Summer is supposed to be the chance to get a break, sleep in and relax, right? Wrong. I groaned annoyed as the knocking on my window snapped me out of my dreams. I glanced back at the clock. Seven in the morning...why? Another set of knocks forced me to get out of bed. I didn't even have to look to know who it was.
"Benny it's seven in the morning," I grumbled as I slid the window open. "We didn't tell the guys to meet us until nine". Benny smiled sheepishly as he climbed in through the window. Only then did I remember the hoodie I was wearing. His hoodie.
"I know...but I couldn't wait to see you," he explained, dropping onto my bed. A dark blush crept onto my face. He was always such a flirt.
"If I didn't know any better I'd say you have a crush on me," I teased sitting next to him. Benny Rodriguez had been my best friend since I moved here almost three years ago. It was normal for us to act like this.
"Right," he smirked as he rolled his brown eyes. "Just like you have a crush on me". Without warning, he pulled me back into the pillows. I laughed as I tried to get out of his grip...only to end up pinned underneath him. I glanced up at him and immediately regretted it. Our faces were only a few inches apart.
"You wish, Rodriguez," I muttered. "Now get off of me and keep it down. We can't wake the warden up,". Benny nodded in agreement and promptly stood up.
"That's where I left my hoodie," he noted. I groaned quietly. Of all the things I had to wear.
"You probably left it over here the last movie night," I mumbled looking for any reason to leave the room. " Let me get changed real quick and you can have it back,". I ran into the closet and pulled off the hoodie immediately. The smell of grass, sand, gravel and something sweet flew towards me. I quickly changed into shorts, a white tank top and an orange-tan button up.
"Is my hat over there," I called from the closet, pulling my black hair into a low ponytail. I opened the door and threw the hoodie at him.
"Here," Benny replied, throwing my Dodgers hat at me. I rolled my dark brown eyes at him teasingly. "Trying to match me huh?". I stuck my tongue out at him playfully. "C'mon, we gotta stop by Vincent's for a new ball".
"Yeah-Yeah has the ball doesn't he," I asked, grabbing my bag. Benny shook his head pulling his open button up over his shirt.
"He left it at the sandlot and someone swiped it," he shrugged before stepping outside. I rolled my eyes. Forgetful Yeah-Yeah.
"You know there's a front door," I reminded him, crossing my arms over my chest. "It'd be a lot easier,". Benny sent me a crooked grin before reaching his arm out to me.
"It also takes the fun out of sneaking around," he pointed out as I grabbed his hand. "Also the warden might hear us,". I bit my lip and shuddered. The shudder distracted me enough that I lost my balance and fell...landing right on top of Benny.
"Shit. Sorry." I hissed out as I sat up. Benny just laughed at me. "Also, there's no reason to sneak around". He frowned.
"Isn't there," he asked, raising an eyebrow. It wasn't any secret that my mom hated Benny as well as the rest of the team. She wanted a perfect little lady. Instead she got a smart mouth that loved baseball and had the stubbornness of a bull. As we crossed the street to the main road, my eyes landed on the moving truck a few houses down. Stacks of boxes surrounded it.
"Looks like we've got a new neighbor," I noted watching as a small blonde boy carried a box out of the truck. He couldn't have been older than eleven. I grabbed Benny's wrist, pulling him to a stop. The young boy was waving at us. I smiled and waved back at him as Benny nodded in recognition before he wrapped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me towards the main part of town.