Forever mine.// Benny Rodriguez/ The Outsiders

6

The next morning...
I woke up extra early because I was gonna hang out with benny today. I showered and got dressed. (Picture a above). I got my Nike bag and stuffed a baseball and my glove in it. Brian my mom and dad were still asleep. They wouldn't care where I was except for brian. When I come home my mom and dad will probably be fighting. My parents need help. It was 7:50 by now I heard the door bell ring. I ran downstairs. "Hey benny" I said walking out. I quickly started a convo "Sooo how do you think the boys are gonna react with me there"I asked. "Uhh well let's hope for the best, but I'll make sure they don't say anything to you" he says. "Thanks Benny, I hope they don't either" I say pulling out my pack of cigars. I lit up a cigar. "What are you doing" he asked looking at me like if I killed someone . "What do you mean I'm smoking" I said in a duhh tone. "But your 14". "Yeah so what" I said. "You're not suppose to be smoking, your to young... and plus it's illegal to smoke at this age" he said. I started laughing. "Over there in Tulsa nobody give a fuck if you smoke, sides I've been smirking for awhile now it ain't don't nothing" I said but he stayed serious. "You shouldn't be smoking, your gonna get addicted to it and ruin your life". "Benny does it really bother you" I asked. I gotta admit I was getting a bit mad. "Yes, yes it does! My older brother died because of his smoking habits he was just 20... he was important in my life and I lost him, I don't want to loose you, I just met you" he said, I almost died, anyways that's not important now. I could see his eyes begin to water. We were still walking. I stopped him and grabbed his chin to make him face me. "Benny I'm sorry I-I didn't know" I say and hug him. He hugged back. I pulled back "Benny if it means that much to you, I promise you I will never smoke again...just for you" I said. "Thank you" he said. We were in the middle of the street hugging for about 5 minutes. He then pulled away. "We should get going before it gets late" he says. "Oh yeah, you're right"I say. The rest of the walk to the sandlot was quite. I didn't know he had a brother. I felt bad for him. We finally got to that same place as yesterday night. The memories rushed back. We almost kissed. He opened the gate and we both walked in together. There were nine boys sitting down in a dugout. I guess it was a dug out. I felt nervous as I approached them. They looked intimidating, that's weird no one ever intimidates me. I made sure to look tuff but I couldn't smoke because benny and I threw them away. "Hey guys this is Julissa, uh she just moved here from Tulsa Oklahoma, she playin with us today" he said. Awe I like how introduces me. I saw the 2 kids from last night. "Hey Julie"one says."hey Julie" the other one repeats. "Hey Timmy and tommy I say and flash a smile. "Benny man you gotta be kidding me" a chubby kids say. "Yeah-yeah your letting a GIRLLL play with us" another kid says. "Let me guess your only letting her play bc she's your girlfriend" another kid with glasses say. I saw Benny rolled his eyes. "Hey-hey-hey guys shut your trap! No she's not my girlfriend, and I invited her to play with us because she plays ball, and enough talk let's play already" Benny says. Fuck what did I get myself into. "Whatever man let's just play" a tall geeky looking boy says. A dark skin boy around my age approached me "what position ya play" he asked. "Any" I shrug. He smiled. Wow he's not bad looking but I gotta admit Benny's the good looking one out of all of them. But ofc why would he be interested in me. I mean look at him. "I'm DeNunez" he says as he shakes my hand. "I think you already know my name" I chuckle. Out of nowhere benny grabs my hand and pulls me away. " you wanna bat first" he say flashing a smile. Wow I could really fall for this kid. "Oh sure, but I gotta say I'm a bit rusty" I say. "Don't worry, you'll do fine, btw that short one over there with glasses is Squints, That one is Alan but we call him Yeah-yeah, that one is Hamilton Porter but we just call him Ham, that one is Bertram, and finally that's smalls, you already met Timmy and tommy oh and DeNunez" he said. "Wow that was a lot to process" I say. He chuckled. "Alright let's play, get in your position" he says and I ran to bat. The kid in the back murmured something I think he called me a bitch, alright let me just show him what I got. I picked up the bat and got into my posture. DeNunez was getting ready to throw. I got this. He throws.
Crack
"Woah" ham says. I hear some "woahhh" from the others. I finally noticed the ball went over the fence. Holy shit. Thank goodness I brought another ball. They would've killed me tbh. I ran all bases calmly. "Sorry we doubted you Julissa" they all said. "It's alright" I say going to the dig out towards my bag. "Hey we're are you going" DeNunez asked. They all look at me. "Y'all needa another ball don't ya" I say with a chuckle. "Oh yeahh" I didn't know which one of them said that. Once I came back with the ball they just stood there and starred at me. "Well are you guys gonna stare at me or are gonna play ball" I say laughing. Their checks got red. Awe how cute. "Alright let's go guys, Julie you take second. I nod and run over to second.
The game lasted a few hours it was 12 by now. The whole game I couldn't stop looking at benny. I've only known him for awhile but I feel something for him. We stopped for a break. We were all at the dug out. "Benny man I'm starving Ima hit the diner" ham said. "Yeah-yeah me to" yeah yeah ofc says. "Same here" Bertram,squints, smalls and Timmy and tommy say. "Alright I guess I will to" Benny says. He then looks at me. I was already staring. Fuck. "Julie you wanna come" he asks. "Uh yeah sure" I say. I might have sounded like and idiot. "Alright let's go,what are we waiting for" ham shouts as he gets up. I chuckle. We were all heading to the diner. I was in the back of all of them. On the way there DeNunez approached me "why so lonely" he asks. "Well I mean, guess they don't like me" I say. "Nah they think you coo". I nod. "Tell me about yourself" he says. "Well i jus moved here from Tulsa, Oklahoma I moved here because if not they was gonna separate my family, let's just say Tulsa ain't a good place to grow up anyways I'm 14 and I play soccer,baseball,basketball, and I guess I cheer, but I'm a bit rusty I haven't had the chance to do any of dat over there and I have and older brother named Brian and yeahh I guess that's all" I say. "Wow, that's interesting" he says. "Yeah" I chuckle. "Tell me about yourself" I say. "Uh okay" he started talking. The rest of the walk there we just got to know each other. It got quite and by that time we caught upwith the rest of them. Benny looked uneasy. Whatever. He's probably mad because he's not playing baseball, the boys told me baseball his life and he has no time for girls. I sighed at that, I guess I have no chance. The walk there was only 15 minutes. But it felt like more. I didn't mind I got to know them better. They really cool. It was silent and we were almost here so I decided to clean my switchblade the one dally gave me. Once I pulled it out the boys stepped back, their eyes widened. "What" i ask. "What are you doing with that" Squints ask. "Just cleaning it" I say in a duhh tone. "You're not supposed to have that out here Julie, remember they isn't socs over here" Benny says. That when it hit me oh shit I quickly put it away. "Sorry guys I'm still getting use to it here" I say. "It's alright you'll get use to it" Betram says. I change the subject. "Were finally here" I squeal. They laugh. We walk in, it was the same diner as yesterday. We all go and sit in a booth it was big enough for all of us. Awhile later that same waitress form yesterday approached us. And ofc to make it more awkward me and Benny were sitting right next to each other. "Hey everyone here are your menu" she says handing us them. "I'll be back In awhile to take your orders" she says and glances at all of us, when she got to me and Benny she smiled. I smiled back. That's when I noticed Benny wasn't talking to me. I needed to know why. I whispered into his ear. "What's wrong" he looked at me. "Nothing I'm fine" I could see him clench his jaw. You could tell he was mad and he sure did look hot. I have to stop. I looked at him and shook my head. "Benny you know you can tell me anything" I say grabbing his chin to make him face me. "Uhh well it's really nothing" he says. "You better not be lying"I say and let go of his Chin. He smiled and looks away. Okay that was weird. He's mad but then he's all happy okay then someone on their man period. We talked until the the waitress came back and she took all our orders. We mostly ordered burgers. DeNunez kept flirting with me. I have to say I would never date him because since I got to know him I see him as friend, I mean he is a good guy but I like to consider him my friend. But I just went along because It was funny. We ate and talked I had a good time. I was talking to ham about food. Let me tell you he's a good fan. All of a sudden my phone started ringing. It was sodapop. " oh shit I have to take this, ham you could have the rest of my burger" i say. "Thanks Julie" he say and reaches for my burger. I laugh and go outside.
(S-SodaPop, J-Julissa)
Convo
J- hey soda
S-hey Julie how ya been
J-I've Been alright, made some friends already
S-Really, that's good sis, I hope no one messes with you bc if they do I'll make sure to go over there and skin them myself
J-Omg soda chill, remember I know how to defend myself
S-I know I just don't want you getting hurt
J-Awe that's cute soda, I hope that sandy chick left you alone bc I swear Ima skin her if she doesn't leave you alone, she hurt you. . .
S-She has tried to come up to me but I tell her to leave or I avoid her, thanks for watching out for me Julie, ahh I sure do miss you
J-anytime soda, and I miss you to I want to go back, I miss you all
S-we all miss you to, it's not the same without you
J- soda, how's pony
S- oh yeah that's what I called you for,well uhh we all hate him for this but he's uh dating cherry now
My heart dropped
J-oh uh he is
S- yeah I'm sorry, we're all mad at him for this
J-it's alright, my question is how did he move on so fast
S-I'm so sorry Julie I know how you feel it's just he's going crazy that you're not here
I started to cry
J-yeah I know I miss him like crazy, I've never felt like this for anyone but him, I guess he moved on already
I then see the boys come out of the diner. Fuck
S-yeah I'm sorry I wish I was there to cheer you up little sis.
J-thanks for informing me soda, I'll call you another time I have to go, bye I love you.
S-alright by Julie, I love you.
After that I hung up. I saw the boys coming my way. I couldn't let them see me cry so I just walked away. I heard them call out my name but I ignored it, I wasn't feeling it. I walked home crying. Once I reached my house I wiped my eyes. I opened the door and ofc I heard yelling. I looked at my mom. "Where have you been you little bitch" she says coming up to me. "Since when do you care" I say. "You know I always have". "No, actually no you haven't, you know moving here I really thought we would get close but look where we are at now same old as always and you know why because you and dad always get fucking drunk and ruin everything" I yell. I was tired of this bullshit. My mom looked at me she was angry. "I've always knew you were a mistake"she said and slapped me. I could smell the alcohol in her. "What the fuck, I hate you" I yell in her face. "Jul-ie I'm I'm sorry come here"she yells but I ran to my room I didn't want to deal with anyone. I ran upstairs and went inside my room. I locked myself inside. I cried. I hated my life I couldn't anymore. It unstable. The the thing that really hurt me is ponyboy moving on already, I hate him. Thinking about my life made me cry. I soon cried myself to sleep.