VENUS ; benny rodriguez [EDITING]

prologue

*:･ﾟ✧

it was the greatest summer of my life. it was 1962 and i met the best friends i could ever have, one of the great loves of my life and a grief that nearly broke me. i guess i should explain how i ended up at the sandlot before telling you about that life-changing summer.

SEVENTH JUNE 1962, yankee stadium

"venus! veNUS!! VENUS!!!"
my friends cheering battled into my ears, and i imagined the same words being chanted by hundreds of people. i could practically hear the crowds screaming my name, filling the stadium.

i'd just turned fourteen the week before, and to celebrate my dad took me over to hang out with his old team and play some ball. they all were fawning over my dad, asking him about his life as the centre fielder even though he had been retired from baseball for over ten years.

even though i was a girl, dad wanted me to have all the opportunities that he would give to any other boy of my age. at that moment, there i stood. in the batting cage facing the pitcher, bullet. dad, my half-brother and all my friends were standing in the dugout, anticipating what was to come as i grasped the bat, preparing myself for the curveball i knew bullet was gonna throw at me.

i watched him bring his hand back, and in that moment i blacked out. all I could hear was the crack of the bat as i swung, and the immediate feeling of instinct to run my ass over to first base. but just as i reached first my body hurdled toward second, noticing the fielders still running and searching the skies for that pristine ball. i could feel the dirt kicking up my calves as i pounded my feet towards home, not even caring if i got caught out. just as the ball was at home plate i slid my leg right onto it, managing to tag it right before the catcher grabbed a hold of me.

the dugout erupted with cheers from my family and friends, and the players I was opposing.

"she really is a dimaggio, isn't she?" i could see out of the corner of my eye, the coach chatting to my dad

"she sure is." i smiled at the pride that accompanied dad's comment, happy i made him proud.

*:･ﾟ✧