The Girl Who Made Baseball pt: 2

5

The next morning, Jess woke up at around noon, stumbling down the stairs.

"Just in time for lunch" Lisa said once she saw her

"Mom, she doesn't eat lunch" Reagan said, as if she explained this a million times

"Oh, right" Lisa laughed

Jess just nodded and went back up stairs to get dressed.

Today, she decided to wear one of Benny's old shirts, not thinking about it until she saw her picture of the entire team. It was a blue flannel, long on her as it had been on him. She wore a white shirt under it and a pair of jeans with her dodgers hat.

She grabbed the picture and stood in front of her mirror. She looked like the spitting image of the boy when he was 14, but with long hair and longer eyelashes.

"Benny 'The Jet' Rodriguez." Jess thought about if maybe Benny had jumped that fence that day, instead of her. Then Benny would have her nickname. Maybe it would have suited him better.

Jess set the picture back in its place and grabbed her old bat and glove.

She walked down the stairs and without saying anything she walked out the door and stood on her deck, hearing a quarrel happening.

"No, Benny. I don't care. I don't want you hanging out with other girls!" Jess heard Charlie's high pitched voice say

"She's my childhood best friend, Charlie! Obviously I'm going to stay friends with her!" Benny said defensively.

Jess decided to walk in the direction of Benny's house

"Well, either you stop hanging out with her and keep me or-" Charlie started

"Hey, Benny, ready for the sandlot?" Jess asked, smiling

Benny looked the girl up and down, smiling. Almost like smiling into a mirror. A young mirror.

Benny looked over at Charlie, who's eyes were ablaze. She was lightly shaking her head in a jerking motion.

"Um..." Benny started

"Actually, we have plans" Charlie hissed

"Oh, really? Because I can just go with Smalls then" Jess said, sticking a thumb out to Smalls' house

"No uh, we can rain check" Benny said, hopping off the deck

Charlie's face turned a bright purple, steam coming out of her ears

"Well lets go" Jess smiled

Benny and Jess started for the sandlot, Benny not turning back to look at Charlie, but Jess did. She didn't smile or glare or anything, she simply turned her head and locked eyes with the girl

"Trouble in paradise?" Jess asked

"She can be... difficult" Benny said

"Why are you with her then?" Jess asked

"She wasn't the same when I first met her. She was sweet and kind. It was like one day a light switch went off or something" Benny said

"So why don't you break up with her?" Jess asked

"Because I love her" Benny replied

"Oh" Jess nodded. That was the last thing she wanted to hear come out of Benny's mouth.

"So school... How was that? I guess I haven't seen you since the funeral..." Benny said

"Did you even see me there?" Jess asked