Let Me Be The One // Benny Rodriguez // COMPLETED

Chapter #12 // Mateo

Opal's POV

I can't wait to see Mateo!

My boy best friend from Georgia is moving to California. Mia and Maddie aren't moving, but they're taking a vacation in a few weeks so I'll see them, too.

Mateo has fluffy black hair that I LOVE playing with (not as much as Benny's, though) and braiding. It's not long, but it's definitely braid-able. Like his leg hair.

I walk downstairs when I hear a knock on the door.

"Who is he?" Benny and Mateo are both standing there. They said it in unison, pointing at each other.

"Benny, Mateo. Mateo, Benny." I introduce them to each other with a smile.

"Boy best friend." Mateo smiled, holding out his hand.

"Ex boyfriend." Benny—fake—smiles, and shakes his hand.

They stare at each other for a little bit. Even I'm intimidated.

Later...

Mateo and I hang out in my room the entire afternoon. Benny went home a while ago, Alexis got sick.

"So, whats it like here?" He asks me.

"It's kind of hot—okay, it's scorching hot—and one year a while ago we got a little bit of snow. I spend most of my days at the sandlot-"

"What's that?" He asks.

"It's where Benny and the boys play baseball." I smile.

"Baseball!?" His smile just keeps getting bigger.

Mateo loves baseball. Back in Georgia, his team won every game they played. His room looked just about like Benny's. Baseball trophy's, metals, different sizes of bats—he even has a baseball signed by Jackie Robinson.

"Benny looked at me funny. Like I'm... sketchy. Do you think he'd let me play?" He asks.

"I'm sure I could talk him into it." I smile.

"I'd really like that," Mateo smiles back.

We sit there, smiling, for what seems like hours—even though it was 2 minutes.

I lay back onto my bed.

"Whatcha doin?" Mateo asks me.

"Laying here." I say, "What's it look like I'm doing?"

"Being adorable." He smiles.

"Shut up." I smile back.

"Oh. Guess what?" He asks.

Every time he says guess what, it never ends good.

"What." I timidly ask.

I knew I shouldn't have asked. He knows everywhere I'm ticklish, and he takes advantage on that. He sits on my legs so I can't move and tickles me until I've laughed so hard I'm crying.

"You're really cute." He smiles down at me.

"You're really stupid." I smile back.

Part of me saw the flirting, but this isn't new. Mateo liked me, but we never went further than hugging and stuff. He knows I like Benny.

I stare at Mateo for what seems like forever. His dark hair, his pretty eyes... he's gorgeous.

Before I realize what I'm doing, my lips meet Mateo's. Only... he didn't do it. I did.

I've been depressed for so long. And I know I still love Benny, I could never stop loving him. But kissing Mateo made me... happy. Really for real happy.

Benny's POV

Once I helped Mom with Alexis, I went to the sandlot. Everybody was already there and playing. Ariel was batting when I walked in.

"Where's Opal?" Smalls asks me.

"Her friend Mateo just moved here, she's showing him around." I say, no emotion whatsoever.

I walk to the dugout, put my phone on the mini fridge, and stand there.

This is the very spot I cried that night when Opal was with me—almost 3 years ago now.

It takes a lot to keep myself from crying again. I was almost 15 back then... almost 17 now, and I've lost the girl I fell in love with.

Of course I still love her. I always will. I won't stop loving her.

Seeing her and Mateo laugh, I... honestly, I hated it. Seeing her so happy, and me not being the one to make her smile... it hurt. A lot.

As I try and push the thoughts out of my head, I remember the promise ring I gave her.

She offered to give it back, before she left, incase I wanted to give it to someone else.

I insisted she keep it. I wanted her to. And I told her that.

When I saw her the day she got back, she was still wearing it. Angel said she never takes it off.

When she was at my house earlier... it was still on her finger.

I love Opal more than anything... and I screwed everything up. Royally.

It feels like it can't even be fixed. And it probably can't be.

I let myself be stupid and I lost the person I loved the most...

I'm walk up to the Batter's Box, get in position and am just about to swing, when...

"Mateo and Opal got together!" Is all I hear.

I look up, completely forgetting about the baseball fling towards me.

"Benny, watch out!" Tommy yells.

I look his direction, but only to get a face full of baseball.