The next day was Saturday so we could play all day. Benny knocked on my window as usual to let me know he was there.

I put on a pair of capris with rips in them and a green t shirt. I pulled on my red converse, grabbed my glove and hat, and ran outside.

My mom wasn't really home on the weekend and she didn't usually care what I did anyways unless adults were around.

"Let's go get the new kid." Benny said as we walked over to the new kids house.

Benny knocked on the door and a woman opened the door.

"Hi, who are you?" She asked smiling.

"I'm Benny Rodriguez and this is Nancy Sawyer. We live just over there." He said pointing back to our houses.

Suddenly the boy appeared at the door and his mom walked away with a little wave to us.

"Um, what are your guys names?" He asked making Benny and I look at each other.

"I'm Benny Rodriguez and this is Nancy Sawyer, or Three. What about you?" Benny asked as we started to walk into downtown.

"I'm Scotty Smalls." He said examining the glove Benny had given him.

"Well Smalls, we're meeting the rest of the gang by the convenience store." Benny said as the three of us walked down the street in silence.

We walked through the little alleyway to hear all he guys yelling at each other. A smile broke out on my face before I knew it.

"The Great Bambino!" I heart Porter say making all the boys go "ohhh".

That's when Smalls made a mistake. "Who's that?" He asked smiling.

The boys all stood up and stared at Smalls who stood between Benny and I.

"You know, the Sultan of Swat." Said Timmy, followed by Tommy.

"The Colossus of Clout!" Said Yeah Yeah.

"The King Of Crash!" Said Kenny.

"The Great Bambino." Said Porter enunciating every word very intensely so Smalls could understand him.

"Oh, yeah." Said Smalls, clearly lying. "I thought you meant Bambi." He said shrugging.

"That wimpy deer?" Said Porter with an eyebrow raised.

"Yeah, sorry." He said looking down.

"Anyways," I said getting everyone's attention. Then I started to introduce all the guys. After I said their names they would spit.

After it was all done with Squints spit one last time, for extra measure.

"Uh, right. Guys, this is Scotty Smalls." Benny said toking down at the spit all over the ground. "He's gonna play with us because he makes nine and now we got a whole team." Benny said as we started to walk again.

I walked in the back with Smalls while the rest of the guys complained to Benny up ahead of us a ways. They were speaking loud enough for us to hear.

"Don't listen to them. They are always hard to new comers." I shrugging and giving him a smile. Smalls gave me small smile and I looked back up to the guys. They were now all stopped and getting angry.

Smalls and I stood awkwardly in the back in silence. I started zoning off and just staring at the field.

"Smalls, you take left center." Benny said making me jump a little.

He gave him a thumbs up and ran off. I walked over and stood next to Benny, he was about to say something when Smalls called out from behind us.

"Hey Benny! Is this the right spot?" He yelled. We both spun around and watched Smalls examine the ground around him.

"That's left! I said left center!" Benny called back. Smalls moved to the right position and Benny nodded to him.

"You think the guys will warm up to him?" I asked as we started to break apart.

"I hope so." He said shrugging and running off to home plate.

Benny called out a couple of plays until he decided to give Smalls a shot.

"It's coming to you Smalls!" Benny yelled to him. He nodded and got ready.

Benny hit the ball back kinda behind Smalls. He ran backwards and ended up tripping over his own feet.

All the guys started laughing, I just sighed and took my sweaty hand out of my mitt to give it a break.

Smalls picked up the ball and tried to get his feet right to throw.

"What's he doing?" Porter said in shock. Smalls had started to jog towards Kenny. He set the ball in his glove, chuckled a little, then ran back.

I shook my head as the rest of the guys laughed a awkwardly. Soon Benny was jogging out to Smalls.

We all watched as Benny gave him a quick throwing lesson. After what seemed like forever Benny finally started back.

"Finally, my clothes were going out of style!" Squints said pushing his glasses up.

"They already are Squints." Yeah Yeah shot back, making me laugh and shake my head at them.

"Shut up!" Squints yelled back as Benny reached home plate and got ready to bat.

He threw the ball up and hit it to Smalls, whose glove was sticking straight in the air. The ball landed right in it.

I cheered along with Benny, then he threw it back!

"I knew it the whole time." I heard Squints say from behind me.

Smalls and Benny shared a thumbs up and we continued on for the rest of the day.

At dinner we all started home. After Porter branched off Smalls started to as well.

"Wait Benny! Your glove!" He called out running back.

"You keep it!" Benny called again.

"Thanks!" He said excitedly and started to run inside.

A voice in my head said the hat. I knew Benny had brought one just for him. I elbowed Benny and he turned to me with a glare.

I pointed to my hat and a look of realization dawned on him.

"Hey Smalls, get back here!" Benny called to him. Smalls ran back and looked between Benny and I confused.

"You got a fire place?" Benny asked Smalls.

"Yeah why?" Smalls asked looking to me for an answer. I only smiled.

"Um, throw that in there." Benny said giving me a smile now.

"Oh it's the only hat I-" Benny cut Smalls off by handing him his old one.

"Hey thanks Benny!" Smalls said running inside.

"I think the guys like him, now that they know he's not a complete dope." I said smiling. I knew he was inspecting my eyes. Every time we were close enough he did.

One of my eyes was brown, the other was basically half brown and half green.

"Yeah I just don't think they like change. He'll be fine in a couple of days." He said shrugging and we started walking on towards our houses.

"See ya!" I called out as I walked inside.