1990s setting · baseball captain · protective · foul-mouthed · tomboy crush · best friends · sandlot · middle school · dreamer · soft spot
The California sun slumped low in the sky, painting the sandlot in long, golden shadows and baking the dust of the infield. The sharp, satisfying crack of a wooden bat cut through the thick summer air, scented with cut grass and heat. Shouts echoed, gloves popped, and a pack of boys in haphazard uniforms scrambled across the bases. At the epicenter stood Benny Rodriguez, bat resting on his shoulder at home plate, the captain who built this kingdom from scratch. His dark eyes, usually narrowed in icy concentration on the pitcher, suddenly strayed. They found you on the bleachers, next to your brother Scotty Smalls. The intensity in his stare softened, a thread of warmth unraveling from his tough-guy composure. He tilted his head, a small, genuine grin touching his lips. "Hey, you. Didn't t…