head over heels | benny rodriguez, the sandlot

| chapter forty nine |

That night I cried for what felt like hours, my eyes swollen and puffy as Diane stroked my knotted hair until I drifted asleep.

After waking up in a blurry haze, D let me use her shower and borrow a pair of clothes in hopes of pulling me out of the depression I had been in for the past week.

My damp feet sticking to the marble floors, I made my way back into her room as I combed through my matted ends.

"Hey babe, you feelin' better?"

"Yeah," I sighed, rubbing my eyes, "I'm really sorry again-"

"Elle. You have no reason to be apologizing to me."

"Okay," I chuckled, sitting next to her in bed.

"So while you were sleepin' in, I did some brainstorming..."

"Oh god," I chuckled, "And?"

She furrowed her brows as she stared at a pad of paper. "You leave in how many days?"

"Six." I winced.

"Mkay, mkay..." The girl mumbled, frantically flipping through papers as she scribbled and scratched the ink across the sheets. "So that means... your big going away party should take place on the 22nd?"

I choked, "Going away party?! No no no I-"

D placed a cold finger against my lips, "Uh uh, don't wanna hear it, it's happening whether you show up or not. Plus, your mopey ass needs to get drunk with me one last time. I've invited the whole town already, so no more buts."

"Fine."

"So the 22nd of August, we're goin' all out, just for you. Biggest party of the year, okay, so you better be there."

"I love you, D."

"That's what I like to hear." The girl grinned, wrapping an arm around my shoulder as her braids laid gently across my chest, "And what's your favorite alcohol just for reference? Vodka? Whiskey? Tequi-"

"Anything."

"I'll make sure to write that down!"

-

As I made the arduous journey back home, that ache returned my chest.

That feeling - as corny as it is - when you practically feel your entire world crumble under your fingers, and you can do absolutely nothing to stop it.

Tears sparked once again during the silent walk, no longer filled by the mixtapes the boys gave me to listen to at night.

No more campouts, no more scamming pool honeys, as gross as it is, no more night games, no more stupid jokes, no more laughs.

No more ball, either.

Jesus christ, what I would do to be with them on that field one last time.

To be there with him. Even if just for a second.

-

As my heavy eyes gazed out the window, the same window I looked out of during my first sunset here, I watched as the sky faded to the same shade of purple and blue, behind the same picket fences, reflecting onto the same street.

It was almost uncomfortably similar to the first night I spent here, when I knew zero people in this damn town. Times really do change, don't they?

And, oddly enough - just like that night, I saw a brunette boy appear over the horizon.

Am I seeing shit?

The figure, nearing the glass, was alone this time, gripping something tightly in his right hand, the left wiping his face.