community service / benny rodriguez

chapter 1

summer of 1963

i opened my eyes and checked my clock next to my bed, i slept until 1 on the first day of summer, I feel accomplished already.

i went downstairs to my kitchen to see that my mom had left for work and left some money on the counter for me to go shopping, perfect!

some people would call me spoiled but I would just like to think of it like everyone's jealous I'm better than them, and of course, I can't blame them. I've dated almost everyone at school, except for those sandlot boys, but I think they'd rather date a baseball than a female, but who would be interested in those filthy pigs anyway?

i picked up the money and smiled to myself. this was going to be a great summer!

-----

"arsenia!!", I heard the familiar voice of my best friend, corin, call out to me while I was in the shopping centre by our neighborhood using the money my mother had given to me.

i smiled at my blonde haired blue eyed best friend, "hey doll, don't you look cute", she didn't really though, her outfit was in the gutter but it's not like I was gonna tell her, im not THAT bad of a friend.

everyone always considered me as "mean", but I never saw it, I just tell the brutal truth. they think I have a perfect life but little do they know I've never seen my father before in my life, he left right after my mom found out she was pregnant with me and she's never seen him since.

i guess it was hard at first because all my friends would talk about how they couldn't wait to do this and that with their father and I could never relate, maybe that's why everyone thought I was mean. but I'm not mean, I just trust no one.

"how about we check out these dresses arsenia?", corin questioned, snapping me out of my thoughts.

i smiled as I walked into the store, "darling, I love your ideas". we both giggled as a store clerk walked over to help us.

benny's pov

squints and ham laughed as bertram burped the abcs for the 5th time today. I'll admit it was funny at first but after the 3rd time me , DeNunez and the rest of us had gotten sick of it.

we were supposed to be playing baseball right now but all the boys were complaining about how it's too hot. I didn't even focus on the heat anymore. baseball was my game and as soon as I was tuned in, nothing could get me out of my mindset.

"benny, it's too hot I don't want to go back to the field!", yeah-yeah complained. I rolled my eyes and turned back at him, "if it was too hot then why'd you even come out today yeah-yeah? and I mean it at all of you. if you didn't feel like playing then why'd you make me waste my time-"

"speaking of wasting time", timmy added, "here comes the wicked witch of the west".

all the boys started groaning so I whipped around to see who they were talking about. as soon as I turned around I ran into no other than, arsenia bianchi, as she dropped her shopping bags.

"oh I'm sorry", I smirked, "did the little princess drop her shopping bags".

arsenia rolled her eyes, "you know what Rodriguez?".

"what?", I questioned with a cocked eyebrow and a smirk plastered across my face.

"you really think you and your little disgustingly sweaty baseball friends can be on my side of the shopping centre, well you got it wrong Rodriguez, because I'm sick of you not watching where you're going and next time, you're cruising for a bruising, go back to your dusty little baseball field", she smirked back but I just shook my head.

"oh really, arsenia", I spat at her, "then why don't you MAKE me".

and with that she got closer and closer, making me step back. I didn't want to breathe the same air as a spoiled persons, it's bad for my lungs.

soon I was at the very edge of the side walk,
I guess neither of us saw this elderly lady, mrs. summers behind me because I backed up one more time and she fell over.

next thing I know, there was ambulance sirens and me and arsenia were in the back of a police car.

----

arsenia's pov

"do you kids know how lucky you are that mrs. Summer's isn't dead. she's almost 97, this could've been her last day with us do you kids understand?", mr. bruce, one of the police officers, interrogated us while we sat across from him in his office.

me and benny glanced at each other and I rolled my eyes. one more second with him and I think I was gonna puke.

i batted my eyelashes, "of course we understand mr. Bruce!!, you're so nice for giving us no punishment by the way!", I exclaimed as I started to get out of my seat.

mr. bruce glared at me, "not so fast ms. bianchi. I'm assigning you and Benny community service. together. you guys are going to have to learn to get a long someday".

benny stood up quickly in his seat , "mr. Bruce", he started as he glanced at me, "I don't think you understand. me and arsenia would much rather like to work. separate. we get along perfectly!!".

but as much as Benny tried, he wasn't a good liar. well not as good as me anyway.

mr. Bruce wouldn't budge though, "I've already made up my mind. you two. here. tomorrow. do we understand?".

"yes sir", me and Benny both mumbled as we stood up and walked out his office door.

"it's all your fault you see if-"

"my fault?!?!? you pushed me into her a-"

"AND NO FIGHTING!!", mr. Bruce yelled and I pushed benny with my shoulder as I walked past him.

this is going to be a long summer.
--------
sorry this chapter is really short but it's just a description basically of what happened and how they got in that place but yeah! hope you enjoy :)