Benny Rodriguez; 1962

"You play ball like a girl!"

June 25th, 1962

A week and a day. One whole week without the boy I thought loved me. I'm okay though, I am. Me and Benny have been hanging out, we've been going to the sandlot everyday and if not there then we all go hangout in the tree house.

Scotty is furious about it, still but the rest of the boys are just a little mad considering they sort of hated him the entire time. Benny basically made them be nice to him because he felt bad.

When we get to the sandlot there are bikes at the gate and in the dugout there's boys. Jordan's team.

"What is he doing here?"

"I don't know but we'll figure out." Benny grabs his bat and then we all follow. The boys don't even think about their gloves when they throw them down and stomp over to Jordan.

"What are you doing here?"

"I came to give this to Belle, and to watch you guys play." He still calls me Belle

"Thanks." I don't look him in the eye and I grab the box out of his hands. He wraps his fingers around my wrist and my breath hitches. I look into his eyes and they look so empty. He smiles at me but it's not the same charming one that always made me want to stare at him all day. It's sort of like an apology I guess.

"Let go of her." Benny wraps his arms around me and pulls me back. I wish he wouldn't have done that

"Whatever. You guys can go play, we're here to watch. Our game got canceled so we're bored."

"We don't want you here."

"And I don't care, you don't own this field now go on." I sit farther down on the bench, away from Jordan, and watch the boys play. From the corner of my eye I see Jordan stealing quick glances with me. It's weird to be sitting here without holding his hand, or leaning over on him. It's just weird

"Come on!"

"Hurry up!"

"Back off!"

Benny runs to third and then starts for home. Name catches the ball and throws it to Ham.
Benny runs back to third and Ham throws it too late. Benny dashes off to home again

"Throw it in! Throw it in!"

Benny makes it home and all the boys groan.

"Yeah, go Benny!" I clap and he smiles

"Oh, damn!"

I guess Jordan gets jealous cause he stands up and walks over to Benny.

"It's easy when you play with a bunch of rejects and a fat kid, Rodriguez."

"Shut your mouth, Phillips."

"What'd you say, crap face?"

"I said you shouldn't even be allowed to touch a baseball. Except for Rodriguez and maybe Belle, you're all an insult to the game."

"Come on! We'll take you on right here, right now!"

"We play on a real diamond, Porter. You ain't good enough to lick the dirt off our cleats."

"Wait it, jerk."

"Hey, shut your mouth!" I shout and Jordan glances at me

"Shut up, idiot!"

"Moron!"

"Scab eater!"

"Butt sniffer!"

"Pus licker!"

"Fart smeller!" Bertram sniffs, like a dog or something

"You eat dog crap for breakfast, geek."