Waiting It Out - Benny Rodriguez - Book 1

L7 Weenie

"I think I'm gonna invite that kid to baseball with us today." Benny stated as soon as I opened the door.

"So, we're skipping introductions today?" I ask with apparent sarcasm.

"Hi. What do you think?" he asks.

"About taking the kid to the sandlot?" I ask and Benny nods his head, "I'm okay with it but I don't think the guys will be." I say stepping out the door.

"Well then it's a good thing I'm not looking for their opinions." he responds as he closes the front door for me. "Keys." 

I hand him the keys and he locks the door.

"I don't think it'd be the best idea for me to be present when you invite him though." I say as we start walking down the driveway.

"Why not?" he asks, scrunching his eyebrows.

"Cause I'll say something and scare him or get him freaked out. Besides, this was your idea."

"Yeah but-"

"I'll meet you behind Vincent's!" I call running off, giving him no time to argue.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

By the time I get to Vincent's everybody else was already there.

"Hey guys." I greet them.

"Hey." they all say in unison.

"We need you to settle a debate, Lil." Timmy says.

The boys have gotten in the habit of calling me 'Lily' or 'Lil' cause they know Lilies are my favorite flower. I'm pretty sure Tommy doesn't even know my real name.

"What's up?" I ask the group.

"Ham, here, thinks he's the best at impressions out of us." Bertram says.

"I got one, I got one." Ham says, standing in front of the group.

I sit down next to Kenny as Benny comes around the building with what's-his-face.

"I'm the Great Bambino." Ham says with what I'm hoping is a hot dog in his mouth.

Apparently, I'm the only one that caught it as everyone else questions him.

He repeats the phrase doing nothing different. 

Everyone asks "What?" again.

At that point Ham is fed up and takes the hot dog out of his mouth.

"I'm the Great Bambino." Ham says frustrated.

"Ohhhh" everyone else says in unison.

"Clears up that debate." I say to Kenny and he laughs at my comment.

"Who's that?"

Holy fucking hell. This kid can't catch, can't throw, AND doesn't know who the Great Bambino is. This pack of wolves is gonna eat him alive.

The boys all stand up somewhat slowly. Ham turns around and backs up to join them. I chose to stay seated and watch the scene play out in all it's glory.

"What?" Ham asks harshly.

I see Benny scrunch up his face, already regretting bringing the kid here.

"What did he say?" Ham asks Kenny.

"What, were you born in a barn, man?" Bertram asks.

"Yeah, yeah. What planet are you from?" I don't even have to think to know who said that.

I see the kid's face tinted with worry.

"You never heard of the Sultan of Swat?" Squints asks him.

"The Titan of Terror?" Kenny asks.