The Sandlot///A Benny Fanfiction

Sour & Sour........Then Sweet

Before I realize it, Friday rolls around, and I haven't talked to Benny in five days. At the sandlot I stay far away from him. But today we had to make up, but I can't be the one to apologize.

"Alright guys lets get started." Benny says.

Everyone takes their positions and we begin.

"Here we go." DeNunez throws his first pitch.

Benny drives it to right field. Scotty runs towards the fence, trying to chase down the ball.

I completely ignore the whole play, instead I watch Benny run. Everything seems to be going in slow motion, I see Benny's smile as he rounds first. Everyone's hands are in the air. As Benny gets past third, I see the ball being thrown home.

Because Squint was Scotty's cutoff, he threw the ball home. I have to say, for Squints being such a small kid, he has a heck of an arm, but there's a problem. His accuracy is horrifying. As I see the ball coming home, I can tell the play will be close, cause Benny slides. But the ball is overthrown, and I see Ham, in the air trying to catch it. Everything is in slow motion again, but  now my heart's pounding.

Why?

Cause as Ham jumps in the air, Benny slides under him. I can already predict what's gonna happen, so I scream his name, then watch the whole thing unfold.

As Benny's foot touches the bag, Ham falls.....right on Benny's foot. I hear Benny scream in pain. All the boys freeze, and Ham immediately steps off, throwing his mask off, looking horrified.

Without taking a moment to think, I sprint. The boys can't seem to move, I can imagine what they're all thinking. I slide on my knees to Benny, who is holding his leg.

"Benny." I say with concern, then look at his ankle.

Thank the lord it didn't look broke, but it definitely didn't look good. Puffy and already turning blue and purple, all the boys freak out.

"No no no no no, this- it just-." I stumble with my words.

Benny looks at me with pain.

"Boys, I want you all to go to Timmy and Tommy's house cause their house is the closest. I want you to get a bag of ice, and a long thin towel."

They all nod before running off. In my head I'm cursing at Ham and freaking out over Benny.

"Aghhh!" Benny grabs right above his ankle, trying not to touch it at all.

"Be careful don't touch it." I grab his hand.

"You need to lay down, staring at that won't make you feel any better." I say, gently pushing his chest towards the ground.

"Katie, I'm sorry."

"What? Why are you apologizing now? You're not dying are you?" I laugh.

"Well I've been meaning to talk to you, alone. But there hasn't been a good time."

"So you pick the most dramatic time?" I laugh again.

"Do you want an apology, cause that's what I'm giving you." He chuckles.

"Well I forgive you, and I'm so sorry for not telling Aunt Cindy or Uncle Bill, it's just, you know how stubborn Cindy is, and Bill. Bill is, well he has no knowledge of what goes to his brain and what comes out of his mouth."

"I feel horrible about saying what I did. With your parents. I will never experience what you did Katie, that's hard shit to go through."

I smile, holding his hand tighter.

"Katie! We got the ice." Scotty runs me the bag and a towel.

"Thanks Scotty, tell the boys we're cutting it short today and they can go home. And tell 'em Benny's fine and I'll take him home."

"Okay, I'm heading home to leave you two alone." He makes kissy noises before running away.

"Now speaking of Aunt Cindy and Uncle Bill-

"Oh boy."

"Ugh, I don't know how to tell you this Benny."

"What? What is it?"

"Well," I gently put the ice on his ankle.

"Ahh! Ow ow!" He shouts.

"Sorry sorry."

"Anyway, after my Uncle and Aunt found out about us, they weren't happy with it.

"No, really?" Benny sits up.

I give a sarcastic smile before wrapping his ankle with the towel.

"So after I told them about you and I, they flipped. Uncle Bill said a lot of things Benny, and they weren't good."

"About me?"

"Yeah."

"Well what'd he say?"

"Ugh this really isn't easy for me to say Benny."

"Katie, please, I know the bastard doesn't like me anyway so you might as well tell me so I can at least try to fix whatever problem he has with me."

"Well, he said you're a broke Hispanic with no future what so ever, and you're not good enough for me."

Benny paused, I felt like I saw life drain from him, even his skin started to look pale.

"Well that's hard to fix." He laughs.

"Benny, it's already fixed. First off, you're too good for me, I still don't understand why you even like me. And your future? Holy shit you're gonna be the best MLB player they've ever had. Money doesn't matter to me either. Rich or broke, I'll always love you, because you're you. I love the Benjamin that treasures every minute of his life and uses it to the fullest. He never gives up, he strives for what he desires."

"But there's something my dumbass Uncle Bill still doesn't get. He doesn't get how much you mean to me. Every minute I spend with you makes me feel like the happiest person in the world. Sadly, Uncle Bill doesn't see or understand true love or even love, he only sees talent and perfection. So I told Uncle Bill that if he watched you play baseball, he would see a guy who's going to be more than successful." I begin to tear up more and more as I talk.

Benny pauses again, but he looks at me straight in the eye and wipes the tears from my cheeks.

"If playing the best ball I can means spending my life with you, I'm gonna play the best damn ball your Uncle's ever seen."

"But Benny that ankle-

"This ankle is gonna get it's shit together and will be out on the field first thing tomorrow."

"Benny you're just going to hurt that ankle worse than it already is."

"Katie, please. If this is what's going to get approval from Bill then I'm doing it."

I take a deep breath, nodding my head.

"I'm not going to be able to stop you anyways." I laugh.

"We should get home, it looks like a storm might roll in."

I look at the dark clouds, then get up while giving Benny a hand. When he stands up, I take the ice off and have him wrap his arm around me for leverage.

As he limps with me downtown he asks,

"So tomorrow, how well I play will make the decision of whether or not we stay together."

"Basically."

"Great." We both laugh.

And as we do, rain and thunder begins to spill over us.