplished something, which was embarrassing with twelve-year-olds out-hitting him. He lifted the bat, replanted his feet and missed three more times.

"Shake it off, and relax your stance."

Kieran focused on the pitching machine, listening for it, whirling up to release the pitch. He swung a little slower than his last overkill, and his hit flew straight, dropped and rolled to the pitching machine.

"Woo, Kieran. Got a bag of Starburst with your name on it if you can do that again."

He'd much prefer her to show him how to swing, but that would be romantic, so he swung at the pitches. After twenty attempts, his best effort was a single line drive to the back fence.

He swapped places with Naomi, who made good on her Starburst promise before lining up again. Her arm muscles glistened in the sun, and her forehead creased in concentration as she rocked back and forth on her feet. She smacked three pitches in a row at the back fence. He swore she cursed at her ex before one hit. Whatever had gone down between them had struck a nerve, but she wasn't wanting to deal with it yet.

The batting cages were fun with Naomi, especially as they left together with her clinging onto his arm like a fifties couple on a picnic. Maybe he'd have to try that orange Gatorade next time because she seemed to ride on a cloud.

"You sneaking rum in that drink or something?" Kieran teased as she tucked her equipment back in her car.

"Nah, I'm just having fun."

The hum of go-kart engines offered another distraction that he was pretty sure she would enjoy. "Want to keep that going with some go-karting? My treat this time."

Her wide grin answered his question. He shared that excitement until they got closer and he noticed the weight restriction on these. The ones in Ontario took up to 300 pounds, but these cut off at 260. The guy behind the counter already eyed Kieran like he'd challenge him on it. Kieran was pretty sure that an extra fifteen pounds wouldn't destroy the car, but the last thing he wanted was to be called out in front of Naomi and all these people.

"I'm not feeling so great. I might sit this one out."

Her sympathetic eyes met his. "You okay?"

"Just a bit of nausea and a headache. You should still go. I'll cheer you on." He forced a smile, but her stare meant he must have done a poor job.

"Nah, we can relax in the shade and see if it helps. It's so weird. You seemed fine a minute ago." They walked toward a picnic table with an umbrella.

"The body is a funny thing." Or more so, the way people created products only certain portions of the population could enjoy and shamed him like their discrimination was his fault. He sat on the bench and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"Can I get you anything to help? Ginger Ale? Water?" The concern in her eyes seemed genuine. It wasn't fair to lie to her. She'd been honest about so much without reservation.

"I'm okay. I wanted an excuse to leave that line."

"Oh?"

"I thought the ticket guy was going to accuse me of being over the weight limit for the go-kart."

"I'll back you up if that happens."

"There's nothing to back up. I am over the limit."

He waited for her disgusted or shocked expression, but it never came. "Go-karts are overrated. We don't need to inhale all those gas fumes. Let's visit the centre of Canada instead."

It took him a second for her chill reaction to sink in.

"The center of Canada? Aren't we too far South for that?"

"The longitudinal center is ten minutes from here on the highway. It's underwhelming, but we'll make it a blast."

"Are you sure?" That sounded like a terrible alternative to go-karting, which would have been a perfect thrilling, high-energy distraction.

She crossed her arms, and her pout made her more adorable than intimidating. "Are you questioning my ability to be fun?"

He laughed. "Not for a second. Lead the way."

Once they'd hopped in their vehicles, Kieran followed Naomi's blue sedan east down Highway Number One. They drove until a plain white billboard with a maple leaf and words 'The Center of Canada' appeared before a stretch of farmer's fields. It looked like an unassuming fruit stand or local park on the side of the road. On a Thursday evening, no one had stopped there, so they had the place to themselves.

"Let's go get a selfie." Naomi glanced at the flowers planted to resemble a Canada flag.

He imagined those tedious outings with Brinny. "Selfie culture is the worst."

"It is. But we drove all the way here, and we don't have a single picture together."

Why would Naomi want a picture with him? "Are you sure you want one?"

She gave him a puzzled glance. "Why wouldn't I?"

"I'm just..." He stared at the gravel in the parking lot.

"Just what?"

As much as he didn't want to wallow in it, his words tumbled out. "I'm the guy who messed up our plans by not fitting in that go-kart."

"No, you're the guy who, despite not caring about softball, let me drag him to the batting cages and who killed it in there. Fuck their go-karts. You think these," she gestured to her long, toned legs, "fit easily on plane or bus seats? Or that I haven't had people comment on how tall I am for a woman and how I better not wear heels if I want to find a guy. Or that they wished I was shorter so they could date me. Others will judge you for any insecurity they have."

"But you're gorgeous, Naomi. I'm not thin or attractive."

"Society's fixation on physical attraction is exhausting."

Kieran couldn't help but laugh. "You sound just like Jake."

"He makes a good point. Physical attraction always confused me."

Wait a second. "How so?"

"It makes little sense some face or lip or body shapes are more appealing than others and that they'd draw you to a person romantically or sexually. My friends were attracted to complete jerks because of how they looked. To me, people look like people, and I'm more interested in how easy they are to talk to, how they treat me, and what we have in common. That's what makes someone attractive to me."

She had to be bluffing. Her ex was in great shape and attractive while also being a dick. If she was serious, that gave Kieran an actual shot with Naomi because their connection met most of her criteria. "You're not just saying that to cheer me up?"

"It took me until thirteen to figure out which people or celebrities others considered attractive and that was after studying magazines. I didn't understand asexuality then, so I played along when friends asked me which ones were cute. I picked all the guys with flippy hair and tans who looked like they surfed or skateboarded."

And his odds bottomed out again. He'd never be defined by his active hobbies. The best he could do were hikes. "Bet you met a lot of surfers growing up in Manitoba."

Naomi laughed. "That was going to be my ticket out. Travel to Australia, meet a nice guy and run a surf shack together. With our Canadian winters, it seemed appealing."

"It's never too late," Kieran teased.

"I bought a house, so the dream is on hold indefinitely. Plus, I'm more settled here and have learned there's more to a partner than their hobbies."

As she smiled at him, his throat felt both dry and choked up. It was best to shift the conversation before he got his hopes up.

"Did you buy the house on your own?"

"With Shivanna. My ex thought it wasn't a great idea to buy a property with a friend, but he was biased. I couldn't afford it alone, Shivanna is an awesome co-owner, and my odds of finding a long-term partner seemed low."

"That's hard to believe. You're amazing." If she believed her odds were low, his were exponentially lower. Although he had found Katy, and if this connection with Naomi turned into something, he'd be a lucky man.

She smiled. "Asexuality can mess with allosexual people's minds."

"It shouldn't."

She wrapped her arms around him and pressed her head into his shoulder. "Thanks, Kieran. You know just how to cheer me up."

In his arms, she relaxed, her breathing slowing and her body fighting to inch closer to him. Each inhalation tensed her up, while each shuddered exhalation left her clinging to him more. As he stroked her back, she sighed.

More than anything, he longed to lean down and kiss her, to show her he was falling for her more with every conversation, and her asexuality was irrelevant. But she'd mentioned how she got stuck in her head during intimate moments, so he'd take her cues and let her come to him when she was ready.

She seemed more open to talking, so he asked, "Were you cursing out your ex at the batting cages?"

She tensed before relaxing in his arms again. "A bit."

"What did he do?"

With a sigh, she looked up at Kieran. "When I pulled up at the game, he and Tara, his other ex, were making out."

"That's cold. Fuck that guy."

She wiped away a few tears.

"Naomi, you are the most incredible person I've met in this province. You're selfless, kind, and understanding. A guy who doesn't value that over what you will do to his body is not worthy of you. Let him be miserable with his ex and live your life to its full potential."

She held him again, shuddering with each exhale, like she was trying to calm herself. He rubbed her back and squeezed her gently.

"This is why I want a selfie together. So when I see it, I hear your voice and feel your arms around me. It's the best."

His heart swelled. That was the sweetest thing anyone had said to him in a long time.

"I can't say no to that. But I promised you a ride, and while I'm nowhere near as fast as a go-kart, I'll give you a piggyback to the sign."

Naomi laughed. "I haven't had one of those in years. I'll hurt your back."

"Nah, it'll be fine. I can't promise I'll make it there, but I'll try."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course."

She hopped on, wrapping her arms around his neck and leaning into his back. Her contented sigh coincided with his smile at their warmth and closeness.

"I'm really glad we met." Her warm breath tickled his neck.

"Me too."

For the first time since Katy, someone saw him and cared about him. He was terrified to screw it up but also terrified he'd miss out on it by not taking that chance.

***

I love these two. They're so fun to write! 

If you're wondering about 'Habs' or 'Terry Fox Run': the Habs are a nickname short for 'Les Habitants' which refers to the Montreal Canadians NHL team. 

A Terry Fox Run is a fundraising event that most schools (at least in Manitoba, and I assume elsewhere) and people across Canada participate in during September to raise money for cancer research. Terry Fox was a young man who lost his leg to cancer and attempted to run across Canada in 1980 to raise money for cancer research. He ran for 143 days and 5,373 kilometres (3,339 miles) before lung cancer forced him to stop running but his legacy keeps going every year.