Rookie's Advantage

The dry, arid heat of the Arizona morning was already starting to settle as Linus Edberg stood outside the hotel, watching his parents load the last of their things into the rental car. The parking lot shimmered in the heat, the distant red cliffs of Arizona's rugged landscape providing a dramatic backdrop to their conversation. Linus had been to several places on this trip—Sedona's red rocks, Montezuma Castle, and even a brief stop at Horseshoe Bend—but today, his parents were headed to the Grand Canyon. The trip was their chance to explore one of the world's great natural wonders, and as far as Linus was concerned, it was their way of taking a break from parenting for a day.

"I still don't know if this is a good idea," his mom said, her voice laced with concern as she adjusted her sunhat. She leaned against the car door, eyeing Linus and his sister, Klara. "Are you two sure you'll be okay on your own?"

Linus let out a quiet sigh. "Mom, we're not kids," he said, trying to sound reassuring without sounding annoyed. 

His sister, Klara, who had her arms casually crossed, added with a smirk, "Yeah, Linus is practically an adult now, right?" She nudged him playfully with her elbow. At 19, Klara had the kind of cool confidence that Linus couldn't quite match yet, though she loved teasing him about it.

"Practically," Linus echoed, his tone sarcastic. He was 16, just a few months away from starting gymnasiet—Swedish high school—and while he was excited about the new school year, he wasn't sure how much it would change things for him.

His mom's face softened a little. "I know, I know. But it's just… we'll be at the Grand Canyon all day, and I want to make sure you two have something to do. The park nearby looked nice when we drove by yesterday."

"We'll be fine," Klara said again, giving their mom a reassuring smile. "We'll check out the park, grab something to eat, and we'll be back here before you know it. Just go and enjoy your day."

Their dad, already in the driver's seat, leaned out the window and grinned. "Listen to your sister, hon. She's practically a tour guide at this point."

Linus couldn't help but chuckle at that. His dad's easygoing nature always seemed to balance out his mom's cautious tendencies. They made a good pair—his dad, with his endless optimism, and his mom, with her careful planning.

His mom gave them one last lingering look before sighing. "Alright. But remember, text us if you need anything. And don't forget to eat something."

"We won't forget," Klara said, waving them off as their parents finally drove out of the lot, heading toward the Grand Canyon. Linus watched the car disappear down the road, feeling a mix of relief and a little bit of boredom setting in.

---

"Well, that's that," Klara said, stretching her arms overhead. "Looks like we've got the day to ourselves. What do you want to do?"

Linus shrugged, kicking at a small pebble on the ground. "I don't know. You're the one who promised we'd go to the park."

Klara laughed and started walking toward the street. "Come on, don't be like that. Let's at least check it out. Who knows? Maybe we'll find something interesting."

Linus wasn't so sure about that. The thought of spending the day at a park didn't exactly scream "fun" to him, especially not in the blistering Arizona heat. But with nothing better to do, he fell into step beside Klara as they started down the sidewalk. The park wasn't far, maybe a ten-minute walk from their hotel, and the quiet residential streets they passed were lined with cactus gardens and low, sun-bleached houses. The sun beat down mercilessly, though there was a small breeze that occasionally stirred the hot air.

"So, you ready for gymnasiet?" Klara asked after a few moments of silence.

Linus shrugged again. "I guess. It's just school, though, right?"

Klara raised an eyebrow. "Just school? Come on, it's high school! You're going to meet new people, probably find new things to get into. Maybe even a sport or something."

Linus let out a small laugh. "Sports, really?"

"Why not?" Klara said with a grin. "You're good at them. You've never really stuck with any of them, but you're not bad. And high school is a good time to try something new."

Linus thought about it for a moment. It was true—he'd always been decent at sports, but he'd never found one that really interested him enough to commit to. He was the kind of person who enjoyed gym class and playing games with his friends, but the idea of joining a team or practicing regularly had never appealed to him.

"I'll think about it," Linus said noncommittally.

---

When they reached the park, Linus was surprised by how peaceful it was. It wasn't completely empty—there were a few families scattered around, young kids playing on the swings while their parents relaxed on benches, and someone walking their dog along the path. The greenery looked almost out of place against the desert landscape that surrounded it, but the trees provided much-needed shade, and the grass underfoot was soft and lush.

Klara pointed toward a shaded bench near a group of trees. "Let's sit for a bit. We've got time to kill."

Linus followed her over and dropped onto the bench, grateful to be out of the direct sunlight. He stretched his legs out, his sneakers scraping lightly against the gravel path. The park was quiet, save for the occasional laughter of children or the distant bark of a dog. It wasn't a bad way to spend a morning, he decided. It was certainly better than trudging around another landmark under the sun.

"You know," Klara said after a few minutes, "this is nice. No parents, no plans… just us hanging out."

Linus nodded, gazing at a couple of sparrows hopping near the bushes. "Yeah, it's not bad."

They sat in comfortable silence for a while, with Klara occasionally scrolling through her phone and Linus watching the park around them. A light breeze stirred the air, carrying with it the scent of grass and something faintly floral. Linus hadn't realized how much he'd missed just relaxing like this—no schedules, no pressure to be anywhere.

He watched as people came and went, mostly families or joggers passing by. The park itself seemed to move at its own slow pace, the kind of place where no one was in a hurry. Linus liked that. It was different from the busy, rushed feeling he sometimes got back home in Stockholm.

Klara pulled a couple of snacks out of her bag—an apple and a granola bar—and tossed one to Linus. "Hungry?"

"A little," Linus said, catching the granola bar. He unwrapped it and took a bite, looking around the park again. It wasn't exciting, but it was calm. For once, that was enough.

The two of them sat there, lazily watching the day go by. A few people were gathered around the park's small baseball field in the distance, though Linus didn't pay much attention to them at first. They were just another group of people enjoying their day, same as everyone else. He leaned back on the bench, closing his eyes for a moment as the sounds of the park blended together—kids laughing, birds chirping, the rustle of leaves in the occasional breeze.

Time seemed to stretch on, the heat of the day starting to make Linus feel drowsy. He could hear the rhythmic thump of a ball being tossed back and forth from the direction of the field, and occasionally, some laughter or shouts of encouragement. 

Linus wasn't really paying attention until he heard someone calling out, their voice carrying across the park, a little hesitant.

"Uh, hey… Can anyone join our game?"

Linus opened his eyes, glancing over at the baseball field. One of the teenagers was looking around, his hand raised awkwardly, as if he wasn't quite sure he should be asking. There was an apologetic tone in his voice, like he didn't want to bother anyone but also kind of needed help.

Klara looked at Linus with a raised eyebrow, a grin already forming on her face.