The Girl That Made Baseball

21

The next day was spent playing baseball as usual, but this time, Hercules came to join.

He didn't literally 𝘫𝘰𝘪𝘯 the game, but he sat on the sidelines to watch.

"Got us a mascot, I guess" Jess laughed, patting the dogs head

"Maybe he can scare off Philips next time he decides to come around again" Squints shrugged

"I don't think he'll be coming around ever again" Jess laughed and rubbed behind the dogs ears.

That night, after they returned Hercules to his yard, Jess, Smalls and Benny walked home together, all talking about the dog.

"You think Mr. Mertle will even know if he's gone all day?" Smalls asked

"I doubt it" Jess laughed

"Night Jess, Benny" Smalls said

"Hey uh, you ever find out when your old man gets home?" Jess asked

"Sometime this week" Smalls shrugged before walking inside his home.

"Think he'll get off easy?" Jess asked Benny

"I wouldn't know" Benny laughed "But your dads name really was on that ball?" Benny asked

"Yup. It was. Who are you gonna play for, you know, when you get to old to play at the sandlot" Jess laughed

"The dodgers, duh" Benny laughed "But I'll never be to old to play at the sandlot." Benny said

"Maybe. God I'm gonna miss this place" Jess gestured to the entire town

"You're coming back, next summer?" Benny asked

"I don't really know. Honestly I think my parents are gonna pick up Reagan and move closer to my school. Reagan's probably going to end up going there" Jess sighed

"Well you'll always know where we'll be" Benny laughed

"High schools gonna be pretty miserable without me, huh?" Jess nudged the boy with her elbow

"Terrible" Benny said while shoving his hands inside his pockets and smiling

"Good night, Benny" Jess lightly smiled at the boy before turning around and starting up the driveway

"W-Wait" Benny asked, jogging towards he girl

"What?" Jess asked, looking at the boy and smiling

"Y-Yesterday, when Hercules chased you around town" Benny started

"What about it?" Jess asked, tilting her head at the boy

"I-I'm glad you didn't die" Benny said

Jess looked from side to side, the most confused look on her face, and she could feel it. She nodded before starting to enter the house

"Wh-What I mean is, uh... That was really brave of you." Benny started

"Oh Benny" Jess said, his name coming out airy off her tongue "Goodnight" Jess said

"Uh... Night" Benny waved, starting back down the driveway.

That night, Jess silently ate dinner with her family for the first time in a long time.

After, she washed her dishes and walked up the stairs, ready to go to bed.

She didn't sleep well that night, not at all. She didn't really know why, there were no particular thoughts running through her mind, until she noticed the pictures on her desk. It was a picture off the sandlot team, except Smalls wasn't in it and Eleswager was.