Fever Pitch Temptation

Chapter 8 A Prank on Owen

"The party's started! Guys, let loose and enjoy the night!"

The lights in the grand hall dimmed, and a spotlight from upstairs hit the display stand, casting it in a dramatic glow.

Four masked, sexy girls took the stage and started with an opening dance that got the crowd roaring. The masks were my idea. Even though I had the full-on stage makeup, I was still a little worried I'd be recognized.

The performance was a hit, and the applause was deafening. I felt a little guilty, though—after all, the only dance I actually knew was this opening one, which I'd seen a hundred times before.

The lights were low, so it wasn't until the performance was over that I noticed Owen was standing just a few feet away. He was clapping with the crowd, looking even more handsome than usual. A charming smile lit up his face, and his eyes, big and bright, unexpectedly locked on me!

If it were a week ago, I would've been over the moon to have him look at me like that. But now, with the mask on, I turned my head away, deliberately acting aloof and dismissing his attention.

A flicker of surprise flashed in Owen's eyes. Seemingly shocked by the fact that his charm wasn't working on me, he took a step toward me. But before he could get any closer, Alissa grabbed his arm and said, "Owen, everyone's waiting for you!"

As the music switched to a new track, people started flooding the dance floor. I took the chance to slip away with my girls and disappear into the crowd. When I glanced back, the baseball team had already been surrounded by eager people.

Meanwhile, the projector behind the display stand came to life and rolled footage of the day's baseball game.

"Owen! You are amazing today! You're seriously the future star of the baseball field!"

"Here's to the victory!"

"Cheers!"

"To the whole Alaxphilia University baseball team!"

"Cheers..."

As the center of attention and the host of the party, Owen made his little speeches with ease. Apparently, he enjoyed the spotlight.

"I tell you what, those young guys are all on the college baseball team. No wonder they're all hot!"

I blended in with Mary's crew, and a few of the girls were gossiping in the corner.

"That blonde cutie is really something! I bet half the people here wanna sleep with him!" One of the girls next to Mary sighed, clearly smitten with Owen.

Mary teased with a smirk. "Half? Is that because half of tonight's crowd is women?"

"Yeah, and that includes me!" The girl laughed, and the others all burst into laughter.

I leaned in and said with a wink, "After tonight, maybe it won't just be half..."

The girls shared a knowing look. We all cracked dirty jokes in private, so no one took my comment too seriously. Before long, they all accepted dance floor invites and headed off to join the crowd.

As for me? I turned down every single one of them. My focus was on only one person: Owen.

As the conversation went on, someone brought up the baseball bat again, and with the timing just right, I bid my girls goodbye and slipped off into a quiet corner. My plan was about to unfold.

"Come on, tell us about this baseball bat, Owen! We all know it's really special to you!"

"Of course!" Owen grabbed the bat from the display and swung it with flair. As he did, the projector behind him showed a series of photos of Owen, from his younger years, all holding the bat with pride.

"When I was 12, my dad gave me this bat as a gift, and ever since then, I've taken it everywhere with me. I've won every game with it by my side. I see it as a token of luck and a symbol of honor! Sometimes, I even feel like it's a part of me. Every time I hold it, my blood just boils with energy. It makes me feel invincible..."

"Wow, that sounds amazing! Can I touch it?" a guy asked eagerly, his eyes full of excitement. "I promise I'll be gentle, even more so than with my girlfriend, I swear!"

"Come on, stop grossing me out!" Owen rolled his eyes but still passed the bat to the guy.

"I want to touch it too!"

"Here, allow me!" The crowd quickly gathered around, all vying for a chance to feel the bat Owen had won so many victories with.

Just then, someone noticed the images on the projector screen, and their eyes lit up, like they'd just discovered a hidden treasure. "Hey! Is this part of the party?"

I had quietly turned on my phone's video recorder, my heart racing with excitement. I was ready to capture everything that was about to unfold.

Owen didn't turn around. He was still soaking in the praise and admiration, full of confidence as he responded to the curious crowd, "Don't doubt your eyes, bro, yep, that's me!"

Oops, I almost burst into laughter!

More and more people turned to look at the screen, and even the crowd on the dancing floor stopped to see what was going on. The crowd's reactions went from amused to downright mocking. Some even pulled out their phones to record, and it didn't take long for Owen to realize something was off.

I could even imagine the shock on his face when he saw the content.

On the screen, a cartoon version of Owen's head was superimposed onto a body, who hugged his beloved bat with a flushed face and shivered in exaggerated pleasure.

The speech bubbles read: I love my bat. It keeps me company on lonely nights. It's thick! It's tough! Just the right length to warm my soul!

"Oh my god... This is so funny!" I heard someone exclaim, clearly amused by the contents.

"Wow, so that's why you love this bat so much," came a teasing voice from the crowd.

"s**t, I just touched it!" Someone rushed off to wash their hands, clearly regretting their moment of contact.

"Wait, so touching it means you've kinda touched Owen's... you know? I definitely can't miss it..." A girl who had a thing for Owen seemed to have found a new way to idolize him.

Even a few guys shot curious, suggestive glances at Owen now, their stares turning awkwardly intense.

Owen's expression shifted from confusion to shock as he looked at Alissa for an explanation. Alissa was just as baffled, and she replied, "I have no idea how this happened, Owen. There was nothing like this before..."

Finally, Owen stormed over and yanked the projector's plug out of the wall. Too late, though—the animation had already looped several times, and he was the last to see it.

"Who did this? Who?" Owen's voice boomed as he demanded answers. The lights in the entire house flickered back on, blinding me for a moment. Just as I was adjusting to the sudden brightness, I heard him let out a restrained laugh, his anger barely contained.

"Alright, let's play a game. Security, lock this house down. No one's allowed in or out while we're playing. I'm gonna find out who thought it'd be funny to mess with me!"

"Oh no..." I bit my lip, feeling a pang of anxiety.