Chasing Elliott - Published

chapter fourteen ... something like that

Limerence (n.)
the state of being infatuated by another person.
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All the boys rushed the mound at the end of the game as I pitched a no hitter to win. Two of my teammates picked me up and placed me on their shoulders as they all started chanting our school's song.

I glanced over at the stands and saw Elliott standing, jumping up and down with Benjamin while Kingsley stood there clapping. I smiled as her head turned in my direction and I held the ball up in the air. I saw her shake her head but the smile never left her beautiful face.

"Party at the baseball house," one of my team members yelled. Everyone in the stands cheered a little louder while the boys ran into the dugout to head into the locker room and change or shower. Instead, I slowly made my way over to the bleachers where Elliott was standing.

The stands were slowly starting to clear out but the three of them stood there waiting for me. As I approached, Elliott noticeably bit her lip and I caught her scanning me before I took the stairs two at a time to make it up to them.

"You were amazing," Elliott gushed as she surprised me by jumping into me. I wrapped my arms around her waist and basked in the fact that she initiated this.

"Thanks, beautiful," I said as I sat her down. Glancing over Elliott's head, Benjamin smiled devilishly at me which caused me to roll my eyes. She stayed standing with one arm around my waist so I kept one around her shoulders and used the other to clap Benjamin's hand.

"Great game, Coop. You finally listened to my pointers," he teased with a wink but before I had the chance to respond, Elliott spoke up.

"And if I had a chance to give him pointers before the game, maybe it wouldn't have gone into extra innings."

I glanced down at her with a small smile as my eyebrows bunched together, surprised as I stood and listened to Elliott and Benjamin's banter. I was glad they were becoming close but I could see lots of bickering between them and their dominant personalities in the future.

"I should go shower and change," I said as I interrupted their game talk. "I'll meet you guys at the party?"

"We can wait for you," Elliott said instantly as she looked up at me with a smile. "We don't mind."

I smiled and bent down, pressing a kiss to her forehead before I slipped out of her grasp and disappeared back down the stairs and into the dugout.

I think that was the quickest shower I had ever taken in my life.

______

We pulled up to the baseball house and could already hear the loud music. Elliott and Kingsley didn't bring a spare change of clothes but that was fine with me – I loved seeing her in my jersey.