𝐀𝐃𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔, 𝐛.𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐮𝐞𝐳 ✓

𝓦𝓱𝔂

It was cold at this time of night. The sun had gone down just a while ago.

When I got to the Sandlot, a person was on the field. A ball was thrown in the air and then whacked with a bat. 

Benny.

I walked over to the fence and gripped it.

You can do this. Just talk to him. Just don't tell them that you are talking to him. No one can know.

"Benny.." he turned around and stared at me. He put the bat and ball down and slowly walked over to me.

"You came.." he mumbled while looking down at his feet. I glanced over at the field. It was so quiet without the boys here. No yelling at ham to shut up. No making fun of Smalls for being clumsy. No squints telling yeah yeah to shut up.

"It's quiet here," I looked up at him. He looked up at me and nodded. 

"Has been like this since you left, the guys...they miss you," I looked into his eyes and he was obviously hiding something. 

"So you didn't tell them about the slap thing?" He shook his head.

"Why not? They're your best friends, you should tell them," I said bringing my face closer to the fence. He brought his face closer as well.

"Oh yeah, why did you slap me, huh?" He seemed angry. I looked away from him. I couldn't look at his face. I walked around the fence towards him. I was really close to his figure that stood awkwardly.

"What was I supposed to do? Let them see that we're friends?" He looked a bit confused.

"What do you mean? Of course we are friends, why is that a problem? and who is 'them'?" Is he dumb? Does he not know?

"You want to know the problem between us? you are a Rodriguez kid and I am a Michaels kid. Rodriguez's and Michael's don't get along. Haven't for over 20 years now! If our families figured out, we were friends, we're dead," I yelled at him. He still looked confused. 

"What do you mean 'we don't get along,'? Why not?" I sighed at him. I have to tell him. I sat down, him soon following along.

"years ago, there was a fight in the neighbourhood, Your dad and my dad had a huge argument, my dad wanted your's to pay back the loan your dad took from our family, he wouldn't so they fought, *pauses* everyone in our families went against each other," he looked at me and I stared at the ground. 

"Louisa was a lot like Liz, stubborn, holds grudges, seeks for fights, hard to tame." He looked away.

"Everyone eventually got over it, except One person, they held onto this for a long time. It was uh.. Mateo's first birthday. My family were having a party, all my relatives came, my friends, but a person showed up..." Benny looked up with a sad face.

"They showed up in all black, my mama saw and grabbed Mateo then ran in the house," Benny moved closer towards me. 

"They pulled out a gun...and pointed it at.." I looked up at his tall figure.

"Me.." a tear escaped my eye when those words left my mouth.

"Jackie..." I put my hand to stop him from talking.

"My dad was the first person to step in and save me, he ran, saved me, and I haven't seen him since," he wiped my cheek. 

Benny's POV 

Holy shit..

Jackie almost died...if Jackie had been shot, I don't know what I would do, I have known this girl all my life, we were neighbors, though I never knew anything about who her family were, I always saw her in school. She was the prettiest girl there, still is.

I had told the guys I have a crush on her 3 years ago but in reality, I've had a crush on her since were in elementary. We were friends before middle school. 

"After that, our families turned on each other again, mine thinking it was someone of your family, shooting up our home," 

"My family don't trust your family, I understand why, your family has done a lot of damage to my family," what is she on about? I have never seen my family do shit to hers.

"Are you gonna blame my family for everything?" That came out a lot angrier than I thought it would. She looked at me with an angry face.

"What do you mean?" 

"I mean, I have never seen my family do something so bad, to 'damage' your family," she moved away from me. I'm not trying to get her to hate me, just why?

"Oh so me and my family having to find multiple jobs and scab people for money and us living off of free bananas from the supermarket because your family has stolen money from our family shop," 

"Or having your brother shoot up our house on my brothers 1st birthday causing my dad to disappear because your family held the grudge when we gave up?" I looked at her with shock. Theo?!

"Yeah I saw his face, when I was held at gun point, Theo almost killed my whole family,"

"That's why we can't be friends because of your stupid..stupid..stupid family fucking it all up! But I didn't want to hold a grudge against you because you barely even knew anything!" She screamed at me, she almost fell when I grabbed her and pulled her towards me. 

"It's okay...you're okay, I have you," she kept sobbing in my arms. I felt my Heart break at the sight. 

 "I want my dad," she sobbed to me. My dad left when I was a baby, she knew her dad, she loved her dad. Of course I feel bad for her. I just wish I knew the feeling of having a dad around.

I lifted her head so her eyes were connected with mine. Gosh her hazel brown eyes are so beautiful. Even if they are filled with tears. She looked into mine. I placed my hand on her cheek and rubbed my thumb on it, wiping the tears away. She melted herself into my hand. I looked at her in awe. I could gaze into her eyes forever. I see my future with her. Only her. The most beautiful girl I've ever seen in my life. As I was stuck in my fantasy, we were both leaning in.

She pressed her lips onto my own. This felt like heaven, I felt every firework go off. My body flushed against her own. My arms wrapped around her waist and tried pulling her even closer, her hands cupped my face and she kissed me passionately. She felt like home. Her in my arms was my safe zone. My lips pressed against hers was her reassurance I wasn't leaving. I needed this girl in my life. We were all each other had in this moment.