The next morning Scotty shakes me awake at 7:50. I only have 10 minutes to get ready. But I don't really mind. This is the first time in a long time that I've actually gotten up early. And gotten ready for the day. I bring my book "how to kill a mockingbird" with me too. Mainly because my mom is always on me about reading it. And I wear my skates. This way I'll be forced to learn how to use them.
"Do you know how old Benny is?" I ask Scotty on our way to The Sandlot.
"No. Why?" He asks, looking at me weird.
"I don't know." I shrug. I don't want to like him if he's way older than me. But his mom said he's around my age.
"Do you like him?" Scotty questions.
"Pshh, no!" I over exaggerate. "How could I? I've never talked to him."
"Yeah you did." He reminds me.
"Okay, well that really wasn't a conversation." I tell him. "It was more of an introduction."
We finally reach The Sandlot, all the other boys are already there.
"Don't embarrass me." Scotty pleads running to outfield. I shrug then head to the dugout and open my book.
"Your sisters here?" Squints asks Scotty like it's a bad thing.
"I have to be here, okay?" I yell at him.
"Why? To watch us?" Squints looks at me.
"No, to watch Scotty. My mom told me to." I explain.
"Okayyy." He looks at me skeptically.
"Guys, it's fine." Benny tells them all. Oh my god. Benny is so cute. And he seems pretty nice. I obviously don't know him that well. But what I do know is that he is a really good baseball player. And he's always looking out for everyone else. "Let's just play!"
This is the most boring thing ever. I mean it's not that bad cause I get to watch Benny. But still it's so hot out. And I have no friends my age around here. I haven't met one girl yet. All of a sudden the boys are crowded around me in the dugout. They open a big cooler filled with colas. Benny passes them out.
"Want one?" He asks taking a sip of his bottle.
"Sure." I nod. He grabs one from the cooler and hands it to me. His hand brushes up against mine and my whole arm tingles.
"Why are you reading?" Squints asks like it's unbelievable.
"Cause, I have nothing else to do." I shrug.
"But it's summer!" Squints yells.
"Yeah yeah, who wants to spend their summer reading ?" Yeah-yeah asks. Oh, now I get why they call him yeah-yeah.
"Me I guess." I say rolling my eyes at him.
"She's just catching up on her summer reading."
Benny says to yeah-yeah and Squints. Oh my gosh, he's so nice. I like Benny, a lot. So does that mean I have a crush on him? I think I do. His face is just so, perfect.
"Take a picture, it'll last longer." Someone says. I look to my right and see Bertram leaning towards me. I roll my eyes, was I really staring at Benny too long?
"So," Ham says, trying to initiate a conversation. "What grade are you in, Marjie."
"Well, I'm going into 8th." I say to him.
"Cool, same as Benny." Ham tells me with a smirk on his face, like it means something. I look over at Benny who's half-smiles at me. Oh my gosh, I'm gonna melt, he's so, so, so perfect!
"Cool." I nod.
"Have you ever dated someone?" Squints asks. Weird question.
"No, I'm only 12." I give him a weirded out look.
"Same as Benny." He tells me with a sly look on his face. What're they getting at? Are they trying to get me with Benny?!!
"Cool." I nod, peering over at Benny. He takes another sip of his cola then half-smiles at me again. Two half-smiles in 5 minutes? What does this mean? All I know is, it makes me melt inside every time he half-smiles at me.
"Okay," Benny stands up and brushes his jeans off. "Base up, blockheads." Everyone groans.
"Benny! It's too hooooot!" Squints whines.
"Yeah yeah, I'm gonna melt!" Yeah-yeah tells him.
"Then what do you wanna do?" Benny asks folding his arms. He looks over at everyone.
"I don't know." All the boys shrug. They look around at each other.
"Let's go to the tree house." Kenny suggests.
"Sure." Everyone agrees.
"Treehouse?" I ask not wanting to stand up. "Do I have to come, Scotty?"
"Mom said so." Scotty reminds me.
"Fine." I groan, standing up. I follow all the boys to the back of the lot and then I see the treehouse. That's kinda cool. But the house next to it is sorta creepy. "Who lives there?" I ask Yeah-Yeah. He widens his eyes at me.
"The beast!" He tells me seriously. What? A beast?
"The beast?" I ask not believing him. "What're you talking about?"
"He's an evil mutant dog!" Squints butts in. Everyone seems really serious about it. Are they trying to mess with me?
"Are you trying to mess with me?" I ask unsure of what they're talking about.
"No! Never!" Ham tells joining the conversation. "No one ever jokes about the beast."
"Oh, okay." I nod skeptically. I'll just drop it. I follow them up the tree house, carefully cause of my roller skates. The tree house is really nice. It's kinda cozy. I'm not sure which one of the boys house this is. I mean, I still don't even remember who is who. I stare at Benny who's sitting down on the floor of the tree house. I still down against the wall, next to Kenny and Timmy. I open my book and start reading. All the boys start talking. Until I hear one of the boys mention a girls name. Her names, Cryssi.
"Yeah yeah, you should ask 'er out." Yeah-yeah tells Kenny. I look at Kenny who's sitting next to me. He looks nervous.
"Are you sure she even likes me?" Kenny asks reluctantly.
"Well, obviously." Timmy shrugs.
"Marjie, you're a girl." Ham tells me. "What should he do?" I think. What do they want me to say?
"Well, it depends on how long you've known her." I tell Kenny.
"Since last year." He tells me.
"If you know her well enough that you can carry a conversation with her, I say sure." I say. "Just, don't rush it. Definitely don't kiss her on the first date." I say thinking about how uncomfortable that could be if you hadn't even decided if you liked the person yet.
"Okay." Kenny nods thinking about it.
"Give me advice!" Squints says.
"On who?" I ask.
"This really really hot girl." He smiles nodding up and down.
"Wendy Peffercorn." All the boys groan in unison.
Maybe hanging out with these boys isn't so bad after all.
YOU ARE READING
The Sandlot Girl
Teen Fiction"Whoa, who's that?" "That's my sister, man!" The summer of your life, friends you'll never forget Scotty and Marjie Smalls move to Utah , during the summer of 1962. Marjie doesn't have any friends. But she has to watch her little brother during th...
