Chapter 4

Benny took the spot as catcher so Ham could have a go at batting. Ham stepped up to the plate and positioned himself for a swing before pointing to the house just behind the left field fence. The action caused everyone to laugh.

"Oh, yeah. I see it," Benny joked.

Kenny stood on the pitcher's mound and pitched the ball. Ham missed it.

"This is baseball!" Ham said crossly. "Give me something to hit!"

"Throw him a basketball! Maybe he would hit it," Squints called.

"Alright, Ham! This is my heater," Kenny yelled from across the field. "I dare you to hit it!"

Kenny would be eating his words, because not long after he pitched his Heater, Ham successfully hit it. Smalls and I both backed up, but there was just no way we could catch the ball. It went right over the fence!

I watched from the distance as Ham smirked and started to run around the bases while Benny stood up and removed his mask.

"Ham, you idiot!" Benny snapped. "Now we can't play no more!" Everyone must have shared Benny's annoyance, because they all began throwing their mitts at Ham. I looked at Smalls, who looked back at me in confusion.

"Let's just go get the ball," I sighed before we both started walking towards the fence. We began climbing it, but suddenly froze when everyone began screaming at us.

"No!" Squints yelled, causing all the other boys to run towards us. Benny was the first to reach me, and he practically yanked me off the fence. I watched as everyone else carried Smalls and put him back down on the ground, as well.

"Benny, what the heck are you doing?" I asked in confusion.

"No," Squints began. "What were you thinking?" I looked at him blankly.

"Well, you guys were all complaining, so we were going to get the ball for you," I answered, still unsure of what Smalls and I did wrong.

"You can't go behind there," Ham said. I looked at Smalls.

"Why not?" Everyone looked at each other, unsure of who to speak.

"The Beast," Benny answered for everyone else.

"Right…" I sighed. "Yep, there's a beast behind there." I rolled my eyes, but Benny walked forward and bent down towards me.

"Both of you, go to that hole, and look through," he explained. I shrugged and walked over there, Smalls following behind me. Unsure of what we were looking for, we bent down and looked through the hole in the fence. I saw the ball. It landed in the midst of a pile of junk. But just when I was about to turn around and ask Benny what I was supposed to be looking for, a large paw entered the sight and snatched the ball away from view. Smalls and I both jumped back in horror, unsure of what we had just witnessed.

"What the heck was that?" I asked looking at Benny. The boys all looked at each other again, before finally replying all together.

"Camp out!"

After the game ended, because we didn't have a ball to play with, Benny and I walked home. Again, he kept looking at me, which was a bit unsettling. I eventually got tired of it and made the effort to confront him.

"Why do you keep on looking at me?" I asked. Benny raised an eyebrow.

"I am not looking at you," he said walking to his house. "You must really want me if you think I am looking at you." My eyes widened.

"Benny, you jerk!" I ran towards him and gave him a good shove. "You're really cocky if you think I want you. You know, not every girl in the world wants you." With that said, I left him on the ground and walked away.

I ran the short walk to my house. I opened the door and slammed it shut as soon as I walked in. My mom was in the living room, and, looking at my face, she said, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Benny's just conceited." She gave me a sympathetic look.

"I'm sorry, honey. But look, something came in the mail for you today." She handed me a package. My face lit up, and I shouted thanks and ran up the stairs to my room. I ripped it open. Shaking out a necklace into my hand, I grinned. It was a pink medallion with Japanese letters on it. Then out came a letter.

Dear Annabelle,

Hope you are well! This is a necklace that the master gave me to send to you.

From Jarred

In that instant, I suddenly felt home sick. I looked across my room and stared at the photo of my friends before finally realizing I had my own friends to attend to tonight. With that in mind, I slipped on the delicate necklace and got read for the campout.

Afterwards, I walked down stairs to get something to eat when I found my mom talking to someone else.

"Annabelle, this is David, my lawyer," She said. "David, this is my daughter, Annabelle."

"Why's he here?" I walked over to the fridge, getting out a Pepsi and twisting off the cap.

"Well, Ryan and I have been having some problems lately…" she trailed off. I was shocked. My mouth was halfway open, and I'm pretty sure my eyes would compete with Bambi's.

"Hey mom," I said as I gave a customary glance at mom's lawyer. "I was just going to get something to eat before leaving." She nodded, and I hurried to the kitchen to grab a candy bar before racing back to my room and grabbing my sleeping bag.

Benny was already waiting for me outside…with a quirky grin on his face. We picked up Scotty Smalls next, and the three of us headed to the tree house near the sandlot.

I took a seat next to the window, and Benny took a seat next to me. Strangely enough, he brought his bat and placed it on the other side of him.

"Do you sleep with that bat or something?" I asked pointing to it while Ham asked Smalls if he wanted a s'more.

"No," he said with the same quirky grin.

"Okay, why are you smiling at me like that? Tell me," I asked from my seat on the window.

"No, can't tell you," he answered. Just when I was about to launch into an argument with him, Squints told everyone to be quiet, and he started the story of the beast. During the story, I got down from my seat and leaned against the wall next to Benny. Very quietly I poked him in the ribs. He looked at me and smirked.

"Tell me," I persisted. He shook his head. I pouted and did my best puppy dog eyes.

"You'll find out soon enough," he said turning back around because Squints had finished the story. Smalls said something but I was too lost in my thoughts to hear him or anyone else. What does Benny mean? I asked myself. I peeked a look at him and he was smirking. What in the world is he smirking about?