Page 11 of Glitched Play

But like the sideview mirror says:

Warning! Objects in mirror might be closer than they appear.

three

. . .

Maci

Letter #49 Rune

I’m tired of rejection.

Letter #50 Glitch

Sometimes the door doesn't open because you knock. Sometimes it opens because you finally believed you belonged on the other side.

Letter #51 Rune

You’re so much more eloquent in letters. Why?

The crack of a bat echoes across the park followed by cheers from the packed bleachers. Tyler rounds second like he's already won the College Baseball Championships.

To be fair, the regional championship game is tied in the bottom of the seventh, and my little brother has just driven a ball deep enough to score the winning run.

The crowd loses its mind, and my father nearly launches himself over the railing. Since Lauren had a soccer match out of state, Mom grabs me, jumping up and down.

Tyler pumps his fist before pointing toward the stands as if thousands of people showed up specifically to watch him.

Which, according to Tyler, they probably did.

The game ends minutes later in a celebration of screaming teammates, flying hats, and enough testosterone to power a small city.

An hour later we're gathered at the team picnic in the park.

Every folding table is buried beneath food, coolers, and half-empty trays as players, families, girlfriends, and friends spill across the grass. Parents pose for pictures with their sons, everyone still riding the high of the win that punched their ticket to Iowa for the championship round. Tyler and his teammates have turned one corner of the celebration into their own social media studio, passing the trophy from player to player while someone films them reenacting the game.

Players relive every inning as if nobody had witnessed it themselves.

The park is buzzing with activity and somehow I still feel alone.

Not lonely—there's a difference.

I love my family and love this town.

But while everyone else discusses batting averages, college scholarships, and next season's roster, my mind drifts toward software architecture problems I haven't solved yet.

A retention system I've been sketching.

A community engagement loop that could improve player interaction.

Three bugs buried inside a prototype that have been irritating me for nearly a week that I want ready to show in case I get an interview with Synatrix.

None of those are conversations I can have here because nobody understands them.

And that's okay, mostly.

"You're doing the thing again."