First Crush (Sandlot)

Part 38

It was a peaceful much needed relaxing sleep as I woke up feeling like I was finally exactly where I want to be. I know it sounds horrible but after Benny kissed me I didn't care how Smalls felt about Benny and I. I know I liked Smalls too but it was because a piece of me knew I would always have Benny to go back to.

I looked over at Benny's hat on my dresser and felt the warm sun heat up my face as I actually sat up wanting to go outside again and smell the fresh cut grass and get dirt stains on worn out jeans.

It just was just one of those mornings that brought peace to your mind and you realize the world is a beautiful place and hands out beautiful things.

"Knock knock bud I made pancakes!" My dad yelled down the hallway as he knocked on the wall that rattled all the way down to my room. I sighed at his burly voice and then was back into reality that there are a lot of annoying things in life as well that aren't as beautiful and heartfilling as the sun.

"Morning dad." I mumbled into the kitchen.

"How's my champ?" He said ruffling my already knotted hair.

"Tired." I groaned finding a fork in the drawer to eat my breakfast with.

"Benny called earlier. Wants to know if your going to the sandlot." He spoke in between bites of pancakes.

That formed a faint smile on my lips which my dad caught on to.

"You know how much I like that boy. But after all you've gone through this year just be careful honey." He said as any caring father would.

"It's fine dad. We are all good now." I said grabbing a light jacket and taking a quick bite of my dry pancake before heading out to the sandlot.

'''''''''''''

"There she is!" Benny chimed as I strolled onto the field mid pitch.

"Hey guys!" I said as everyone gathered from the outfield and bases and into a circle to chat.

"Gangs all here." Hams said smugly eating half a grilled cheese sandwich.

"Yea how did you sleep?" Benny asked me in our own side conversation.

"Great why?" I said with the butterflies coming back into play as Benny put his hand on my shoulder and looked at me with his gorgeous hazel green eyes.

"Well yano... what we did yesterday. Right after you and him ended things? You know how I feel about you and I think we for Smalls' sake we should lay low on PDA till all our friendships are concrete. Don'tcha think?" Benny said.

"Uh- yeah. I see your point, but these friendships here aren't that fragile we have so much history." I said getting upset that Benny is inferring that our friendships are just as weak as they were and could easily break again. I thought after yesterday everything would be okay and be normal again.

It should be... if I kissed Benny right now Smalls should be okay with it. He said we were over yesterday BECAUSE he knew it would always be Benny. It should be fine because we are the best of friends there ever were.

"Hello?!?!?!" We all heard an adult voice yell from weed infested parking lot.

"Yes?" DeNunez asked the woman.

"Is this the group of kids that just won the championship game recently?" The woman said. She was tall with big hair and a pen and paper. Like she was from out of town and someone gave her our information.

"Yes, I am here because I am looking for a player on the international Boys Baseball team and our backup is unfortunately injured and we heard from multiple sources our next best thing could be found right here in the West Coast." She said professionally.

"Oh wow! Awesome! Where do we sign up?!" Smalls said genuinely excited and it made me very relieved to see.

"We already have your names and we have tryouts next month if any of you are interested." She said wrapping her hands around here notebook.

"What about girls? Can I try out? Is there a girls team or something? You know I took Benny's spot in the championship game, I can play." I said hoping she could give me a shot too.

"Of course! The softball team has tryouts the week after the boys do! Hope to see you there as well! As far as coed goes... that is not permitted. I am sorry, but be sure to try out for softball sweetie. And as far as the rest of you, I will be sending you all letters with more information about team tryouts. Remember we can only choose ONE of you." She said before smiling softly and climbing into the back of the SUV before it took off.

"Oh wow! This is great! Travelling all over the world to play ball! This must be a dream." Squints chimed into the overly ecstatic crowd of boys.

"This is great guys. It really is." I said trying to be supportive as I can.

"Don't be down on yourself Maya, there will be other opportunities. And who knows maybe you might like softball." Yeah, yeah said patting my back because he assumed I needed comforting.

"I don't play softball." I said annoyed at the thought of me basically changing sports! They don't pitch like I do or hit like I do or anything! It's not the baseball I know and love and worked so hard to be good at.

"Who knows you might like it." Hams said finishing off his gross cheese sandwich.

"I am not trying out! We shouldn't even be focusing on that! We should be focusing on you guys getting the chance of a lifetime!" I said getting a little hot tempered.

"Oh we all know that spot is Benny's for sure." Squints mumbled.

"I learned from the best right? I think this time you don't get everything your spoiled heart wants." Smalls said in response to Squints.

"Oh come on don't make this out to be a cold-blooded competition Smalls." Benny rolled his eyes.

"I'm not, I think you should get a taste of reality though. Not everything can go your way." Smalls said grumpily.

"Since when have things gone my way? I didn't even get to play in the championship game? My parents are lame excuses for some and now my best friend won't even try and forgive me." Benny said.

"You still won! You didn't play because you beat me to a pulp and I can't forgive you because you always get what you want and never what you deserve." Smalls added.

"You mean I got Maya and you didn't? Come on man let it go for the sake of our friendship..... if you give me what I deserve will you finally let this go. Like for real?" Benny said.

"Yea it's about her but it- I ended things yea but because I knew I couldn't win. You deserve to know what it feels like to lose." Smalls confessed.

"Then show me." Benny said.

Smalls looked at him with a quizzical look then began to step toward him.

"Guys enough is enough is enough! Stop fighting like sissies! You embarrass me." Ham said stepping in between Smalls and Benny.

"How do we fix it? I tried and nothing seems to help." I said getting more and more upset with each breath.

"Maybe just give them a threesome and they will be happy." Yeah, yeah joked and I chuckled a bit before shoving his shoulder because of the nonsense he just spewed.

"Lets just focus on batting practice for today guys." Squints said lugging the bat over his shoulder.