Like A Girl//Benny Rodriguez fanfic

11.

Babe's POV: 5th of May 1965
I felt queasy just at the thought of it. I was starting a brand new school and everyone already knew that I kicked Phillips ass and threatened Bryce Kennedy. I groaned and looked up at the ceiling at my poster of my grandpa.
"Grandpa, what do I do?" I whispered. I felt ridiculous talking to a paper poster but it did help, I did it every time I had a problem and couldn't talk to anyone else.
It was currently 7:40am, I was supposed to be up an 30 minutes ago so I could decide what I'm wearing, this is obviously not the case. My phone made a sharp shrill, I leaped out of bed to go and get it before it woke up my parents.
"Hello." I croaked into the phone.
"Ew you sound like a man." Lucy chirped in disgust somehow.
"What do you want from me it's 7:40 in the morning!" I whisper-hissed.
"Well excuse me for trying to help you out of a fashion emergency. Have you decided what you're wearing? You're new and have to make a good first impression."
"No. Listen Lucy, I'm going to bed. I'll find out what I'm wearing." I yawned into the phone.
"Wait! You can't just show up in anything! You have to-
I slammed the phone down into the receiver and stomped back to bed.
My alarm clock shrilled in my ear. I dragged my hand out of the warmth of the blanket and slammed it onto the blue clock. I pulled my tired self out of bed and turned on the shower. I got in and closed my eyes as I let the water run down my spine.
After coming out of the shower and decided to crack open some off this avocado and guava hair spray stuff that Ruby got in Mexico. I spritzed some on my hair and ruffled it. My mom was awake.
I quickly threw on some bell bottoms and a turtleneck.
"Come on if you want me to do your hair you have to hurry baby." My mom called from downstairs. I grabbed my empty school bag from off my table and hurried down.
My mom simply did my hair in a simple 60's up do ponytail, which I could do but we both preferred she did it. I took a seat at the dinner table which had been set up for breakfast. I took a bite of my waffle. Most people when nervous, tend to lose the appetite, whereas mine increases. My dad came down the stairs in his suit. He had a big meeting today for a big job interview. I packed my pencil case, books, baseball glove, my Phys ed clothes, and my lunch in my backpack.
"Okay, we have to go." My mom rushed I through the door, I jumped in the backseat of the car and we drove off.
"Honey, you nervous?" My dad ask me checking the rear view.
"Never ever." I lied smiling at my dad. We were here. I looked at the school building nervously and got out the car.
"Okay Babs. We love you and we'll see after school." My mom said waving me goodbye. It looked so big and menacing.
"BARBIE!" I heard a high pitched voice scream. It was Ruby in a blue dress. She ran upto me and hugged you.
"I love your outfit! I had no idea you were a hippy." She exclaimed.
"Ruby, I'm not a hippie." I told her with a puzzled look on my face.
"Oh...well it's still cute." She smiled sheepishly. I just sighed.
She walked with my into the school. Everyone seemed busy, focusing on what they were doing, talking to friends.
"Ok, so we've gotta get your schedule from my mom. She works at the front desk." Ruby said taking a short turn.
We reached the desk.
"Hello mom."
"Hello Mrs Penstucky." I greeted.
"Hey girls. Normally I'd say call me Helen by since we're at school different rules have to 'apply." Helen said putting quotation marks in the air. We got the schedule from her and went to my locker.
"Ohhh. You're locker is right next Ally's and Squints'. Then across the hall is Benny's and next to his, is my locker. The rest of our friends are not to far away." She said handing me my schedule.
"It's the first day back from summer vacay. And we are passing the B lockers and here is Ruby P. Hey Ruby what's new any new gossip?" A girl with curly blonde hair asked Ruby sticking a recorder in her face.
"I'm afraid not Diana-
"Ooohhh! Whose this?! Ladies and sad excuse for gentlemen we have a new student! Whose name is...
"Barbra Ruth." I said
"Barbra Ruth, I know you're fresh meat around here but got any gossip?" She asked dramatically.
"I'm sorry Diana, I don't." I said closing my locker. She wished me a good first day and moved on along the hall.
"Well, you look nice." Benny said coming out of nowhere leaning on my locker.
"Why thanks." I gushed sarcastically shaking around my the fringes of my jacket. The school bell ringed really loud.
"B14? You've got Squints and Ally. Pretty sweet." He said holding his books up to his chest. We began to walk up the hall.
"Well, I've got home room. So I got to bounce." I said stopping at a door.
"Well, have a nice day and I'll see you after class." He said.
"Wait." I said sticking out my cheek. He came back and gave me a quick peck on the cheek. I smirked at walked into the class. Slowly, everyone else began to forward in.
"Hello class. As you know I'm Mr Handlesee." The bald man at the front said. "Before we start any class I would like to introduce a new student."
He beckoned me to the front class which I dreaded. I nervously stood up and walked to the front.
"This is Barbra. Barbra, would you like to tell us about yourself?"
"I'm Barbra Ruth. I'm 14 years old, I'm from New York and I love baseball." I spoke. A lot of the boys had a look when I said I love baseball.
I took a seat as the lesson began.
"So class, today we're learning about legends. Can you remember anything you've heard about legends?"
After a couple answers from other students, I raised my hand.
"My grandfather said, Heroes get remembered; but legends never die." I quoted.
"He ripped that off Babe Ruth, The greatest legend off all time." A boy said from the back.
"That's enough Bryce! Can you tell us your grandfathers' name Barbra?"
"Sure thing. George Herman Ruth, but he became well known as Babe Ruth." I said turning around to look at Bryce whose jaw had now dropped to his heel.
"That's so exciting. Now for your homework assignment which I will give you 3 days to complete. You will pick some one who is a legend. And write a 3 page essay on why you or the public, in Barbra's case, think that person is legendary. Use visual examples like a picture or poster or newspaper article. You may start your assignments after I hand out the lined paper." Mr Handlesee said.
A piece of white paper floated onto my desk.
I began to write. The title was:
My grandfather: The Babe.
I had almost finished the first page when the sharp shrill of the bell rang loudly. Everyone put there pens away and got up.
"Remember due in 3 days." Mr H said leaving the door open behind him.
I got up but everyone was in my way.
"SO YOUR GRANDPA WAS THE ACTUAL BABE RUTH?"
"Yeah."
"NO WAY!"
"Yes way."
"WHAT DID HIS CLEATS SMELL LIKE?"
"Like shoes."
"TELL US EVERYTHING HE TAUGHT YOU ABOUT BASEBALL."
"No thanks."
I pushed through the crowds and found Benny.
"How was it." He asked.
"It was okay, until the 'young grandfather is The Babe' thing happened." I sighed.
"You okay?"
"I'll be fine, I'm just gonna get through the day." I promised myself out loud.
"Well, we have science together." He said holding my hand.
Science went well and before long it was recess. I went to my locker and took out my brown lunch bag.
A sandwich, a fruit roll up, an apple, a tootsie pop, a bag of chips and some carrot sticks. I had the carrot sticks and the bag of chips.
"Hey." I heard a voice behind me. It sounded like a girl.
I turned around.
"We noticed you're new here and gaining a lot of popularity so come hang with us."
"Is that an order?" I asked laughing softly.
"We're doing you a favour newbie."
"Well, I appreciate your charitable motives but I'll be fine."
"Suit yourself. But just know that many people would've jumped at the opportunity we just gave you."
"Have a nice day girls." I calmly said walking outside.
I walked onto the field. Where they're was a playground and a basketball court and also a baseball. Field.
"Hey, Barb." Ruby said sitting in the shade.
"Hey Rubes."
"How's the first day going?"
"It's okay I guess."
"Anything interesting happen?"
"Well, some girls asked me to hang out and I said no but they said 'lots of people would've died to be in my position. Something weird like that."
"Please don't tell she had blonde hair in a ponytail with 2 other girls next to her." Ruby whines.
"Yeah why?"
"That's Jessica Tudor. She's the most popular girl in school. Mess with her and you're a goner! What exactly did you say?"
"I just I appreciate it but no thanks."
"Just don't piss her off, she's bad news." Ruby warned me. I nodded
How could I be so dumb. I have started shit with most popular girl in school.
"You look mad." Benny said holding out my hand.
"Nah, just thinking."
"About what?"
"Jessica Tudor." I said flatly.
"The blonde one?"
"Yeah, is there more than one."
"No but all her friends act just like her, so to me they're all Jessica." He said smirking, he grabbed both of my hands and held me close.
"You're so pretty. Like, honestly how did I land you?" He inquired squishing my cheeks with both my hands.
"You're a keeper Rodriguez." I exclaimed. The bell rang once more. Benny looked at me and walked with me into school.
We had Physical Ed so that had to be right.
I got changed the sport uniform and my PF Flyers, which were brand new.
"Oh my God! Are those PF Flyers?" A couple of the guys asked me.
"Yeah." I mumbled.
"MMMMMMKAYYY! IM COACH TIMMONS! YOUR COACH FOR THE DURATION OF THE YEAR." A man in about his mid 40's yelled.
Why the fuck was he yelling?!
Yeah-Yeah, Ham, Kenny, Squints, Benny, Ruby and I, all exchanged wide eyed looks.
"SO! OKAY SO WE'RE GONNA START WITH SOME TRACK PRACTICE! SO DO A LAP AND THEN AFTER YOURE WARMED UP 100m WILL BEGIN! THESE ARE GONNA BE HELPING US DECIDE WHO MAKES THE TRACK TEAM." He shouted. My dad and mom really wanted me to make the track team. Asides from baseball and reading, I love running. I'm really fast and I think that's why baseball came easy to me.
While I was jogging my warm up lap. Ham caught up with me. He was red and was puffing.
"Hey Ham."
"Hey... Hey Barbie." He said exasperated.
"So you thinking of trying out for track?"
"Yeah, I really want to get in." I said stopping relaxed. Ham looked like he was about to collapse.
"How aren't you tired?" Ruby asked in between breathes. I shrugged sheepishly.
"Okay so we're gonna have the girls go first because none of them are gonna be on the track team anyway." Coach said laughing as a couple of boys began to laugh to.
I rolled my eyes in disgust, it's ridiculous that some people still have that mentality, especially someone of Coach Timmons age.
"On your marks get set go."
I sprinted but it wasn't my fastest. I looked behind me and saw all the rest of the girls behind me.
"Okay since, what's her name came first she has to run with the boys so we can get rid of her and get to the real runners." He added.
I bottled up my anger, I was almost shaking.
I was kind of nervous because now I had to prove Coach wrong.
I stretched out my ankles.
"On your marks! Get set! Go!"
I sprinted a little faster than before. And my foot crossed the finish line. It was Me and Phillips in joint first place, Benny in second and Bryce in 3rd.
"Well, umm. I guess she's better than I thought."
"Yeah I guess." I scoffed.
"What was that Ms... Ruth." He said reading my name off the back of my shirt.
We had to race one more time to decide the three finalists for the track team.
"LETS GO BARB!" Ruby yelled, before I knew it a lot of people were cheering my name.
I cracked my knuckles and smiled at them. I really didn't want to let myself or family down.
Once Coach Timmons yelled go I was off. I saw Benny pass me and come first, I was a clear second and Phillips third. I cringed.
"Okay so Bryce lucked out." Coach said.
"BUT COACH SHE WEARING PF FYLERS." He persisted.
"Well you'd better get yourself a pair of you wanna make the track team."
I smiled at Benny and he smiled back.

I had made the track team..