what if → Benny Rodriguez

chapter 11 | chalk

June 28th 2019

I CAREFULLY itch my forehead with my pinky finger, my other ones being filthy with chalk.

"remember when we used to draw rooms with chalk, the squares of pavement being the walls?" Benny looks up from his chalk masterpiece.

"now that you say that i do!" i laugh. we had made it our goal that day to fill Benny's entire driveway with chalk. Timmy and Tommy were out in the city with their family until the evening, so we decided not to go to the sandlot until we had everyone.

"Hey guys." I look up to see DeNunez walking towards us.

"look who decided to show up." i joked. we had texted DeNunez to come over and help us hours earlier. same with Smalls, but he never got back to us.

"i have a life, you know." he teases us, "i can't just dedicate one whole day to covering a driveway in chalk."

"hey!" Benny exclaims, "we have a life. right now chalking a driveway is what we've decided to do with it!"

i toss a piece of blue chalk to him. "want to help? it'd make you a good friend." i joke.

"i already am a good friend." he says smugly, while Benny and i just start chucking sticks of chalk at him.

"you guys want some lunch?" i hear my mom call out from across the street.

i send a nod her way, we throw our sticks of chalk in a box, and head over to my house. when i open the front door, the cool air hits me and i let out a breath of relief.

i glance to the stairs where Evelyn is also making her way to the kitchen. when she sees me, she stops dead in her tracks. i notice her eyes shifting between me and Benny. i can feel my cheeks start to get hot. i hope he didn't notice that she was doing that. with a smirk, she turns around and runs back upstairs. i see her go into Jordyn's room.

"what would you boys like?" My mother beams at Benny and Kenny.

"anything, really." DeNunez replies.

"yeah, whatever is easiest for you." Benny ads. i couldn't help but smile. they were both so polite. that's when i notice Jordyn's head popping out of her room and looking at me. when i send her a questioning look she winks at me. like always, i just roll my eyes. the words she said to me yesterday were very similar to what DeNunez had said to me. I kept thinking long and hard about both of them and what they said.

i came to the conclusion that i wasn't lying to myself. i had realized before how i felt, she just didn't know that. Kenny did, though. maybe it is time to start confiding in Jordyn and get some advice. i also came to the conclusion that i needed to tell him soon. it doesn't matter if he doesn't feel the same. i can't hold in the feelings anymore. plus, if someone had as strong of feelings for me as i do for Benny, i'd want them to tell me. so Benny has a right to know.

when we finished up our pasta, we got up and Kenny started walking towards the stairs.

"Where are you going?" i ask.

"to your room. aren't we going to watch TV or something?" he asks.

"we have a driveway to cover with chalk. stop trying to get out of it." Benny was now washing all our dishes in my sink.

"man, i was hoping you guys would forget about that." DeNunez chuckles, "when rain comes, all your hard work will be gone like that." he snaps his fingers.

"it's not about how long it's there," i start, "it's about accomplishment. we can say that we covered an entire driveway with chalk. and we'll have pictures of it."