The Jet (A Sandlot Story) Benny Rodriguez

Chapter 25

Benny headed to school that day with a happy mindset.

He'd gotten dressed in his regular blue jeans, with a blue sleeve baseball shirt and navy flannel over top of it. He of course paired everything with his P.F. flyers and his blue dodgers cap which he wore backward on his head.

Even though he didn't have you today, he still had Ham, who was starting his first year of high school today.

The two were walking side by side up the front steps of the entrance, laughing about something they were talking about on the way here.

"Hey, so where's Denunez? I thought he was starting today too?" Benny asked. He hadn't been in the loop with the other boys since the end of summer.

"He got held back, he'll start next year. He's pretty upset about it." Ham replied, tightening his grip on the strap of his backpack which was slung lazily over his shoulder.

As they walked in, suddenly everyone started to stop and stare at them.

There were different whispers coming from all the kids, but they weren't bad ones.

"Isn't that Benny the jet?"

"Didn't that kid outrun the killer dog?"

"That guy is a legend around here."

Benny couldn't say it didn't feel weird to have people talking about him, but it didn't feel bad either. It felt kinda good to know that he had some attention from the school kids.

"Benny man, they're all talking about you."

"Yeah, weird..." He dropped his head down to avoid making eye contact with anyone in the hallway.

Eventually he made it to his first assigned classroom, waving goodbye to Ham as he made his way to his own class.

Benny sat down in the only seat left, which just happened to be in the dead center of the classroom.

Everyone in this class was staring at him too, but he took his seat anyways, setting his things down on the desk. Not long after, the teacher came in, writing her name on the board.

"Good morning everyone, I'm Ms. Thompson, I'll be your English teacher for the semester."

That was just about all that benny heard before he tuned out the rest of class. He liked school, really he did, but there was something about English that just turned his brain off. When you were around to help him study, it made it easier. Of course, he usually repaid you by helping you out with Math stuff. He was way better at that. He missed the study dates you two would have, the ones that usually had no studying at all. The ones where ou woiod just sit on his bed for hours, talking and laughing all night long.

By the time the bell rang, he had almost dozed off, good thing it was time to get out of there. He picked up his books and dropped them in his backpack, closing everything up before starting on his way.

He stopped just short of the door when he heard a voice come up behind him.

"Hey Benny..."

He turned around to see a beautiful red haired girl with bright, crystal blue eyes. She wore a shy smile on her face as soon as he looked at her.

"I noticed you didn't take any notes... not a fan of school I'm guessing." She said, glancing down at the last part. She really didn't care if he was or not, she just wanted an excuse to talk to him.

"Actually I really like school, there's just something about English than I can't stand though." He replied, offering her a sweet smile. He hadn't talked to any pretty girls lately, at least not in person. He forgot how nervous he gets. He never got nervous around you, but that was because you knew him so well. Girls like this hadn't the slightest idea of who he was; they just knew his name, and that he was attractive.