Purpose ❆ Benny Rodriguez

12 | awakening

10/02/2015

chapter twelve ;
AWAKENING

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"THIS WOULD PROBABLY be a better experience if Phillips didn't show up," Ham informed Leah, grudgingly.

　Over two weeks had passed, a couple of days into October, and the house fire finally began to subside in our minds. The DeNunez family were coming along quite well, temporarily residing at Mrs. DeNunez's older brother's, a single father, house. Mrs. DeNunez's college students created a fundraiser, and several others in the Valley pitched in; in addition, considering the fact that they had lost everything but the clothes on their backs, many donated clothes for the family.

　Now Kenny was perfectly well – well enough to return to the sandlot. After school ended on Friday, the opportunity finally presented itself: Leah was able to stay the weekend at my house. Even under the relentless heat at the sandlot, the joy in her eyes was evident.

　"You mean Jordan Phillips?" Leah inquired. "The baseball player?"

　Across the lot, Jordan could be seen making his way toward the dugout, where everyone sat and stood. Squints squinted his eyes menacingly, shaking his head. "I didn't think he'd actually stick around this long."

　"What's wrong with him?" Leah swept a stray chocolate strand of hair behind her ear and adjusted her glasses. "Did he do something to you?"

　"Do something?" Ham cried. "He's our worst enemy! He lives to torture us. He thinks he's better than us."

　"Lived," I corrected, brandishing an ice-cold water bottle in the boy's face. "He isn't like he used to be. He apologized, and for a while he's been playing the pushover just so you guys will forgive him."

　Now it was Ham's turn to squint his eyes. After glancing to the side to make sure that Benny had remained in his place across the dugout, examining the chipped remains of the wooden bat he had broken minutes before, Ham pointed out, "He's only doing it for you. He wants us to be okay with him so he can be around you. He doesn't care if we forgive him or not."

　Before I could reject the statement, Jordan skidded to a stop at the edge of the dugout – the edge closest to me. He flashed me a smile as he removed his backpack from his shoulders.

　"Did I miss much?"

　Bertram, having taken a liking to the boy, stood to greet Jordan. "Just Benny breaking the bat."

　One of Jordan's light brows rose. "Broke it? I have another bat at home, if you guys want me to go get it – "

　"No," Benny spoke, his voice loud and clear and sudden, "we don't. We have another one. Don't need your help."

　Benny's hostility caused discomfort to rise in my chest. I had still not grown used to this side of him; he was usually so kind.

　"All right." Jordan hardly seemed bothered. He simply shrugged and held his brown leather backpack into the air. "Well, I brought popsicles. They'll freeze back up pretty quickly."

　"Yes!" Tommy grinned, jumping to his feet. He darted for Jordan and attacked him with a hug; Jordan, with a light smile, wrapped an arm around the younger boy.