𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙡𝙤𝙩 𝘽𝙤𝙮🧢⚾️❤

~Chapter 10: Baseball Situation~

After running a few blocks in the heat, I finally made it to my house. I got the key from under my doormat & opened the door slowly. I heard nobody in the house, but I still decided to be quiet just in case.

I speedwalked to my dad's office for when he has to do paperwork from home. I looked on top of the shelf & saw the baseball I was looking for.

I grabbed it, ran out of the house closing the door, & running back to the Sandlot.

...

"Hey guys, I got the ball y'all!", I yelled while running towards the boys.

"Bitchin, your ball, your ups babe. Here you go.", Benny said giving me the bat.

"Sure thing sugar.", I said retrieving the bat & winking.

I walked to the base & got in my batting position. The boys got prepared in their positions too.

"Batter up!", Ham yelled while putting on his face gear.

Kenny pitched the ball, but I ended up missing the first time. He then pitched again & I ended up swinging very hard, hitting the ball in the air.

Everyone was looking up with their mouths open seeing where the ball was going.

"Oh man, oh man babe!", Benny said chasing after the ball.

"Hell yeah!", I cheered while starting to run the bases.

"Way to go girl, taught her everything y'all!", Ham yelled behind me.

"Shut up Ham, no you didn't! That was Benny you dumbo!", I yelled back laughing.

All of the boys were cheering me on while I was running. I then slowed down seeing the ball go over someone's fence. I then started to walk over there.

"Hey Ari, third base is that way.", Bertram said.

"Oh no, oh god no.", I said getting scared.

"Yeah Ari, nice hit, yeah!", Benny yelled while clapping.

"Babe?", Benny said in concern.

"You forgot to turn. You go to third base Ari!", Ham yelled.

"What is she doing?", Ham asked.

"Maybe the shock of her first home run is just too much for her.", Bertram said to Ham.

Benny & the others looked at each other & followed me.

...

"Oh no, no no no, I gotta get that ball back!", I said in fear while I jumped onto the fence, trying to climb it.

"Ari, no! What the hell are you doing!?", Squints yelled.

"Ari, stop!", Bertram yelled.

Benny then ran towards me & grabbed me from behind, trying to remove me off the fence.

"Babe, what are you doing!? Let me go!", I yelled.

"No babe, you don't know what you're doing!", Benny said taking me off the fence & putting me down.

"Oh my god Ari, you're shaking a little. Take deep breaths babygirl.", Benny said quietly trying to keep me calm.

I called down & looked to see the other boys staring at me.

...

"We gotta get that ball back y'all."

"Ohhh yeah, good one Ari.", Ham chuckled.

"But I'm being serious guys!"

"Forget about it babe. Just get another ball.", Benny said while him & the others were about to walk away.

"No, you don't understand!", I chuckled nervously.

"Sure we do babe. You feel bad cause you built a homer, now we can't play no more."

"No y'all don't understand, that wasn't my ball!", I yelled.

The boys looked at each other confused. & then looked at me.

"What do you mean that wasn't your ball Ari?", Squints asked.

"It was my dad's. I took it from his office room. It was a present or something, somebody gave it to him. But we gotta get it back, he's gonna kill me!"

"Listen to me Ari. It is a matter of life and death. Where did your old man get that ball?", Squints asked.

"I don't know. Someone gave it to him, why? And huh, what do you mean a matter of life and death!?"

"Oh shit, she doesn't know the story. We forgot to tell her.", Ham said touching the back of his neck.

"Tell me what!?"

"A man named Mr. Mertle lives there. There is a huge man eating dog in his backyard known at The Beast. That is why no one dares to trespass his house, or else they will get eaten. That is also why no objects that go in his yard never get retrieved.", Squints explained.

"A man eating dog!? Oh god no, I hate big dogs...", I said.

"Also the person's even signed his name on it. It was Ruth, Babe Ruth."

"Babe Ruth!?", all the boys yelled & ran to jump on the fence to look over.

...

All the boys then screamed & jumped off, running back over to me.

"The beast got it!", Kenny said out of breath.

"You're dead as a doornail now Ari!", Tommy & Timmy both said.

"Ari, you mean to tell me that you went home and got a ball that was signed by Babe Ruth, and you brought it out here and actually played with it!", Timmy said.

"Yeah, but I was gonna bring it back!"

"But it was signed by Babe Ruth!", Squints said.

"That ball that was aced to the Beast, is worth..., well more than your whole life babe.", Benny said.

"Why did you wanna use that ball Ari!?"

"Because I know how much y'all wanted to play baseball, and I didn't want y'all to get mad at me or ruin the whole day for us. This is all my fault.", I said with tears coming out of my eyes, almost going to cry.

"Squints, don't yell at her like that I told you! You know how sensitive she is!", Benny snapped at Squints.

He then ran over to me, put his arms around me, & pulled me into his chest.

"Hey hey hey babe, it's okay. You wouldn't ruin our day if you didn't bring the ball. We could've done something else for today until we get another one. Don't blame yourself for all this. I know you just wanted us all to have a good time. We can fix this Ari.", Benny said soothingly & looking down at me, then kissing my forehead.

"Really baby, we can?", I sniffled.

"Yes of course babe, I love you."

"I love you too baby."

...

"Alright babe, when does your dad get home from work?"

"He's gone on business out of town. He could be back anytime."

"Alright, find out when babe. And guys, spread out and look for bottles and cash'em in. Need 98 cents. We gotta buy us a ball.", Benny said to the others.

We all then went on a search in town to get us some money.