West || Benny Rodriguez (Book 3)

14

Natalie's P.O.V.

September 24, 1962

It was now Friday, and the weather was starting to shift. It went from nice really farm weather to now we need to wear a jacket. I sat at the counter of Ricky's Sports, waiting for Lindy to come in so I could go home.

Just then Benny and Cam walk in.

"Well hello boys, did you just get home?" I asked, putting yet another magazine done.

"Yeah, Jolene invited all of us to the field tonight. Not one of was wanting to go, but Yeah-Yeah is insisting that we go." Benny explained,leaning against the counter, "I was hoping that I could stay the night tonight."

I looked over at Cam, "That's fine with me, how about you Cam?"

He rolled his eyes, "Oh just keep it down. Before you know it I'll be inviting girls over too, will see how you like it."

I chuckled, as I looked back at Benny, "That's fine with me."

He smiled, "Can't wait," he looked at Cam, "could you wait outside real quick?"

Cam looked between both of us and turned around walking out of the store. Benny turned his attention back to me.

"I was hoping to try something new tonight." He trailed off, playing with the corners of my magazine.

I arched my eyebrow, "What do you mean by that?"

He slowly looked up at me, "I saw something in a magazine, I want to try it," he paused, "when I was looking through your drawers I found something."

My eyes widened, "What you doing looking through my drawers Benny?"

He blushed, "I saw that red set you got, I want you to wear that tonight."

The last time I wore that outfit was for an ex of mine, we lived in Indiana before Utah. I should have thrown that out during the move.

"Someone is a little kinky." I whispered. Looking down at my magazine.

"When do you get off?" He asked.

I looked at the clock hanging on the wall next to me, "it should be now since is 3:30, but I'm waiting for Lindy to show up, she closes the store tonight."

Just then Lindy walked in, wearing her usual cherry red lipstick, and chewing annoyingly gum, "Beat is loser, boss is coming in a few."

I rolled my eyes, closing my magazine, "Let me get my stuff and we can get out of here."

As I walked back to the locker room, Lindy was there adjusting her top and hair, looking in her lockers mirror.

I quickly got my stuff, clocked out, and following Benny and Cam to Lucy's preschool.

—

"Ya know someone's birthday is next week." Cam chined into the conversation.

All the boys plus me and Lucy were walking in the alley way to Washington Park. We call carried our gloves and bats.

"Who's birthday?" Bertram asked, looking between all of us.

"Ni, she's turning 16 the 1st." Cam blurred out.

I grinned looking down at my feet.

"We're you going to tell us?" Denunez asked.

I shook my head, "I was just going to fly over the day, I don't like celebrating my birthday."

"How come?" Squints then goes in.

I shrugged, "My dad was really into celebrating with us. The last birthday I got to celebrate with him was my 11, and since we have never celebrated it. I've always made a point to for Cam and Lucy."

They all nodded in agreement.

"Well that doesn't seem fair, we should do something for you." Benny said, looking down at me, then mouthed, "or I could do something to you."

I instantly blushed and looked away, "No seriously you guys don't have to."

"Well we are going to." Cam said ending the conversation.

We finally make it to the park, only 9 girls were there, I'm assuming because they didn't need 2 teams since we created full one, with 2 extra players.

Jolene saw us and waved us all in, Yeah-Yeah was the first to walk in and immediately go up to her, greeting her with a kiss.

"So girls, we know the boys, mainly since we all go to school together," Jolene called out then paused, "as you know Naomi and Lucy too."

They all walk up to us, Jolene holding a quarter, "Heads we bat first, tails you do."

We all nodded, as we watched her flip the coin. Tails.

They all grab our gloves and head out to the field getting into position. I stayed back since I was an extra man, I would be taking turns with Cam.

"Alright ladies, let's see how you hit." Kenny said, standing at the pitchers mound.

One girl walks up to the batters box. On her team being the only person of color on their side. There was another girl who was on the time that might have been biracial but I was not going to assume, that just could have been a nice tan.

She gets into stance as I watched Kenny tumble. I ain't never seen him like this before, he was almost too scared to throw the ball. And when he did, he threw it out of the box.

"C'mon Denunez! You know how to throw!" I hear squints call out.

"Keep your head in the game Kenny!"

He goes to throw another pitch but again, throws it right of the box.

"Now I came to play baseball, not get 4 balls and take the bag. If you can't play, then quit!" The girl yells at Kenny.

Something clicked in his head and he finally threw it right into zone, which she was able to hit.

Casted it right into center field, and she took off. Rounded the base on her way to third but the guys were too fast and brought the ball back into field. Causing her to stay at third. Then the line continued.

After a few minutes into the play, they finally got their 3 outs and it was time to switch.

Jolene wanted up to the pitchers mound and played around with the ball in her glove.

Yeah-Yeah walked out first, standing in the batter box, keeping a straight eye on Jolene.

"C'mon sweetheart, let's see what you got!" Yeah-Yeah yelled at her.

She smirked, "Okay!"

She stood for a second, getting into a stance, threw her arm back and wow! Threw a curve ball.

Yeah-Yeah stood amazed as he went to hit the ball, but it was in the catchers glove.

"Woah! Since when could you do that?"

She smirked again, catching the ball from the catcher, "Strike one!"

—