when we got to the cul de sac everyone from my neighborhood was there. Talking, Laughing, Having fun. My parents would have loved this.
Valentina drags me to Mrs Porter who happened to be chatting with Mrs Rodriguez.
"Hey Mrs Porter my mom had made tamales for the neighborhood" Val says to her smiling
"How sweet, tell you mother she should stop by one day so we could have a drink and catch up" she says
"And who is this?" Mrs Porter asks
"This is Coraline" Val says smiling still
"Coraline" Mrs Rodriguez says and i cocked a brow, with benny and ham behind us i'm sure they were confused too.
"Coraline, oh my god your- you Janes daughter" she said cheerful coming up to me and hugging me
"oh mija i haven't seen your mom in ages how is she" she says smiling, i just look at Val and she gives me a look, i knew i had to tell her.
"uh Mrs Rodriguez, i'm really sorry you have to find out this way" i started off seeing Val giving me an apologetic look while benny and ham gave me a confused look.
"um my mom and dad passed away 4 years ago in a car accident" i finish looking up at her. she looks down and her face dropped. and then she immediately looked up at me and gave me a sad expression.
"aww mija i'm so sorry, your mom was a wonderful women, and so was your father" she says
"um it's okay, and thankyou" i said
"mija where are you living?" she asks
"right over there" i pointed to my hosue
"your still living there? with who?" she asks
"um by myself" i cheekily smile
"mija what! no you can't be living by yourself your only a teenager, you can get lonely" she says
"i'm fine, i visit mr merlin every week, and Valentina mom always makes me food and invites me over, trust me i'm never alone" i smile knowing that the last part was a lie. i'm always alone.
"mija you can come over whenever you need someone to be your mom for a minute, i'll be here for you, your mom was there for me, and imma be there for you" she says hugging me once again
"thankyou mrs. rodriguez" i smile
i turn around and see benny and ham giving me a sorry look. i just nod my head in acknowledgment.
i leave the conversation and walk back to my house. i sit on my lawn with my back against a tree. thinking of my mom and dad. they were on their way to the airport because dad had been offered to play for major league baseball. dad and my grandpa taught me everything. Even Val. i felt a presence next to me. and i see benny sitting down next to me.
"how come you didn't tell me and ham the other day?" he asked looking into his lap
"i wasn't really planning on telling your mom, but she deserved to know, she knew my parents i couldn't go a day without telling her" i said lowly
"well thankyou as far as i know they were good friends" he sighs we sat in silence for a while.
"As much as i love to piss you off, your cool, you should start coming by the sandlot" he smiles and i let out a chuckle.
"yeah i could" i smile
"we go everyday around 8" he says and i nod
"i'm going to head inside, goodnight benny" i smile rolling my eyes at him
"goodnight core" he says
"you don't get to call me that, only Val" i said walking into my home.
The Next morning i woke up around 7:30, i put on a black long sleeve with a baggy nirvana shirt with some baggy dark blue jeans and some all black of flyers. i put my hair in a messy bun and grab my glove. and in perfect time of making a sandwich there's a knock on the door.
"come in" i yell
i see Smalls and Benny come into the kitchen.
"you guys want one?" i ask
"sure" smalls says happily
"no i'm okay" benny says
"wacko" i mumble
"huh?" he asks and i just shake my head
"you live here all alone?" smalls asks and i simply nod
"man that sure feels like it could get really lonely" he says stuffing his face
i finish making my sandwich, so i nod the boys to the door as a q to leave. i lock the door. and we start walking to the sandlot. they had their own conversation going and i just ate my sandwich. we met the boys at vincent's drug store to get a ball. they were all arguing for who was buying so i snuck in without being noticed and bought a ball.
i walked outside and saw that benny saw me. but i just kept walking.
"uh where are you going?" he asks in annoyances due to them just argueing, i just nod my way to the sandlot and point to the unopened ball in my hand.
the boy cheer only because they didn't have to pay. and we continue to walk. they have their own conversation while i suck on a popsicle i bought and kicked the rocks as i walk.
"here coraline" benny says, i look down to see money. i just shake my head. and continue to walk.
"bro don't be like that just take the money" he groans and i stop in my tracks.
"first off i'm not your bro, i'm a girl, who is much better at your own sport than you so, you should be praising me, after all i'm-" i slap my hand over my mouth
"what?" he glares at me confused
"nothing but second of all i already paid, so bug off will ya?" i says before shoving my popsicle back into my mouth.
we soon arrive to the sandlot they get settled in and i sadly finish my popsicle.
"so coraline" ham starts off
"what positions you play" he asks
"i'm a utility player" i mumbled low
"that's a bunch of bogus" he says
"you can be a pitcher?" benny asks in curiosity and i nod
"fine if you can strike me out, you have you have my respect" kenny says
he grabs the bat from bennys hand and ham puts his catcher mask on. i put my glove on and walk to the mound.
"a left handed pitcher, what a bunch of crap" yeah-yeah says
i kick the dirt and make it to where i was comfortable to pitch. i do my wind up and pitch a fast ball right down the middle.
"woah" i hear from the timmons boys
"that's has to be like almost 80 miles per hours" bertram says
"okay okay" kenny says
since he had 1 strike i'll hit him with a screw ball, then change up the speed.
i windup and pitch a screw making the ball go towards kenny and hitting the inside spot, making him swing.
"strike two" i mumble
i pitch another one but being a change up form around 80s to being 50, he swung before the ball made it across the plate.
"strike three your out" ham yells
