A week later school was out. We had all made it through the eighth grade,we were all out playing when it was Porter's turn to bat.

He pointed to where he was going to hit and we all nagged him to hurry up.

He missed it the first time making us all laugh our asses off.

The next hit made us stop. We all stopped laughing at the ball headed straight for the fence at the back of the sandlot.

"No." I groaned quietly to myself as it went over. We all started to yell random stuff at Porter as he ran the bases. Soon we were throwing our gloves and pushing him.

That's when I noticed Smalls.

"Holy shit!" I said starting to sprint to Smalls.

"No!" And "Stop!" Were frequently heard as the boys followed me. Benny was right at my side now. I might have been fast, but he was a lot faster.

We all grabbed some part of him and pulled him away from the fence causing him great confusion.

"I was just going to get the ball!" Smalls said motioning to the fence.

"Are you stupid?!" Squints said pushing up his glasses.

"Squints cool it." I said smacking him in the arm.

"Why, what's back there?" He asked making us all exchange glances.

"Go have a look through that hole." Yeah Yeah said pointing to the small hole in the bottom of the fence.

Smalls started towards it and then turned back to us. "You guy-" he started to say before we cut him off with a 'shhh'.

He went to the hole and looked through it. The whole fence shook and dust was sent everywhere, Smalls quickly jumped back and stared at the fence.

"What was that?!" Smalls asked not taking his eyes off the fence.

"The Beast." Squints said clearly annoyed.

"What?" Smalls said extremely confused.

All of us exchanged looks again before deciding.

"Camp out!" We all said getting excited already.

As we didn't have another ball, we all just went home. Of course, I was criticized the moment I walked through the door.

"You're filthy!" My mother said putting down the dish rag as I walked into the kitchen.

I looked down at my shorts that were to my knees and my white shirt covered with a red flannel. I was pretty dirty, my shoes were awful. I had two pairs of shoes. Game red converse, and nice white shoes for school.

"Mom I'm and kid, it's summer, I'm supposed to get dirty." I said rolling my eyes and setting my glove down at the table as I sat.

She mumbled something about 'acting like a lady' and 'I never acted this way'.

"Jesus Nancy how many times must I tell you to not put your disgusting mitt on the table!" She yelled turning towards me with the foot she was cooking.

"Only about a million." I said standing up and grabbing my mitt.

"I really do wish you wouldn't hang out with those boys so much. You know, Mrs. Phillips said that her son is playing on a real team" my mom said eyeballing me.

"How many times to I have to tell you how much I hate that kid." I said walking out of the room before she could suggest setting up a 'playdate'. She actually did one time. I made the mistake of telling the boys and they wouldn't leave me alone about it for about a month. I had to play sick to get out it.

"He would be good for you!" She called, still trying to change my mind.

"If you want me to become a stuck up, little arrogant, brat I sure will mother! I would just die if I was a good kid who never picked on anyone!" I said sarcastic and finally getting fed up. I walked to my room and slammed my door as loud as I could so she could see how angry I was.

I flopped on my bed and stared at the ceiling for a while. I rolled to my side and looked at the picture of my dad and I at my first, and only, Indians game. My hat was brand new that day.

That day also was the day he died. We got in a car crash. I still have a scar where a piece of glass sliced my shoulder. I try to forget that part of that day. I usually can forget it.

I sighed to myself and turned back to the ceiling again. I wish my dad was still here. I wish he could play catch with me when I wasn't with the guys. I wish he could be here to stand up for me when mom got critical. Be here to understand me. It wouldn't ever happen though, I'm not that stupid.

I laid there for about another hour before I rolled off my bed and changed for the camp out.

I put on jeans and a red long sleeved shirt. I grabbed black zip up hoodie and ran out the my front door only calling out one thing to my mother. She was busy though, setting the table. I felt kinda bad, she was going to take it down once she knew I wasn't staying for dinner.

"Going to treehouse!" Then I was gone.

I ran to the treehouse and got there a little later than everyone else. Not as late as Smalls, but late.

"Jesus what took you so long?"Porter said with his mouth full of smores.

"Smalls isn't even here yet! He's the reason we're having this." I said annoyed sitting between Yeah Yeah and Squints.

"Want one?" Squints asked holding ups smore to me. I shook my head.

Not long after Smalls entered.

"Sorry, my mom made me do the dishes and put on a jacket." He said sighing and taking a seat in the chair across from Porter.

"How did you not die Smalls." I said in a fake amazed voice.

"Oh no a jacket?" "Hope you didn't miss a spot." Were the other two remarks that were said after Smalls explained why he was late. We all laughed and went into our own conversations.

Smalls and Porter were having a conversation about smores when Porter eventually got too surprised.

"You're killing me Smalls!" I heard him say making me shake my head and laugh.

"Okay, let's get this story started." Said Squints taking his seat at the far end of the treehouse and picking up a flashlight.

Benny filled his spot next to me.

"Is this going to be the same story we heard last summer?" I asked Benny. He shrugged and smiled.

"Probably, just with different details." He finished off with a wink that made my stomach churn.