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₊.ෆ*˚* 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐄𝐍 ⁎ෆ*˚‧₊
JULY 9, 1962 ↳9:55 am.
the next day frankie, along with all of the others seemed to be groggy. the events from the previous night made everyone sick to their stomachs even if they thought of it. but that didn't stop them from putting on their 'best suits' and playing up.
"aye, batter batter." ham teased. we all knew everyone was used to it, including ham but it made ham excited and revved up so we supported it.
the never ending game continued and went on that day, it wasn't so ordinary like the others. they weren't scamming pool honeys, playing against other teams, or playing their one night game they have a year. everyone was at peace and they didn't even seem to notice. besides frankie. the girl never thought about the memories of the normal days. they'd all crack a joke or two but it was forgotten, like most things. it's sad to say but it's true. but then again frankie hated thinking of those things.
"hey, psst." someone hissed interrupting the girls daily thoughts.
"hm!" she lifted her head up in surprise that happened to be looking at her beet-up shoes. "oh, benny, hi." she smiled.
"you alright?" he asked genuinely worried for the girl, she didn't seem sad just in stress and he noticed. not many did.
she shrugged, her head falling back down. "oh, yeah. i'm alright just thinkin'."
"man, you think too much." he didn't mean it in no harm. he just never seemed to think much.
"why is that?" she looked up to him in slight distraught.
"being on the field doesn't require thinking." he started. "maybe not everything does."
"maybe you don't think enough."
"maybe." he repeated.
frankie never really thought of that conversation nor did benny. looking on it, it seems as if he didn't want to think. he wasn't good at it but not many people knew that. he wanted to keep it that way. he didn't even want to know.
"what's reallly wrong, frankie."
"— what?" she started. "what do you mean?"
"there's something wrong."
"—no."
"—yes."
"—no.
"—yes"
"benny, i'm fine."
she wasn't and benny and the rest of the boys knew that. after that night frankie and benny stayed later to practice she had been better. they all noticed it too but she wasn't playing nor acting like it.
***
as the day went on and so did their never-ending game it felt off. maybe their bright spirit wasn't there today. maybe benny wasn't in his best playing mood. maybe, but who was to really know?
"man, does it feel good to sit." said bertram taking a seat on the bench in front of the group.
frankie nodded sitting down swiftly next to squints. her back fell low as she rested her hands on her knees and sighed.
"you alright over there goldilocks?" benny asked.
"yeah, yeah, tell us what's wrong!" yeah yeah said.
"i'm alright." she stated. "just tired."
some of them shook their heads, others shrugged. what really had been going through her mind all day was benny. why did she suddenly feel this way and when did she feel this way? over night? no way. was it the bear he gave her, she liked benny and she was accepting it. but was he?
the boys continued their play fights through their short break like normally and frankie stayed silent. benny placed a hand on her shoulder, near her hair, as he tried to calm down the boys.
she shrugged his hand off.
"could you guys be anymore dense?" they could be but in that moment it seemed they were about as clueless as a worm. maybe it was obvious she was upset, but it wasn't why she was upset that was obvious. maybe she mad at herself for not seeing her feelings sooner, or maybe she was really mad at the boys. in that moment she didn't know and neither did they. she shot up and walked off.
***
the next day she saw scotty talking to his mother and step father. she remembered him saying how his step dad made him feel stupid. (not that he meant to. he just seemed better than smalls.) frankie didn't think he was.
she waved to the smaller boy and he did back before turning back to his parents.
her attention turned back to her record player that her mother (luckily) let her take outside, the cord was keeping the door open, which her mother hated. she placed the record inside and adjusted it, letting the music play as she hummed along. any bug she spotted she placed on her hands even if they bit.
"goldilocks!" the girl heard from the distance.
a boy who had been running stood in front of her, benny.
"you coming today?" he asked. "look i'm sorry about yesterday i don't know what it was about but i'm real sorry, sincerely."
she smiled. "it's fine, i was mad at myself don't worry about it. thank you though."
***
the day went by quicker than expected for all of them. by three pm the energy was kicked out of them faster than it was put in. it had been a good day for playing and frankie was happy she was invited once again. she thought about it as her feet hit every little rocked she kicked along the way to her house. she was glad, confused, and upset. she didn't know how to feel. that's what made it hard about liking benny. she had no clue how to feel. of course she liked him, there was no doubt. she just didn't know how she felt about having to accept it with the many outcomes that could happen and it being benny. all he cared for was baseball, right?
"see you guys tomorrow."
"see ya."
"bye, frankie."
she smiled waving back to the boys, benny and scotty, from her front door. she stared at benny a few seconds more before turning inside and going home.
these days i need to know if you're feeling it or i'm wasting my time your way or mine.
