kalon tryout

[Lillybear]

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Username ─ Lillybear .......
Name ─ Charlie
Gender ─ Male
Go Back ─ Click!

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It was one of those kinds of afternoons where the sky appeared never-ending, it was gaping as if it could swallow someone whole, with a couple of perfectly placed clouds, looking soft to the touch as if in a children's storybook. The blue was saturated warmly, and there was a light breeze to complement the blazing summer weather. It was the ideal kind of day to be out at the park, one of those parks with a baseball fields, playing sports.

Or, for Charlie, sitting in the bleachers, trying to avoid getting hit by the ball.


He watched his friends run around the filed, skinning their knees, listening to the satisfying smack of the baseball against the bat. They looked hot, panting heavily and rubbing the sweat off their foreheads, but they looked happy, too. They had wide smiles on their faces as they laughed and played with determined focus. Charlie just felt hot.


But he cheered, of course, whenever someone hit a home run, and offered as much support as he could, flailing around like a confused cheerleader. He was happy for his friends, he was. They were good, and fast. He didn't understand how they stayed determined as ever, even in the heat.


They just kept going. And going, and going, and going... Charlie slumped over in his seat, resting his head in his paw. He didn't understand. They enjoyed it so much. Why didn't he? Whenever this friends asked him to accompany them to the park, he agreed. He didn't want to seem lame. But whenever they asked him to join them on the field, he found excuses tumbled out of his mouth. I'm too tired. I don't know how to play. My leg hurts. But they weren't really excuses, were they? He really didn't know how to play. They offered to teach him, but he refused. Why?


He felt bad for refusing. He felt... sad for for refusing. He wanted to have fun too. But... he was, right? He was having fun cheering on his friends, yelling whenever something good happened in the game.


Suddenly, everyone came rushing towards the bleachers and Charlie almost fell over, trying to regain his balance and sitting up straight, deciding to clap although he wasn't sure what happened. "That was sick!" One of his friends said, reaching for their bag, taking a swig of water. "You were so good!" Said another. "We just keep getting better!" "Yeah!" "Woohoo!" "What'd you think, Charlie?"


And then all eyes were on him, waiting to hear his feedback. His smile faltered, but only for a second. "You guys were amazing!" He said, which caused his friends to burst into cheers. "Are... are you finished for the day?" "Yeah, I have to help my mom with chores," one commented. "Ugh, that's so boring! I wish we could stay here all day!" They continued talking as they prepared to leave, Charlie doing his best to slip in comments when there was a rare break in the conversation.


"I can't wait to go see the Itaburg Mantarays with all of you on Saturday!" One of his friends said suddenly, which Charlie recognized as a popular baseball team in their area. He didn't recall there being a game that Saturday. "Oh, Charlie, my dad got extra tickets so you can come, too! You can even sit in the middle of the row, are they the best seats or what?"


Charlie froze. It was a kind gesture, and he felt warm that they hadn't forgotten him. But... he didn't... He couldn't bear to finish his thought as he saw the hopeful and excited faces of his friends looking at him.


"I can't wait!"

[Lillybear]

"What's wrong, my boy?" Charlie's father asked Sunday morning, when Charlie came tumbling down the stairs sleepily for breakfast.


Charlie hadn't realized he had a frown on his face and heavy bags under his eyes. He quickly wiped his face as if it would do anything, and plopped down in his chair. Maybe it wasn't worth trying to hide it. "I don't know," he mumbled, pushing his fork around his empty plate.


His mother was already sitting at the table with coffee in her paw, a concerned look on her face. "Did something happen yesterday at the game, sweetie?"


Last evening Charlie had rode with his friend and his friend's dad to the Itaburg Mantarays game. Although he felt bad for taking the best seat, he couldn't find the words to offer it to one of his friends as they had generously offered it to him first. But that wasn't it, was it? Suddenly, he felt like crying. He didn't...


"...I don't like baseball," he sniffled, unable to contain himself. He said it.


His mother got up from her chair and wrapped Charlie in a big hug. "Oh, honey, why didn't you say something earlier? You didn't have to go if you didn't want to."


"But... but they would've made fun of me if I didn't," Charlie wailed. "That's not true, Charlie. You don't have to like the same things as your friends."


"But... they said that all boys like sports." Charlie's mother put her paws on his shoulders and looked him in the eye. "Charlie," she said, with the warmest smile, "you can like whatever makes you happy. Whether that's sports, or drawing, or dancing, or music, or... whatever! I don't care. What's most important to me is that you're happy, sweetie."


Charlie's dad came over, and filled his plate high with pancakes. "I'll tell you a little secret, Charlie," he said, with a twinkle in his eye. "I don't care much for sports myself." He flipped his spatula in the air and caught it. "I like baking. I especially like baking with you. I know we usually make pancakes together, but you slept in so late I wasn't sure if you were feeling well."


Charlie looked to his mom, at his pancakes, and up to his dad. "I like baking, too," he said slowly. He could feel a smile arrive on his face. His dad grinned. "Well, that's great, because I just so happened to be making a batch of cupcakes later today for a friend of mine, if you'd like to help?"


Charlie lit up. "Of course!" he said, energy coming back to his voice. But then it faltered again. "Oh... but my friends are going to play baseball again in the park in the afternoon." His mom looked at him knowingly. "Do you want to go?" She asked. "No," he said, feeling good to say it out loud. "But... I do like being with my friends. I don't know what to do."


His parents shared a look and smiled. "We might have an idea," they said.

[Lillybear]

Charlie couldn't bring himself to walk towards the baseball field in the park. He was too scared.


"Go on, honey!" His mother urged, pushing his back gently forward. Charlie held a tray of cupcakes in his hand that he and his father had made earlier. They had made extra for Charlie's friends, and Charlie had picked out the colors of Itaburg Mantarays to decorate them, carefully drawing a mantaray in icing on each cupcake. They didn't look half bad. And Charlie... he'd loved making them.


But what if his friends didn't like them? What if they thought he was lame? His mother seemed to sense his nervousness and bent down to his level. "It's okay, sweetie. Who doesn't love cupcakes? I can walk with you, if you'd like." Charlie slowly nodded and they began walking together.


He gulped as his friends came into view. Once they caught sight of him, they paused their activity and stared. Uh oh.


"Are those cupcakes?" One of his friends asked as they got closer. "Um..." Charlie's mother rubbed his shoulder reassuringly. 'Yes, I... I made them for everyone and─"


Before he could finish his sentence, his friend burst out into a huge smile. "Ooh, I love cupcakes!!" Suddenly, everyone else rushed up to Charlie, nearly swarming him.


"They look so good!" "Look, guys, they're Itaburg Mantarays colors!!" "Did you draw that?" "I can't even make cereal!" "These are awesome!"


Charlie's mom took a couple steps back, beaming with pride. Charlie never felt happier. They liked them! He began handing them out, and they were gone in minutes.


"They're delicious!" "I want more!" "Ugmph─soo goodff!" "I love it!"


"Can you teach me how to make cupcakes??" One of his friends asked, rushing up to him. The rest of his friends seconded the statement by breaking out into cheers.


Charlie realized that day it didn't matter what he liked─as long as he had his amazing friends to share it with.