A/N INTERNET AT LAST! So, I didn't read this, um, I just am posting while I have a connection. Tell me if it sucks, and if it does, well… Don't read the next chapter.

One day when Wendy and Sandy came over, I told them I had promised the sandlot boys I'd go to the sandlot.

"First, though, I have to get a bucket of apples!" I said as we walked down the side walk.

"Why?" Sandy asked.

"To play apple ball. My dad and I used to play it all the time. Someone pitches you an apple and you have to try and hit it. When you do hit them though, they explode. It's a ton of fun."

After we got the apples, we headed over to the sandlot. The boys were already playing when we got there. They stopped when we came walking up. They whispered to one other, but seemed cool about the other girls being here.

"It's about time, what took so long?" Ham asked as we approached.

"I had to buy apples." I replied taking the bat from Benny.

"Why?" Benny asked as he took the bucket.

"To play apple ball," I explained the game and said, "It's fun." I smiled.

"Alright, I'm game." Benny said. Wendy and Sandy exchanged a look, and I gave them a glare.

"I'll pitch." DeNunez said.

"Actually, I'll pitch so you guys get a chance to hit." I said as I handed the bat to DeNunez and put my mitt on.

"Can you throw?" Ham asked.

"You wanna bat first? Then, you can see how well I throw." I said with a smirk. The guys knew I was up to something, but Ham didn't back down.

"Fine." The girls went and sat in the dug out. I took the bucket from Benny, and the guys all stood behind me as I threw the apple. I threw it harder and faster then necessary, but I was trying to get a point across.

Ham missed and the apple hit the fence and exploded. All the guys laughed and said that was awesome. The girls cheered me on.

"Okay, okay, I get it!" Ham said. I took it easy on him, and then we started rotating through the guys until we were down to one apple.

"Hey Julia, you get last hit." Benny called to me as he set the bat down. We swapped positions, and I hit the apple hard. It exploded and went into my eyes. I laughed as everyone gathered around.

"Who wants to go back to my house?" I asked as we headed out of the sandlot.

"Yeah, of course!" The girls said as the boys all agreed.

When we got to my house, there was an unfamiliar car outside. "Who is that?" Smalls asked.

"I don't know." We all went up the porch steps and inside. I heard my mom crying. "Mom? Mom, what's wrong?" I asked as I came up to her. There was a guy in an army uniform standing in the kitchen. My aunt was holding my mom.

"Julia… I'm so sorry." My mom said, wiping away her tears.

"Oh, gosh, no…" I whispered. The man in the uniform looked at the floor.

"Julia?" Benny asked, as I started having trouble breathing. It was really me trying to keep back tears. Benny rested his hand on my shoulder, but I ran out the back door. I jumped the fence and ran down the street. I could hear the others shouting my name, but I didn't stop.

The pounding of feet behind me slowly got closer, and the girls were screaming my name. Benny and the guys yelled when they stopped. I turned a corner fast and ran into the woods. I didn't hear them anymore.