The "Enemy"

James...

I pushed all those thoughts out of mind when he came closer. 

"Hey..." he sounded shy. He seemed like the kind to be cocky and good with the girls. I mean he acted like that when we were at the dug out. 

"Hey!" I was trying to be cheerful to loosen his mood up a bit. It seemed to work.

"I'm kinda surprised you came out."

"Why?"

"Oh, well I was expecting your little friends not to let you."

"They don't know. Ya know I don't tell them everything."

His face had a look of surprise. I laughed a little and saw he had his glove also.

"Wanna catch?"

He nodded and we walked separate ways, so we would face each other about 7 feet from each other. It didn't take long for him to start talking again.

"Why do you hang out with those no goods?"

"Whoa there buddy. Don't start talking bad about them. They're my friends."

"Okay, okay, then how did you get the bruise from earlier."

"Benny gave me it when he hit the ball to me in outfield. I wasn't quite awake."

"I'm gonna kill him. Who hits a ball at a girl when they aren't awake yet? Especially one as pretty as you."

I blushed hard when he said that. I was thankful it was dark enough he couldn't see.
We continued to talk about how he hates Benny and then I told him to stop.

"I better get home. It's getting late." I was tired of him trash talking.
He nodded and caught the ball one more time. This time he kept it. 

"Sorry if you didn't like me talking about Benny. Next time I won't talk so much about him. Or at all in fact."

I gave him a confused look, "Next time?"

"Yep we're gonna do this every night from now on. Tradition."

I shook my head back and forth, "Whatever you say Blondie."

"Hey before you go." I continued. He looked at me with a hopeful look.

"What's your name?"

He looked down like he was disappointed, "James Philips." With that he turned and ran off home.

"James Philips...that boy."

I grabbed my skateboard and rode back home taking a shortcut. I came to the back of my house. I climbed over the fence and through my window. Placing my skateboard on my rack and laid back when I heard the crinkling of the plastic on my bed. I then remembered that I was painting my ceiling. I groaned and got up to go the couch. I looked up at the clock in the living room and it read 12:00 am. I listened to him bicker about Benny for 3 hours. Next time better be different like he said. I grabbed my usual blanket and wrapped myself up like a burrito. I only got a few hours of sleep when my mom woke me up from her stumbling around in the kitchen. She usually isn't like this. I got up and saw that Scotty was helping her already. She looked like shit. She had bags under eyes and was still slurring her words. 

"Scotty what's up with mom?" I whispered to him.

"She got home late after work like this. I think she got drunk with some co-workers." I rolled my eyes and went out to the garage. I grabbed the paint and hurried up stairs to finish the second layer. After I did someone knocked on the door downstairs. I ran back downstairs and opened the door to see a good 7 boys on there bikes. Philips was in front of the door and had been the one to knock, leaving his bike laid down on the driveway. I was in my paint filled clothes, but I walked outside and shut the door. 

"Wanna come play some ball with us on our field?" I heard a boy chirp from my left. He had brown hair, light skin, and was still on his bike. I shrugged.

"Sure. Let me change and grab my skateboard. I'll be right out." 

They all nodded.

 I raced back upstairs almost knocking Scotty over on his way down, "You coming to the Sandlot today? I'll wait for you." I quickly replied with, "Can't. I'm busy." He shrugged and kept walking down the stairs. I had made it into my room and decided to put on a white t-shirt with red sleeves, short ripped jean shorts, my black-out P.F. flyers, and a red bandanna that I tied in my hair like a headband. Already having my mascara and perfume on I grabbed my glove, bat, and skateboard. I ran down the stairs and out the door.   

The boys were all back on their bikes and by the sidewalk of my house. I threw my skateboard down and slowly approached them. "Where's this field of yours?" I asked them as they turned towards me. I could tell they were hoping I didn't hear what they were talking about. I didn't really care to be honest. I mean I just met them. If you would call it that. I only know one name, that I learned last night.

"Come on we'll show you." This time a smaller blonde boy chirped up to me. They all simultaneously said, "Yeah, come on!" 

I did notice though that out of all this Philips hasn't said a thing, but Ii always thought he was the leader of them. I decided to see how everything played out and just skated behind them to a nice big baseball field. It was in about the middle of town and had everything the Sandlot was missing. Stands, good dirt, grass, shaded dug-outs, and it even had lights for when it got dark. If Benny had that we would never stop playing. 

The boys could see the shock on my face when they turned to me. I was wide-eyed and my jaw-dropped. Some snickered and others didn't seem to care. They took pride in their field and I could tell. They rolled there bikes to the dug-out and I placed my ride against the wall. They all took their time putting on their new cleats talking about who knows what. I went out to the pitchers mound and used my hand to brush all the dirt off. 

"You pitch?" it was nice and soothing voice. I looked up to see Philips finally talking to me. 

"Yeah a little. I haven't pitch in awhile though."

He looked taken back. "Why not? DeNunez too busy showing off to let you have a go. He's probably scared that you're better than him."

I laughed a little and shook my head, "No, they don't know that I can pitch. Never told them."

"Well you're gonna pitch for us today. I wanna see your best."

"No no no. It's okay I'll just play outfield."

He walked off and told the boys to base up. I was about to head to out-field when the shortstop stopped me. "Aye, pretty lady. You're pitching." I rolled my eyes and turned around walking back to the mound. This is gonna be good.