Waiting It Out - Benny Rodriguez - Book 1

Under the Cover of Night

Now that we've got the ball back, we have to go back inside and clean up the glass. This time, it's gonna take more than just me.

We're sitting in the treehouse now, arguing over who's gonna go in and do the job.

We're having a campout tonight so the fact that it's 9 and completely dark outside isn't much of a concern to everyone's parents.

"Smalls, shouldn't be going in! He caused all this in the first place."

"It's not like you're so careful!"

I've only caught so much of what they're saying. There's 75 different conversations and everyone is somehow involved in all of them.

I'm just sitting in the corner, watching all of this go down in slight amusement.

"Lily should be the one to pick who goes in with her!" Squints suggests.

The amusement just left. It's all gone.

Everyone went quiet to see what I would say and they're all just looking at me, waiting for a response.

"Yeah, that's not happening." I say.

"Why not?" Ham asks me.

"Yeah, yeah. You should do it. You're the only one who's been in there."

It was an obvious point that I would be one of the people going in. Who else was coming was the question that started the fight.

"If I choose, people's feelings are gonna get hurt." I tell them. "Not cause I'm picking favorites but because I have an objective opinion on who could actually handle this."

"We promise. We won't get our feelings' hurt." Squints says eagerly with everyone agreeing with him.

"Fine." I give up. "Squints and Kenny, you're on the lookout from the front of the house. This is gonna look bad if someone sees us so I need you the two of you to position yourselves near the front of the house but in a way so no one can see you if they weren't looking for you and let us know if someone starts getting suspicious. Timmy and Smalls are responsible for making sure any message gets to the back of the house. Tommy, you're gonna let us know if and when we need to get out or speed things up. Bertram and Ham are the decoys. If someone starts walking over to the house, you walk up to them first and start getting distracting. Take their attention off the house and make them walk off at any cost. Me, Yeah-Yeah, and Benny are gonna go inside and get rid of the glass. Everyone good?"

They all nod signaling they understand their individual assignments.

"When are we gonna do this?" Smalls asks me.

"Right now." I answer. "Or does anyone need a power nap first?"

They all shake their heads no and I stand up.

"Squints. Kenny. Let's go. Everyone else, stay here." I say as I start climbing down the ladder from the tree house.

We go around to the back of the house and duck under the windows.

"Squints, you're gonna go behind the fence that leads to the entrance of the sandlot on the left side. Make sure you still have a clear view of the driveway." I whisper and he runs off after.

I begin to walk around the right side of the house and make a signal for Kenny to follow.

We find a hole around 5 inches big in the fence and I look over to Kenny with a "there you go" look.

He gives me a "that's convenient" look and takes his position.

I walk back towards the tree house and climb the ladder so my head is poking up through the floor.