Curveball: A Sandlot Fan-Fiction☆

11☆The Confrontation

That night, after the 'hangout'—which turned out to be a date with Benny—Y/n was laying in bed, staring at the ceiling. Both Bertram and Benny had kissed her within less than twenty-four hours. Although she'd actually wanted to kiss Benny, she also knew Ham liked her and didn't want to hurt his feelings. Furthermore, how would Bertram react? She figured she had to tie up some loose ends at least. Like how Bertram had kissed her and given her a teddy bear without showing a single sign before then that he even liked her. She rolled over to face the wall, trying desperately to fall asleep, but she couldn't stop thinking. But eventually, somehow, some way, she fell asleep after deciding she had to confront Bertram about how she felt.

The next morning, Y/n rose drowsily, the sun shimmering through her window. She got dressed slowly and it felt like every joint in her body had been filled with glue. She grabbed the teddy bear Bertram had given her from her nightstand and shuffled reluctantly down the creaky wooden steps of her home and into the kitchen. Y/n's dad stood at the counter, pouring coffee into his usual chipped ceramic mug. He glanced over, alerted of Y/n's presence from the groaning of the floor. He smiled, the same smile Y/n also possessed and had seen every day of her life. "Good morning, hon. You look like you haven't slept a wink in... quite a while."
Good-naturedly, she rolled her eyes, "Wow, thanks dad." He shrugged, "No lies have been told. Start getting more rest. Hey, where's the bear from?" She glanced down at the teddy bear in her arm, "A friend won it for me at the carnival the other night."
Grabbing an apple from the fruit basket her mother kept on the counter, she slipped on shoes and headed out the door, the teddy bear hugged by her side. Of course, however, she made sure to let the household know she was leaving but would be back later.
Y/n meandered down the street, scarfing down the apple in only a few large chomps with one hand and under her free arm she held the teddy bear. Finally, she came upon the towering house which she believed belonged to Bertram's family. She walked up the front stoop and raised her free hand to knock on the dark and looming front door. She knocked thrice and waited for someone to answer.
After seemingly ten millennia passed, the door slowly shrieked open. Her heart pounded and she held the bear to her chest until she saw Bertram's almost equally tired face peek out. He smiled welcomingly and hopefully at her and a surprising rush of relief passed through her once she saw that it was not in fact witches who lived in this medieval castle home. However, the relief was short-lived when she remembered why she was here.
"Bertram, we need to talk." The smile on his face quickly faded when he heard her tone. He furrowed his brows and stepped outside, shutting the squealing door behind him. "What- what is it, Y/n?"
Y/n studied Bertram's expression and she almost couldn't find her words. "Bertram, you shouldn't have kissed me on the ferris wheel. I didn't even know you liked me! And- and- you could've asked me! I've just been so con—" He cuts her off quickly, "Y/n! It was a dare, okay?"
Y/n just stared at him in disbelief, the words It was a dare, It was a dare, It was a dare, echoed in her mind. Bertram stuffed his hands in his pockets and looked at the teddy bear in Y/n's arms, seemingly ashamed. Once she broke from her shocked stupor she asked, "Who dared you then?"
"Huh?"
"If it was a dare, someone had to have dared you so, who dared you?"
"Uh— Timmy?" She raised her eyebrow critically, "Is that a question?"
"Does it really matter who dared me?"
"Yeah." Bertram looked somewhat annoyed, "Okay, yeah, it was Timmy."
"Why?"
"Jesus, Y/n, what do you mean 'why'?"
"I mean why the hell would he dare you to kiss me! That's disgusting!" Bertram merely shrugged.
"So what about this damn bear then," She asked more aggressively than intended, holding the bear in front of her own face. He looked taken aback, "What of it?"
"If it was 'just a dare', why'd you give me that bear?" Because I really do like you, was what he really wanted to say. But instead, "Also part of the dare?"
"Unbelievable. Take the damn thing back then," She shoved it at him and stormed away.

When she got home she saw Smalls looking lonely, walking away from her front door. She jogged up to him, calling as she went, "Hey! Smalls!" He turned to her and a smile flashed across his face, "Hey! Where were you, especially this early?"
"It's a long story."