A Second Chance//Timber Fanfic (The Sandlot 3)

10. Same Old Val

Tommy's P.O.V:
Timber was denying that he had a crush. Typical boy. I knew he did, I mean come on. They had their first kiss here in the sandlot. How could I forget, even though I wasn't supposed to be their, I was spying. Yeah, not a very good move but hey, you gotta do whatcha gotta do.

The team is getting better and Timber finally and hopefully gotten over his spaghetti arm phase. Valerie was gathering her stuff together and I decided to ask her. "So, what do you think of Timber?" She furrowed her eyebrows. "He's nice" she smiled. "Yeah?" I questioned. "Yeah" she nodded innocently. This was my second chance and I wasn't going to screw up.

"What in the world is a cotillion?" We'd just arrived and we've gotten a invitation in the mail. "Well, Tommy a cotillion is like a dance just real fancy like" Valerie explained. "And for some reason E.J's having one for buying the sandlot" she added. "Im not going" I protested.

"Yes you are" Mom said placing dinner on the table. "But mom, E.J's our enemy and-" I tried explaining but she cut me off before I could continue. "No buts, show your enemies kindness and you win the whole game" she winked. "Where did you hear that?" I questioned. "No where in particular, maybe you and your little friends can go" she added sitting at the table. "But mom, like I said they're the enemy, E.J trying to take the sandlot away from-" mom just sputtered and finally got me to stop. "How come Valerie's not complaining and you are?" She joked. I rolled my eyes and continued eating my chili. "When is it?" Valerie questioned. "The day after tomorrow" I muttered. Mom left the table and went to bed leaving us two to talk.

"Look, Tommy I don't want to go either but it's courtesy." Valerie explained. She put her dish in the sink and rinsed it. "Don't you remember what he said to you?" I scoffed. I remembered when were at the soda fountain and he'd told my sister about our sick mother and dad. "Well maybe forgiving isn't that bad" Valerie snapped before making her way upstairs to her room.

I lay in bed tossing a ball up and down. Maybe Val was right. Forgiving isn't so bad. I can't write my own destiny. Change the past. Drifting off to sleep devising plans in my head as usual, I drifted off.

"Ready?" I questioned as I readied my bike. Valerie nodded and we set out for the sandlot. I cherished moments like this. Where Valerie would stand on her peddles and the breeze blow threw her brown curls. I liked biking an ounce more than usual all because of the fact that I missed my sister. While I was here, I've promised myself to enjoy my sister and my mother much more than I had then. I wanted to right my wrongs and more importantly make better decisions.

Everyone had gathered around Valerie as she read of the words written on the invitation. "What's a cotillion?" D.P questioned. "Something we're not going to" Wings snapped. "I am" Valerie added somberly. The team snapped at her and questioned why she would do such a thing. "Guys, it's the right thing to do" Valerie added. "Yeah, my mom is making me go too" Timber added and nudged Valerie a bit. They both looked up and smiled at each other and I felt my heart leap a little. They both looked down awkwardly afterward.

"Come on guys, we can scout out the competition" Timber added. "They'll have food there" Valerie added obviously targeting Two Ton. "I'm in" Two Ton said. "Me too" Wok added. "Completely in" Q said. "Fine" Wings added. "In" Roll said. Ryan nodded and we all figured we were going to a cotillion tomorrow night. "Meet me here at 6, it'll be at town hall- And dress nice" Valerie had devised. The team nodded and we set off for practice.

I got to thinking about how good of a leader Valerie is. How she can somehow get everyone to follow her. She had just gotten the whole team to agree to go into enemies territory. That's the thing I'd forgotten about my sister. She was a natural born leader.

We practiced on sliding, pitching and out fielding. I'm planning on us to work on hitting tomorrow, maybe even get Valerie to bat. The team really needed to see what she could do. They'd be amazed at what she can do. If I could only get her actually step up to the plate and bat.

I watched as Timber and Valerie sat next to each other and chatted during break. No matter how much they denied they really did depend on each other. If it worked. If I saved her. Will I get to see their wedding day, will they stay together. I smiled to myself just thinking of how that would be. Middle school sweethearts sticking together.

"Hey Tommy, I'm going over to Timber's for a little while is that ok?" She asked as we started to gather our things to go home. I smirked, "Yeah, I'll let mom know" I said getting on my bike. "Great, thanks!" She nodded and headed over to where Timber was holding her bike. "Thanks" i heard her say. "Bye guys!" Valerie waved before riding off with Timber.

She's the same old Valerie I remember. The same natural born leader. The same kind person. The same person that you would always want to be around. The same person that Timber was hopelessly in love with. The same person that was hopeless in love with Timber. The same person I and forever will love as a sister.