head over heels | benny rodriguez, the sandlot

| chapter two |

The dark shadow of a figure engulfs my eyelids, and something warm touches my shoulder, gently shaking me as I regain consciousness.

"Elle, wake up, we're here!"

Though I slept the entire time, the album managed to play ten times. Impressive.

I gently stretched my arms out as my eyes flicker open.

The late stages of the sunset fill the sky with complete darkness, along with the scattered splotches of blue and purple, so my pupils adjust to the dim car lights pretty quickly.

Sitting up straight and pulling down the tank top that had managed to become backwards over the drive, I yanked the cords off and stumbled out of the car.

"Holy shit," I muttered to myself as I took in the faint sun falling over the horizon, "Hey momma, where are we?"

"Your grandparents silly!" She cheered as she grabbed me by the shoulders and whipped me around, now facing my new home for the next three months.

I squint my eyes to get a better look. It's a decent-sized home, painted gray and shackled with off-white roof tiles. There's a large entrance door with a patio, surrounded by dozens of shrubs and plants, all neatly trimmed and aligned, along with large glass windows flaunting the clean interior.

Very nice.

My mom has visited here before, and sure, I've talked to my grandparents on the phone, leaving me alone with two strangers the whole summer seems like a pretty fucked up idea.

Ever since I found out I was coming here, I can never get rid of the idea that my grandparents could be serial killers, and they end up pulling some total Ted Bundy shit on me? Or what if they trap me in a secret room under the floorboards, where I'm forced to eat dirt and worms? God, what if these people aren't even my actual grandparents, and they're some psyco impersonators waiting until my mom leaves so they can-

"Giselle, are you okay?" My head jolted to look at my mother, spotting an extremely concerned look on her face.

"What?I'm fine! Just zoned out for a little I guess." I shot her an uncomfortably fake grin and made my way over to the trunk to grab my belongings.

"Elle, Elle, look who it is!"

I anxiously peaked my head around the car to see her holding the hands of two elderly folks. I walk over to them to get a closer look at the two and see them both smiling with delight. Soon enough, their arms are wrapped tightly around my torso, as a hand pats the top of my head.

"Oh Giselle, you don't know how long we've been waiting to meet you!"

This is gonna be a long night, I can already tell.

-

After an extremely long 4-hour spaghetti dinner of catching up on the past fifteen years of my life with my grandparents, as well as explaining every life detail that I've experienced up until now, they finally gave me a brief house tour, as well as showing me to my new room.

"Now on the left, my dear, is your room. The bathroom is in there on the left, and I left towels under the sink and fresh blankets in the closet."

Damn, I have my own bathroom?

I step into the room and set my luggage down to get a full view of the room. My room happens to be on the first floor, but there's still a shocking amount of room in here.

There's a queen-sized bed with a white shag carpet, a bedside table with a fun antique lamp, a large ceiling fan to combat the California heat, a closet that could fit at least 6 of me inside, as well as a connected bathroom with a walk-in shower. There's also one of the huge windows I was talking about that leads out to the other houses in the neighborhood. My mom told me my grandparents were well off, but not THIS well off.

"Wow." I stood there in shock.

"Is something wrong? Do you not like it? I can find you another room sweetie, let me just-"

"No grandma, it's wonderful. Thank you."

"Oh, well aren't you just the cutest thing! Sucha sweetie." She chuckled, her laughter filling the dull room as she pinches my cheeks and shuffles towards the doorway. "But come with me, you should go say goodbye to your mama, she's leaving now."

-

"Alright Elle, guess it's time for me to hit the road, gotta get back for my shift tomorrow." My mom says as she pulls me in for a tight hug. "Now baby, all I ask is just be safe okay? And try not to stay inside all summer. Make the most of it, mkay?"

"Of course, mom, don't worry." Pulling me away with tears in her eyes, the dark haired woman kissed me on the forehead.

Slowly, she turned around, muttering a loving goodbye to her parents, and soon enough she's out the door.

"Bye Giselle, I love you!"

"Love you too mom." The door slams shut, leaving just me, my grandparents, and the wooden panels beneath our feet. I shuffled my feet and stared at the floor, just waiting for someone to say something.

After a long ten seconds of silence, my grandpa breaks the tension, "Well kiddo, it's already close to midnight, you should be gettin' to bed. Got a long day ahead of you tomorrow!"

"If you insist! Goodnight then." I smiled as I turned the corner of the hallway.

"Nice to finally see you in person Elle, get some rest." My grandma called out with her raspy voice down the corridor as I shut the door.

Sighing, I flopped on the bare mattress of my new bed, looking up at the ceiling to give myself a second to process the encounter.

It honestly couldn't have gone better, plus I have my own bare room to decorate and grandparents who aren't serial killers.

Quickly unpacking one of my luggage's, I grabbed a hairbrush and toothbrush, along with a black baggy pair of Adidas shorts, and a random lace spaghetti strap tank top.

Even though I looked like absolute shit, no ounce of energy existed in my body that would make me fix my face. Guess the 7-hour nap I took in the car didn't cover the exhaustion I've faced after the slow conversation at dinner.

I threw on my fresh clothes and put up my hair, before brushing my teeth and splashing some water on my face.

Clicking the lamp off as I bundle up in the blanket laying at the foot of the bed, laying my head against the naked pillow

Maybe this won't be so bad.