YOUTH ~ Benny Rodriguez

Good Riddance!

Male Fantasy - Billie Eilish

"If I'm getting over you
Or just pretending to
Be alright, convince myself I hate you"

"Heads up!" someone's voice yells from ahead of her. Adelaide looks up to find a ball flying her way. She ducks just in time, letting the ball drop behind her.

She grabs it, standing up as Benny, who's stationed in the outfield nearby, jogs over to achieve it. She hands him the ball, and with a casual air, asks, "Hey, want to come over for dinner later? I think Smalls is inviting Yeah-yeah too."

"It's taco night, our favorite."

Benny shakes his head. "Nah. Can't tonight. Got a hot date," he says, but then flashes a flirtatious grin as Adelaide's smile fell.

"I'm joking. But maybe another time, Adelaide."

Adelaide's eyes narrow. The mixed signals are driving her nuts. She turns away, frustration bubbling up inside of her. Why does he have to make things so complicated?

But his face suddenly dropped. He was staring at something behind her. "What? What is it?" Adelaide asked.

Phillips and his friends show up, and Benny spots them behind Adelaide. His mood shifts instantly, and he walks off, clearly pissed. He still doesn't know they're broken up. None of the guys do, with the exception of her brother.

Adelaide turns around and sees her ex. Before she can call out to Benny and explain, he's already back in the game. But it's clear the guys are distracted by the drama unfolding.

Phillips calls over to Adelaide, his voice gentle. "Hey, come over here. We need to talk."

She hesitates, knowing this conversation is going to be anything but easy. Phillips still wants her, the tension in the air clarifying that.

Adelaide takes a deep breath and walks over. "What do you want, Phillips?"

"I just.. I miss you Adelaide," he starts, his voice softer than expected. "I know things ended badly, and I can't stop thinking about it. Can we maybe see each other again? Just to talk?"

Adelaide crosses her arms, feeling a mix of emotions. She turns her head around toward the game, the guys have stopped. They're just watching them. Benny's hands are stuffed in his back pockets, his expression dark.

"Phillips, we haven't had any closure," she turns back around to face him. "You can't just show up and expect everything to go back to how it was."

"I know," he says, looking down for a moment before meeting her eyes again. "But I've been thinking a lot, and I realize how much you mean to me. I miss our talks, your laugh, everything. Can we just.. start over? Maybe grab some food or something?"

Adelaide looks into his eyes, seeing the sincerity but also remembering the reasons they broke up. She's torn, unsure of what to say. Just then, Smalls calls her over, sensing her discomfort. "Hey Addy! We need you over here!"

She glances back at Phillips, still uncertain. "I have to go. Just go home right now. Please." She turns away and heads toward the game, her mind a whirlwind of thoughts.

The guys join together as she walks towards them, a lump stuck in her throat. She stops harsh in front of them, the sand scraping her shoes. "Phillips and I have been broken up for a while now. You guys have nothing to worry about."

She notices Benny's expression soften, a hint of relief washing over him.

Squints pipes up. "Good riddance! That guy was never good for you, Adelaide."

Yeah-yeah nods in agreement. "Yeah yeah, you deserve way better."

Feeling a bit lighter, Adelaide joins the game and heads to the outfield, positioning herself near Benny. The guys are cheerfully playing, but the air between the two seems tense.

He glances over, picking up the topic of Phillips from earlier. He can tell she's still unsure, even if she doesn't say it outright. He knows her well enough to pick up on the little things.

"Adelaide," he starts, his voice soft. "I know it's complicated. And I get it if you're still figuring things out with Phillips."

She looks at him, surprised with his understanding. "Benny.. it's just, I don't know how to feel right now."

He nods, his hesitation clear. "I just want you to be happy Adelaide. If that means taking your time to sort through everything, then I'm here for that too."

Adelaide can see the concern in his eyes, the way he's trying to be supportive without pushing her. "Thanks, Benny. I appreciate that more than you know."

He gives her a small, reassuring smile. "We'll figure it out."

As they stand there in the outfield, Benny feels a small glimmer of hope. Maybe their friendship would be moving forward, just like old times.

"Plus, Phillips is kinda desperate. Pulling up to the Sandlot and all. What a weird guy."

"Benny!"