Fall ❈ Benny Rodriguez

xvii. so familiar

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN!
SO FAMILIAR　CERAMIC ANIMAL

　

　

THE BITING SUN had us sweating buckets within the first half hour of the game. The heat wore us down to the bone and our feet dragged against the packed dirt.

　The first water break in itself took place way earlier than normal. It was evident to everyone that the end of July would not relent. The words were practically sky-written in the cloudless expanse of blinding blue, with perfect clarity.

　Pool day!

　Ham had been the one to suggest this, and to no one's surprise, Benny agreed, pushing back his dampened hair. His dark locks curled and clung to his temples with sweat, and the nape of his neck glistened. Normally, I was not a fan of sweat, but reminiscing on that night—little over three weeks ago—I had a new take on it. At least, for Benny, whose bare back, oddly muscular now, shone beautifully when—

　While everyone had gathered themselves and prepared to leave the sandlot, I had needed to take a moment. The harsh burn of my cheeks had little to do with the sun. Bertram always caught me at the right moment to send a smirk and a knowing look that always caught me up. He had managed to tag me out this way, and I was still not ready to forgive him for it.

　Eventually, however, after we all finished our drinks and poured a bit of icy water over our heads, we all took the usual route to our houses. Benny had helped me choose a bathing suit: A black one-piece that dipped dramatically in the back. He chose a pair of plain black trunks to match.

　Now we gathered necessities into Benny's old backpack—dodger blue, littered with white LA symbols and baseballs. On one of the side pockets, in black marker, Brandy's script read:

　Have a great summer...with me! I love you. xoxo Brandy

　I'd been packing the sunblock inside when I noticed the note. Without realizing it, I'd gone still, lips tightening, focus falling particularly upon the last sentence. Benny had blushed and offered to mark it out, but I'd waved him off, insisting that it was okay.

　The cold, crisp air inside of my house was delicious, licking my bare legs and arms, seeping beneath my t-shirt and shorts. Benny and I descended the stairs and continued toward the door, only to pause when Elizabeth's voice called her brother's name from the kitchen.

　Liz was leaning against the corner, sandwich in hand, dark hair pulled into a lazy bun. She was wearing one of Luke's large t-shirts, but underneath she wore leggings, so that was a little reassuring. Although I had finally come to truly know sex, I didn't like to think of my brother knowing anyone else like that. I was still scarred from hearing Skylar's moans from my bedroom.

　A shudder ran through me, just as Elizabeth asked, a curious but cautious tone to her voice, "Where are you two going? Shouldn't you be at the sandlot?"

　"Too hot," Benny explained, giving a one-shouldered shrug. "We're heading to the pool, if you want to come."

　Elizabeth seemed to think for a moment, but it was obvious she wanted to go by the way her eyes lit at the word "pool." Her lips curled at the edges, and she said, "Think I will. I'll meet you there."