Waiting It Out - Benny Rodriguez - Book 1

Socks and Gloves

After we all showed up the next day, everyone got into positions.

Timmy, Tommy, and Ham are our decoys. They're standing at the front of the house, innocently playing a small game of catch on the drive way. It's their job to make sure no one is looking into the house from the front to see what I'm doing. Too many windows.

Squints is obviously our look out and has brough back his cereal box binoculars. The same ones from last year. He claims he knew he'd need them again. He'll be informing everyone else what I'm doing. He's sitting on the rusty old car near Duke Stuck-up's backyard.

Bertram and Kenny are on lookout to the entrance of the sandlot from the opposite side the house is on. As far as I'm aware, they plan on just acting like two teenage boys. I didn't even want to ask what they meant by that when they told me.

Yeah-Yeah and Benny are going to help me get into the house. I don't want to trail in dirt or leave finger prints when I get in and leave a sign that I was breaking and entering so they have to help me get in through the window we broke since we can't go through the back door. It's locked even though there's nothing for anyone to steal inside. I don't get the point but whatever.

I also have to check around and take account of any glass that scattered after the window broke so we know where to clean when we get to that part of the process.

We draped a thick blanket over the bottom of the windowsill to prevent any remaining pieces of glass making contact with my skin when I go through it.

Since everyone is in position, I see no point in wasting time sitting here any longer so I head for the ladder we've set up outside the window.

I put my left foot on the first step when I feel a someone grab my arm.

"You don't have to do this, you know." Benny's voice tells me.

"Yeah, yeah. I can do it." Yeah-Yeah offers.

"Nope. You both already gave me the okay." I turn them down immediately. "I'm not gonna wuss-out now."

I continue to climb up the ladder and sit at one of the top steps.

We positioned it so it was facing the window.

I take off my shoes without letting my socks touch the ladder and hand them to Benny.

He takes them from me and I place my feet on the blanket.

"Gloves." I say and Yeah-Yeah hands me the gloves.

I put them on before stretching my neck to see into the house.

There's a sort of desk thing under the window that I can step onto. It must be attached to the wall since there's no furniture in here yet. Let's just hope it's sturdy enough.

Shit...

I can't get in without stepping on at least one of the steps of the ladder. I need another blanket or something to put on one of the steps to make sure my socks don't get dirty.

I look over at Benny and Yeah-Yeah and they both only have on one shirt.

I turn slightly and look at Squints to see him with a shirt over a white tank top.

"Squints!" I whisper yell.

I'm trying to avoid getting the neighbor's attention.

"Give me your shirt!" I tell him.

"Why?!" he asks.

"I can't get these socks dirty on the ladder." I explain. "I need your shirt!"

He doesn't respond but gets down from the car with a cringed face.

He walks over to us and hands me the shirt.

"Put the inside part on the ladder." he tells me. "I don't want the outside to get dirty!"

I place the shirt, the outside face-up, on the step below the one I'm sitting on before placing my feet on it.

Benny puts my shoes down and grabs the shirt, holding it in place so it doesn't move when I put almost all my weight on it.

I put one hand on the top of the ladder before standing and turning around so my back is facing the window.

I stick my foot through the window and far enough in so I can put it down and start feeling around for the surface of the desk.

I'm trying to be extra careful when putting my weight on that leg and make sure I don't puncture my foot by stepping on a massive piece of glass but there's only so much I can do without actually looking at what I'm doing.

I shift my weight onto the desk and don't feel blood pouring out of my skin so I think I'm good.

I do my best to carefully stick my other leg through the whole and onto the table.

When I'm fully standing on the desk I turn around and I'm surprised to not see an incredible mess. Just a few glass shards here and there.

I spot the ball a few yards away and get off the desk with what I wish I could call elegance.

I look before every step and make my way over to the ball, grabbing it when I can.

I take a glance over the room and memorize where I can see glass and where to check for smaller shards.

I get back on the desk and throw the ball over through the window before trying to get back through.

"Wait." I say quietly to myself.

I hop off the desk and walk over to the door leading to the back porch.

I unlock it and walk out through the back, catching the three boys' attention.

I calmly walk out and stand at the porch looking at them.

"You know," I start, looking out at the sandlot, "shoes would be nice right about now."

I don't want to get my socks dirty and feel that the rest of the day. Or until I get home. Which ever happens first.

"Oh, yeah." Benny says in remembrance.

He grabs my shoes off the ground and brings them over to me.

"Thanks."

I sit down on one of the steps and begin to put on one of my sneakers when Benny grabs the other foot.

"What're doing?" I ask him confused.

"Putting on your shoe. Duh." he answers while picking up my other shoe with a smile resting on his face.

"You don't have to do that." I tell him.

"A boyfriend's work is never done." he says, looking up at with fake annoyance.

I start laughing and continue to lace up the sneaker I'm putting on.