Austin
Their Girl
For anyone who knew these boys, it would be weird to see a girl playing baseball with them. The boys of the sandlot could always be found on the field with ball and bat in hand. For them, baseball was life. The same went for Austin Howard. She had only met the boys a few months before, but still she had her secrets. It took her a while, but they finally accepted her, and from then on she played ball with them. However she had some big secrets, that they knew, and she still didn’t trust them enough to let them out.
One day the boys were waiting for her in the lot and were talking. “Anybody wonder why she’s always late?” Ham asked, a bit annoyed with his new friend.
They all shrugged. “Who knows? But if she doesn’t get here soon I say we start without her.” Yeah-Yeah said, chewing some gum obnoxiously.
“You guys talking about me?”
The all turned around, a but frightened. They hadn’t heard anyone approaching. “Cat! Stop doing that!” They all shouted simultaneously.
She laughed. “But that’s how I got my nickname, remember?”
“That and you lick your fingers clean after you eat.” Smalls joked with her.
She shrugged. “You know how I do.”
Benny rolled his eyes, a smile on his face. “Can we please play some ball before it gets dark out?”
She smiled. “I’m waiting on you. God Benny get ready on time.”
He gave her a look and she just smiled and ran to her position. Unfortunately DeNunez had hurt his foot the last time they played ball, so he was not able to play for a while. They played the game for a few hours before the dark and cool breeze forced them back to their houses for the night. Benny, Smalls and Cat always walked together because their houses were all near each other. Smalls left them first, because Benny always walked Cat to her door to make sure she got in okay. She would never admit it, but she was glad he did that. It made her feel safe.
When she got inside, the first thing she heard was her sister talking on the phone. She rolled her eyes at the day’s gossip. She loved her older sister, but she could definitely get on her nerves…a lot. She popped some food in the oven and waited for it to heat up. Her dad was at work until early morning. He had to start working two jobs ever since her mother left. After her food was warm, she went up to her room and sat by her window. She had the perfect view of the lot and it was always cool to watch at night, even if it stayed deserted. She picked up her necklace, which said ‘LOVE’. She ran her fingers over it in a back and forth motion. “God I miss you.”
One day the boys were waiting for her in the lot and were talking. “Anybody wonder why she’s always late?” Ham asked, a bit annoyed with his new friend.
They all shrugged. “Who knows? But if she doesn’t get here soon I say we start without her.” Yeah-Yeah said, chewing some gum obnoxiously.
“You guys talking about me?”
The all turned around, a but frightened. They hadn’t heard anyone approaching. “Cat! Stop doing that!” They all shouted simultaneously.
She laughed. “But that’s how I got my nickname, remember?”
“That and you lick your fingers clean after you eat.” Smalls joked with her.
She shrugged. “You know how I do.”
Benny rolled his eyes, a smile on his face. “Can we please play some ball before it gets dark out?”
She smiled. “I’m waiting on you. God Benny get ready on time.”
He gave her a look and she just smiled and ran to her position. Unfortunately DeNunez had hurt his foot the last time they played ball, so he was not able to play for a while. They played the game for a few hours before the dark and cool breeze forced them back to their houses for the night. Benny, Smalls and Cat always walked together because their houses were all near each other. Smalls left them first, because Benny always walked Cat to her door to make sure she got in okay. She would never admit it, but she was glad he did that. It made her feel safe.
When she got inside, the first thing she heard was her sister talking on the phone. She rolled her eyes at the day’s gossip. She loved her older sister, but she could definitely get on her nerves…a lot. She popped some food in the oven and waited for it to heat up. Her dad was at work until early morning. He had to start working two jobs ever since her mother left. After her food was warm, she went up to her room and sat by her window. She had the perfect view of the lot and it was always cool to watch at night, even if it stayed deserted. She picked up her necklace, which said ‘LOVE’. She ran her fingers over it in a back and forth motion. “God I miss you.”