Waiting outside Bob's Batting Cages and Bumper Cars, Lynn was feeling something unusual.

Normally filled with confidence she was feeling very self-conscience standing alone outside the local attraction.

One of the many things that hadn't occurred to her in the moment when she'd agreed to go out with Paula was how many kids her age hung out here on a Saturday.

It wasn't the idea of being seen on a date with a girl by someone she knew, psshtt let them watch, though chances were about even.

It was that she hadn't told her siblings, with the family distributed almost evenly across all grades it was a foregone conclusion that someone would see her and she'd be found out.

Then before she had even had a chance to figure out how she felt about Paula they'd all be clambering over each other to 'help' her.

Luna had been surprisingly cool about the whole thing even getting her a ride with Chunk so she wouldn't have to ask Lori or Leni for one.

Then while she was thinking it over and because the universe liked to watch her squirm she saw Clyde and his dad's in the parking lot.

Looking frantically around Lynn tried to find somewhere to hide, why hadn't she worn her shinobi shozoku under her date clothes like she'd wanted to.

It was too late Clyde had seen her and was running over excitedly, Lynn resigned herself to her fate.

"Hey Lynner Lynner chicken dinner, Lincoln didn't say you were going to be hear," Clyde said greeting her gleefully.

"Is Lincoln here with you?" Lynn asked looking around beginning to sweat, the man with the plan was all she needed.

"No," Clyde answered, "I'm just hear with my dad's were having a family day."

Wiping the sweat from her brow Lynn let out a sigh of relief and Clyde looked at her puzzled and asked, "Are you here with anyone?"

Dang it she thought, with all his psychoanalysis Clyde was basically a human lie detector.

Her only chance was a hail Mary, complete honesty and hope Clyde called in her favour.

Putting her hands on his shoulders she looked him in the eyes, "Listen Clyde I need a favour?"

"What kind of favour," Clyde asked beginning to sweat himself trying to look away from her direct eye contact.

"I'm meeting a date here but I'm not ready for my family to know so you can't tell anyone not even, no especially not Lincoln." Lynn said doing her best not to sound like she was pleading.

The anxiety melted away from Clyde's face and was replaced by a knowing grin, "So who's the lucky fella?"

That's when Lynn heard a polite cough from behind her, almost having a heart attack Lynn whirled around releasing Clyde from her kung fu grip to see Paula.

Not used to seeing Paula out of her basketball uniform Lynn almost didn't recognize her, she was wearing a baby blue tank top and a mixed blue skirt.

She was also wearing her hair down, she really was pretty, Paula started to blush under her gaze.

Lynn was suddenly feeling under dressed wearing jeans and a jersey, she started to say something but then remembered Clyde.

Turning back around she saw Clyde was entering the attraction with his dad's but before he did he turned and winked at her before miming zipped lips.

She shot him a thumbs up before returning her attention to Paula.

"What was that all about?" Paula asked curiously looking towards where Clyde had gone.

"Oh nothing," Lynn said rubbing the back of her neck, "Just a friend of my brothers."

"Oh that's good," Paula said laughing nervously, "I was worried for a moment I'd have to share you."

"Nope," Lynn said nervously, "You have me all to yourself."

Lynn had insisted on paying telling Paula she had paid her way when she paid Flip to put her on the team.

Paula noticed Lynn seemed a bit uncomfortable the way she'd acted with her brothers friend had seemed a bit odd.

She suspected she knew why, older gay people talk about how life has gotten a lot better for LGBTQA but if there was one area lagging behind it was sports.

Arriving at the batting cages Lynn seemed to steady her nerves.

When Lynn asked to bat first Paula smiled and nodded only to happy to see her date enjoying herself.

The girl, Paula had first noticed, soon returned confident in every action knocking balls flying into the fence Lynn was an athletic machine.

She wondered not for the first time if she had been selfish in asking Lynn out, Paula knew first hand the kind of rejection that could result from being outed.

"Earth to Paula, come in Paula," Lynn asked suddenly in front of her.

"Oh sorry," Paula said trying to laugh it off, "I must have drifted off."

Oh no, Paula thought, I hope she doesn't think I'm bored.

"No problem," Lynn said handing her a batting helmet, "Your up."

Putting on the helmet Paula hoped she wasn't about to embarrass herself, baseball wasn't really her game.

The crutches also weren't helping but having not quite believed Lynn wouldn't just shoot her down Paula would have said yes to a skydiving date.

Entering the cage she set her crutches to either side and balancing on one leg she picked up the bat and nudged the start button with her elbow.

That had been a mistake, managing to tap the first ball she lost control of her balanced and hit the ground just able to brace herself.

Two balls flew over her as she hugged the ground before Lynn rocketed in and slammed the emergency stop button.

Looking up Paula watched as Lynn caught the last ball fired with her bare hand, before tossing it aside and looking down a guilty expression on her face.

"I'm so sorry," Lynn said helping her up, "You were so good on the court your crutches didn't even occur to me."

"That's okay," Paula said brushing herself off, "I could just watch you hit again," she could, she really could and she hoped that didn't come off as pathetic as it sounded.

But Lynn shook her head, "Give me a sec," clearly thinking on her feet she nodded, "Got it! I'll hold you up while you hit!"

"I mean if that's cool with you?" Lynn asked waiting for a reply.

She wants to know if she can hold me, Paula thought feeling a bit dizzy and not from the fall, heck yeah she wanted to say but instead she managed a timid, "Yeah that could work."

Lynn who only came up to about Paula's shoulders wrapped her arms around Paula's waist and seemed to brace herself.

Paula stood there for a moment feeling like she was glowing and nearly jumped when Lynn asked if she was going to grab the bat.

Picking it up she lined up the pitching machine before hitting the button, this time much more stable she smashed the ball right down the middle.

Behind her Lynn who couldn't see the action, cheered her on all the same holding her tighter, Paula wanted for this date to never end.