Page 110 of Baseball and Shifters

“Wait,” I say, shocked by his revelation. “What do you mean they presented it to the stadium?”

“Oh, you didn’t know?” His amused grin keeps me from feeling dumb for not knowing. “The stadium was the first enchanted building on campus. And the enchantment took so well that the building is… for lack of a better word… sentient. Just like Harold Hall. It’s how the rooms, or the field in the case of the stadium, change to accommodate the needs of the users.”

“So… the stadium chose my design?” I blink up at him in awe.

“Instantly.” Demi nods. “Lit up like a mate bond.”

Helene snorts at his assessment. “The banners unfurled themselves with gusto. It was very dramatic.”

I sit down hard in the nearest seat, my jersey creasing as I clutch the fabric to my chest. I can’t stop staring at the view below. Every detail is pulled from my mockups. I didn’t just get an A and a pat on the back.

Ichangedsomething.

Made somethingreal.

Emotion wells up again, too big for words. I pull out my phone and snap a picture of the stadium from our vantage point, then open the group chat.

ME: SHUT UP! Can you guys believe it?!? The stadium chose my design. The stadium! Did you know the stadium is sentient?

Bas responds instantly.

Bas: Damn right it’s yours. I told you your designs were amazing, Firefly. Just wait until you see what we’re wearing.

I frown.

Wait… what?

Before I can question it, Helene offers me a drink. I get sucked into conversation as Dallas and Aubree plot how we can chant louder than the Arcane Ridge fan section. Maya suggests starting a wave in the crowd making Aubree and Dallas double down with increasingly crazy plans. Before I know it, Demi directs our attention to the field as my guys enter from the dugout.

My jaw drops.

Lucas

When I step into the locker room the air is electric. Most of the guys are already here, ditching backpacks and half-buttoned shirts in favor of cleats and uniforms. You’d think after a full day of exams we’d be dragging, but no. This? This is game day.

Our first tournament game. The opener, on our home turf.

And damn, do we look good.

“Bro.” Axel’s voice echoes from the end of the row as he holds up his new jersey. “Tell me this isn’t the slickest uniform you’ve ever worn.”

“No lies detected,” Bas mutters, buttoning his jersey.

The black fabric clings in all the right places, the navy threading catching the light and shimmering slightly. The emerald lettering reminds me of Rachel’s eyes and I wish I could see her face when she sees us step onto the field in her designs.

“Can you believe our girl designed these?” Liam asks.

“She redesigned the whole look?” Elliott asks from across the bench.

“Yep,” I say, already lacing my cleats. “Logo, uniforms, banners, mascot… basically everything.”

“A student did this?” Axel asks, eyebrows raised. “No way.”

“Way,” Derrick gruffs, dropping his gear bag onto the bench. “Why do you think the whole stadium has new everything?” he asks gesturing to the updated logo on the walls and floor.

“Dude,” Elliott breathes. “Look, she made Stanley hot.”

Liam snorts. “That she did. Bas and I are still mad she gave him more muscles than us.”

---