The Girl Who Made Baseball pt: 2

5

"Yeah... When the entire family walked in" Benny said, looking over at the girl

"Oh" Jess nodded "It wasn't really like a school. It was like a prison. Some kids got put in there at young ages, wether it be because their parents didn't want to deal or because they were orphans, some kids were staying in there until they graduated. I got lucky my parents divorced so soon. I knew a girl who got abandoned at the front step of the school and had been there ever since, and will be there till she's an adult." Jess explained

"That sucks" Benny said

"What did you do while I was gone?" Jess asked

"Honestly?" Benny asked

"Yeah" Jess said

"I've been looking for a job. Veronica moved out last summer, making money for her own life, so I've ben having to help mom out" Benny said

"Well, you always got a job at my place" Jess said "You could clean the gutters or mow the lawn"

"No, I couldn't" Benny said

"You could if you really had to" Jess said. "Mom thinks I'm not capable, and y'know... since Alex... she'd hired a bunch of people to do yard work"

Benny nodded and the rest of the way to the sandlot was quiet, which was only half a block anyway.

When everyone noticed that it was Jess with Benny instead of Charlie, they were all confused, but decided to just play the game.

"Hams ups, Ill catch" Jess said

Jess handed Ham her bat and walked over to his position, putting on the catchers suit and then flipping her hat around to put on the mask.

"You want my heater?" Denunez smirked

"You'll be sorry" Ham said

"I'll bet" Denunez smirked again

Jess held her glove out, catching the first ball without realizing it. She noticed Ham didn't even swing the bat.

She stood up and walked next to Ham.

"It helps to swing" Jess smirked as she threw the ball back to Denunez

"Strike one!" Jess yelled as she got back in her position

"Maybe, if I don't swing, the ball will hit you harder" Ham said

"Or maybe, if you don't swing, you'll strike out. Play the damn game, Porter" Jess said, making everyone giggle

Denunez pitched again, Ham swinging and missing, Jess catching it.

"Strike two!" Jess said

She got up and walked behind Ham

"You need a tennis racket?" Jess asked as she threw the ball back to Denunez

"No, I need something to hit!" Ham said, directing it to Denunez

Jess walked back over to position

"Well, see, in about 3 minutes, a ball is going to come flying at you. I mean... That's something for you to hit." Jess laughed

"I play baseball, not softball! C'mon, Denunez, pitch it!" Ham yelled

Jess laughed as she caught the ball again

"Strike three!" Jess laughed as she walked behind Ham again "You're out" Jess laughed from behind him

Ham threw the bat to the side and gestured for Jess to give him his gear back.

"I thought we'd be sorry" Jess laughed

"And I thought you'd shut your trap once your point came across. But here we are" Ham said

Jess laughed and grabbed the bat, not bothering to flip her hat

As Ham attempted to distract Jess, she blocked everything out, and when Denunez pitched the ball, she swung it hard, it going to Mr. Mertles yard.

Jess felt her hands sting, not like an electric feeling, it was hurtful. As she ran to first base, she looked at her hands and noticed the bruises that stretched from her fingertips down to her wrist. It 𝘩𝘶𝘳𝘵.

Jess ran the rest of the bases trying not to focus on her throbbing hands. This had only happened one other time, but it wasn't because of catching a fast ball.

The rest of the day was spent teasing Ham every now and then and playing the game, no one keeping track.

At the end of the day, Jess decided to walk to the drug store to get a soda or something.

The sun went down as she walked the streets, her making it to the drugstore just in time for the street lights to come on.

She walked in the quiet store and looked around each isle, grabbing a box of bottle caps and a soda. Before she could walk to the register, she noticed Will Philips in the way, leaning against it while reading a paper.

"Uh, excuse me. Can I get through?" Jess asked

"Jess?" Will asked

"Yes?" Jess didn't recognize the boy. He's grown positively handsome in the time she was gone.

"Uh, Will." He nodded

"Oh, Philips" Jess laughed

"Yeah..." Will shifted on his feet "When'd you get back in town?" Will asked

"Fews days ago. How've you been?" Jess asked

"Alright" Will nodded

"Yeah? You still play for the Tigers?" Jess asked as she set her thing on the counter

"Yeah, actually. What about you? You start playin at true sandlot again?" He asked

"The day I came back" Jess laughed

The cashier rang Jess up and told her her total, Jess handing over her money and waiting for her change

"Well uh, it was nice seeing you, Philips. Maybe I'll see you around" Jess said before walking out the door

"Yeah... Maybe" He nodded