BENNY POV

"So what was your plan Kenny?" It was the third argument I had been in the middle of today, the first had been when I showed up at the diamond ready to practice, and they refused to have me join. The second was when I had tagged out one of the boys and they claimed they were safe, and now this one. I had just finished batting, their second pitcher had taken the mound, and he was no Kenny or Sunshine.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Kenny yelled at the black haired catcher, I wasn't used to seeing such a small person catching, he was Squints size, I really wanted to see someone try to take him down if he ever blocked the plate.

"Did you just want to embarrass us by bringing some sandlot player in and showing us all up?" I quickly dropped the bat in my hands and took off the helmet they had lent me.

"Wesley, he's a friend of mine, and I asked him to come join us. If I wanted to embarrass you I would have demanded Toni pitch to you."

"Who the hell is Toni?"

"Does being a girl make you invisible around here?" Toni's voice came from the bleachers where she had been forced to sit and watch. Despite them having met her twice now, it didn't seem to be important information for them.

Kenny had marched from where he stood in the dugout and was now peering down at Wesley. "Maybe if you guys are embarrassed it's time to start taking this a little more seriously and work on your game. However, just because Benny only plays sandlot ball it doesn't mean he has to be a shit player. I mean grow up."

"Uh." I said interrupting the two boys. "Look I didn't mean to embarrass you guys, I just thought we were having fun. I can sit out if you want."

"No!" Kenny said quickly, before turning his attention back to the catcher. "He's just mad because he can't clear the fence." When I had first arrived I thought it was going to be a lot easier to get along with these guys than it was. Sure, they didn't want me playing with them to begin with, but we didn't want Smalls or Toni to play with us when we first met them either. I just figured that proving myself in the batters box might make them open up and accept me, but they wanted me to fail, and when I didn't it pissed them off.

"All you do is shoot your mouth off about your sandlot team and how great they were."

"Yeah and Benny just proved it."

"We're your teammates, you want to embarrass us and make us hate you or something?"

I cringed when I heard Toni's voice from the bleachers. "Hey I thought you guys weren't on the team yet." Kenny's eyes widened as the boys on the field turned to look at her. He drew his hand under his chin telling her not to say anything but it was too late, they had heard her.

"What did you say?" Wesley asked her.

"Nevermind."

"Kenny told you that didn't he?" Sunshine was up and off the bleachers in a heartbeat. "Hey! If you think we're not good enough to make that team-"

"Don't yell at her." I snapped at him. "She didn't say anything that wasn't true, the only one with a guaranteed spot is Kenny, and I'm sorry if my being here made your guys insecure about your own talent but I only came cause I was invited. As far as I can see it, Kenny doesn't need you guys to like him, you need him to like you. Cause if he's got a spot on the team the coaches ain't gonna pick the kids that don't get along with him." I dropped the helmet to the ground. "Thanks for the invite Kenny, but I think I'm just gonna spend some time with Toni."

Kenny nodded, giving a sympathetic look before glaring at Wesley and taking off towards the bench.

Toni was waiting at the gate for me arms crossed.

"What a bunch of L-7 Weenies." I said taking her hand in mine. "If that's what this league is like I'm glad I ain't apart of it."

"Yeah they're all a bunch of jerks. They're all out for themselves, you notice no one came to defend Kenny or the catcher?" She brushed some hair out of her eyes and back under the cap. "I hope that pitcher isn't in the starting roster. He could even strike Smalls out."

"Hey that's not nice." I laughed nudging her shoulder with mine. "But yeah if that's the best they have other than Kenny then they are in for a rude awakening."

"Worst part of it is, that was Adam." I looked at her eyebrows raised.

"That's the kid that was screaming at you to get off the field? Jeez, the kids got one hell of an ego to suck that much, and be that much of a dick." She agreed with me, and the two of us took off towards Clara's house, Toni had assured me the night before that Clara wouldn't be home but I didn't want to take the chance and ended up sleeping in my car.

"When do you think you're gonna head back?"

"My parents were pretty mad when I called them, but they said I could stay until the end of the week."

"Three days?" I nodded, she was disappointed, so was I. I don't know what I was expecting when I came down here to see her. At the time I thought I could just bring her back with me and

everything would be okay, but it's not that simple.

I was just going to have to suck it up for a few months and come get her on her birthday.

"I'm sorry you have to fend for yourself in this town." She shrugged. I was more sorry for the fact she would have to deal with Clara by herself. As it seemed right now, she wasn't home very often and that made it seem a little better.

"I'm sorry you guys don't have a pitcher for the summer."

"We'll figure something out." I teased. When we made it to the house Clara's car was gone again.

Sunshine opened the front door, "Are you hungry?" she asked but stopped in the doorway when she saw the living room. "Benny run."

"What?" I looked past her to see that Clara was in fact home, and sitting in the living room was the witch herself and two police officers.

"Get outta here." Toni said pushing on my chest to shove me out the door.

"I knew it!" Clara's voice screeched out. "I knew he was here! Don't just stand there, arrest him!" The officers moved lazily from the couch and started to walk towards us. It was only then that I clued into what was happening and I took off running down the street, far too terrified to look back.

SUNSHINE POV

The cops moved a little quicker when they saw Benny take off, but I blocked their path holding my arms out to stop both of them from crossing the threshold of the front door.

"Miss you need to move."

"No!" I yelled at them, the first officer's hands wrapped around my arm in an attempt to move me. The second officer had slipped through the gap he had made and went outside "Don't you dare touch me, or you're gonna have to explain to your chief why you put your hands on a young girl!"

"Excuse me?" I glanced at Clara then back at the officer.

"Ow why did you hit me?!" I demanded. His eyes widened in shock and confusion. I pulled my arm out of his grip and raised my hand to the still fresh looking handprint on my face. "Why did you hit me officer? I moved out of the way didn't I?!"

The second officer apparently had heard what I said because he came back into the house to investigate. "You hit her?"

"No I didn't hit her!" He looked at his partner then back to me, the bruise obviously hadn't formed that quickly, but with the time it would take to drive and file a complaint with the police station, that was more than enough time.

"Miss, lying about an officer becoming physical-"

"You can't say I'm lying. You weren't here to witness it." His glare turned into a look of utter bewilderment.

"Alright." He sighed trying to calm the situation. "The kid is probably long gone by now, I couldn't even see him when I got outside. Ma'am was that the boy you were referring to?"

Clara nodded. "Yes officer that's him."

The officer pulled out a notepad and began to write something on it. "Okay. We'll take a look around town for him and let you know if we find him-"

"Wait." I snapped catching the attention of everyone in the room again. "What the hell is going on?"

"Sweetheart, I need to ask you. Is that boy the one who gave you the bruise on your face?" I opened and closed my mouth a few times not knowing what to say. I looked at Clara who seemed pretty pleased with herself, she called the cops on Benny but for what?

"Of course he didn't!"

"Then who did, I know it wasn't my partner, now if you tell us the truth I promise things will be easier."

"Easier for who?" I demanded, his calm tone was pissing me off. "What the hell did she tell you?"

The officer shut the door, and led me to the couch where they took a seat but I stay ed standing.

"Your mother has contacted us with deep concern that the boy, uh Benjamin Rodriguez." He said reading off his note pad. "Has crossed state line, broke into the home, and has been harassing your family for quite some time. Including becoming psychologically abusive towards you." I looked at Clara eyes wide. "She claims that because of his presence you have become emotionally unstable, and that you have been lying and running away. Is that true?"

"No!" I yelled at them "Benny isn't abusive, he crossed state line to come see me because he missed me."

"There is an attempted forced entry on the back door, as well as a window frame that was popped out of place." So that's how he got into the house to hide in my closet. "Your mother also states-"

"She is lying!" I screamed pointing at Clara. The officers seemed physically annoyed with the situation, like they just wanted to leave and end their shift for the day.

"Your mom-"

"Stop calling her my mother! She's not my mom, she's a goddamned inconvenience until I turn eighteen!"

"I'm going to have to ask you to calm down." The officers had stood now and were now watching me like a hawk to make sure I didn't make any violent movements. But I wasn't a violent or unstable person I was just angry.

"Oh fuck you with your calm down bullshit, I lost my keys and broke into the house yesterday." I lied. "This hand shaped bruise is from some bitch I pissed off at a store." I lied again. "And

Benny has not ever been abusive or hurtful towards me. He came here to see me and I welcomed him with open arms because we have been together since we were twelve years old and I love him." I said honestly.

The room fell silent at my words, Clara arms crossed looked between the officers and me, she was waiting to see what they would say.

The officer who had grabbed my arm let out a frustrated sigh. "Alright then. Ma'am I'm sorry but theres obviously no proof that he broke into the home, and if she's telling the truth then theres no reason to arrest the young man. There isn't really any reason for us not to believe her. We're going to ask around, we'll look for the boy and if we find him we'll bring all of you in for questioning to get to the bottom of what's going on but if he's gone over the state line again then theres not much we can do. California state police would get to this case within a year at the latest. If he's gone and doesn't come back then it looks like your situation is solved, but if he does just have him come down to the station or give us another call alright?"

Clara's fake smile I thought she had only reserved for my dad became present on her face. "Yes, thank you officer."

A few more questions were asked, some more things were written down and with a call on their radio the two officers were gone.

I was the one to close the door behind them, with my forehead leaning against the door I waited to hear their car pull out of the driveway and take off down the street.

I turned on Clara then, fists clenched. "You called the fucking cops on him? Are you insane?!"

"He forced himself into my home. I saw his disgusting truck on my drive home yesterday."

"Okay. But please tell me about all the times that he's abused me and damaged me psychologically. You can't have him arrested on false accusations Clara I won't let you."

Clara stalked towards me finger pointed. "This is my home. And I couldn't stop you from seeing him back in the Valley but I sure as hell will not let that mixed race mongrel into my home.

You can tell him that if I ever see his face near you or this home I will have him arrested." She stopped in front of me, eyes level and just a few inches from my face. Clara had always been shorter than me but the heels she wore made her my height.

"If you ever call him that again, I will rip out your eyes and ram them down your throat, then I'll break your knee caps and listen to what kind of sound you make."

I pulled the door open then. The temptation to go to the police and tell them about Clara was great, but it wasn't an option. I filed about a abusive parent I would be put into foster care and there was no way I was going to let that happen.

I needed to find Benny and tell him what was going on, I prayed that the cops hadn't found him first.

AUTHORS NOTE: He guys my poll for another story is still going on, I listed the story ideas in the previous chapter so let me know what you think/ would like to red and thanks to those who have already voiced an opinion!

Have a great weekend guys!