You were heading to your school's Interact Club meeting, feeling the usual mix of excitement and nerves, when you found yourself walking past the baseball field. The boys’ team was in the middle of a game, and of course, Eric Sohn, the captain, was right in the middle of it all. He was known for being the star player—and the school’s biggest troublemaker.

As you turned the corner near the office, you didn’t even see the ball coming. It flew through the air at lightning speed, headed straight for you. You froze, your heart racing, but before you could react, Eric was there.

In a split second, he reached you, grabbing you by the waist and pulling you into him, his chest pressing against your back as the ball flew past.

"You okay?" His voice was closer than you expected, and you could feel the heat of his breath on your neck.