The Heart of the Team

Chapter 14

The next day I began to do the last of my unpacking before I headed to the Sandlot.
All the clothes that had been in the box labeled E's closet had all gotten unfolded so I refolded them and put them away carefully. Then I started putting my books up onto the shelf in the corner. 

I pulled the last one out of the box, 'the War of the Worlds'
I realized there was still a small marker in one of the pages.
Quickly I opened it to find chapter three.
Benny and I had never made it past chapter three.
I sat there for a moment just looking at the page as small tears welled in my eyes.

After a moment I realized how ridiculous I was being and quickly wiped away the tiny tears and tossed the book onto my desk.

I moved onto the next box and began to hang up my posters and pictures around the room.

When I finished I headed downstairs and into the kitchen where Mom was sitting making coffee at the counter.

"Hey honey, made you some toast." She offered me a plate.

I shook my head "I'm good."

She gave me a quizzical look "Your not hungry or your Not hungry?"

I sighed and grabbed the plate from her.
"Whats up? You miss home? You miss your other friends?"

I shrugged "I don't know. Could be something to do with being back." I took a bite of the toast.
"Is it that Benny kid?"
"Yeah."

She frowned "Let me guess. Your still not over him but he seems to be over you."

"He has a girlfriend," I said dropping my head to my hands, "And she's really nice and cool." 

Mom sighed "Well it has been four years. And you weren't going steady before you left."

I groaned "He probably never even liked me."

"Doubtful. You said yourself that he kissed you so that you wouldn't have your first kiss with someone else."

"But what if he was just messing with me?"
"If he was then he's a prick. Finish your toast and have an apple and I'll letcha off the hook."

A while later I found the box labeled 'kids baseball gear' Quickly I rifled through it and found what I needed.
I threw Alexanders glove at his head "Get up, we're going to the Sandlot."

"We're going where?"
"The sandlot, come on."
Alexander sighed but stood up and grabbed his glove.

"Are they good?" He asked as we started down the street.
"Real good, trust me, you'll be able to keep up though."
"Oh very funny." He joked, shoving me a little.

When we made it to the Sandlot I called "Dudes! Whatever you're doing, stop! I have brought something amazing!"

"It's just me, I ain't that exciting Lizabeth." Alexander protested as I dragged him over to the dugout.

"Ladies and Quinn," I smiled at her and she grinned back "I'd like you to meet my big brother, Alexander!" I shoved him in front of me.

The boys all started laughing.
"Guys this is Alexander, Alexander that's Yeah-Yeah, Timmy, Bertrum, DeNunez, Tommy, Ham, Smalls, Quinn and of course Benny." I pointed at each of them.

They all offered 'hiyas' and 'heys' along with some waves.

"He plays baseball?" Ham asked.
"Yeah, otherwise I wouldn't have brought him here."

"You any good?" Squints asked.
"Pretty damn good."

DeNunez snorted "I say we test that theory."
"Bring it on." Alexander challenged. 

A few moments later he was standing at bat and we were all back in our field positions.
"Go easy on him, I hear those Illinois kids have weak arms!" Ham called from behind him.

"Nah, ya gotta really go hard on him!" I yelled from my own spot.

DeNunez ignored both of us and wound up and pitched a fast ball.
Alexander swung...... a beat to late and missed it.

"Striiiiiiiiike one!" Ham yelled.

Alexander shot me a look saying 'seriously?'
I smirked back as DeNunez wound up again this time giving him the heater, which was much improved from four years ago.

Alexander swung again and this time the bat connected with the ball sending it flying out to passed Smalls and into Mr. Myrtles yard.
"Woooooooooo!" Alexander cheered as he ran the bases.
He high fived me as he rounded third.

A while later, after a long day of playing baseball we all started back to our houses.
Quinn kissed Benny goodbye and headed off the other direction as we started up our street.
"You guys sounded good the way Lizabeth talked about you but your actually even better." Alexander said.
"Thanks man, your pretty good too." Benny stuffed his hands in his pockets.
"Not as good as Lizabeth."
Benny chuckled "Yeah, Eliza's Pretty good too."
I snorted "I mean hardly."
"Your still like this? Seriously?"
"I'm am not still 'like this' I'm just stating facts." I put air quotes around the word.
"Oh yeah, she's still like this." He said to Alexander who laughed.

This was a filler chapter
Also 700 reads?
Excuse my language but what the fuck?