First Crush (Sandlot)

Part 36

"I'm back boys, let's win this." Maya smiled swinging her bat over her shoulder and took and handful of bubble gum and stuffed it in her mouth.

"Yea let's go!" Squints smiled as they all put their hands in the center of the circle.

"1..2...3.. CHAMPS!" They chanted before filing into the dugout getting ready to bat and take the bases.

"I handed the bat to DeNunez as he was the first at bat and Maya had to wait her turn for last at bat.

"Come on DeNunez! Eye on the ball! Eye on the ball!" They all cheered as he prepped for the first pitch.

Maya eyed the pitcher and watched as his fastball zipped right through the strike zone.

"Ugh, that was right down the center why didn't he swing?!" She moaned.

"It's inside toward the knees, he wasn't ready." Scotty commented.

"Are you crazy? That's Benny's sweet spot." She said knowing that was a perfect pitch he should've been prepared.

"That's okay DeNunez you got this!" She cheered as the same pitch rolled through and Denunez hit a single and took first base.

'Yea!" They all cheered. But it was going south, Bertram and Yeah, yeah both struck out so Maya was up.

she needed at least a triple to put a score on the board.

She squared up on home plate and prepared for the pitch.

She eyed the ball as it flew past the inside corner and she swung and missed it completely. She was shocked at herself for missing it,.

"This isn't softball ma'am you might want to go back to your  sport." The catcher snickered.

"Yea, okay." Maya mumbled and the next pitch came near her and she hit it straight in the center of the bat and saw the ball fly and she just took off running.

She heard a huge roar and looked at the couch signaling her to keep running and when she reached home she knew the ball flew over the wall.

She took off her helmet and let out a deep breath as tears filled her eyes.

She just hit a home run.

In a REAL game.

Not softball, not practice.

"Oh my god guys." She smiled as the score changed from zero to two.

"Great job Maya, now Scotty get out and keep this buzz alive." The coach yelled grabbing Scotty's jersey and handing him a bat.

 She watched intensely as he missed the first two pitches. He fouled the third ball and hit the fourth finally but it was a pop up fly and was an easy out.

"Alright Benny get out there and pitch!" The coach growled at the third out.

"Benny's not here coach. Remember." Ham informed.

"Yea, MAYA! Get out there someone give her a few warm up pitches." He ordered and she grabbed a glove and jetted off to the side with Yeah, Yeah and they tossed the ball back and forth.

"Heard about the bet Maya." He said quickly.

"Yea, I'm doing this for us as friends." She  said.

"Okay, but what if we lose? Why did you let Smalls say that?"

"He has a right to. Benny beat him up." Maya said un-phased as she threw a fast ball.

"Because he stole his girlfriend." Yeah, yeah muttered lobbing the ball back to her.

"We have feelings for each other Yeah, yeah. It's not like that. I just want us all to be friends again. Don't you remember? We were the best there ever were." Maya sighed.

"Yea I do. But you forgot about that when you fucked it all up. Just take the mound Maya." He shook his head and dropped the baseball and walked to second base.

Maya looked really confused and sad but she stepped on the mound and pitched.

She struck out everyone in that inning however the game remained scoreless and the last inning and Maya was still pitching.

Her arm was getting more sore and she allowed two people on second and third base and there was two outs.

"Maya you got this!" She heard someone shout and she looked in the crowd.

It was Benny.... sitting next to her father holding up a sign that looked homemade.

Benny gave her a big smile and so did her dad.


She couldn't help but smile and she relaxed a bit and stuck out the last batter.

They won.

They just wont the Championship game and everyone was ecstatic. Through all the chaos Maya was in slow motion and smiled to herself knowing she made her mother proud. Knowing the boys will thank her and they can work on fixing things.

"Maya! You did it I'm so proud of you!" Her dad said picking her up and spinning her around.

"Thanks dad! How did you know I was even playing?!" Maya said ecstatic hugging him tight.

"Benny came over and told me. As soon as he did I didn't need any more convincing. This was something I have wanted to see forever." He said.

"I can't believe this just happened." She said and she saw the boys watching her moment with her dad.

"I think some people want to talk to you." He smirked at her after seeing Benny and the rest of the baseball team staring at Maya.

"Okay, I'll see you." Maya said kissing her dad's cheek before walking over to the team.

"Congrats guys." Benny said to all of us.

"Thanks." Squints said looking nervously at Scotty who glared at Benny.

"So, Maya you won. What do you want." Yeah, yeah said.

"Okay, I want everyone at the sandlot in an hour. NO exceptions." She smiled smugly.

"Maya I just want to thank you for winning this game, it means so much to me you don't have any idea." Benny said to me.

"You're welcome." Maya spoke.

"And thanks for telling my dad to come. It was really nice." She added biting her lip as Scotty snaked an arm around her waist.

"No problem. It was the least I could do." He said and wiped his nose.

"Wait are you and Benny really over?!" Yeah, yeah groaned at the awkward conversation.

"Have some respect for my relationship with Scotty guys! Oh my god honestly!" Maya said fed up.

"It's just not right." Yeah, yeah muttered.

"You know, he's right. It's not right. I am going to admit I started this whole mess... and you won the bet. You want us all to be friends again." Scotty said.

"And?" Maya said nervously lacing her tired fingers in his hand.

"I think what we have will never be what you and him have. I think that what you want doesn't include me and you. I lost the bet, Benny has to stick around. As long as Benny is around and he still loves you, there can't be an us. And.... and... and I'll move on. I don't have a problem finding another girl who thinks I am a good kisser." Scotty sighed and kissed my cheek before letting go of my waist. He walked over to Squints who gave him a comforting pat on the back.

"Okay," Maya said forcing a smile so no one could think she was hurt at all by this.

She just won the bet but it still feels like she lost.

At least a little piece of it did.

"Sandlot in an hour!" Squints yelled as all the boys dispersed.

Maya grabbed her belongings and traded her cleats for her chuck taylor's  and headed over to the lot an hour early.