Chapitre 2: Outfield Beginnings (1)
"Uh, hey... can anyone join our game?"
The voice cut through the warm afternoon air, drawing Linus's attention away from the baseball field in front of him. He hadn't been paying too much attention, just idly watching a group of teenagers setting up for what looked like a game. But now, the voice had a clear purpose, and it was directed at the small crowd of onlookers near the fence—right where Linus and his sister Klara were standing.
Before Linus could even process what was happening, he heard Klara shout out beside him. "He'll do it!"
Linus froze. *She did not just do that.*
He turned to his sister in shock, eyes wide, as if he could somehow reverse the decision through sheer disbelief. "Klara, no! What are you—"
But Klara was already grinning, a mischievous sparkle in her eyes, and laughing to herself as she leaned casually against the fence. Linus had seen that look before—she was thoroughly enjoying his discomfort.
The voice that had made the request was coming closer, and Linus felt a sinking feeling in his chest. A figure in catcher's gear jogged over from the field. The guy stopped a few feet away, pulling off his helmet and revealing a friendly, apologetic smile. His dark blonde hair fell messily over his forehead, and his green eyes seemed to sparkle with a mix of amusement and relief.
"Hey, thanks for volunteering, man. We really needed the help," the guy said, his voice easy and confident, as if this were the most natural thing in the world. "I'm Liam, by the way."
Linus opened his mouth, unsure what to say. He hadn't agreed to anything, but the words seemed stuck in his throat. He glanced back at Klara, who was now doing her best to suppress a fit of giggles. She waved at him with a smirk, enjoying the chaos she'd caused.
"Uh, I didn't really—" Linus began, but Liam was already shaking his head, as if he had heard this objection before and didn't plan on acknowledging it.
"I'm really sorry to pull you into this last minute," Liam said, his tone apologetic. "We were supposed to have enough players, but one of the guys didn't show. This game is mostly for my little brother's team, so I kinda have to step in and help them out." He chuckled awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck.
Linus looked over at the field where a group of younger boys, maybe around fourteen, were warming up and tossing baseballs to each other. They didn't seem too concerned with the missing player, but their excited chatter filled the air.
Klara nudged Linus with her elbow, her teasing grin still firmly in place. "You always said you wanted to try something new, right? What better time?"
Linus shot her a glare, but the protest died on his lips. He could already feel the weight of the situation settling in—there was no backing out now. Klara had made sure of that, and if he tried, he'd probably just look like an awkward foreigner who couldn't handle the pressure of a simple game. *Thanks a lot, Klara*, he thought bitterly.
He sighed, trying to gather his thoughts. "I don't… I don't know anything about baseball."
Liam blinked, momentarily caught off guard. "Wait, nothing? Not even the basics?"
Linus shook his head, his frustration clear. "I'm from Sweden. We don't really play baseball back home. I've never even held a bat before."
For a second, Liam looked genuinely surprised, but then his face softened into an understanding smile. "Oh, okay, that makes sense. I didn't catch the accent at first." He gave Linus a friendly pat on the shoulder. "No worries, man. We'll go easy on you. It's just a casual game, and I can teach you the basics as we go."
Before Linus could protest again, Liam had already thrown his arm around his shoulders and was leading him toward the field. Linus tried to resist, but Liam's easygoing attitude made it hard to stay annoyed. It wasn't like he had much of a choice now, anyway.
The sun beat down on the field, the smell of grass and dirt mixing with the faint scent of sunscreen lingering in the air. As they walked, Linus found himself looking at the baseball diamond, trying to get a sense of how it all worked. It was smaller than he imagined, but that didn't make it any less intimidating.
Liam glanced at Linus's clothes—a simple t-shirt, shorts, and sneakers. He raised an eyebrow but then shrugged. "You'll be fine in those, just... try not to slide in the dirt around the bases unless you want to take some of it home with you." He grinned, clearly trying to make Linus feel more at ease.
Linus glanced down at himself. He hadn't even thought about it, but now that Liam mentioned it, the idea of getting covered in dirt didn't sound too appealing. "I'll keep that in mind," Linus muttered, half to himself.
As they approached the field, Liam jogged over to the nearby dugout and grabbed something from his bag. "Here, you'll need this." He tossed a baseball glove toward Linus.
Linus caught it, slightly fumbling with the unfamiliar object. He inspected it briefly, feeling the worn leather and the strange, almost awkward fit around his hand.
"That's one of my spares," Liam explained, tightening his own glove as he spoke. "Should work fine for today. Don't worry too much about using it perfectly, just get comfortable with it."
Linus nodded, slipping his hand into the glove and trying to adjust. It felt strange, bulky even, but he figured he'd get used to it as the game went on.
"You can throw the ball around with me for a bit to warm up," Liam said, picking up a ball and tossing it lightly toward Linus. "Nothing too serious, just to get you used to handling it."
Linus caught the ball awkwardly in the glove, the unfamiliar weight of it throwing him off for a moment. He stood there, unsure what to do next, until he remembered what little he knew from sports in school. He pulled his arm back and threw the ball toward Liam. The throw was a little high, but Liam caught it easily, giving him a thumbs-up.
"Not bad!" Liam called, tossing it back with an easy arc. Linus caught it again, this time a little more confidently. They continued this for a few minutes, passing the ball back and forth, with Liam giving him occasional pointers on how to grip the ball properly or how to throw with more control.
Linus could feel his nerves settling a bit as the rhythm of tossing the ball became more natural. It was simple, and Liam's calm, encouraging attitude made it easier.
After a few more throws, Liam clapped his hands together. "Alright, warm-up's done! We're the fielding team first, so just follow my lead. It's pretty straightforward." He gestured toward the field where the rest of the players were gathering.
Linus looked at Liam, his expression uncertain. "Fielding?"
"Yeah," Liam nodded. "So the other team is gonna bat, and we're trying to get three outs. That's when we switch places, and we'll get a turn to hit. For now, I'll put you in right outfield—it's usually the spot where fewer balls get hit. It'll give you some time to get used to things without too much pressure."
Linus nodded slowly, grateful for that bit of mercy. He was starting to feel the weight of not knowing the game, but at least Liam seemed patient.
"If the ball comes your way," Liam continued, "just try to throw it to second base. That's the main thing. Don't worry about the rest too much—I'll explain things as they come up, or you'll figure it out as we go."
Linus glanced toward the right outfield spot where Liam had pointed. It was further away from the action, but that was fine by him. Less pressure meant less chance of messing up in front of everyone.
"Got it. Second base," Linus repeated, more to himself than to Liam.
Liam gave him a reassuring smile. "Exactly. And don't stress. You'll do fine."
Linus jogged out to his position in the right outfield, the new glove still feeling awkward on his hand, but he was slowly getting used to it. His heart was still racing a little, but the warm-up had helped settle his nerves.
As the first batter stepped up to the plate, Linus tried to keep his focus. He didn't fully understand the rules, but at least he knew one thing—if the ball came his way, he just had to throw it to second base. Beyond that, he'd learn as the game went on.
Cadeaux
-- Cadeau
reçu État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone