First Crush (Sandlot)

Part 33

It has been four days since the incident between Maya and Benny and their group was very divided and conflicted.

Maya and Benny have kept their talking to a minimum until now.

Maya was sitting in her assigned seat next to Wyatt yet they couldn't be father apart. They totally didn't acknowledge each other. Wyatt just shifted uncomfortably at her presence. He also seemed turned off and shutting himself off from her.

"Benny Rodriguez to the office." The speaker said beaming into her classroom.

Maya looked up confused as to what Benny could have done.

"Miss, may I go to the bathroom?" Maya said excusing herself hoping to find Benny in the hallway. She peered down each corridor and then found him entering the office.

"Hey!" Maya whisper yelled as Benny looked around confused before finding Maya.

"Maya?" He said confused.

"Yea come here! What are you getting called to the office for? You can't be getting in trouble can you?" Maya asked hesitantly.

"It's nothing. I don't know why you are so worried." He rolled his eyes but he was still standing closely to her.

"I'm going in with you. I want to know what happened. It's not bad is it? Is it your dad?" Maya urged.

Benny ignored her and went into the room as she followed and they took a seat In front of the principals desk.

"Company? Mr. Rodriguez?" The principal spoke tranquilly.

"I guess." Benny sighed. Maya looked at him with a side-eye. She knows how her and Benny ended there was just something in her gut making her sit there and know why he was in trouble.

"Do you know where your friend Scotty is?" The principal spoke again.

"....." Benny shifted uncomfortably.

"Answer me." The principal said sternly.

"Alright we got into a little fight. Who cares. He'll be alright, he's still my best friend you know? It's complicated but don't get the wrong idea." Benny said and Maya noticed him starting to get flustered.

Maya didn't have any words to say.

How could he do something like that? Is Scotty okay? Scotty was just with her the other day!

"Now explain to me this situation. His parents want to sue you you know?" The principal said adjusting his glasses obviously disgusted with Benny's behavior.

"Nothing we were at our spot. I might have had a couple more drinks than usual. I didn't mean too, it was just my brain, it's like I couldn't stop. It's in my blood sir, and when I get sad sometimes it gets bad. Anyway, I was with the boys they got on my case about something. I-I Scotty will be alright right?" Benny said and his hands were shaking, like he knew what he did was bad but at the same time he had a reason.

"Maya, I would like for you to leave. To give more details it wouldn't be okay for you to hear. We should just leave things as they are." Benny said and his voice was even shaky as he remembered the event. He gave Maya an unforgiving look as he waited for her to leave.

"I'm not happy with how things are. Half of you guys won't even talk to me. Squints hates me. And you are an alcoholic! What's wrong? We used to be so amazing. We all were the sandlot." Maya huffed remembering how good two years ago actually was.

"You kill me. Maya you really do." Benny snapped.

"You said earlier you were depressed and that makes you drink? Okay we can deal with that, but what was the reason behind you lashing out? Can we have that explanation. Right now you are on the verge of being expelled Mr. Rodriguez." The principal said clearing his throat.

"I don't remember." Benny said shutting his eyes tightly as their was an awkward pause in the room.

"Benny, I am not going to ask you again. Try to remember." The principal said sternly.

"It was something stupid. I know, they were all jumping on me about her. When it didn't make any sense. She wasn't mine, we were broken up. They should have left me alone and stop trying to push it because it only made me feel worse and I know I won't move on so it's pointless. She wasn't even mine. She was Scotty's girl. Scotty even told me something that made me crack I guess. I know I would never do something like that sober. And I know it was just that it was everything. I did everything for Smalls and he kills me." Benny spoke rambling more to himself than anything else but knowing it had to get off his chest at the same time Maya new he was biting his tongue at every word because she was sitting right there. She wasn't supposed to hear this.

"Fair enough. I will call Scotty's parents and try to get them to not press charges but until I get Scotty's story I will have to suspend you. So you will not be playing baseball for the school until further notice. Sorry 'The Jet' this behavior is uncalled for." The principal even looked glum as he made his decision.

Benny sat there frozen. Maya looked and felt hurt just seeing him with that emotion wiped across his face.

"No you can't do that, just let me play the championship game. That's all I ask please!" Benny spoke fast as he snapped back in reality.

"Sorry, I will need more explanations and Scotty's story but even then I cannot guarantee."

Benny started to panic and looked at Maya desperately.

"Can we talk." He breathed anxiously.

"Maya, what do I do?" He said panicked.

"You can't do anything." Maya said holding his hand to try and calm him down.

"Please come back to me. At least." He blurted while squeezing her hand.

"No, Scotty. SCOTTY! What happened to him?!" Maya said disgusted and she snatched her hand away from Benny.

"He is a little banged up. Concussion, bruises maybe he should be fine before the game. I'm sorry, I know it's bad. But you don't understand. I don't just think you are pretty, I think you are my everything." Benny pleaded.

"You are not the same."

"We all aren't. We all have changed. But the best things stay the same! That's you and me, come back. Just be here for me...... I just lost everything. I can't throw a ball at the garage and forget. Because I have nowhere to go. The championship game was all everyone cared about!" Benny said and his green eyes had so much stress in them as he tugged at his hat. His blue one which Maya returned to him after being sort of rejected by him. But now she kinda wanted it back.

"Do you want me Maya. Even just a sliver of you. Does that little sliver want me?" Benny went on.

"What?" Maya said

"It's one life, you're a teenager once and none of us ever know what we are doing so might as well take the chance. If you fall you fall if we fly we fly. But come on Maya. Come with me. I was hurt when you chose Scotty. I can't handle emotions. I can't handle jealousy. Scotty is my best friend and he deserves everything amazing I have too. But I know that was stupid. Let's try again."

"Benny, you can try only so many times. Give it a break dontcha think?" Maya said biting her lip thinking of Scotty. And this decision really wasn't up for debate.

"Nope. If you have had a life like mine you know to never stop trying." Benny snickered.

"You made me go with Scotty! You can't be for real right now?" Maya said fed up.

"I know," "....only because Scotty was like a little brother to me. But when I got drunk and beat him up I realized that at some point he'll have to get hurt. I should have never made you go out with him it only made things worse between us." Benny said with a straight face.

"Yea, well now I am with him. Scotty and I have feelings for each other." Maya spoke matter-of-factly.

"Oh really?" Benny said unconvinced. But that was okay, Maya didn't need to prove herself to him.