Waiting It Out - Benny Rodriguez - Book 1

One More Play

I'm packing up the last of my stuff in my room. I'm trying not to be too sentimental just so it's not as much to unpack when we do get there.

The movers just got here and I've already put most of my stuff on the truck but there were some things I tried to keep out as long as possible. 

One of them being the Benny's "diary" he gave me for Christmas a while back.

I still haven't read it. Especially after I found out I was moving to the opposite coast. 

I thought it would make all this even harder.

There's no point in reading it since we've decided to end things.

We agreed that we shouldn't do long distance because it always ends up causing some sort of turmoil between couples. No matter how happy they think they are.

Plus, we have no control over the next time we'll see each other again so it's better that we break up instead of wanting to stay together now but feeling obligated to later on.

It's not like I'm completely cutting contact though.

I won't block his number or anything but I don't plan on reaching out either.

It's hard enough having to force myself to break up with him. I don't want to continue pretending as though we have any sort of relationship when all that will exist is what happens over the phone.

I finish taping the last box close before taking it out to the moving truck that's parked in front of our open garage.

One of the moving guys takes it from me and puts it somewhere it can fit as I go back inside.

I'm not even at the garage door when I hear my name called.

I turn to look out at the street and see the guys beginning to walk up my driveway.

"What're you doing?" I ask, confused as I already said bye to all of them after we finished at the sandlot yesterday.

"We want you to come to the sandlot with us to play one last time." Timmy speaks for all of them. Noticeably without his brother's echo.

"I wish I could but I don't have the time. We're about to head off." I tell them, trying to avoid looking at Benny.

"Not even for one play?" Squints asks sounding desperate.

"Sorr-"

"She can." my dad cuts me off.

"What?" I turn to him confused.

"We leave in about 10 minutes." he reminds me. "I can come and pick you up to go to the airport."

I stand there quietly for a minute, expecting him to say "just kidding" but he doesn't.

"Go." he ushers me. "Have fun."

"Okay..." I drag out. "Thanks."

"Come on!" they yell at me, starting to head off running.

"Okay, okay." I say.

We haul ass to the sandlot to get as much time as we can.

We we reach the diamond, I'm quick to feel my belt loop being pulled to bring me backwards into a certain someone's chest.

"Here." I hear him whisper into my ear from behind me while putting the bat into my hands.

Ignoring my thoughts that tell me I shouldn't, I turn back to look at him.

I can only stare at him, trying to soak everything in.

The way he looks... the way he's looking at me... the way I feel about him...