Waiting It Out - Benny Rodriguez - Book 1

The Other Team

After the 'thing' with Benny and the fireworks yesterday, we walked home and helped Jen pack up what was left of the casseroles. We didn't acknowledge what happened though. I guess neither of us wanted to make it awkward again.

We're back at the sandlot lot again today and there's nothing happening out of the ordinary.

Me and Squints caught Benny in a pickle and our currently throwing the ball in between us, trying to tag him out. The guys are all standing around us to watch what happens.

Shit.

Squints threw the ball back to me way earlier than he should've.

I can't not catch it so I have to throw it back to him as fast as I can. But it's to late.

Benny had already made it to home plate and there was nothing I could do about it.

"God fucking dammit!" I yell while taking my glove off and throwing it on the ground.

"Ha, ha." Benny teases, walking back to me.

"You best keep a safe distance away from me, Rodriguez. I just might kill you." I threaten seriously.

"Ooo. She used your last name." Ham says, half laughing.

"Aw, nooo." I hear Squint's groan.

We all turn our attention away towards the entrance to the sandlot to see Jordan Phillips and his possy of goons. They're coming in on their shiny bikes and pressed uniforms.

Anybody who still has a mitt on, aggressively takes it off and throws it down while Benny goes over to pick up his bat.

"What're you gonna do with that?" I ask him, looking at the bat skeptically.

"You never know."

We all start walking out field to meet the bike-riding monkeys.

They all stop and we line up opposite them. Or we did until Benny pulled me behind him.

"Really?" I whisper ask him.

He doesn't respond but I can feel the energy radiating off his smirk.

I rest my head on his right shoulder so he still gets to hide me and I still get to see.

"Yeah, it's easy when you play with a bunch of rejects and a fat kid, Rodriguez." Phillips says, striking up a conversation.

"Reject since when?" I say quietly so Benny is the only one to hear me.

I glance over at his face to see him smile slightly.

"What'd you say crap face?!" Ham says, more pissed off than he already was by Phillips' presence alone.

"I said you shouldn't even be allowed to touch a baseball. Expect for Rodriguez, you're all an insult to the game. Hey, cutie." He says, directing that last part at me.

I scrunch up my face in disgust and notice Benny get tense. 

Phillips as always been flirty with me. It only got worse when hormones showed up. I don't know if he genuinely has a thing for me or he just says that stuff cause he can.

After he says that, I move out from behind Benny. No point in being back there if he acknowledges my existence anyway.

"Come on! We'll take you on right here, right now!" Ham says with all the boys yelling in support after.

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

"Watch it jerk."