Summer of "62" ~Benny Rodriguez

The campout

You: mom can I go to a campout with the boys
Mom: is it a sleepover
You: well ya but-
Mom: Lilly I trust you go ahead just be safe
You: thank you mom

I give her a hug before running upstairs and changing into a pair of sweatpants, a white t-shirt and a read flannel overtop. I hear a knock at the door and my mom yell for me.

Mom: Lilly Bennys here!
You: coming!

I run down the stairs before grabbing a jacket and my blanket that was laying on the couch. I throw on my PF flyers and run out after saying goodbye to my mom.

Benny: cmon Lilly hurry up
You: I'm coming I'm coming

He starts running and follow him, we get to the sandlot and go into Timmy and Tommy's backyard.
Benny and I climb into the treehouse before setting our stuff down. Everyone's having there own separate conversations when Smalls comes in.

Smalls: hey guys sorry im late my mom made me put on my Jacket then she made me do the dishes. I sit down by Ham and Smalls as they talk about s'mores but I'm not really focused on that. I'm just sitting looking at a bat that was laying on the ground when Benny comes and sits by me.

Benny: what's so important about the bat
You: I don't know what else to do
Benny: so you stare at a bat
You: well obviously something I interested you to come sit here as well
Benny: well it wasn't the bat
You: then what is it?

I look at him in the eyes and I hear him gulp I give him a smile and then Squints interrupts.

Squints: ok quite you guys

I look away from Benny and hear him sigh but I think nothing of it and we all look at Squints who's sitting at the ledge by the window.

Squints: Quite! Are you trying to wake it up! It just went to bed!
Smalls: what just went to bed?
All: shh! The beast
Smalls: Oh yeah!

Squints: shh! Now quite! The legend of the beast goes back a long time. Before any of us could even pick up a baseball. Back to a place called Mertles acres...

He continues on with the story telling everyone how the beast killed all the thief's and had to be chained up to the house for forever. I didn't believe the story I mean it was just a dog maybe it was big but it didn't kill people. It also was a guard dog it was trained to scare people away not kill them.

Squints finishes the story and Ham pipes in.

Ham: one kid did but nobody had ever seen him again
You: that isn't true it's just a dog you guys are just wussy's.
Ham: well it's true, the kid got eaten
Smalls: nuh uh, no, non of this is true you guys you guys are just making this up to scare me.

Squints hops down from the ledge before stepping closer to Smalls.

Squints: stick your head out that window and look down.

Everyone backs up to the other side of the treehouse but me I stay seated we're I was. Smalls looks out and a couple seconds later he turns around and moves away from the window yelling.

Smalls: he's down there
Squints: ya he is
Ham: whatever goes over that fence stays there
Squints: becomes the property of the beast, forever.
You: oh god and I thought the girls I hung out with were dramatic
Benny: your telling me your not scared of the beast at all
You: it's a guard dog you guys
Bertram; a evil guard dog that kills people
You: you guys are too much

I say as I stand up and walk to my blanket and grab it. I place it down before Benny grabs it and moves it over to we're his sleeping bag is.

You: Benny!
Benny: what? You don't have a sleeping bag and I don't have a blanket.
Squints: eww there gone cuddle while we're all in here
You: stuff it squints

I grab the blanket out of Bennys hand and lay it on top of his sleeping bag. I look and see Ham sitting my the candles that are still lit so I stand up and walk to him before blowing them out.

You: your gonna burn down the treehouse

I walk back to Benny and sit down on the floor.

Squints: I'm going to bed
Yeah yeah: yeah yeah it's 12:00

They all move to there sleeping bags and lay down Benny and I lay down on his sleeping bag both under my blanket facing the opposite ways. Around 25 minutes later I hear light snores coming from most of the boys. So I stands up and quietly walk out of the treehouse before hoping the fence and going to the sandlot. I walk onto the grass and lay down looking at the stars when I hear footsteps approaching.

"Lilly"
You: who is it?
"It's Benny"

He walks to me and lays down beside me.

Benny: why are you out here in the middle of the night.
You: I can't sleep
Benny: you can never sleep
You: I know that's why I go outside

There's a long pause and I sit there just thinking

You: you know sometimes I wonder if my dad is proud of me.
Benny: I know how you feel.

I sit up and look at him he looks back down at me and sighs.

Benny: my dad passed away a couple years ago
You: I'm sorry
Benny: ya, he wanted to play in the MLB but never made it so I guess that's why I'm so invested in Baseball.
You: your dads probably very proud of you, and you have nothing to worry about your the best baseball player I know.
Benny: thanks Lils

Bennys point of view

Shit I just called her by a nickname that's embarrassing. But she looks up at me and giggles before giving me that adorable smile she always does that melts my heart every time I see her. Oh god I do like this girl. She starts blushing before looking up again and resting her head on my chest.

Lilly: I like that
Benny: like what?
Lilly: the nickname

I smile at her and feel my cheeks heat up, thank god it's dark out or else this would be embarrassing. I hear her yawn and she sits up before looking at me tiredly.

Lilly's point of view
You: cmon let's go back

I pull Benny up to his feet and we both walk back to the treehouse. We sneak past all of the boys and lay down. I get under the blankets and face away from Benny before I feel his arm slither around my waist. I move back a little bit so I'm closer to him and drift off to sleep.