Here you go. The very first offical chapter of Heater Beater.
Check the prologue for the disclaimer!
"You gotta circle the lot before you can get in. See, over there." I said, pointing to the other side of the Sandlot. Tommy had pedalled through town, following my directions to the Sandlot, and we were nearly there.
"Hey, we can get through there." He said, pointing to a gap in the wall. I shrugged and he slowed down, turning the corner, and rode out onto the Sandlot.
"It's alright I gue-" Tommy jerked and I yelped, tumbling back, as he skidded across the grass before coming to a stop about ten feet away. I scrambled to my feet, ignoring the scrape on my knee, as the Sandlot boys hurried over.
"Oh my god, Sara's gonna kill me." I muttered, kneeling beside him and examining the rapidly swelling bump on Tommy's head. "Oh my god, it's going purple." I snapped the hair tie off my wrist and pulled my hair back into a side ponytail so I could see better. One of the Sandlot boys, the catcher, knelt down and lifted up his helmet.
"He looks bad." He said nervously before standing up. "We should do something." Wings McKay, the only boy in the group I knew beside Ryan, laughed.
"Yeah kick him, see if he's faking it." He said. I stood up and brushed the dirt off my knees.
"You can't kick him, are you nuts?" I asked, running a hand through my fringe and look down on Tommy.
"Nuts? Good idea." The big one said. "Kick in the family jewels, excellent fake breaker." I rubbed my forehead anxiously and shook my head.
"Yeah that should wake him up." Wings said.
"Bad idea on many levels." I looked around, seeing the smart one who hung out with Ryan, hurry over. "As medical procedures state, kicking the patient is way down on the list of medical remedies." Ryan smiled at me and I nodded before peering back down at Tommy.
"You got any better ideas Q?" The big one with the snow cone asked.
"Slap in the face?"
"Bucket of water? That always works." I rolled my eyes at the ideas.
"My mom always says you should wake someone gently." I blinked and nodded at that one.
"How about seeking medical attention?" Q asked as Ryan flipped over a notebook. "But the average ambulance takes about four minutes to respond to the scene of the accident."
"Kick in the family jewels is a lot faster." Snow Cone said. I pursed my lips and bent down again, opening his eyelid gently.
"We're gonna get some help." The tall one with reddish hair said.
"Wait, why are you in charge all of a sudden Timber?" Wings asked, sparking off an argument.
"I'm the tallest." 'Timber' defended.
"What does that have to do with anything?" Q asked. "I am the smartest."
"I think you mean shortest." Snow Cone said. "I'm the biggest." The two opposite him exchanged looks.
"I think you mean…Fattest." They both said. He glared at them and I bit my lip, trying not to laugh.
"And I say we go with the kick." Snow Cone said. I shook my head and opened my mouth but the catcher beat me.
"I'm the captain." He said. Every head snapped over to him and I straightened up from my crouch.
"Who made you captain DP?" Wings asked, looking down on the kid. DP raised his mitt.
"Catcher is always captain." He said. That sparked off another argument and I looked down before tapping Ryan's hand.
"Hey, he's waking up!" I said, bending over Tommy.
"We can still kick him before it's too late." Snow Cone said eagerly and I shot him a glare. "Ask him a question everyone knows."
"Hey, who's the greatest baseball player of all time?" I asked, waving my hand in front of Tommy's face. The boys all looked at me and I looked down, turning red, as Tommy scrunched up his face.
"I am." He said. I jerked back and held onto Ryan for support. "What the?"
"Who are you?" DP asked as I leaned back over.
"Tommy Santorelli." He replied and Wings shook his head.
"I don't care if you're Steve Garvey, the answer's Babe Ruth." He said.
"The Sultan of Swat."
"The King of Crash."
"The Colossus of Clout."
"The Home Run King."
"The Babe!" I said, flicking his nose before turning red as the boys glanced at me again.
"The Great Bambino!" We all shouted and I turned towards Q.
"Is it possible to get amnesia or something from a baseball?" I asked him. He nodded as Tommy shook his head.
"No it's Santa." He said.
"As in…Clause?" The one with the afro asked. Tommy's eyes rolled into the back of his head and he fainted again.
"Can I kick him now?" Snow Cone asked. I flicked his hat off and glared at him before Ryan tugged on my arm, shaking his head before someone shouted. I looked over, seeing the Sherriff run in, and he came to a stop in front of us, holding his sides.
"I'm trained for situation like this." He panted. "Now who started it?" All the boys pointed to Tommy and I pointed to Timber, the pitcher. The Sherriff knelt down, taking off his hat, and carefully moved Tommy's head straight before delicately pinching his nose and opening his mouth. I spun around, immediately knowing what he was going to do, and nearly gagged.
"I'm going in." He said. The boys all looked away, groaning in disgust, as the Sherriff leaned down. Suddenly, Tommy yelled and scrambled back, hitting my legs, and I wobbled, crashing into Wings before righting myself. Tommy scrambled up and held his arms up.
"Hey, what's going on here?" He asked, looking back and forth.
"Alright kids, give him some air." The officer said. "What happened?"
"He took a fly ball to the head." Snow Cone said. "Sorry Uncle Porkchop."
"Would've been a triple too if he hadn't screwed it up." Timber said.
"In your dreams fathead." Wok said as 'Uncle Chops' quietened them.
"Are we gonna have a situation here? Cause we don't wanna have a situation here do we?" He asked as the boys shook their heads. "What's your name kid?"
"Who're you calling kid Tubbs?" Tommy asked. I gasped, holding my hand over my mouth before hissing at him.
"Tommy, be polite." I said angrily. "I'm sorry officer. We're both new and he did just get hit on the head."
"Where's my PDA?" Tommy asked. I turned around, staring at him.
"What's a PDA?" I asked Q. He shrugged as Uncle Chops handed him Snow Cone's snow cone.
"Hey that's mine! And it's not blackberry, that's strawberry banana." He said.
"You serious? I love strawberry banana." Chops said, taking a bite as the kid protested again.
"I think he's that new kid who just moved onto Glen View Road. Her too." Wok said and I nodded in agreement.
"We are-"
"What are you talking about?" Tommy burst out. "I live in Beverly Hills, and what's up with this kid crap? And which one of you jacked my phone? I need to call my agent, and don't even think about autographs!" He snapped at me. I jerked back and Ryan slipped his hand into mine and smiled up at me.
"Don't talk to her like that." Wings said, holding his arm out in front of me. "And why would we want your autograph? Loser." Ryan squeezed my hand and winked at me. I flushed red and elbowed him in the head.
"Not even Ryan." I hissed and he just sniggered as Tommy pulled Chops' sunglasses out of his pocket, glancing at them, before fainting.
"That's my new neighbour." I whispered to Ryan. "Bravest kid ever."
I carefully smoothed down the photo of Benny 'The Jet' Rodriguez before closing the album, making sure not to mess anything up, and slid it under my mattress.
"Mattie! There are some boys here to see you!" I jumped and looked towards my door where Toni was leaning. She pushed off the door frame and Wings, DP, Timber, the snow cone kid and Tommy appeared.
"We're going down to the Sandlot. Benny is putting on a clinic." Wings said. "Ryan reckons you've got a good arm for pitching." I blushed and Toni laughed from down the hall.
"You guys are kidding right?" She asked, appearing over their heads. "Mattie's got the best heat this side of LA." I blushed deeper and she laughed, throwing my sneakers at me. "I'd watch out for her batting though. Now get going." I shoved my feet into my sneakers, tucking the laces inside, before scrambling up and following them outside. They collected their bikes and I pulled mine out from some bushes before pushing off and following Timber.
We headed through the town centre and I smiled, seeing all the bright ribbons and banners. I sped up, passing Timber and Two-ton, and giggled quietly as I wove from side to side on the pavement before following Wings across the road and down the track towards the Sandlot. I'd barely stacked my bike next to the others when Ryan appeared, pulling me over towards Benny. The Jet looked up and grinned.
"Great they bought the new kid." Wok muttered before Roll nudged him.
"At least they bought the other new kid." He said as I arrived.
"You're Toni's sister?" Benny asked and I nodded. "I've heard of you and your pitches. I've seen you once. No wonder your sister calls you Heater." I blushed to the roots of my hair and Benny chuckled. "Don't speak much do you? We'll alternate between you and Timber." I nodded as the others grouped around.
"Alright fella's, let's go. I want you guys to focus." Benny said. "When I start talking, I want you listening. Okay? Let's go." We broke and I jogged backwards, heading to second base with a borrowed mitt from Benny. Wings winked at me as he, Timber and Two-ton headed towards the outfield and I blushed, getting a chuckle. I pounded my fist into my mitt and bent slightly as Benny took up a bat.
"Alright fella's, and lady, you ready?" Benny called before hitting an easy ball. I moved forward, scooping it up, and threw it back, aiming for DP in the catcher's get-up. Benny nodded and hit another one. Wings streaked past me and slid on the ground, scooping the ball in his mitt, and threw it to me. I snapped it in my glove and passed it back to DP before cracking my neck. Benny hit another one, sending it just under Timber's glove and I caught it, throwing it back to the red head.
"Nice Timber." Timber grinned and practiced a few pitches before Benny took to the plate. Timber wound up and threw. I gasped and Benny ducked as the ball hit the pot behind him, hanging on the fence.
"That's good, just keep throwing them a little lower." Benny said. "Heats, take the mound for a few." I flushed slightly and caught the ball as DP threw it to me, before patting Timber's shoulder. "You ready?" I nodded and Timber backed up to take my spot when Benny called a time out. I relaxed and Benny called out to Timber.
"Come to the side of her Timber. Watch where she watches and see how her feet are." Benny instructed. I blushed hotly at the thought of anyone, even Timber, watching me. But I shook it off and rolled the ball in my mitt before shifting my weight. I wound up and threw, sending the ball thudding past Benny's bat and into DP's glove.
"Ow, geez!" DP yelped, shaking his hand out. I cringed and looked towards Timber. He was chewing his lip and looked more down than before and I sighed before Benny called us all in.
"Timber?" I shuffled over. "You'll get it, you know that right?" I said softly, twisting my fingers together.
"Okay, now." Benny looked around. "Do any of you have the guts to hit off a real major leaguer?" I stepped back almost immediately and the others all shook their heads.
"Right here!" I looked over and almost groaned. Key word, almost. Tommy pushed past us and I shook my head slowly before following Wings to the dugout. He sat down and pulled me down next to him, ignorant and oblivious to the blush that now coloured my cheeks. Ryan saw though, and nudged me. I narrowed my eyes and he grinned innocently before hitting the side of the bat barrel with a wooden bat and holding it out to Tommy before sitting down next to me.
"What's your name kid?" Benny asked, picking up his bag and moving it.
"Tommy Santorelli. And I promise you that you won't forget it." He said. The boys all 'oohed' and Wings nudged me.
"Who does your boyfriend think he is?" Two-ton asked. "Hank Aaron?" I shook my head furiously.
"He's not my boyfriend. I think he's an arrogant little person." I said before clapping my hand over my mouth in embarrassment.
"I like your confidence kid, now let's see what you got." Benny said. I rested my head in my hands and started fiddling with my ponytail.
"That's your problem Benny, you're too nice." Tommy said and I gaped at his rudeness.
"Excuse me?" Benny asked in disbelief.
"You're excused." Tommy replied. My jaw dropped and Wings nudged me with his shoulder, smirking, before the smirk dropped as the first ball went over the fence into the abandoned house behind the Sandlot. "And Santa takes it to the North Pole." I rolled my eyes and waved my hand at him. The second and third balls followed the first and Timber knocked Two-ton's shoulder.
"I think his swing might be better than Hank Aaron's." He said quietly and I scrunched up my face.
"This makes no sense. Sara said Tommy's only been playing for a little while." I muttered, leaning forward as Tommy hit the eighth and ninth balls as well. By the time he'd finished, I'd had to shut Wings and Two-ton's jaws five times. Tommy sauntered back and handed the bat to Ryan.
"Good pick kid." He said as Ryan put the bat away. "Your name's Ryan right? Whattaya say?" Ryan's face dropped and he walked around the boys to sit in the very back and I slid over next to him. Tuning out Benny and Tommy.
"He doesn't really know right?" I asked. Ryan shrugged and picked at the worn leather of his seat.
"With him on our team, we could enter the All City Championship!" DP cried. "And Heats could help Timber with his pitching!"
"Enter it?" Squints asked. "You guys could win it."
"Very high probability." Q chipped in and the boys cheered.
"Whoa wait, who said anything about me playing on your team?" Tommy asked. "I'm not gonna be here that long. Look at it this way. I show you how it's done, that's my little gift to you guys. They don't call me the Santa for nothing." I scoffed and threw my mitt down before stalking back to sit next to Wings.
"They don't call you the Santa full stop." I muttered.