SUNSHINE POV
"Benny the Jet Rodriguez, I can tell you I didn't think I'd be seeing your ugly mug ever again." Kenny stated as he hugged his old friend.
"Likewise, but from what Sunshine told me, you're doing pretty well out here, why would you come see some dirty sandlot players?" Kenny laughed and gave him a friendly punch on the shoulder.
"Ah, you know I'd give a leg to play with you guys again. I like being on a real competitive team but these guys have no soul, no passion, they're only here because they can afford it, I'm on a scholarship." I smiled a half relived smile at that, he was still the same ol' Kenny who worked hard for everything he had and wasn't going to get sucked into all the materialistic things in life.
"But what the hell are you guys doing out here?"
"It's a long story. Kenny." I said, he grinned and threw his arms around mine and Benny's shoulder's.
"And I got the perfect place for you to tell it, it's open all night in case we need it." We laughed and followed him down the street, apparently it was the same diner I had been to a few days ago, only this time the place was almost completely filled.
We were seated in a booth near the back and I was thankful for it, there were stares for Benny and I and high fives for Kenny as we walked to our seats. I guess he hadn't lost his loveable nature.
"So last I heard was that your dad took off, that was the last letter I got from you and I'm sorry I didn't call you or anything it's just-"
"It's fine Kenny." He sighed in relief and visibly relaxed in his seat. "It's kinda the reason I'm out here. Clara just out of the blue picked up our stuff and dragged me out here without any warning."
"No kidding?" I shook my head, Kenny glanced towards Benny. "You propose to her or something? Or you just so madly in love with her that you're crazy enough to drive all the way out here just to get your ass kicked back to California."
Benny rolled his eyes, "The second one. Look we didn't really get to say goodbye properly, and I really didn't want to wait months for her to come back without a proper few days together to accept it."
"Well little miss Sunshine, if you're gonna be here for a few months, why not just join my team for the time being?" I snorted at his offer. "What?"
"Your team doesn't seem to like me very much."
"They don't like anybody."
"Well what about your coaches?"
Kenny had picked up his spoon and was now playing with it in his hands. "We don't got one, at least not yet. We're not the final team, they're still looking for players for training, the season only starts in the spring after all. Tryouts are in the fall, we just all kinda got together and decided training would be better done together." Well that was just great, they had a lot of attitude and bravado for guys that weren't even on a team yet.
I could understand them having a little bit of an ego because they were recruited but they weren't even on the team yet.
"You told me that our scout came to one of your games yeah?" Kenny asked placing the spoon down.
Benny shifted uncomfortably. "Yeah." he replied dully. "The game we were forced to lose to save the sandlot. . . . Guess its a good thing he didn't take Phillips eh?"
"So are you on the team?" I asked Kenny, he nodded.
"I'm the only one with a guaranteed spot, not meaning to brag or anything. But everyone else either is attending the college and want to try out or were invited to come tryout. I'm the only one that they offered a spot to right away."
"Congrats." I said with a smile, he grinned and waved his hand dismissing it.
"Thanks, but it ain't that big a deal, but it sure makes those guys jealous."
Just then a pretty red headed waitress came over to our table still trying to get her name tag on. "I am really sorry guys, they just called me in, we didn't think it was gonna be this busy, and I just got here. What can I get you- Kenny?" Kenny looked like he had just swallowed the spoon he had been fiddling with.
"Hi Katie." her expression went from shock, to anger, to a smile in about three seconds. "I'm gonna have the pizza sub."
"And we're both gonna have the onion ring burger, thanks." Benny said quickly handing her the menus, he had obviously seen the look on Kenny's face and was eager to help him out of a possible awkward situation. She nodded and with a forced smile took off. "Friend of yours?"
Kenny sunk in his seat rubbing his hand over his face. "I didn't think she was gonna get called in. I knew she wasn't working today."
I leaned on the table towards him raising an eyebrow. "Care to explain?" He shook his head. "Oh come on, you know all of our business."
"Your business doesn't include some crazy and clingy girls in your life."
"Did I never mention Hailey?"
Kenny sighed, he was obviously annoyed that the girl was here and was trying to avoid her, and it was going to make him uncomfortable talking about it but I really wanted to know. Partly because I wanted to know more about Kenny, but a selfish part of me just wanted to know the gossip in town. A week in this place without having anyone to talk to, and everyone judging me, it would be nice to know a thing or two about everyone else.
"I'm living here this year, but before then I was living about an hour away and only coming here to visit the school, and see friends. Basically I met her at a party and things got a little too wild, we slept together and even dated for a few weeks."
Benny reached under the table and placed a hand on my knee, "Bad breakup?"
"I guess you could say that. . . . but I didn't mention that I kinda had a girlfriend at the time." Benny and I shared a look with one another.
"You mean you were cheating on her?"
"I never asked her to be my girlfriend, she just kind of assumed we were together and I thought we were just friends. I was an asshole and when I caught on to what she was thinking I didn't exactly set her straight. Anyways she found out and got my girlfriends number and called her. . . . it was a mess, alright? "
Sounded like it, Kenny wasn't the type I thought could ever cheat on a girl, I mean he was well aware of the way Phillips acted and hated him for it, and he always treated me and girls at school with respect.
"And this is the first time seeing her since everything blew up?" Benny guessed. He nodded and sighed again, an amused grin showed up on Benny's face and I had to smack him for it. "Ow!
Come on it's the funniest thing we've heard about since Yeah Yeah falling asleep on that girl."
That sparked Kenny's interest. "What?"
"Ignore him." I told Kenny. Just as our conversation was about to change topics Katie arrived back at our table, two cokes in her hands.
"I realized I forgot to take your drink orders." She smiled sweetly, but it wasn't as innocent as she made it seem, as her arms extended and emptied the contents of both glasses onto Kenny's head. "I hope coke is okay!" She yelled at him before stomping away. The entire diner exclaimed in either amusement or shock at her actions.
Kenny did his best to removed the sticky contents from his eyes. "I deserved it."
I agreed with him before handing him my napkin so he could clean himself up a bit.
"Do you think she's gonna bring us our food?" Benny wondered aloud, Kenny ignored him and watched Katie storm out of the diner in anger. I guess she wouldn't be bringing us anything, but
we chose to stay.
"So Benny, if your girl isn't interested in joining the team, what about you?"
"What about me?" Benny was skeptical, he had me hounding his ass for years about being recruited and it tended to piss him off, now it seemed like Kenny was looking to do the same thing.
"Come out and play with us."
"I live in California."
Kenny rolled his eyes. "I don't mean forever. We have another practice tomorrow, come out and just hit some balls with us or something." Benny didn't say anything, he seemed conflicted about something, whether it was that he felt like he was betraying the sandlot by playing with another team, or he was slightly intimidated with the idea of playing with college ball players, I wasn't sure. But whatever it was he didn't seem too keen on the idea. "Benny I'm just asking you to keep your game up while you're here. You guys know what a week without practice can do to your mechanics."
"If you go, I'll go." I told Benny, he raised an eyebrow at me. "Why don't you wanna go?"
"Kind of sounds like a big team of Phillips'." Kenny burst into laughter then, and managed to agree through his amusement.
"Yeah I guess they are. Benny I'm asking more for my sake, They don't think I'm as good just because I played sandlot ball for so long, having you there would knock them down a peg or two and save me months of aggravation."
Reluctantly Benny agreed.
As much as I understood Benny not wanting to play with a bunch of stuck up jerks, I was happy he said yes. For as long as Benny had played he's been the best in town, and although he was extremely talented he had only ever played with the sandlot and against Phillips. It was gonna be one interesting day to see if Benny would actually survive the big leagues.
AUTHORS NOTE:
Hey guys, thanks for reading, commenting and reviewing, it means a lot considering this is the second instalment and this is the part of their lives I am super excited to be writing. It's gonna be a little slow for a little bit just cause there has to be context and a build up to main events so hang in there :)
I did want to say that I am thinking about writing another story. i know I tried to write a Stand by me story and I kinda abandoned it, but I got writers block. The Sunshine state, is still my number one priority but I do want to start writing another story just to keep things interesting and fresh in my life.
There were a few forums/communities I was thinking about writing about, they're not the most popular on Fanfiction, but I never really was into the latest trend anyways. So I'm asking for you guys to give your input on what story you think I should write:
-The Nightmare Before Christmas (This would be a adventure/ romance story, with the love interest being Shock)
-BBC Robin Hood. (Again a Adventure/romance story, with the love interest being Will Scarlett.)
-Gotham (not too sure if I have enough Ideas for this one, but it would be a Comedy/romance/horror story with the love interest being Jerome)
-Rise of the guardians (Romance/comedy with the love interest being Jack frost)
Please give me your opinions! Thank you!