The Girl That Made Baseball

14

The next morning, Benny got up before Jess.

He propped himself up and looked around. He almost forgot where he was.

"Jess" He whispered, still groggy

"Mmmm.... Yeah?" Jess asked, not opening her eyes

"It's the morning" Benny said

"Right. Baseball. Sandlot. Get up" Jess said, opening her eyes

"Right?" Benny said confused

"Let me get dressed" Jess said, sitting up, then realizing she was wearing her clothes from yesterday

Benny looked at the girl confused, and then smiled

"I'll just put on a different shirt" Jess laughed

She grabbed a random shirt from her closet, then went to her bathroom and put it on, bushing her hair back into a pony tail and then putting her hat on. All she was wearing was a pair of shorts, a white tee shirt, and her Dodgers hat.

"Let's go" Jess said, exiting her bathroom.

Benny nodded and the two went down stairs.

The walked out the door and went to the sandlot, not stopping for anything.

"Play ball!" Ham yelled, and their game was on.

Today was like any other day, Benny up to bat.

At around 8:20, the game barely having even started, Philips came. Will Philips, and all of his goons, or, the tigers. They were all wearing matching baseball uniforms.

They rode up on bikes, getting off as soon as the sandlot team walked up.

Ham was in front of everyone, Benny and Jess shoulder to shoulder while Benny held the bat.

"Yeah, it's easy when you play with a bunch of uh, rejects and a fat kid, Logan, Rodriguez" Philips said

"Shut your mouth Philips!" Jess yelled, pointing at the boy.

"What'd you say crap face!" Ham yelled

"I said you shouldn't even be aloud to touch a baseball. Except for Logan and Rodriguez, you're all an insult to the game" Philips spat

"Come on! We'll take you on! Right here, right now!" Ham yelled, the sandlot team yelling in agreement

"We play on a real diamond, Porter. You aren't good enough to lick the dirt off our cleats" Philips said, dragging on the Porter part

"Watch it, jerk" Ham said

"Shut up idiot!" Philips yelled

Jess pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration

"You all need to grow up a bit! C'mon, Benny man, lets just play ball" Jess said, grabbing the boys arm

He looked down at the girl and tilted his head for her to listen

"Moron!" Ham yelled

"Butt sniffer!" Philips yelled

"Scab eater!"

"Puss licker!"

"Fart smeller!"

Bertram sniffed the air of emphasis

"You eat dog crap for breakfast geek!" Philips yelled

"You mix your wheaties with your mammas toe jam!" Ham yelled

"You bob for apples in the toilet, and you like it!" Philips yelled

"You play ball like a girl!" Ham yelled

Jess was taken aback. Had he really just said that? The best baseball player in the neighborhood was a girl!

Everyone became serious after that.

"What did you say?" Philips asked

"You heard me." Ham said

"Tomorrow, noon, at our field" Philips said

"We'll be there" Benny growled

"Hold on, lets add a spin on it." Philips said as everyone started to turn around

Everyone whipped their bodies around to face Philips and the Tigers.

"If we win... We get the girl" Philips nodded his head to Jess "If you win... You get our field" Philips held out his hand to Benny

Benny looked from Philips to Jess, biting his lip in thought

"Don't do it, Benny" Smalls whispered

"C'mon, Benny man!" Denunez said

"Hurry up!" Squints yelled

Benny looked at Jess, her eyes ablaze, and then back at Philips.

"Deal." Benny shook the boys hand

"Lets go!" Philips said, getting his friends to follow him off the field

"Screw you guys!" Jess said, stomping off the field.

"Jess, wait!" Benny said, running up to the girl

"Are you kidding me, Rodriguez?" Jess yelled. Benny winced. The last time Jess called Benny by his last name, was when he had lied to her about his dad leaving, and she wasn't happy.

"What, Jess?" Ham asked, "Let's just play ball!" Ham said, grabbing his mitt off the ground

"Don't get me started, Porter! He plays ball like a girl?! The best damn player in the neighborhood good it a girl, you idiot!" Jess said "You're lucky I don't slap your face right now!" Jess yelled

"Just calm down" Benny said

"You made a bet on me, Benny. A fucking BET!" Jess screamed the last part. She was so pissed, but more disappointed in her friends "You wouldn't have bet on anyone else on the team, so why the hell would you me?" Jess spat, pointing a finger at Benny's chest.

"I didn't know-"

"I wouldn't have done it to you! What if you don't win that game? Then I have to play with them for the rest of the summer?" Jess yelled

"No-" Benny started

"Fuck you guys. Count me out of that game" Jess said, taking her hat off her head and throwing it on the ground.

Jess walked to the dugout and grabbed her bat before waking completely off the field and starting her walk home

"You fucked up, Benny man" Denunez clapped Benny's back with his hand.

Benny hung his head and picked up Jess' hat before walking to the bench and sitting down, resting his head in his hands.

"Damnit" Benny said

"C'mon, Benny man, maybe she was just-" Squints said

"We gotta win that game tomorrow, you guys understand? We gotta, or we may never get that girl back again" Benny said, looking up

Everyone nodded in understanding

"C'mon, block heads, we gotta practice!" Benny said, grabbing his bat and walking over to home plate

Jess walked home so angry she could have punched someone.

Then, she turned, walking angrily to the Tigers field.

"Well, well, well! If it isn't our newest player!" Philips laughed

"Listen here and listen good, Philips" Jess growled

"Wether you do or don't win tomorrow, I will never, 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 play for you 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘴. And that is a promise" Jess hissed

"A deals a deal, sweetie" Philips laughed

Before Jess could gather her thoughts, she punched Philips right in the nose, feeling a crunch against her fist.

"Consider who your making a bet on, next time... Sweetie" Jess said, looking down at the boy on the ground holding his nose in front of her.

Jess walked right off the field and stomped home.