Sandlot Love

•Chapter 14- Benny's POV•

Tap. Tap. Tap. What was that?
"Ash? What the hell are you doing?"
"Smalls went on holidays for a week and left his puppy with me to look after but it doesn't like me"
"So why on earth is that my problem?"
"He said you'd help me if the pup was being unmanageable"
"God, Ash its 5:30 in the morning!"
"This dog has already chewed 2 baseballs! It's an urgent matter" I groaned, if baseballs were on the line of course I had to get up, dammit why did Ash have to say that. I pushed my covers back, getting out of bed and stretching before moving over to the window, shoving it open and climbing outside, landing on the grass beside Ash. I followed her across my yard, jumped the fence and climbed in through her window. Small's puppy was lying on the ground. It would've been cute except it was destroying a baseball with its jaws.

"Just take the ball off him" I said pragmatically
"He'll just go get another one" she explained. I rubbed my face with one hand, sighing. God it was too early.
"None of this should be my problem Ash"
"If you want to keep playing baseball then this dog can't eat all the balls" she said, realising it was pointless to argue with her I  went over to the dog and picked it up.
"Just put it in your backyard"
"Smalls said it digs holes when bored"
"So give it these 2 chewed up baseballs to play with" I said, stating the obvious.

Ash led me through her house to her backyard, sliding open the door she sat the pup on the grass, tossing the two desecrated balls out after him.

"Crisis averted" she said happily. I rolled my eyes.
"You could've figured that out on your own without waking me at bloody 5 am"
"Over dramatic much. You think you'd be able to fall back asleep?" I sighed, once I was awake I could never fall asleep again.
"No, now I'm awake I'm awake"
"Come on" she said, snatching up her  mitt and a spare from the kitchen table "let's go play piggy in the middle with the puppy"

We went outside and took up positions at the opposite side of the yard. We threw the ball back and forth between us, watching the puppy race around on it's too long legs trying to keep up with the ball. To give the poor thing a fighting chance we'd throw ground balls, making the other person run to scoop it up before the mini monster mutt. Eventually we got hungry and went inside for breakfast. It was nice just hanging out with Ash, just like old times.

"See you at the Sandlot today Ash, we're planning on doing some maintenance work on the treehouse, we noticed the rails were getting a bit wobbly" I said as I left her house (using the front door this time).
"Sounds fun, see you there" she said, smiling at me.