✓ | 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫 ♡ Benny Rodriguez

𝙱𝚎𝚗𝚗𝚢'𝚜 𝙳𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚖

Riley's wrist was broken, she was given a cast and told she'd have to live with it for six to eight weeks to allow the bone to heal. Her mother picked her up from the hospital after thanking Susan for staying with Riley. "How did this happen?" Karen asked her daughter as she drove the car towards the Smalls household where Scotty and Benny were waiting on the front steps. "Kids being kids, mom. I'm alright," Riley assured her mother who left the conversation at that.

They pulled up to the house, both boys stood up with small smiles. "Scotty has been worried sick and that boy, Benny seems really concerned for you... who is he to you?" Karen asked with a smirk on her face as she noticed the blush on her daughter's cheeks. "You really like him, huh?" Karen asked her daughter who nodded in response. Riley didn't get the opportunity to open the door as Benny had beaten her to it, "I got it." Riley nodded with a smile, "Thanks!"

Karen headed inside after waving to the boys, Scotty hugged his sister instantly. "The guys have been worried," Scotty told her once he stepped back. "I'm alright except for this broken wrist... No ball for me," Riley said with a frown, they knew how important the sport was to her. The boys sent her a sympathetic smile though it only made her feel worse. "So how is Timmy? He was trapped inside," Riley asked ignoring the sudden itch under her cast.

"He was just covered in a lot of dust," Scotty spoke softly as they made their way inside and towards Riley's room. "Glad he's alright then," Riley replied as she sat down on her bed. The boys went on to explain the different failed ideas they tried, she smiled at her brother as he hung his head in defeat. "I'm so screwed..." Scotty looked up at Riley and Benny before walking out of the room. Benny went to stop him but Riley grabbed his arm, "He needs a moment for himself."

Riley moved to lay back on her bed, closing her eyes once her head landed on her pillow. She groaned in annoyance at the uncomfortable cast when she felt Benny move to lay next to her, both of them were quiet as they had separate thoughts. Riley was making the final decision to knock on Mr Mertle's door and ask for the ball, if that doesn't work then she was gonna take the fall for Scotty, she was willing to do that.

However, Benny had a different thought in mind, he was focused on how he would ask Riley Smalls to be his girlfriend as he didn't have any doubt in his mind that she was the girl for him no matter how young they are, he could see her in his future. Benny was a high hoped teenager who had found the first girl to catch his eye and he wanted her to stay in her life as something more than just friends.

But before Benny could ask her the question that had been on his mind since the Ferris Wheel kiss, Riley began snoring quietly. Benny looked over to her with a small smile, her lips were parted slightly as her chest rose and fell with each little snore. Benny brushed her hair away from her face before softly kissing her forehead, he got up off the bed and removed her PF Flyers before pulling her blankets over her.

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Benny said his goodbyes to the sullen Scotty and the Smalls siblings kind mother, Karen before heading home. He kissed his mother's cheek before heading into his room, he removed his cap and buttoned shirt before sitting on the edge of his bed. He ran his fingers through his hair thinking over the events of the day, he knew there had to be something they could do to get the ball back but nothing seemed to come to mind.

He changed into some sleepwear before getting into bed and falling into a comfortable sleep. The room was dark, Benny was shaken awake when a loud sound came from his closet. A bright light shines from under the door causing Benny to back away towards the wall unsure of what was happening. "Who's there?" Benny called out. The door opened slowly and Babe Ruth stepped out of Benny's closet, existing in the only way any kid from 1962 has ever seen him; Black and White.

"Now don't go peeing your pants or nuthin', I'm just here to give ya a hand," The Great Bambino spoke before puffing on his stogie. "B-B-But, you're..." Benny stuttered out. "...Dead? Legends never die, kid," Babe Ruth pointed out with his classic smirk. Benny stepped closer to The Great Bambino, he was absolutely starstruck by his idol. "You're really him. You're the Babe. The Sultan of Swat. The king -" Benny began but was cut off.

"- of Krash and a hundred other dopey names. Forget about that, we ain't got much time. I'm here 'cause you're in some kinda pickle, right?" The Babe explained before puffing on his cigar. "Yeah," Benny simply answered as he sat down on his bed. "A baseball with my John Hancock on it went over a fence, and you can't get it back. Right?" Babe Ruth asked. "Yeah," Benny nodded. "Then just hop over there and get it. There ya go, problem solved," Babe Ruth stated simply before tipping his hat, "See ya, kid."

The Babe turns to go back to wherever he came from but Benny jumped up and grabbed his arm - shocked that he actually feels something "real" in the process. "Wait! I can't," Benny stated once he let go of Babe Ruth's arm. "Can't what?" The Great Bambino asked with a raised brow. "Go into that backyard," Benny informed him. "Why not?" The King of Krash asked. "There's a beast back there," Benny explains to his idol, feeling slightly ashamed of his fear.

"What kind?" The Sultan of Swat asked curiously. "A giant gorilla-dog-thing that ate one kid already," Benny explained to him with wide eyes, running his fingers through his hair. "Is that a fact?" The Great Bambino asked and Benny nodded. "Listen to me, kid. Everybody gets one chance to do something great. Most people either never take the chance 'cause they're too scared, or they don't recognize it when it spits on their shoes," Babe Ruth tells the boy.

The two stayed silent for a moment allowing Babe Ruth's words to process within Benny's mind. "This is your "big chance" and ya shouldn't let it go. I mean, remember when you busted the guts out of the ball the other day? Someone's telling you something, kid, and if I was you, I'd listen," The Great Bambino explains to the boy. "Yeah, but what?" Benny asked hoping that Babe Ruth could answer that for him.

"You're the one with the rubber legs. Figure it out," The King of Krash responded with a chuckle before walking towards the closet. He spotted a baseball card and lifted it up with curious eyes, "Henry Aaron... I don't know why, but can I have this, kid?" Babe Ruth asked the Latino boy. Babe Ruth stepped closer to the door before stopping again and turning to Benny, "It'll even impress that little gal you're so interested in. I'd say just ask her out, kid."

The Babe disappears back into the closet though his voice carries throughout the room with his final words of advice, "Remember, kid. There's heroes and there's Legends. Heroes get remembered... but Legends never die. Follow your heart, kid, and you'll never go wrong." Benny jolts fully awake and looks straight at the closet with a quiet sigh. He focused on the advice he had gotten from The Great Bambino and with that, he knew what to do next.

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A/N:
I'm using two different scripts to write this, one is the movie script and the other was a first draft along with some little adaptations I've made. Just to let you know as some things won't match the movie perfectly :) <3

-Rose <3
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