The Sandlot // Benny Rodriguez

1.

We drove into a small town with barely any tall buildings, just houses and a small building with Vincent's Drugstore printed in bold letters on the front of the building. We continued driving, passing very little stores, just houses and a building that I guessed was the school I would be attending tomorrow. We came onto a street that led into a big neighborhood with lots of houses. In the middle of the neighborhood, my stepdad Bill pulled into a driveway and parked the car, pulling the keys out of the ignition.

"Well, this is it," My mom said, turning to look at Scotty and I in the back seat. "What do you guys think?"

I took a quick look around at the medium sized house with a metal fence guarding it. I then turned to look at Scotty and I knew we were both thinking the same thing. We hated it, but not wanting to upset our mother, I forced a smile and told her I liked it. The U-Haul arrived shortly after we did and we began taking boxes into our new house.

"This stinks," I said to Scotty once our parents were out of an ear shot.

"Yeah, but-" he cut himself off and started staring at something across the street.

"Scotty?" I questioned, but stopped myself short when I saw him grin widely and wave at someone across the street. My head turned quickly in that direction and I saw a tall boy with golden toned skin and dark hair walking down the sidewalk with a baseball mitt in his hand, which I had to admit was a relief to know I wasn't the only one who played baseball here. In response, the boy stopped, looking from Scotty to me, then nodding slightly showing that he had acknowledged us before he continued walking. I watched him walk into a house across the street and then I continued taking boxes into the house.

• • •

SCOTTY.

Later that night when I was getting ready for bed, my mom came in and sat next to me on my freshly made bed.

"Scotty, tomorrow I want you to try and make some friends," she said with a stern look on her face. "I don't want you sitting in here all summer fiddling with this stuff like you did last summer and the one before."

I nodded, looking down at my hands.

"I want you to get out in the fresh air and make friends. Run around and scrape your knees, get dirty, climb trees and hop fences. Get in trouble for crying out loud," she paused as she looked at me. "Not too much, but some. You have my permission. How many mothers do you think say that to their sons?"

"None mothers, I guess." I said with a nervous chuckle.

"I want you and Emmy to make friends this summer, Scotty. Lots of them."

"I know, but I don't-I'm no good at anything. Emmy has baseball, but I have nothing. Face it, mom. I'm just an egghead."

"And you'll always just be an egghead with an attitude like that. So promise me, alright?"

"Okay."

"Now, try and make some friends tomorrow at school, okay?"

I nodded.

"Good." She smiled and kissed me on the forehead before turning off the light and leaving my room, quietly shutting the door behind her.

Emmy.

I was brushing my hair when my mom came in, shutting the door lightly behind her. She smiled warmly at me and sat on the edge of my bed.

"I'm gonna tell you the same thing I just told your brother. I want you to make friends this summer, Emmy."

I set my brush down and turned to look at her. "But, I'm different from other 15 year old girls my age, mom. I play baseball and wear overalls and sneakers and baseball caps. Girls my age wear dresses and skirts and cute shoes and hair ribbons. I don't fit in."

"I bet you could make friends here if you tried," she stated, resting her hand on top of mine. "Just try. For me?"

I knew then I had to make at least one friend this summer to make my mom happy. I nodded and she kissed my forehead before getting up and leaving my room. I sighed. My mission for this summer was to make friends and I didn't know it at the time, but I would make eight friends that summer that would change my life forever.

• • •

HELLO :) I haven't written anything in forever, but here I am with a Sandlot fan fiction. I love this movie so much I watch it at least three times a week. So, if you like it so far, please let me know!

- Hayley