The Jet (A Sandlot Story) Benny Rodriguez

Chapter 2

On the way to the sandlot, you and Benny had quite the conversation. You didn't think you'd ever held this long a conversation with anyone that wasn't your dad. You were happy it had lasted though, you were really getting to know him. He was a good kid with a great personality. Too bad you were pretending to be a boy, you kind of wanted him to know you were a girl. That being said, if you'd told him now, he might ditch you because you lied to him.

Not that you thought you were lying to him. He just didn't ask. Of course if he did you still wouldn't tell him, but that's besides the point. You knew you liked him the second you saw him, and now you could never tell him.

"So, you used to live in Arizona huh?" Benny pulled you from your thoughts. You nodded your head while thinking of what to say.

"Yeah, Phoenix actually. Ever been there?"

"No."

"Well let me tell ya, we have the best sunsets in the world. Unfortunately we also have the hottest summers in the history of anywhere."

The two of you continued to talk until you got to the sandlot.

There by the dugout stood seven other boys about a year or so younger than you. You pressed your mouth in a thin line and gave a slight wave as you and Benny walked up.

"Hey, who's the new kid?" The one with thick black glasses asked.

"Everyone this is Mack, he makes nine so now we got a team." He patted you on the back before pushing you slightly towards the other boys so they could get a better look at you.

"Yeah yeah, but can he play?" one of the other kids asked, crossing his arms.

"Why don't you see for yourself?" Benny passed you a bat and ball and pointed over to home plate. You were a little nervous at first, not knowing any of these kids, and having to show them that you can hit wasn't something you thought you'd have to do right away.

Still you wanted to show Benny that you were an asset to the team, so you stood in the batter's box, threw up the baseball and cracked it right down the middle of the field. Definitely a good hit, or at least the boys thought so. They looked like their eyes were about to fall out of their heads.

"Benny where the heck did you find this kid?"

"Just moved in across the street from me." He waited for you to come back to the group so that he could introduce you. "Alright, Mack. That's Timmy and Tommy Timmons, Mike 'squints' Palledorous, Alan McClellan, we call him yeah yeah. Bertram Grover Weeks. That's Kenny Denunez, and Hamilton Porter, we call him Ham." He pointed at each of them, and as he did each of them spit out on the ground. Yeah, you were gonna get along with these guys.

"So what, are we gonna play some ball or just stand here like a bunch of idiots." Ham said, grabbing his catchers glove and mask.

"Hey Mack you wanna try and pitch?" Kenny handed you the ball but you were a little scared.

"Come on Kenny don't put him on the spot on his first day." Benny said, but you shook your head.

"It's fine, I'm a pretty good pitcher." You tossed the ball in the air a few times, pulled on your glove, and made your way to the pitchers mound. Benny was first up to bat, and you were obviously not gonna strike him out. That didn't mean you weren't going to try though. First pitch you threw went to Hams glove, but Benny didn't even swing.

He grasped his bat tightly and took in a deep breath. You wound up, slowly bringing your leg up, as you began to throw the ball, you nearly made it strike two, but Benny swung just in time and sent the ball flying into right outfield. You watched as Benny went running, the ball being passed around the field, until it ultimately ended up with you. You threw to third, which Benny just passed. Third threw to home, but Benny just kept going back and fourth. He was close to home but home threw to third, so he took his chance and sped past the catcher and stomped on home plate.

He was too fast, too good. You couldn't strike him out, and you couldn't get him out on base.

After a few hours it started to get dark. All the boys left in different directions, but you and Benny started on your way home.

When you got to your house, you went to your room and took a shower. You had so much on your mind and a shower was just what you needed to chill out.

First of all, you'd just fooled more than half a dozen boys into thinking you were a boy. Second, one of those boys was very likely your new crush. Thirdly, you had no intention of telling any of them your secret anytime soon. Not even Benny. Not for a while at least.

When you got out of the shower you said goodnight to your mom, who'd just gotten home from work, before settling down in your room with the assigned homework. You were convinced this town was now a new opportunity for you and you weren't gonna spend your first year flunking any classes. Especially if you're able to pull this whole boy thing off at school, you needed good grades if you were gonna try out for the team next semester.

Of course you'd cross that bridge when you got to it. And besides, you already had a great new team, and some great new friends.

This was the year your life would turn around forever.