Pool Hunny // Benny Rodriguez

16.

Caroline. 

I drummed my fingers against the window pane bored, it was pouring with rain outside, warm rain, but rain nonetheless and we were all bored out of our minds. I turned to my friends, "lets play some bikini baseball." Words that rarely came out of my mouth. 

Kenny frowned, "what's that?"

"It's basically a chill version of baseball we liked to play in weather like this. And because it's raining we play in swimming stuff so that it doesn't matter if we get wet." Ashlyn explained, "it's tons of fun."

"Sounds great." Benny agreed, but of course he would think that. He was a total baseball nerd. 

"We play with a soft ball too because we don't use mits when we play." Parker added.

We grabbed out things quickly and got dressed before I sent the boys to grab the equipment from the basement. I knocked my my Dad's bedroom door, if Katherine hadn't been there I wouldn't have bothered because he was usually just reading but the last thing I wanted was to walk in on them. 

"Yes?" He called. "Who is it?" 

"It's me, Caroline!" I called back. I could hear his footsteps across the carpet before he opened the door, "what's up honey?" 

I had decided to be nice today, I had woken up on the right side of the bed and my long needed break on the boat had replenished my energy. "We're going to play some bikini baseball, do you want to come?"

He grinned, "of course I do. I can't miss an opportunity to show your friends how it's done." he replied. 

I practically beamed at his reply, at least some traditions were being kept. This had always been my mother's favourite game and it was one of mine too. "But baby it's raining!" Katherine complained. As if I would have invited her to play, stupid cow. I could hear my father laugh, "Katherine darling, that's the whole point." he replied before joining me at the door a smile that I hadn't seen in a while on his face. 

"Mr Baker!" Benny said surprised as he walked into the garden, "I didn't know you were playing." 

He picked up a bat off the ground, "it's time you lot see how the real pros play." He told us makig everyone laugh. We all lined up across the lawn and I pitched him a ball, my father whacked the softball across the garden which had Benny and Emmy sprinting to catch it. "Trip him!" I called to Parker as my father ran past and je jokingly stuck out his foot. 

The whole fun about the game is that we were all monsterous cheaters, it kept things far more interesting in my opinion. Ash was the next to bat, she hit the ball before running off around the bases where Will blocked her way until she pushed him over so she could get to the next ball. 

"Go and show them how it's done!" My father called to me as he took the ball from me. I grinned grabbing the bat from the floor and getting ready to hit. I watched as the bright yellow ball streaked through the rain before I whacked it as hard as I could across the grass. I started running around the bases. I could feel someone grab me around the wasit lifting me away from the ground. 

I laughed trying to pull out of their grip, "not so fast princess." 

Well that pretty much gave away who he was, "put me down!" I exclaimed all though it wasn't very threatening because I was still laughing, "you're just jealous that I hit the best homer you've ever seen." 

"Yeah right." Benny replied joining in on my laughing. I watched as Emmy threw the ball towards him and used him moment of momentary distraction to elbow him and free myself. I started running but I could feel him grab my arm and pull me back sharply as someone else yelled "CEE WATCH OUT!" 

One of the trees on the garden crashed to the ground right where I had been standing seconds ago. A small fire that was quickly put out by the rain fizzling along the trunk. It had been hit by lightning, "shit!" I swore as the thunder above us starte to rumble. 

We grabbed all of the things before sprinting back inside the house, the weather was getting a bit too dangerous for this. Benny was still holding my hand by the time we got inside, and he dropped it quickly embarassed. I helped him carry the things to the basment. The lightning flashed illuminating the whole room making me flinch. 

"Not scared of a little thunderstorm are you?" Benny asked teasingly.

I scoffed, "as if." But when the thunder crashed loudly above me I jumped grabbing onto his arm,  Benny smirked down at me, "oh yeah, you're really brave." 

I looked up at him scowling the light outside illuminating his face, we were both stil dripping wet and very minimally dressed, I forced myself not to look down out of pure curiosity. He would never let me hear the end of it. His eyes stared into mine and for a second it felt like we were frozen. 

"Benny! Caroline!" I heard someone above us shout snapping us out of it, "come upstairs and grab your towels before you catch a cold!" 

He broke away from me and jogged up the stairs, I shuddered pushig away the werid moment. "What the hell was that?" I muttered walking up the stairs. I grabbed my towel upstairs before going into my room to have a shower and get changed. 

I grabbed a pair of my favourite light blue and white striped, drawstring pyjama trousers before pulling on one of my father's faded Yankees sweatshirt. I french braided my hair into two pigtail plaits before going back downstairs to the living room where we were all getting ready to watch a movie. 

I caught Rodriguez staring, "what are you looking at?" I aksed defensively. This wasn't like on the boat where I hadn't minded his attention, after the wierd little moment in the basement I'd been caught off guard. "Nothing, I've just never seen you dress like that before." He replied. 

That was true, he usually saw me when I was done up and perfect. I scowled at him, "well stop." 

He mimicked my expression, "alright, alright." 

I sat down Emmy and Ash on either side and switched on the TV, I needed a big distraction.