Chapter 3: School Days and Realization

Remember when I said that Alex and I arrived in 'The Valley' four weeks before school ended? Well I wasn't lying. When I was bored one day and started walking around town, that's when I found the school...

"And then Andy ran straight into the door, making everyone turn look at him."

Andy blushed and tugged his baseball cap down, trying to hide the embarrassing pink on his cheeks. Alex, Andy, and Benny were the only ones left once everyone else departed. After they play baseball all day, Benny decided that it was time for everyone to get home, it was school night after all. But on the way, Alex thought it would be entertaining to tell embarrassing stories about Andy. And he does not like it one bit, Benny analyzed as he watch the shorter twin tugged down his cap to hide his blush. This teen acted strangely when someone was either cracking on him or telling embarrassing stories about him. The blue-eyed boy, there was something about him, Benny didn't know what, but he was nicer to be around. He was more of the silent type, one that didn't talk much or didn't have much to say. And when he walked or moved, he didn't make much sound, like it was practiced over and over or it was like someone was yelling at him to be quiet. If anything, his nickname could've been Mouse. Benny had to smirk at that thought.

But yet, as Benny glanced at the shorter boy beside him, he knew that this kid was different from other regular teenage boys. He acted different, his looks were most defiantly different, his appearance and the way he holds himself is not like anything like how a boy would stand. He stood up straight, only slouching when hiding the blush on his cheeks. He was a strange one.

Andy puffed oh his cheeks, narrowing his eyes as he looked at his brother. "Least I didn't embarrass myself in front Jenny Whitemore when you were trying to ask her to the dance." He retorted back, smirking when Alex growled lowly in the back of his throat and pointed an accusing finger at the shorter boy.

"Hey! I thought we made a deal about not mentioning that. Ever." He growled, making a snort come from Andy's lips.

"Yeah~" He dragged out the word, rolling his eyes. "You know that I never listen to you or Ma." He then put a hand over his heart, walking in front of the two taller boys and walked backwards. "It's like you don't know me at all, Alexander. And after all that time in mothers stomach." He barked a laugh and winked at Alex, a mock hurt expression on his face. "But I guess you didn't want me as your twin in the first place."

Andy just shook his head and laughed when Alex rolled his eyes at his twin's antics. "Whatever, dill-weed." He huffed, watching a Andy put a hand over his heart while feigning a hurt expression.

"Alexander Ricardo Simmons! Such names will not be tolerated within my presence." The shorter twin said, putting his hands on hips, only now showing that he had more defined hips than any other boy would have.

'Strange', Benny thought, raising a brow as his dark eyes followed Andy's hands as they stayed planted on his hips. His brown eyes strayed back up to the boys face, only finding his blue eyes staring back at him, a weird look in them, like they were telling him to not to notice. Rodriguez didn't say anything about it but he did put it in the back of his mind for later to think of.

Soon it was time for the twins to separate from Benny, only being a few houses down from the baseball player. They quickly said their goodbyes and promises of playing baseball tomorrow, and the twins soon started walking to there home, quickly jumping into bed, only hoping to catch some sleep.

I stared at my ceiling, my hands under my head as I went through the events that occurred today. Alex and I playing baseball with the guys, feeling that we belonged there. I felt like we were supposed to be there with them, laughing and smiling until the sun sets and the moon rises, telling us that the day has ended and tomorrow will there, waiting once more to shine down on the Sandlot. It was nice to have friends. It's not like I mean to be distance, but I really hate goodbyes, tears welling up in my eyes as I departed from the friends that I cherished.

Most of the time I would try not to be warm and nice, but cold and distance, never saying a word. Sometimes it would be easy but then you would meet the ones that were too stubborn and decided to get to know her, being to damn curious for their own good. But maybe that was a good thing. I mean, having friends is a blessing. You'll always have someone to talk to, share smiles and laughter, telling little secrets and just mocking each other. It's not right to be alone.

I didn't like being alone.

Yeah of course I had my brother, but I need someone else besides him. I already know too much about him that he's boring and I live with him, it's too bland to only having him in my life.

But yeah, it was nice to have friends and to make them so quick! It's gotta be some kind of fate that pulled us all together. And there's no way that I'm defying fate.

As I rolled I onto my side, I thought about Benny. Out of all the other boys, I gotta say, he was the nicest. He was just as beautiful on the inside as he was on the outside, with his dark hair, chocolate eyes, tan skin, and long legs that can probably stretch for miles. He was truly something. And just by being around him today, I could tell that, that kid loved baseball. And I mean love. He could play it all day and never tire of it. Even as it was getting dark, he was reluctant to even go home. If anything, he could have been born on a baseball field.

As I started drifting off, my thoughts were still on Benjamin Rodriguez, the long legged baseball player that caught my attention. I could already tell that this was gonna be an interesting summer.

Benny laid in his bed, his hands under his head as he stared up at his ceiling, his mind traveling from baseball to his new neighbors. His dark eyes closing and seeing a pair of clear blue ones, staring back at him, unblinking, reminding him of a clear sky in winter. His breath hitched in his throat, his eyes jerking open. He rubbed his eyes, trying to erase the image of Andy's eyes from his head. What was wrong with him? Why was he seeing another boys eyes? Maybe it was because both brothers had such strange eyes, but yet it matched their looks in a weird way? Benny didn't know, but he hoped that that could be the answer.

I sighed for what seemed like the hundredth time today. I was bored. You wanna know why I was bored? Because Benny and the gang were at school, while I was at home, with my brother as our parents worked. I groaned and rubbed my face, wishing that school would end all already so I can go play baseball with the gang. It was so much fun the last time we played. I was so lost in it that I forgot that it was night time. I was weird like that. Get lost in something and forget what time it was and not really caring, knowing that I truly loved what I was doing.

Baseball made me happy, it was my life, my love. Some people just see it as a sport or a hobby, but baseball was my universe. I know my brother doesn't love it as much as I do, but I don't care really. And sometimes I get called crazy and then reminded that life isn't all about baseball. Sorry, but in my world it is. And to think that I fell in love it when my father started watching baseball. I remembered asking him if he couldn't teach me how to play, and of course he said yes. I loved the sport and I vowed that I would never stop playing it, or never forget the memories of playing the wonderful sport.

I sighed again, only getting a groan from Alex as he hit me in the shoulder. "Would you stop?" He asked, agitated by me, his eyes narrowed in frustration.

"But I'm boooorrred!" I whined like a little five year old.

"Then go into town, get yourself situated with it." He retorted, making me groan. I was going to protest but stopped myself, getting a plan in my head as I nodded, a smirk on my face.

I got up from the couch, walking upstairs to put on some clothes. "You know, that's a good idea Alex. I think I will go into town and get myself acquainted with everything." I ran up the stairs, digging in my closet and found a white tank top, an oversized grey shirt, and baggy pants. I quickly put on a training bra (my boobs aren't big but they aren't small either) and got dressed, putting on my worn out converses as I ran out the door, my brother yelling,

"Don't get into any trouble!"

I laughed and dragged a hand through my hair as I started running into town, a smile on my face and my feet guiding me into town, hoping to find what I was looking for.

It wasn't long until I found the school, watching as Benny and his group getting ready to play baseball, only waving when Yeah-Yeah saw me and waved, smiling hugely as he did so. Ham apparently saw him waving and looked to where I was, waving frantically as he yelled for Benny and pointed to me, making the hispanic look at me and jog over to where I was. It seemed like everyone's attention went straight to us and I didn't like it. I didn't like attention.

"What's up Andy?" Benny asked me, making me drag a hand through my hair.

"Nothing, just passing through until I saw you and the gang." I answered easily, knowing that seeking out the school was my plan from the very beginning.

Rodriguez laughed, his dark eyes lighting up. "So you were that bored to come and seek us out, huh?"

"Yeah I gu-What?" I blinked, my arms uncrossing and going to their sides as I looked at him like he was crazy. My eyebrows furrowed, my smile turning into a frown as I cocked my head to the side. "Me, come seek you out? Please. I was just passing by-"

Benny's laughter cut me off, making my throat run dry. He had a really nice laugh. "Yeah, yeah. Don't worry, I won't tell the other guys." He said, making me roll my eyes as I huffed out a breath. "Hey, while you're here, you wanna play some ball? We're short since Bertram is out playing hooky."

I acted like I was thinking about it, putting a hand to my chin as I scratched it. "Well~" I drawled out, closing my eyes and giving a shrug. "Since you asked so nicely, I think I can play at least one game with ya'll." I smirked as Benny chuckled.

"Just get your butt over the fence." He commanded and I obeyed, only getting a running start as I jumped on the fence, quickly climbing to the top and jumping down to the ground, landing in front of Benny, smiling as I did so. We both chuckled and jogged over to where the gang was, getting a few claps on the back until Benjamin shouted, "Let's play some ball!"

We were the first ones to go out into the outfield, me borrowing a glove from Benny and getting a few glances from some girls, only catching their eyes as they giggled with one another as they turned to whisper. I groaned internally, 'Great, wonderful. They think I'm a dude, just peachy.' I thought with despair, jogging to second base and smiled lightly, forgetting about the audience of kids, forgetting that anybody else, just focusing on baseball.

A loud smack echoed throughout the field, making everyone start cheering as Benny started running, Andy in front of him, running as fast as his long legs would carry him. Andy's feet made contact with home base, making him stop and cheer on Benny, watching as slid to home plate, instantly getting tackled by his team, all congratulating him and jumping for joy as they realized that they won. Andy smiled hugely, only freezing when feeling his heart thump in his chest, his lungs feeling empty as he tried to catch his breath. His chest felt heavy, only putting a hand to it, clutching as he fell to the ground, only hearing his heart thump and seeing the guys run over to him, their lips moving but no sound coming out.

Benny's face came into view, and the only thing Andy could do was only say, "Help." His voice only a whisper as he grasped for something to keep him steady, only grabbing the front of Benny's shirt, but not realizing what he had done. He heard his name being called, blinking back the darkness in time to see his brother running over to him, pushing Benny out of the way as Alex fumbled in his pocket and pulled out a blue inhaler, putting it to Andy's lips.

"Breath in, Ands." He commanded, pushing down on the medicine, making a puff of air go into his brother's mouth. "Hold it Andy. One... two... three... four... five..." He counted, putting his head to his brothers, his eyes shut tightly as he held onto his brother. "Nine... ten." Andy breathed out, his chest filling back up with air as his eyes fluttered back open, only closing once again when he saw his brother's impassive face as Alex shoved the inhaler in his hands. Andy could tell that he was furious just by looking into his eyes. His eyes always got darker when he was mad. Andy didn't like it when his brother was angry with him. So instead of looking at him, he instead looked down at the blue inhaler in his hands, enclosing his fingers around the small contraption, his own anger filling his chest.

He always needed saving. He was so pathetic. He couldn't even save himself from having a asthma attack. He was stupid for not bringing it. His mother always told him to never forget it, to always have it at all times or he might just lose his breath and actually die. He clutched the inhaler tightly, his teeth grinding together. "Dammit." He whispered, swiftly getting up and running off, jumping the fence easily and just ran. He didn't know where he was running, he just wanted to run.

Alex watched his brother run, running a hand through his hair and sighed, looking at the group of kids. He sent them a death glare and they dispersed, walking to other corners of the field, but still their eyes glanced his way. His blue eyes went to Benny's and gave an apologetic nod. "Sorry about that. Andy is an asthmatic and she forgot her inhaler." He stated, not paying attention to what he just said until after he saw Ham's eyes get wide.

"Andy's a girl?!" He yelled/asked, completely shocked just like the rest of the group. All their jaws were slacked like fish out of water, eyes wide, and disbelief colored all over their faces. All except for Benny, who was instead looking at Alex, seeing if he what he was saying was true.

Alex nodded curtly at Ham, his eyes betraying nothing. "Yes, Andy's a girl. Is there a problem?" He asked, his blue eyes staring down the boys, but once his eyes met Benny's, the Simmons sibling just chuckled mockingly. He walked away then, climbing the fence and walking away, hands in his pockets, only saying one last thing before getting out of sight. "Just because Andy's a girl, doesn't mean that she still isn't the same Andy you play baseball with. I just hope you all know that." And with those last words, Alex ran off, hoping to find his sister.

YAY! A new CHAPTER! YAAAAY~ I'm sorry I haven't uploaded in awhile. I was trying to morph this chapter and fix the many mistakes in it but it wouldn't cooperate with me! SO I got angry at it and myself and stopped working on it but then I got my inspiration back! AH HA! Anyways, hoped you liked it and please review people.