A New Reality

Logan sighed, staring at his phone. His thumb hovered over the call button, but he still hesitated.

"This just feels… I don't know. Too fast," he admitted.

Drew and Big Mac exchanged a glance.

"Bro," Drew said, plopping down next to him on the bed. "I get it. This is insane. But what's the worst that happens? You call the guy, he tells you he's interested, and you go from there. That's it."

Big Mac nodded. "You're not signing a contract. You're just having a conversation."

Logan exhaled, gripping the phone. They were right.

This was happening whether he was ready or not.

With a deep breath, he tapped the screen.

Ringing…

Each second felt like an eternity.

Then—

"Hello, Logan? This is Coach Henderson from South Texas University."

Logan sat up straight. "Uh—yes, sir! Thanks for reaching out."

Coach Henderson chuckled. "I appreciate you taking the call. Listen, I won't take up too much of your time, but I saw your performance in the tournament, and I was impressed. You've got serious talent, and I wanted to introduce myself."

Logan swallowed. "I—I really appreciate that."

Henderson continued. "From what I understand, you haven't been playing baseball long. That true?"

Logan winced. "Uh, yeah. About a month."

The coach let out a short laugh. "Well, that's a first. But I'm a big believer in raw ability, and yours is off the charts. The way you track pitches, the way you handle pressure—it's not something you teach."

Logan blinked. "Really?"

"Absolutely. And that's why I wanted to connect. I think you have serious potential, and if you keep improving, there's a place for you in college ball."

Logan felt his heart pounding.

"Now, I won't lie to you," Henderson continued. "You have a long way to go. The fundamentals, the game knowledge—you're behind the guys we normally recruit. But you make up for it with instincts and pure ability."

Logan nodded, even though the coach couldn't see him. "I understand."

"I'd love to see you play more," Henderson said. "We have a summer showcase where we invite potential recruits to work out with our coaching staff. I'd like to extend an invitation."

Logan's breath caught. "Wait—you want me to come to your school?"

Henderson chuckled. "That's usually how recruiting works, son. If you're serious about this, come out, meet the staff, and see if college baseball is something you want."

Logan glanced at Drew and Big Mac, who were staring at him wide-eyed.

"I—I'd love to," he said.

"Good," Henderson replied. "I'll send you the details. Keep working hard, Logan. You've got something special."

The call ended.

For a second, Logan just sat there, phone still in his hand.

Then—

Drew tackled him. "BRO! YOU'RE GOING TO A COLLEGE SHOWCASE!"

Big Mac pulled them both into a bear hug. "Clutch Carter is officially on the recruiting trail!"

Logan laughed, shaking his head. "This is crazy."

Drew grinned. "Yeah, but it's happening."

The Conversation with Mom

Later that night, Logan sat at the kitchen table with his mom, Emily Carter.

She worked long shifts at the diner and had always been his biggest supporter, even when she didn't understand baseball.

Now, he had something big to tell her.

"So…" Logan started, rubbing the back of his neck. "Something kind of crazy happened."

Emily raised an eyebrow. "Did you break another window playing baseball?"

"What? No—wait, that was one time."

She smirked. "Okay, okay. What's up?"

Logan took a deep breath. "I got a call from a college baseball coach today."

Emily froze, her eyes widening. "What?"

He nodded. "Coach Henderson from South Texas University. He saw me in the tournament and wants me to come to a summer showcase."

Emily covered her mouth with her hand. "Logan… are you serious?"

"Yeah."

For a moment, she didn't say anything. Then, she smiled—really smiled.

"I'm so proud of you," she said softly.

Logan felt warmth spread through his chest. "Thanks, Mom."

"I always knew you were special, but this?" She shook her head in disbelief. "This is huge."

Logan exhaled. "It is. And, honestly? I'm a little scared."

Emily reached across the table and squeezed his hand. "That's how you know it's worth it."

Logan smiled.

For the first time, he really believed it.

The Training Begins

The next morning, Logan was back at the baseball field before sunrise.

He wasn't just training to play high school baseball anymore.

He was training for his future.

Coach Talbot was waiting for him, arms crossed. "Heard you got a call from South Texas."

Logan nodded. "Yeah. They invited me to a showcase."

Coach smirked. "Good. Now get ready to work, because college ball is a whole new beast."

Big Mac jogged onto the field. "What are we waiting for? Let's turn Clutch Carter into a D1 machine."

Drew grinned. "Oh, this is gonna be fun."

As Logan dug his cleats into the dirt, feeling the weight of what was ahead, he grinned.

This was only the beginning.