Rom-Com Drama

Brenton and Florence met in typical romantic-comedy style: She accidentally spilled beer on him at a baseball game. Captivated by Florence’s beauty—and the kismet of them both wearing jerseys emblazoned with his favorite player’s name and number—Brenton assured her he didn’t mind watching the rest of the game in damp socks and sneakers. He continued the conversation, best he could, by spouting statistics and cracking corny jokes. She smiled sweetly at his lame attempts at humor, but her attention was focused on the field. After their team won, he invited her to join him for a celebratory dinner. She politely declined, saying she had a boyfriend. 

Weeks later, in classic rom-com fashion, the would-be lovebirds unexpectedly encountered each other at a sporting-goods store. Thrilled by the chance meeting with the beauty from the ballgame, Brenton struck up a conversation about their favorite player’s chances of winning the MVP award. Eventually, he asked if Florence still had that boyfriend. She admitted she did—but agreed to dine with Brenton anyway. 

That night, at a romantic restaurant, Brenton and Florence ate fabulous food and drank delicious cocktails. They talked for hours by candlelight, each revealing personal details never shared with anyone else. Afterward, they drove back to Florence’s apartment for a nightcap.

The next morning, Brenton awoke to find his favorite player standing over him, baseball bat in hand.

Lori Cramer’s short prose has appeared in Flash: The International Short-Short Story Magazine, Riggwelter, Splonk, and Unbroken Journal, among others. Her story “Scars” (Fictive Dream, February 2018) was nominated for Best Microfiction 2019. Links to her writing can be found at https://loricramerfiction.wordpress.com. Twitter: @LCramer29.