FLIGHTLESS BIRD, AMERICAN MOUTH — Iron and Wine

The brisk summer air engulfed the atmosphere, a serenity beaming from both Benny and I as we made our way to the sandlot.

As we entered the gates, the screams of the boys came into contact with us, all of them laughing at something Ham had said.

"Would ya look at that," a mischievous smirk danced upon Squints' face. "Look who's
back, guys."

"Is that the real Benny Rodriguez and his new trusty side-kick Lina?" Yeah-Yeah piped up, slapping his face to emphasize the mocking surprise.

"Ha, real funny blockheads." Benny laughed, making his way to first base.

I walked with Benny over to first to await my turn to bat, all the boys following through the game as though we never left.

I watched Benny's hands grip the bat aggressively, an eager bounce of his legs lightly as he took his natural stance.

Kenny wound the ball with as much might as he could spur, throwing Benny his ultimate heater. My eyebrows shot up in disbelief as a loud crack was heard once Benny's bat grasped the ball.

I watched Benny lose grip of the bat as his feet padded to touch first base, watching as Bertram searched for the ball.

Without hesitating, Benny's legs paced to second base automatically, an everlasting smile beaming from him.

He was able to bounce from second to third, almost struggling to get to short-stop, but managing to sprint fast enough, his legs kicking dusts of sand around him.

Benny managed to make his way to home plate, avoiding Ham striking him out as his torso effortlessly slid on the sand coated base. With a triumphant grin, Benny walked back to stand behind me.

"So the Jet's still got it?" Bertram's mocking laughed pulsed through the atmosphere.

"Shut up, it never left," Benny replied to all the boys laughing in his direction.

"But this has been the first week that you haven't been all baseball baseball baseball! I have no idea what's gotten into you, man," Yeah-Yeah explained, the boys nodding their heads in unison.

"Nothing man, baseball is still all I'm doing guys," Benny replied to the gazes of all the boys.

"How about you Lina, what've you two been up to?" Squints' asked with curiosity lacing his words.

"Nothing, I—uh. . ." I stammered.

"Bertram told us about the parties and those superficial bootleg greasers you guys hang out with," Yeah-Yeah explained. Bertram, Kenny, Benny, and I all avoiding their judgemental gazes.

"You're gonna get yourselves in trouble, crackheads!" Ham exclaimed as everyone made their way to take a break on the benches.

"Shut up guys, Lina just showed us some fun at her place, there's more to life than baseball," Bertram's voice spoke as he regained composure.

"Yeah you're right, wasting time to get hammered and drugged up sounds spectacular, dipshit," Ham scowled.

"You're just mad you didn't get to come," Bertram fired back defensively as Ham made his way closer to him.

I sat on the bench, retrieving a water bottle from the mini fridge as I watched the scene unfold in utter displeasure.

It was my fault the boys were lecturing each other, each of their friendships straining from the burning insults.

"Listen guys," I interjected. "It was my fault, I'm sorry, but we are returning to just playing at the sandlot, not becoming greasers."

"Yeah assholes, stop picking on each other and play some ball," Benny added.

"Fine, fine, lets just ignore the dog in the room," Ham said, each of us looking at each other in confusion.

"Do you mean the elephant in the room, Ham?" I asked, biting my lip to avoid a tsunami of laughter threatening my calm composure.

"Yeah, whatever, make fun of me, but yeah we are avoiding the fact that Benny is tryna be a greaser," Ham reminded.

"Shut up Ham, I ain't no greaser," Benny hissed at the boy devoured in freckles, his emerald orbs melting in fumes of anger.

"Yeah yeah, Benny just had a little fun Ham, he's still smart," Yeah-Yeah defended.

"Okay, fine, lets just play, I won't judge you if you're a crackhead, Benny." Ham laughed, causing a shift in the mood. We all laughed in unison as Ham pushed Benny lightly, both boys brushing their shoulder against each other playfully.

We continued the game for a while, the sun finally dipping into the waves of saffron dancing in the sky.

We all left the sandlot with happy expressions and playful demeanours, everyone contempt with the rest of the evening.

As I trailed behind Scotty and Benny, Ham trotted next to me.

"Hi Ham," I greeted him happily.

"Listen Lina, I—uh need to talk to you," he began.

"Sure, what's up?" My eyebrows furrowed slightly in worry and confusion.

"It's about what I said," he admitted. "I just want to say, I'm kinda close to Benny and his family so I look out for him a lot, I just don't want him to do stupid things getting him into bad situations."

I nodded my head at him, understanding the point he was making.

"Don't take it personally, I just didn't know you like, hung out with those types of people, I just have to look out for the guys because the party kind of freaked out Kenny, he's not a very extroverted guy," Ham continued to explain.

"Yeah, I get it, don't worry Ham,"

"I know you ain't a greaser and that you've got a heart from what I heard from DeNuenz, but please just don't let the guys get into situations like that, all of the sandlot boys aren't used to these kinda things, all we ever care about is baseball," Ham's tone dripping of seriousness, not a trace of humour present on his face.

"Yeah Ham, I promise." I said, grasping Ham's pinky to interlock with mine. He chuckled as I childishly gestured my promise to him.

"Oh, next time you have a party, invite me," Ham added.

"I thought you don't want us to be involved with that anymore?"

"Nah, I mean if I'm there then no one needs to worry, plus no drinking if I'm present,"

I chuckled at Ham attempting to come off as a fatherly figure, though I could see him becoming a brotherly figure to me in the future, "okay Ham."

We all walked home, Ham turning the corner to his house as Benny, Scotty, and I made our way to our own street.

Benny and I waved to Scotty before watching him sprint home. The moon was now hung up in the sky, stars casting celestial shadows over us.

"Today was nice," Benny spoke up, breaking the calm silence.

"Yeah," I agreed. "I like hanging out with the sandlot gang."

"They like you too, today they were just upset because they aren't used to me not playing ball," Benny explained, walking me to my driveway.

"Benny, I'm sorry everyone's on your case about those two parties, I know that you have baseball to focus on and all—"

Benny cut me off abruptly, "Elena, it's okay, I don't care about all those people getting on my case, I'm not changing my lifestyle just because I went to two stupid parties and got drunk, it was just an experience."

"I just. . . everyones probably right you know," I rambled on with sadness coating my words. "I'm not a good person to hang around with."

Benny grabbed me by the waist and hugged me tightly, the feeling causing my heart to beat in rages of thumping. I was engulfed by the strong scent of his cologne, surprised that he managed to maintain it after a long day of rolling in sand.

I dug my head in the croak of his neck, feeling a strong haze occupy my senses.

"You are a good person, you just can't see it and that really sucks," he whispered as he dug his face into my sprawled curls.

I felt so small in his embrace, our height difference now more obvious as I looked up at him towering over me. He smiled with a genuine stretch of his pink lips, causing me to lose grasps of my thoughts.

"You'll see Benny, you'll see," I mumbled.

He flicked my head up with his index finger when my face fell to his chest, forcing me to look up at him.

"Do bad people take care of drunk guys they barely know and let them crash in their house?"

The burning of his index finger placed on my chin was straining me of words, "no."

"Do bad people let their friends scary older sisters be rude to them and insult them but then apologize?" He added.

"No,"

"So, there's your answer." He laughed, his hands falling to his sides.

I shook my head in disbelief, dismissing the topic due to my own stubbornness.

I wasn't sure if my mom was home so I gave Benny a hug goodbye and proceeded into my house.

I walked in, confused that I didn't see my mom anywhere. She shouldn't have been working this much on her first day.

I scanned the house, everything still in placed according to how I left it.

"Mom?" I called out, throwing my shoes in the closet near my front door.

I made my way to the living room, my moms torso outstretched upon the couch as loud snores exhaled from her unconscious body.

I studied the stress engraved in her features, even in sleep she couldn't find a way to appear at ease and that hurt me in spite of how much I took her for granted.

My mom and I weren't always on the best of terms, almost all of my past being a contribute from her, but I loved her and valued her strong personality.

I ran to her room to retrieve a long pink fluffy comforter, making my way back to where I found her to place the blanket over her small frame. Her black hair with stains of grey fell over her face, hiding her prominent eye bags and frown marks.

I moved the hair from her face, dipping my face to kiss her on the temple. She moved a bit in her sleep, but managed to not allow it to awaken her. The women hadn't slept in an entire day.

I turned to gaze at her peaceful state one last time, feeling guilty for everything my mom and I had went through as I reminisced over the past.

Letting the thoughts plague me, I heaved my torso upstairs to fall into bed, the thoughts of excitement to go back to the sandlot pulsing through me as I struggled to ease into slumber.

//////a.n\\\\\\

Unedited as always,

I don't know how I feel about this, but filler chapter! Let me know about how people feel about this story because I'm trying to organize this, it's just hard when I have all these ideas and scenes in my head and jump into it instead of following my plans.

Comment and vote if you enjoyed!

-nr