North || Benny Rodriguez (Book 1)

16

Naomi's P.O.V.

June 24, 1962

After talking to Mrs. Smalls, I walk out of the house with Lucy, hurrying to Benny's seeing it was now past 5. I didn't exchange much with Mrs. Smalls, I didn't want her thinking it would help to call child protective services on my mother. If anything that would make matters worse. So I lied and said I got hit with a baseball, she seemed to believe it.

I knocked on the door and he answered, "I'm sorry, I wasn't home, I had to take Cam to the Smalls, and I had to talk to his mom, a-" I started but he stopped me.

"What the hell happened?" He asked looking at my probably bruised face.

I didn't answer.

"It was your mom wasn't it?" He said, just above a whisper.

I nodded slowly.

"Come in." He moved to the side letting both of us in.

"Is that Naomi?" I hear from the kitchen. I immediately look back at Benny, all he did was nod putting his hand on my lower back.

"Yeah, it is." He answered back.

I then saw her in the same action as Mrs. Smalls, wiping her hands and walking into the living room.

"Hey Na-" She started but stopped when she saw my face, and her smile started to fade too. "Oh my gosh, Naomi! Are you okay?"

She started walking over to me, and I held onto Lucy's hand tighter as she walked over.

"I'm fine, I promise." I mumbled looking away.

"Let's talk." She said walking to the kitchen table.

I sighed as I followed her, sitting across from her Benny on one side of me and Lucy on the other.

"It was your mom wasn't it?" She asked.

I put my arms on the table and laid on my head on them, "Yes it was."

"What happened?" 

"I was giving her "disrespect" by talking to her, or walking away from her. When I walked away she grabbed my hair, and pulled me back. Then after saying what I had said, she took a swing at me." I explained, not taking my eyes off the table.

"Naomi, every time I see you, you are always looking worse. You look tired. Or you look like you do now." She paused looking at Benny then back at me, "I can't let you stay in that house tonight."

"Beth, I promise you I'll be fine." I tried to tell her.

"You told me that last week, and look at you." She paused again, "We have an extra room, you can sleep here tonight."

I sat up, and leaned back in my chair, then looked over at Lucy, "What about Cam?"

"He can either stay with me or over at Smalls." Benny joined in.

I crossed my arms, "What size is the bed?"

—

So that date that me and Benny were going to have was actually us going back to my house, through my window, getting clothes and Lucy clothes.

I kept forgetting about the jersey that I had bought Benny, so when he wasn't looking I managed to put it in my bag. I opened my bedroom door slowly, peeking my head out to see if I could see my mother, which she was still in the same spot we left her.

So I told Benny to stay in my room with Lucy, as I walked over to Cam's room to get him a sleep over bag. Once I was done, I tiptoed back to my room, careful not to wake up my mom.

Then we all hurried through the window and making our way over to Smalls house. Benny knocked on the door as I was holding Lucy, Smalls answered, then let us in.

We walked to his room, looking around at the different awards that were plastered on his wall, and told Cam the plan, and then left.

We got back to the house, Lucy followed me and Benny back to his room and that's leads to where we are now.

"Tonight was supposed to be about us, I'm sorry." I said looking over at him.

He was laying down on his bed, with his arms folded behind his head. I sat crisscross next to him. And Lucy was laying in the small space between me and Benny.

"Don't worry about it, we can do it another time." He smiled looking over at me.

"Was tonight supposed to be a date?" I asked biting my lip at the question.

He smirked as he looked away from me, "Well I was hoping, but if you don't want it to be then it doesn't need to be."

"No, it can be." I smiled at his reaction.

"Oh good." He laughed, turning his body on his side.

"I've been meaning to get you something. I've had it for about a week, I just haven't gave it to you." I said getting up going to my bag that laid on the floor.

I brought out the jersey, but hid it behind my back as I walked back to him.

"I saw you looking at it the night we didn't go to the fair with the boys. I bought it actually that night to, but I didn't give it to you," I paused pulling my arm from around my back giving it to him, "Then you came in last week looking for it, but I pretended like I didn't have any."

He unfolded the jersey looking at it.

"Oh gosh, Ni, this was an expensive jersey." He said looking over at me.

"Good thing I get things for free working there." I smirked.

He smiled reaching over and hugging me.

"Thank you." He paused as he let go, "I actually got you something, from the same night, I just haven't gave it to you either." He smirked putting down the jersey and getting up.

He came back with a small box in his hand, "I, uh, remembered that night I came over and stayed the night. You talked about the necklace that your dad got you but lost it in one of the moves. You said you loved it so much just because it come from your dad," he paused handing me the box, "I know that it's not from your dad, but it's still the necklace."

I gave a little smile, and opened the box. It was a 42 numbered necklace just like the one my dad gave me years ago. It was his favorite player on his favorite team. Jackie Robinson, first baseman, the very first African American baseball player of the era, 1947.

I knew everything about him, he was right after Babe Ruth, but I was never a Yankees fan. Nothing wrong with the team, they came in 4th of my favorite baseball teams.

1. Dodgers
2. Reds
3. Angels
4. Yankees

It had the same jewel on it, green, my birthstone, and it had the little baseball pendant next to it.

"Benny," I looked up at him, "thank you. I can't believe you remember everything I talked about."

"Of course I do. You're my favorite person, how could I not?" He smiled sitting back down next to me.

"Never play by the rules unless you are in a game." I smirked.

—