First Crush (Sandlot)

Part 2

Maya

Maya woke up the next day, tired from running after Rover and meeting new people. Now contemplating whether or not she should go back to the group of boys she met yesterday.

To her it was clear she would go back, but today was going to be a scorcher. Who knows if they are even going to lob the ball around in this heat.

"Maya are you up?" her father said coming into her bedroom. The walls were tan and bare and her babe Ruth posters were shoved in boxes. She was in no rush to unpack the posters. On her nightstand was a picture of her and her mother at a carnival when they were little. It was one of Maya's favorite memories. She would constantly look at it before drifting off to sleep or before getting out of bed in the mornings. She missed her mom so much.

"Yea dad I'm just waking up." She fibbed a little, she didn't want her father to know she was just thinking about life and boys all morning.

"So where did you run off too all day yesterday?" Her father asked sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Well, I was wound up at this sandlot where a group of kids made a diamond and played baseball." Maya spoke.

"Wow, really? You picked up the sport again?" He father said and his eyes got a little brighter at the thought of his daughter playing again.

"No dad I didn't play. I just watched." She rolled her eyes.

"Did they ask you? I can find your old glove somewhere in this house." He smiled.

"I don't know. I don't think I can play. You know this." She groaned.

Maya gave up playing the game two years ago. She was playing in the state-championship game when her father pulled her out of the dugout to tell her that her mother had died. Her team was down by one and the bases were loaded and she was the last at bat. She would have to forfeit if she left. So she stayed and hit a double to left field. Her team won but she never forgave herself for not putting her mother first as a priority. Baseball was a place were family-like bonds can be formed and the field can be like home. Maya felt like she gave up her real life family and home and betrayed them. To make it up to her mother she promised she'd never play again. She also couldn't bring it upon herself to get back at it again. No one motivated her enough but her coaches and father have tried countless times.

Benny

"This pop isn't working Benny! I'm baking like a toasted cheeser it's so hot! It's 150 degrees out there we can't play baseball." Ham said red as a doorknob, sweating buckets at that.

"Listen to him Benny! You have to call it for the day." Squints agreed.

"Fine then let's vote. Anybody who wants to be a 'can't hack it' pantywaist who wears their mama's bra raise their hand." Benny said frustrated that the crew wanted to leave. He was still thinking Maya would show up and he wanted to meet her again. He also couldn't waist a perfectly fine day for his favorite sport.

But he also couldn't deny the pounding heat and he could tolerate hopping over to the pool for the day. Maya will come tomorrow. He hoped.