sandlot imagines.

phillips.

i let out a loud groan as ham called out the third strike,
wondering why my luck was so bad tonight.
and just as the curses left my lips,
there was my answer.
phillips and his friends rode up on their shiny bikes,
snide smiles bright on their face.
the sandlot crew met them,
face to face.
this was my first encounter with the boys,
but i had heard endless stories from everyone around me.
never did they mention phillips was so..
attractive?
his smooth face held an evil smirk,
one you could see from miles away.
but there was a familiar tint to his warm brown eyes.
one that resided deep within me.
we made eye contact,
and i felt my cheeks blush.
"you recruited a girl, huh? is it getting that bad around here?"
phillips snickered with his friends,
soon making my blood boil.
any admiration i felt before was soon wiped away and replaced with bitterness.
"oh, give it a rest. i could take you and all of your friends on your best day."
i replied with an eye roll.
"oh, yeah?"
and with that,
we were scheduled to play their crew tomorrow at noon.
and while it was true i was nervous,
i found myself a little excited to meet phillips again.
***
we all took our positions,
my hand sweating in the glove i held carefully.
i could make an excuse and go home,
it would save me from the embarrassment.
and as phillips read my thoughts,
he called out,
"ready to lose?"
my blood began to boil under the beaming sun,
and i was ready to play again.
a pitch here,
and a pitch there,
then soon it was my turn to bat.
it was nerve racking.
i held the bat tight in my hands,
shifting my feet in the dirt carefully.
"you got this,"
i mumbled to myself.
i was anticipating to see phillips' smug face when we beat him.
a small smile came to my lips at thought,
but soon disappeared as the loud voice behind me called out,
"strike one!"
i had distracted myself.
my eyes stayed on the white ball as it came towards me again.
quickly,
i swung the bat with every ounce of strength i had.
the loud pop echoed and everyone watched the ball fall out of the field.
"homer!"
ham yelled loudly,
excitement dripping from his lips.
"home run."
i heard phillips speak in disbelief as i ran past him,
my smile reappearing.
as i reached home,
everyone and i celebrated loudly and tauntingly to our competitors.
my eye caught phillips,
and there he stood with a smile.
it was smug,
but he'd been proved wrong.
and i was okay with that.

we all eventually calmed down and began to make our way back to the sandlot.
but before i could walk out,
i heard footsteps climbing behind me.
"can i talk to you?"
phillips asked as he grabbed my elbow softly,
showing urgency.
"as much as i'd love to argue, i-"
"no. no, not about that. i just wanna say good job. i honestly didn't think you had it in you."
he admitted.
i raised an eyebrow and shook my head,
"what? why?"
"i underestimated you, ace."
he nodded,
the smile on his lips beginning to form at the new nickname he gave me.
and against my better judgment,
i smiled too.
"mm, you're a douche, you know?"
"i know, and i apologize for being a douche towards you."
i was taken back.
stunned, even.
never had one of the boys spoke about phillips apologizing.
"just towards me? no one else?"
"nah, i don't care about them. it's-it's you i care about."
"o-oh, okay. thank you."
"yeah, not a problem."
i nodded and turned on my feet,
starting to walk back home.
but i was soon interrupted by his call,
"hey, can you meet me back here? tomorrow at 12?"
with my back still turned to him,
my lips curled into a smile as i nodded my head.
"i'll be here."
***
"hey guys! i gotta go home for lunch."
i lied carefully as i removed the glove from my hand,
and began making my way back to the stadium i was at yesterday.
and as soon as i walked in,
my eye caught phillips in the bleachers.
he straightened his posture as his smile grew big,
making his way toward me.
"thanks for coming."
he nodded,
though his eyes full of mystery.
"mhm. wouldn't wanna be anywhere else."
i teased sarcastically.
he rolled his eyes before taking my hand,
and there our conversation grew serious.
"look. i know you don't owe me the time of day. but, yesterday was the first time in a long time that i've been able to play and actually have fun. and only because i got to watch you. the way you smiled and bounced around the plates, how you held the bat so carelessly yet so well. you actually enjoy the game. and i enjoy the winning. but, yesterday was different. and i have you to thank."
my heart began to speed up at the sound of his serious tone.
and the way his eyes glowed made me rather timid.
"i'm glad you were able to relax and finally have fun. my work here is complete."
i joked before joining him in a quick laugh.
"seeing you made something in me shift. something good. and i-i don't know what it is, but i like it. and i wanna be with you, ace. seriously."
i cracked my knuckles out of nervous habit,
pulling my lip through my teeth.
"now? i mean we just met yesterday."
i giggled,
his soft hands intertwining with mine.
"we have all the time in the world. just stick by my side, yeah?"
i took in a deep breath,
leaning my head on his shoulder.
"yeah...okay."
i spoke in agreement.
phillips and i sat there for a while,
talking and laughing.
but soon our time grew short,
and it was time for me to head back.
"i'll catch you later."
i nodded as he pecked my cheek quickly,
nodding his head.
"yeah. be safe. meet me here again tomorrow?"
i nodded my head slowly and returned to the sandlot.
"how was lunch?"
squints called out with a skeptical look.
"fantastic."
i giggled soft.
"hey, y/n! you left your mitten!"
phillips' voice called out from the entrance,
his hand holding my broken-in mitten.
i shut my eyes in embarrassment,
though i was elated to see him again.
everyone in the sandlot looked back and forth from him to me,
their mouths agape.
when he reached me,
his hand fell to my lower back to hold me,
and pressed a kiss to my cheek.
"well i'll be dammed..."
one of the boys murmured.
"you did this on purpose, didn't you?"
i whispered while taking my glove back.
phillips grinned a warm grin then shrugged,
"just showing everyone what's mine, ace."