Garrett stepped out of the early morning sun and into the jungle. Or at least that's what the locker room felt like since news of Gus getting called into Coach's office had spread. The team knew he was in trouble, but no one could confirm what exactly he'd done, or why a member of the disciplinary board was with them.

As he buttoned up the white and orange uniform, Eli came over. "Saint, you have any idea what's going on?" He lowered his voice to a barely-there whisper. "I tried talking to Jordan, but his lips are closed tighter than a virgin's—"

"I get it," Garrett cut him off, but before Garrett could come up with a response, Coach walked in with Foley right on his heels. The noise settled as their stern expressions registered throughout the room.

"I know there's been a lot of talk," Coach started, his voice reverberating so loud even a mouse could probably feel it. "But I'm only going to say this once, and then I never want to hear about it again, okay?" He waited until the players voiced their agreement. "When you play for this team, you represent not only Eason University but every man in this room. And when you disrespect one of us, you disrespect all of us."

Worried glances passed between players. A few mouthed, "What happened?" to each other while others shrugged in bewilderment.

"Gus, unfortunately, forgot that golden rule. I don't want to go into details, but he crossed a line that he can't come back from and because of that, he's no longer a member of this team."

Low murmurs rippled across the locker room. Garrett had to force himself not to look around. Partly, because he was afraid other players would figure out his part in the whole debacle, and partly, because he was afraid to see blame blazing in Jordan's eyes. Jordan hadn't said anything last night, but then again, he probably never imagined Gus getting kicked off the team. What if Jordan regretted telling Coach?

Coach held up a stack of papers. "I thought it was understood that when you signed up to be a part of this team, you promised to be on time, to show up at every practice and game, AND—" He handed the stack to Coach Foley who proceeded to pass them out. "—you promised to act befitting of the uniform. It kills me that I even need to do this, but before you place a foot onto that field today, you need to sign this and give it back to Coach Foley. It's a morality clause. Read it, live by it, because if you don't, I'll kick you off the team. No ands, ifs, or buts about it. Are we clear?"

Like everyone else, Garrett took a copy from Coach Foley and read it over. It was very explicit about what was expected of players and what wouldn't be tolerated.

"I said, are we clear?" Coach asked again.

"Yes, Coach," Garrett chimed in with the rest of the team. He took a pen from his duffle bag and signed it in big, loopy letters. He handed it back to Coach Foley, who patted him on the shoulder.

"How you feeling?" Coach Foley asked in a low voice. "You ready for today?"

Garrett wetted his lips. "I got this, Coach." After practicing with Jordan, he'd spent the night meditating, clearing his mind of all the bullshit, and visualizing his pitches. He didn't have a nightmare either, sleeping through the whole night, which was a victory in itself. He was learning to celebrate the small things and not obsess over what he couldn't control. He'd fuck up, of course, that was human nature, but as long as he kept reminding himself to take it day by day, he'd be okay.

Garrett ignored the chatter around him as he rolled on his socks and put on his cleats. He knew his teammates were speculating about Gus, but he'd let Jordan handle it. It wasn't his problem—not today.

After warm-ups, Marcus and Stephan flanked him as they walked to the field. Luckily, it was a home game, so they had the advantage. He searched for Arianne in the stands and found her near the front with Morgan. It sickened him to see her in a baseball cap because he knew it wasn't for comfort or style. He caught her eye and waved. She grinned and gave him two thumbs up, then lifted her phone and pointed to him. Seconds later, a text popped up.

Arianne: You're gonna kill this.

Garrett: You think so?

Arianne: 100%

It was a relief to know at least one person didn't think he'd choke. In the locker room, he could feel the worry radiating from his teammates. Granted, their concerns were valid, but it was still somewhat annoying to know they didn't fully believe in him.

Arianne: I'm proud of you and your brother would be too.

Garrett: Thanks. Coach just told us Gus got kicked off the team.

Arianne: Good. He deserved it. Do you know if anything's happened to Harmony?

Garrett: I'm not sure. We didn't tell Coach about the cheating but when Gus finds out...

Garrett: Do you care if something happens to her?

Arianne: Honestly, I don't know. I go back and forth on it, but it's out of our hands so not much to do.

Garrett: True. I still feel kind of bad about Gus though.

Arianne: Don't. He sowed his own destruction.

Arianne: Don't think about anything right now except you. This is YOUR time to shine.

Garrett: Thanks. You're the best.

Arianne: I know ;) Now, go kick some ass!

Garrett set his bag on a bench in the dugout and pulled out his glove. He sent a quick text to Arianne telling her he'd see her after the game and turned, but Jordan was right there.

He bumped Garrett's shoulder with his own, and said, "Good luck out there. Crush 'em for me, okay?" He held out his fist.

Garrett braced himself as he glanced in Jordan's eyes, but none of the recrimination he was expecting lived there. Relieved, he bumped his knuckles against Jordan's and nodded. "No worries. You got us here. Now, it's my turn to it home."

His eyes twinkled. "Damn straight."

Garrett waited until the dugout cleared out. "Um, are you okay with Gus getting kicked off the team?"

Jordan's mouth pursed as he let out a hearty sigh. "It's what he deserved. He's also getting a disciplinary hearing along with Harmony."

The familiar gnawing sensation crept up Garrett's spine. "What does that mean?"

"It's kind of like a trial. They'll go over everything and see if further action needs to be taken."

Garrett cringed as guilt started to mount on his shoulders. They were both seniors. What if they got suspended or worse?

Jordan shook his head. "This is not your fault. They were the ones who decided to do shady shit. You just told the truth."

"But—"

"No." He put his hand on Garrett's shoulder and shook him. "Don't go down that path. It'll only lead you to a dark hole. Just concentrate on the game. Everything else can come after." Jordan glanced over his shoulders to the crowd in the stands. "You going to do what we talked about with Arianne?"

Garrett nodded. "Planning on it."

"I'm glad. You two deserve a slice of happiness."

Coach Foley motioned for Garrett to get on the pitcher's mound and start throwing. Before he left, he called out Jordan's name. "Thanks for everything. I know I don't say it enough, or well, ever, but you're a good captain. I'd follow you wherever."

Jordan's blue eyes turned bright as he swallowed "Thanks, man. You'll be a good leader too. I'm glad we have next year together."

Garrett nodded and jogged onto the field. He'd wrap his head around the fact that he'd finally gotten the approval of his idol later. Right now, he had a game to win. As he stood on the pitching mound, he pushed all nerves away and focused on what he loved—pitching.

His first couple of pitches were shaky. Two ground balls and one strike. But as he slowly got in the rhythm of things, his confidence grew, and he started nailing his throws, one after another. Curveballs, dropballs, fastballs—every ball imaginable turning golden. He dared to glance at the dugout. Jordan was standing up, hooting and hollering with the rest of the crowd, a wide grin stretched across his face.

It was only the first inning, but as Garrett stepped off the pitcher's mound after striking out the third batter, he felt relief coursing through him. So far, so good.

The next inning, Marcus hit a ball to left field, making it to first base, followed by Eli, then Doug, their second baseman. All the bases were loaded and their pinch hitter, Job, strolled up to the plate with all his swagger. The tension was high as he took a couple of practice swings before stepping into the batter's box.

Garrett held his breath as the first ball crossed the batter's box. Strike. The second throw was the same except Job swung and missed. Another strike. Garrett got off the bench and clapped along with the rest of his teammates. If Job could hit at least one ball, they could get a batter over home plate.

As Garrett watched the third pitch, he felt a twinge of jealousy. It was a thing of beauty and Job knew it. He swung and hit the ball to the left side. Marcus and the other batters took off running as the left fielder ran it down. Marcus made it across home plate, then Eli and Doug were rounding third when the fielder threw the ball to first base, halting play. It was a good hit. If they could keep up this momentum, they could win the game.

Of course, easier said than done. As the game progressed, the opposing team got a few lucky swings in and by the seventh inning, it was tied four to four, but Garrett refused to let the score mess up his pitching. He would not fall apart. He imagined Spencer cheering him from above, and he knew deep in his soul, Spencer would be proud no matter the outcome.

With that in mind, he stepped onto the pitcher's mound and killed it—a shut out inning. Not a single batter getting on base. Euphoria bubbled as he high-fived Stephan and Marcus and jogged back to the dugout. He glanced at Arianne, who was on her feet cheering for him. The pride shining from her eyes made his heart burst out of his chest. He could do this. Correction. He WAS doing this.

When he sat on the bench, he took a long gulp of water and set down his glove. A movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. He nudged his baseball cap up and squinted. Was that Gus, wearing sunglasses and a hat, lurking behind the bathrooms? Garrett looked around, but no one else had noticed. He quietly got up and slipped out of the dugout.

Gus took off the sunglasses as he approached. They warily stared at each other, both opening their mouths several times before quickly closing them. Finally, Garrett asked, "Are you going to release Harmony's pictures?"

Gus' nostrils flared as his jaw worked. "That's all you want to say to me?"

If Gus had shown up with an ounce of humility or repentance, Garrett would have tried to be understanding but this? No. Hell no. He leveled Gus with a look. "I have a million things to say to you, but I'm not because I have bigger things to focus on—like winning a game. Now, are you going to show the pictures or not?"

"If I do?" Gus challenged.

Truthfully, there wasn't much Garrett could do unless he wrestled Gus' phone away and deleted the pictures. "You shouldn't have used Harmony's desperation like that. And you definitely shouldn't have broadcasted Arianne's business all over campus. If you had a problem with me, you should've brought it to me directly or Coach. Not hide behind a girl or your phone."

"It seriously doesn't bother you that that girl has an STD?" Gus asked with a sneer that had Garrett's fingers curling into a fist.

"What seriously bothers me is assholes like you who think you get a right to judge."

"Who the fuck do you think you are to say that to me, freshman?" Gus pounded the palm of his hand against his chest. "I should be the one pitching in the game. Not you."

Seniority didn't determine talent, and it sure as hell didn't give anyone the right to do what Gus did. Disgusted, Garrett said, "You don't deserve to be on that field."

"I deserve it more than anyone," Gus exclaimed, indignation filling his eyes. "I sat on the bench like a good little boy waiting for his turn but did Coach care? Not one bit. He got his shiny new toy and poof; I'm invisible."

Garrett shook his head. "You want to know the reason you're not out there? It's because pitching comes from the heart, and your heart is twisted." Sports was about passion, and teamwork and respect for the game, but all Gus was concerned about was himself. The guys warming the bench were just as much a part of the team as the starters. They won or lost as a whole. No individuals. "What you did was wrong, and now you're being punished for it. Don't make it worse by dragging this out."

"Oh fuck off," Gus yelled.

Jordan walked over, stopping next to Garrett. His face was tense as he stared at Gus. Without lifting his gaze, he ordered, "Garrett, get back to the dugout. You know better than to leave when we're in the middle of a game."

Garrett glanced uneasily between the two but did as Jordan commanded. He looked over his shoulder to see them in a heated argument before Gus stalked away. When Jordan returned to the bench, he asked, "Everything okay?"

"He needs time to cool down. And stop worrying about everyone else. Your focus should be on the game and your teammates. If you're going to become a leader, you need to think about these things. They need to see you present and engaging." Jordan shouted a word of encouragement to a player up to bat. "I'll send you a link to some leadership books. You can read them over summer break."

"Giving me homework already?"

Jordan raised an eyebrow and gave him a good look from head to toe. "Well, I only have a year to whip you into shape. God knows I'll need every minute of it."

Garrett pulled the brim of his cap down and laughed. "I'll read them."

By the ninth inning, they were up one run. If Garrett could keep the batters off the bases, they would win and head to regionals. He ground his cleats into the dirt and brought his hands to his chest with the ball in one hand and a glove on the other. This was his moment to shine. He would show all the haters and doubters that he didn't just live under pressure, he thrived in it.

First pitch drove straight over home plate and into the catcher's mitt with a satisfying thud. Second pitch followed suit, but the batter swung and missed. Garrett could feel his fingertips tingling with anticipation. Only one more strike to win the game.

The next was a ground ball. His anxiety spiked as negativity poured over him. Closing his eyes, he inhaled deeply and then exhaled, pushing out the toxic thoughts crawling in his mind. I have this, he thought. Do what you're trained to do.

His eyes flew open, determination surging through every vein. He raised his leg and pulled his right arm back and then threw. The ball zipped through the air, the batter eyeing it like it was a filet mignon after a decade of ground beef. The batter tightened his grip and swung the bat, missing it by a hair.

Garrett sank to the ground in relief as his teammates piled on top of him and the umpire declared the game officially over. He cheered with the rest of them, his ears taking a pounding, but he didn't care. This moment was one to relish.

Finally, Jordan pulled him to his feet, and gave him a big hug, patting him like a proud papa on the back. "You did good, Saint," he shouted over the celebration. Then he flashed Garrett his phone and winked.

Grinning, Garrett ran across the field to the bleachers as Jordan recorded it with his phone. Arianne's eyes grew wide as he bounded up the stairs, taking them two at a time.

"What are you doing?" she hissed, frantically looking around as the crowd turned to watch. She motioned for Jordan to quit filming, but he grinned like a loon and kept on recording.

"You said you didn't know how to let it all go, but maybe it doesn't have to be the whole schtick at once. Maybe it starts with a step—one itsy-bitsy step."

"Let me guess that step is you?" she asked.

He shook his head. "It's you, Ari. You need to take the step to believe in yourself. I know you have it in you to stay. Anyone who's friends with you can tell you that, but you won't believe until you see it for yourself."

"So then why the video?" she asked, motioning to Jordan who now stood beside Morgan.

"Because I want to remember your face when we give you this," he said. Morgan ruffled through her backpack and pulled out one of Arianne's empty notebooks she kept in her desk.

"Here," Morgan said, handing it Arianne.

Body tense, Arianne thumbed through the notebook, which was now filled with messages from the people at the homeless shelter. "What is this?" she asked, her throat thick with emotion.

"You made a difference in all these people's lives, Ari. Without you, the shelter never could have pulled off that big of an event. Plus, all those volunteer hours? Every page is filled with thank you's from the lives you touched." Garrett lovingly ran the back of his fingers over her cheek which was turning pink. "That's something you should be proud of."

"I never thought about it like that."

"I know. That's what makes you so special. You can do this, Ari. I believe in you."

She bit her lower lip and nodded. "You're right. I need to stop doubting myself." She angled her head and gave him a small smile. "You may have to remind me now and again."

"Happily." Drawing her close, he leaned down but quickly pulled back and threw off his cap. "Better," he whispered and leaned down again. His heart raced as his lips touched hers in a deep kiss. He ignored the hooting and hollering from his teammates and focused on the person who had the most impact on him this year. She'd taught him about life and more importantly, himself. It was about time he returned the favor.

"Spend the summer in Carlsboro with me," he said, breaking their kiss.

"What?" she asked.

"We can hang out and get to know each other better. Plus, there's plenty of summer jobs that open up." He knew she didn't have a place to stay for the summer. Her hometown wasn't an option, not that her parents had even offered, and Morgan had offered to host Arianne, but she'd turned Morgan down. Too proud. But Garrett was hoping he could get her to say yes to him.

"I can't go home with you," she replied. "What about your parents? And where would I stay?"

"My parents don't care. I've already asked, and they said your welcome to stay with us for however long." Naturally, his mom had been shocked, but once she got over it, she threw open the doors and laid out the welcoming mat. She was even talking about going through Spencer's room and gutting everything so she could re-decorate. It was a massive step to moving forward with their lives.

"B-but..."

He kissed her again. "This is a chance for us to be without pressure and distractions. I promise, if it doesn't work between us, you can still stay. I won't pressure you for something you don't want. You won't regret it."

"Oh, Garrett, I know that." She laid a hand over his heart. "I'm afraid you're the one who's going to be regretful."

"Not possible. We'll take things slow." He squeezed her hand that was over his heart. "Say yes. Please."

"Please," she parroted.

He smiled, his dimple peeking out. "You know what I mean. Say yes."

"Yes, I'll go with you."

He let a loud whoop and lifted her off the ground in a bone-breaking hug. She cupped his jaw and kissed the hell out of him, pouring every emotion into it. "This is gonna be one hell of a summer. I'm glad it's with you," she said.

"Me too," he whispered. "Me too."