Author's Note: I just came back to this story and read it for myself—and thought I needed to rewrite the first chapter (well only chapter I wrote.). Sorry for not updating, I just forgotten about the story since I had a few things go on at home. But now I can update—so stick around for more.
Chapter 01- New Beginnings: Summer 1963
It was the summer of 1963– the summer where Benny and the gang had the time to play baseball more then on a school day. Their sixth grade year was over and now they'd be moving to the seventh. The summer brought a lot of things, but this one was never like the one where they'd all met Scotty Smalls and the day Benny had pickled the Beast – the dog they had all feared who belong to Mr. Mertle a man that had been known to be mean. But things changed and false stories had been exposed. The year that had ended – a few good friends left. That just left Benny, Smalls, Ham, Squints, and Yeah-Yeah.
"Batter up!" yelled Ham Porter while lowering his face mask down. Benny stepped up to the plate with a baseball bat in his hands, quickly practicing his swing before the ball would be thrown towards him. Yeah-Yeah squinted his eyes right at Benny, the ball was behind his back. He blew a bubble with the sweet bubble-gum in his mouth. Benny lowered himself in place and held the bat the way it should have been hold. Yeah-Yeah throw the baseball and before they knew it Benny had already stroked the ball – which now was flying in mid air.
"I think I got it?" Smalls spoke out to himself, running to follow the flying ball. He was too late to catch it; the ball had made it over Mr. Mertle's house instead of his yard. Benny smiled to himself that was the fifth time it's made it over the small house; he's been getting better than how he used to be.
"Good thing we ain't got to worry for a new ball." Squints sighted, knowing they had a huge supply of baseballs. The very baseballs they had before but made it into Mr. Mertle's yard when they thought he would never give back. Although it was one of Squint's stupid theories, they did find the truth just last year.
"I'll go get another ball!" Yeah-Yeah called out to the others.
"Don't bother. We're done for the day." Benny told him, Yeah-Yeah pasted himself back while looking over at Benny, appalled from his response.
"What do you mean?" Ham quickly asked, taking his face mask off.
"I feel kind of thirsty – how about we go to that new diner they just build across Vincent Drug store?" Benny suggested to his friends, without a second they had all agreed.
"I hear some pretty good looking girls hang around there!" Squints swooned, as they all walk into the town shopping center.
"Yeah-yeah, some pretty good looking hotties!" Yeah-Yeah agreed. Ham raised an eyebrow the sound of girls made him feel good. He had needed to be flirty; he wouldn't mind picking up on a few cute girls.
Benny laughed to himself at his friend's actions and also at Smalls who looked a little nervous about the idea of cute girls being there.
"Come on guys, we're here to relax and drink something cold—not to just to pick up on girls." Benny told them.
"Aah come on, Benny, we're getting our drinks and maybe get some for a few girls." Ham grinned while nudging Benny playfully.
"Yeah-yeah, you get them a milkshake and you're probably in for a date." Benny gave a look at both Ham and Yeah-Yeah.
"You got the money for it?" Benny asked sarcastically. The two digged into their jeans pocket to find no change.
"Crap!"
Benny and the rest laughed before the entered the diner; they walked in and sat themselves down at the nearest table by the window. They were a little surprised to see not that many people were in, maybe just a few but they couldn't make out their faces—yet Ham could tell a few of them were girls since he saw the back of their head with long hair.
"Check out that babe." Ham pointed out to a corner where a girl stood while Phillips talked to her. She seemed a little familiar to Smalls. The girl was somewhat tall but short; she had long dark brown hair and wore a pink t-shirt with shorts jeans.
"I think that's—Ana Corona." Smalls quickly recalled.
"How'd you know?" Ham asked.
"She was in a few of my classes from this year. She's a really nice girl—I don't think she'd be interested in Phillips. He's too much of jerk,"
"You know any of those girls that are sitting in the back?" Squints asked Smalls, curiously.
"Umm—the one with the curly hair is Connie Freemen, pretty much a loud mouth. The other two besides her is Evelyn Jackson and Angela White. And the one sitting in front is… Joyce Codwell, she's really smart and—"
"You like her—don't you?" Squints grinned, trying to get the information out of Smalls. He blushed and looked away.
"Yeah-yeah, he does—look at his face it's all red!" Yeah-Yeah pointed out while laughing a bit. Benny put a hand on Smalls shoulder and shook his head.
"Come on, quit picking on him." Benny demanded.
"Ah—we're just messing with you, Smalls!" Squints assured, even if he actually wasn't.
"Would you please, leave me alone?" Ana yelled at Phillips, as she tried to walk away from him, but it seemed as though Phillips wasn't going to let her lose.
"Oh come on, don't be like that. All I want is to get to know you, maybe over at the carnival that's coming to town on Friday."
"I said, no! Just leave me alone, please." She told him politely.
"But—"
"Just leave her alone, Phillips." Benny said while standing up to him.
"Go mind your own business, Rodriguez!" Phillips sassed while pushing him off. Benny seemed a little caught back from Phillips's push, but brushed it off like nothing.
"When a girl says no—she means it. So back off her, would you?" Benny told him.
"Pssh—let's go guys." Phillips called out to his gang.
"Place full of losers!" He said lastly, before walking out the door.
Benny rolled his eyes, and was relieved for Phillips to be gone. He sat himself back down, leaving the girl, Ana standing on her own. She starred out the door where Phillips had left and then at Benny who just had defended her.
"Hey, you!" She called out. Benny looked up at her as she walked towards the table.
"Yeah?"
"Thanks—I mean for what you did for me. I didn't think Phillips would leave me alone." Ana told him.
"You're welcome." Benny smiled. Ana was about to speak again but was interrupted as four girls came up to where she stood.
"Done flirting?" asked Connie with a grin widely.
"I wasn't flirting—unlike you with one of Phillips's team mate." Ana told her sarcastically.
"Hey, he was offering a free shake. Who would say no to something free?" Ana rolled her eyes and laughed to herself.
"Thanks again—um…"
"Benny."
"Yeah, see you around." She said lastly with a smile.
Ana walked out with the four others following from behind. Noticing, that they were walking out with a baseball bat and gloves. Ham raised an eyebrow as Yeah-Yeah and Squints starred. Benny just smirked in a way, Smalls wondered about Benny's smirk.
"Benny? What's with the smirk?" Smalls asked causing everyone to turn their attention to Benny.
"Uh—oh nothing." Benny said looking away.
"Wow, those two girls got Smalls and Benny." Laughed Squints. Smalls blushed one more as Benny rolled his eyes and relooked at the other direction.
"What can I get you boys?" A waiter asked once she came to the table.
"Five coke-a-colas, please." Squints ordered.
The rest of the day, they played till night. Benny again hit another ball passed Mr. Mertle's house, which was when they called it quits for the day, and would meet at Vincent Drug store the following morning.
