hard knock life ◇ sandlot

✖ | chapter sixteen

THERE THEY STOOD, in all their ignorant glory.

the little league team.

"...the hell do you want, phillips?" ham barked, crossing his arms over his chest. phillips smirked and leaned back on his back slightly, hands gripping the handlebars.

"you know, porter."

all eyes went to benny. the jet. the team wanted him before the summer, but now? after he'd pickled the beast? he was a legend. and to have him on their team, they couldn't possibly lose.

"not happening." benny stated flatly, and turned on his heel. the sound of bikes being discarded on the lawn could be heard, and he slowly turned around.

"benny. think about it."

it was obvious benny was getting irritated by the constant begging from phillips.

"...if you want to..." kenny spoke up, giving benny a small nod. the other boys - while it was evident they didn't want him to leave - all agreed.

"yeah. we shouldn't be holding you back."

"we shouldn't be holding you back."

timmy and tommy expressed, both flashing him weak smiles.

"...guys. why would i wanna go play with a bunch of jerks when i have my best friends right in front of me?"

relief washed over their faces, but phillips and his little gang weren't having it.

"what?! how could you possibly choose them, man?! you've got the junkie, the fat ass, the nerd, tweedle dee and tweedle dumber, the ni-"

benny suddenly slammed into phillips, gripping at the collar of his shirt, nothing but anger across his normally calm and gentle face. every boy took a step back.

"i wouldn't say that if i were you." he warned through clenched teeth, and phillips seemed to slink back.

benny truly was a force not to be reckoned with.

he dropped phillips, who instantly scrambled backwards towards his own team. they all looked as white as sheets, and slowly picked up their bikes, stepping away from their team captain.

benny bent so that he was eye level with phillips, a glare across his face.

"...if you ever try and say anything about any of them..."

there was a pause, and benny looked back to his own team, before tugging on his letter jacket, so that only phillips could hear what benny was to tell him.

"i will slam your face into the concrete so hard, you won't know what happened until you wake up in the hospital. got it?" he released him once again, and the team took off like bats out of hell.

"...damn." someone whispered.

the only sound that broke the silence were the faint crickets.

benny slowly turned to face his team - truly an odd bunch.

but of course, the best.

he slung his arms around smalls and denunez, and the rest of the guys joined in, as the nine of them stood in the middle of the timmons' backyard, at one in the morning, all locked into a tight embrace.