First Crush (Sandlot)

Part 8

Benny

"Great job yesterday guys! I'm so glad we won! Because of that it's my treat for a trip to the Carnival tonight, complimentary my allowance of course. Yesterday rocked. Thanks man." Benny said still filled with the rush of yesterdays game.

"So you're not bummed Maya didn't show up? What was up with that anyway?" Ham said and the rest of the boys grew quiet. It was evident they all grew fonder ever since she hung out with them.

"I don't know. Can I meet y'all in ten?" Benny asked them as he shook his head. He really was very bothered by her disappearance he felt he needed to take a breather so he went for a walk. In the back of his mind he knew he wanted to talk to Maya.

He kept walking with his head down and kicking a pebble down the street until he heard barking  which startled him. That was when he realized he walked into a very rough and poor neighborhood.

The dog kept barking and that he decided to follow it. He knew Maya had a dog.

He knew it wasn't far and it was a matter of time until he ran into her.

"Benny?" He heard a sweet voice say.

"Maya! I found you! I figured we should talk!" Benny said excitedly jogging to her as she back quickly into her front door and he could barely see her through the crack as she held it open slightly.

"How did you find my house?" She said like she was shocked and worried.

"It doesn't matter. Just let me in. Where did you go yesterday? I waited for you."  Benny said trying to walk in but she stood firmly in the door frame shielding herself with the door.

"I-I I couldn't find my glove so I figured there was no use in coming back." She said after she thought about what to say for a second so Benny knew she was lying.

"Maya." He sighed.

He just really wanted to leave the situation alone but he was itching to know more about her and this was the only way he knew how.

She stood there standing staring at Benny and really went against her guts when she let the door open and Benny walked inside.

It was obvious to Benny that Maya was embarrassed of her home but he couldn't understand why she would think that mattered.

"My room is over here." Maya spoke softly.

They entered her tan room and Benny saw many Babe Ruth poster up on tan walls and a small mattress tucked into a corner and a dressed with clothes spilling out of it.

"I love these posters." Benny smiled.

"Thanks." Maya said. She was acting so different from how she usually was the past couple of days.

"I don't get how you couldn't have shown up yesterday. It was such an important game to me. But I thought you would have cared about it too, you are the one that wanted to play and prove yourself. How can you turn down a real baseball game against those jerks?" Benny finally aired his thoughts toward Maya with anger hinting in his voice.

"Did you come here to argue with me?"

"I came here to see you. Just talk." Benny said and rubbed his face with the palms of his hands then he saw a glove in the corner of her bedroom.

He saw her glove.

He went over and grabbed it and tossed it to her. Her face dropped and she felt instantly guilty.

"Baseball is America's favorite game. Favorite pastime. Why didn't you come back? Did something happen?" He added.

"Nothing happened. I will come play with you right now. I promise." She tried to change the subject pulling her glove over her hand.

"I wanted you to show those guys how good you are." Benny sighed still hung up on the subject.

"That's great but it's over." Maya said more sternly wanting him to stop.

"Would Babe Ruth think that?" Benny said.

"That doesn't even make any sense. And it doesn't matter what Babe Ruth said. The game never took anthing that mattered from him." She rolled her eyes and hurt seeped through her voice as she spoke.

"Of course the game took something from him. For most people it takes everything. That's exactly why baseball is everything. " Benny said because this wasn't new. He figured most people know this.

"Did it take anything from you?" She said and she leaned forward next to Benny holding her breath for the answer.

"Everyday, I don't get to play and just do stupid stuff everyday like a normal kid should. I dream of athletes instead of girls. I picture school as a showcase for sports not brains. I can only have friends that play my sport. But I do have all of those  things sparingly. Once in a while. But it can never last. My parents split up because they always fought about what I was doing in my life. It's stupid, I am too young to break up a ten year marriage and I did. My mother told me I was a backfired gift once in a heated argument with my dad. But you get over it. You go outside you throw a ball against a wall until you forget." Benny said, He had never told a soul but he figured Maya needed to hear it.

"Yeaaaaaaaaaaa. I guess it's still like hard for me." Maya shrugged. Benny moved closer to Maya and wasn't sure to hug her or not.

"What's hard? If you don't mind me asking."

"Well. My mother happened to pass away while I stayed to finish the game." Maya soke quietly and Benny was taken back at what she said.

"Okay" he paused, he had to think of the perfect thing to say. "That's what you did with the baseball game. You stayed and played ur best until you finish, until  you win. Apply that to life. You can't stop because someone or something gets taken from you. You change up the game plan. Get your head out of the gutter and into the game and keep going until its over. And Maya...It's NEVER over." Benny comforted her until a small smile formed on Maya's face.

"I really appreciate you Benny." Maya said and hugged him lightly.

"You mean you like me?" Benny said hopefully.

"I really like you. Thank you for saying everything you say to me sometime." She chuckled

"I have a great idea! You should come with us to the Carnival tonight." Benny smiled cheekily. He felt like he understood her so much better now. She needed someone to help her be the person he knew was inside.

"Yea.. that sounds like fun." Maya said and they both stood up and walked to the front door.

"Do you mind if I kiss your cheek before I go?" Benny said as he chuckled nervously. After their talk his feelings for her were practically exploding inside of him.

Maya blushed and pecked his cheek quickly.

"I will see youand the guys later!" She called out to him as he made his way back to the sandlot.