𝐀𝐃𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔, 𝐛.𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐮𝐞𝐳 ✓

𝓟𝓵𝓮𝓪𝓼𝓮

Jackie's POV.

"You slapped him?!" Wendy asked. Well practically yelled at me. 

"What else was I supposed to do, Wendy? It's not like I'm talking to him anymore," I looked away from her as we walked to work. 

"And why not?" She said as we arrived at the pools. We clocked ourselves in and sat in the locker rooms until our shifts started. 

"You know why I'm not talking to him, Wendy, besides after that slap, why would he want to talk to me?" I said as I walked the changing stall to get in my bathing suit.

"Look, you need to man up and not be like your siblings, it's over, move on, you can pick whoever you like to be friends with, you're friends with me," I opened the curtain to see her leaning on the wall. I gave her the 'really?' Look.

"My family like you because you didn't disrespect them because of the situation," I walked to my locker and grabbed sunscreen and put it all over me. Wendy doing the same. 

We walked out to the pools. We were still talking about the shit between me and Benny. Honestly it was giving me a headache. I got over it. I've moved on. A part of me feels bad but it's for the best.

"Look, all I'm saying is...think about it, you were happy when you played baseball again, you were happy when a guy included you and wasn't sexist," she was right. Benny was the only guy who accepted me other than my family because I played baseball. I looked behind Wendy and saw the one thing I didn't want to  see arrive.

The sandlot boys.

"Oh shit," I rolled my eyes. Wendy looked behind her and we all made eye contact. Ham was glaring at  me while the rest waved at me. 

They seem to be happy. I'm guessing Benny never told them. Smalls waved at me and I waved back. I looked back at Wendy and she was staring at me concerned.

"Talk to him please," she said before walking to her stand. I rolled my eyes and walked over to the food bar.

I was keeping a close eye on the little kids who were on the edge. I saw a figure running across the concrete and was about to bomb. I grabbed the megaphone.

"Palledorous," he looked at me. He seemed shocked.

"No. Running," as soon as I said that, the sandlot boys all ran to the pool and bombed. I slapped my forehead and groaned. This is gonna be a long day. 

I looked towards Wendy's post and she was laughing at me. I flipped her off and she laughed even harder. I rolled my eyes with a smile. I sat at my chair with a magazine.

"Jackie," a voice below me whispered. I looked up and it was the last person I wanted to see. I pretended like I didn't hear him and kept on doing my job.

"Jackie!" They yelled this time. I caved in.

"What Rodriguez?" I growled at him. He didn't seem scared at my outburst. He rolled his eyes and gave me a note that was wet and crumpled up. It read:

Meet me at the Sandlot at 6. I need to talk to you.

I looked back up and Benny was gone. I shook my head and crushed the paper up. There's a reason why I can't be friends with Benny. No matter how much I like him or how nice he is to me, I can't be friends with him.

"Squints!" A voice knocked me out of my head. I looked over at the pool and everyone was crowding something. I yelled at a coworker to cover for me, I ran over to the commotion and pushed through everyone. 

"What happened?" I asked Smalls. He told me how Squints got out and jumped in the deep end and he can't swim. Wendy was performing CPR on him while me and the other coworkers were telling everyone else to back off and give him space. 

I looked over at squints and something was up. I saw his eyelashes fluttering and saw one eye open. Omg little shit! He smiled at everyone and when Wendy came back up to his face, he quickly shut his eyes. I was about to yell at Wendy to stop until it was too late. He had already grabbed her. 

I quickly grabbed his hands and pulled them off her head. She came back up and slapped him. Yes! That's my best friend!

"Ahhh! Little pervert!" She ended kicking the boys out. They deserved it, just because I'm friends with some of them, doesn't mean I'm helping them out of that shit. They all ran and by the back fence. I looked at the fence and Benny was leaning on the fence. He looked at me and mouthed "please."

I looked away and walked back to the food bar. I looked at the note that sat in my pocket of my Jean shorts I wore over my bathing suit.

I had to think about it. I knew everything that happened all those years ago. Maybe Benny doesn't? That's probably why he's trying so hard to be my friend. Holy shit, he doesn't know!