Bare feet padded along the hallway to
Chris’s room stopping dead on reaching the door, two little faces peering
inside “That ain’t Chris” said Irma her voice low “No…it sure ain’t” said
Ingrid staring wide-eyed at the figure in her brother’s bed “Is he dead?” asked
Irma moving a little further into the room “I don’t know” muttered Ingrid
remaining where she was “He looks dead!” said Irma looking round to where her
sister stood “But he’s making sounds” Ingrid replied as they both took a closer
look, little Irma moving bravely next to the bed “Irma come away” cautioned
Ingrid as she watched her sister lift Ben’s eyelids “Well his eyes ain’t
closed” she insisted “What the hell are you two doing?” Chris hissed, “We’re
looking at a dead body,” said Irma Chris came into the room and Ben begun to
stir “Yeah! He ain’t dead” said Irma
with a huge smile on her face “Hey Buddy don’t mind them” Ben opened his eyes
then focussed on the two girls “Where am I?” he groaned painfully Chris
recounted what had occurred the previous evening “Shit I were suppose to dine
at Hayley’s” he said as he tried to sit up “Relax she’s here…it’s okay” he lay
back down then placed a hand over his eyes “You two go and fetch things to
wear” Chris told his sisters knowing it’d take them ages to decide.
Ben lay on his back his arm still
shielding his bruised and swollen face.
“Hey Buddy…come on” said Chris not quite finding the words of comfort
needed “I’ll get Hayley” he decided that a little TLC was in order.
Louise was already up and fixing
breakfast for them all Chris’s sisters were now seated at the table asking her
all kinds of questions “So how come you ain’t Chris’s girl then?” Ingrid
inquired looking quite annoyed “Because we’re just friends”
“How
come?” the girl continued?
“Coz
we just are”
“That
ain’t an answer” Irma joined in
Louise
rolled her eyes wondering if being interrogated by the FBI would be as bad “I think
Chris’s quite cute” Ingrid went on
“He
is” Louise agreed
“Then
why don’t you go out with him?” said Irma
“Because
he ain’t my type”
“Oh…then
who is?”
“What?”
“What
about Paul he’s cool?” Ingrid suggested
“Paul?”
“Yeah
you know Paul who works in Lori’s?”
“Oh
that Paul”
“Yeah
I think Paul’s real cool,” said Ingrid
“Or
Mark now he’s way cool isn’t he Ingrid?”
Louise
noted the sparkle in both pairs of eyes then smiled down at the Mark Read fan
club “Mark? Yeah Mark’s okay” both
girls giggled “He’s more than okay he’s…” they were cut off in mid sentence “So
this is where you two have gone?” said Chris as he came into the kitchen “You
had breakfast?” they both nodded “Yeah Lou cooked us pancakes which were way
better than the one’s you make” said Irma as she got down from the chair “I
dare say she does…go and get ready I wanna talk to Lou” they both scurried
towards the door “I hope you ain’t planning to ask her out coz she don’t like
you!” Irma informed and Louise gasped, “I didn’t say that” she defended “She
thinks Mark is way cooler than you” Irma added “And I didn’t say that either
you naughty little girl” Louise refuted hotly “So Mark’s way cooler than me?”
sniggered Chris as soon as they’d gone.
~***~
Ben glanced across to where Mark sat his
thoughts on what he was about to tell his parents. He’d called them that morning only to be ordered home immediately
“What are you gonna tell them?” asked Mark Ben shrugged painfully “I might not
have to tell them anything…all they need do is look at me” Mark nodded “Hayley
wanted to come with me…but I have enough on my plate without telling my mother
I ain’t with Jen” Mark looked a little confused “What do you mean? Don’t tell me you never told her?” Ben shook
his head “No! It was better not to…my
mom thinks I’m still friends with Costa” Mark winced at the thought of the thug
“I see” Ben was taking short little breaths “I will tell…it’s just with my mom
it’s difficult” Mark nodded again as he reached Ben’s home “Can I ask you
something Ben?” he suddenly said
Ben
looked seriously at him “What?”
“Are
you ashamed of us…I mean we’re treated like some kind of outcasts”
“No! I’m not ashamed of you…any of you…but I am
ashamed of my mother…she’s well you can imagine what she’s like”
Mark
frowned “I see” he muttered as he pulled up outside the gates “I’ll come in
with you if you like?” he offered but Ben shook his head “Thanks but I’ll be
okay”
“Okay
then…I’ll call you later…and don’t worry about your car…Chris put it into his
garage”
Ben
nodded his car was the last thing on his mind.
Anita Adams rushed to the door on seeing
the car pull up her face pale and drawn “Ben…oh my God! What the hell happened to you?” Ben got out
of the car then closed the door
“I
got beaten up,” he told her calmly
Mark
sat in the driving seat watching the scene “Oh my God…when?”
“Last
night…I’m okay”
“Indeed
you are not…get inside I’ll call Vincent to come take a look at you” fussed his
mother
“I’m
fine I just wanna got to bed”
“Benjamin
you have been attacked now Vincent will take a look at you”
“Fine
whatever”
“Ben”
Mark noticed someone at the top of the steps
“This
is your fault Jeremy…if you hadn’t insisted he go and work in that god forsaken
place then this would never have happened!”
“That’s
unfair”
“No
it is not! Ben you are not to go back
there ever do you understand…and I don’t want you seeing those outcast kids
anymore they are nothing but trouble”
Ben
looked stunned “They’re my friends!” he defended
“Well
friends like that you don’t need,” said Jeremy
“But…”
Ben tried to speak
“No
Ben I mean it…I don’t want you hanging out with them anymore”
Ben
rolled his eyes too exhausted to argue.
Mark sat in his car watching Jeremy
close the door without a word of thanks these people really were something
else.
~***~
Hayley finished her conversation with
Ben then returned to her bedroom “He’s coming back to school tomorrow” she
smiled Ben had been forced to take a week off school but his wounds were
healing up now. “Will he be at the
dance?” asked Louise Hayley nodded joyfully, she’d been worried that he
wouldn’t have been fit enough to attend and under no circumstances would she
have gone alone. “Oh God! We were gonna go together” Louise grinned,
“Don’t worry about it” Hayley frowned “But that’s not fair” she added
Louise
stared at her “I wasn’t too bothered about going”
“Honest?”
“Honest”
“Good…so
how’s your Boston guy doing?”
“I
don’t know he ain’t been in touch”
“Oh
sorry”
“Don’t
worry about it I gotta go I’m meeting Lyl”
Hayley
smiled as she watched Lou walk out of the room.
Louise entered the school building next
day and walked along to where her locker was she was so deep in thought that
she hadn’t even heard the footsteps pad up behind her “Hey you okay?” she
almost jumped out of her skin “Err yeah Chris thanks” he smiled sweetly down to
where she stood “I hate this thing” Chris glanced at the locker “Is it busted
then?” she nodded as she tried the combination again still nothing
Chris
stared at it then positioned his fist against the steel before banging on the
door a few times “There…it’s open” he laughed as he caught sight of some
Hollywood hunk pinned to the inside “You like Freddie Prince Jnr?” he said
“Yeah…” she replied looking impressed “I guess Hayley and Ben will be going to the
dance together” Louise nodded “Well it seems a shame for you to miss out and as
I don’t have a partner to go with I was wondering if you’d like to come with
me?” she stared at him his expression sincere “No strings of course” he added
she smiled happily “No strings?” he nodded “Then in that case I’d love to go”
she accepted as she moved off “I’ll catch you later okay?” he nodded as he
watched her rush along the hallway and disappear into the crowd.
Paul appeared by his side as soon as Louise
had gone a huge grin on his face “Well?” he asked Chris smiled warmly at him “A
piece of cake” he said as Layton appeared “I think you two had better get to
class” they were firmly told “We’re just going” saluted Paul as he motioned
Chris away.
Later that day after lunch Paul found JJ “Let me get this
straight…you want me to ask Mark to the dance?” Paul slid onto the desk lid and
maintained eye contact with her “Yup” JJ stared at him “Am I allowed to ask why?”
Paul grinned “I have a plan” he said JJ smirked “Your plans tend to mess up
Maz” he looked coyly at her “This one wont believe me” JJ continued reading the
notes of the assignment Mark had sent her on “Ok just how do you suppose I get
Mark to take me to the dance?”
“Well…I
don’t know you figure it out…burst into tears and say some guy has let you
down”
“Cry?”
“Yeah
you broads are good at crying”
“We
are?”
“Sure! Okay maybe not do the actual crying bit”
“Fine
I’ll get Mark to the dance but…”
Paul’s
eyes widened “But?”
“Yeah
but you gotta give me money to pay…I ain’t gonna ask some guy to the dance and
then have him pay”
“Fine…how
much” Paul replied jumping down from the desk
“How
much?”
“Yeah…will
you need?” he dug into the front pocket of his jeans
“I
don’t know about $50”
“$50
dollars…are you nuts? It’s Read you’re
taking out not the king of fucking England”
“Fine
I wont ask him then”
“Okay…just
don’t go spending it all huh”
“Sure”
Paul
eyed Mark as he opened the door and stepped inside “Here he is…no time like the
present huh?” JJ pulled a face as she watched him leave.
That evening as they worked in Lori’s
Louise could sense something was afoot.
Paul never was any good at lying and here he was lying his head off now
“Cut with the I don’t know act Maz…we both know what you’re up to” he frowned
at her
“We
do?”
“Oh
sure…I know you know that Chris and I have a date for the dance”
“Oh
that well I thought it were a secret that’s all”
“Why
should it be?”
“No
reason” he said hastily
“That’s
okay then,” said Louise as she returned to the diner.
~**~
Mark didn’t really want to go to the
dance but JJ had been so upset how could he not agree to go with her? He hated it when girls cried he always felt
so helpless “Mark Jodie’s here” he heard his mother say “Coming” he called as
he checked his look in the full length mirror “God I look as if I’m going to a
funeral” he muttered on taking in the black jeans and black sweater which made
him look even taller than six foot. He
had gone to Gino’s and gotten his hair cut into the latest style, he wandered
why he’d gone to so much trouble. Of
course he knew it was because Louise would be there but she was going with
Chris “Mark sweetie you’re dates waiting” his mother reminded, taking a deep
breath he checked his look once last time then walked to the door.
The place was crowded when he arrived
and pushed his way to the make shift bar to fetch some fruit juice for himself
and JJ “Well they’re here” whispered Hayley to Paul who was smiling to himself
“Well let’s just let nature take it’s course” he said delighted with his
efforts.
Mark smiled as he neared JJ once again
“Thanks but would you hold it?” he nodded looking rather puzzled “I just gotta
go to the ladies room” she added as she pushed her way through the crowd “Where’s
your date?” Chris inquired with a smile Mark glanced at Louise “Err gone to the
ladies room and she’s not a date” he said pointedly Chris smiled again “You
wanna join us?” he invited and Mark grimaced “Err maybe later” he said as he
watched them walk away.
Louise stood on her own watching Mark. Boy he looked good tonight she thought ‘God he’s always looked good’ she smiled ‘I was just too dumb to notice’ “Hey you okay?” asked Chris she smiled guiltily at him “I’m fine” she said in a low tone “Gee Mark looks swell tonight” laughed Chris “Yeah he does” Louise mentioned as Chris placed a hand on her back “Why don’t you go talk to him?” he suggested she looked aghast “I can’t…he’s with Jodie” Chris indicated to where Jodie now stood deep in conversation with Paul and Tara “What?” she said looking confused “Go talk to him huh?” she smiled at last “yeah I think I will…oh but that’ll leave you without a date” he shrugged “Gee Lou what’s this whole place full of?” she stared then shrugged
He gestured to the dance floor “Girls!” Louise
slowly shook her head then gently slapped his arm “You’re encourage able
Ingebrigtsen” she laughed as she lent over and kissed his cheek “Wow what was
that for?”
She smiled “Being nice”
He grinned “Go on go get your man huh” she smiled as
she wondered slowly away.
Paul
huffed as soon as Chris appeared “Don’t even speak to me man!” he said Chris
grinned
“Why?”
“Coz…I’m real pissed off!”
“Err why?”
“Well I come up with the coolest of plans and you
get the kiss”
“Yeah that was pretty cool”
Paul was about to grumble on until Hayley indicated
to where her sister now stood locked in Mark’s arms swaying from side to side
“Wow Read…you got a real little goer there man” they
heard Costa say “You what?” retorted Mark pushing Louise behind him “I were
just saying”
“I heard what you said!”
Everyone begun to circle round “Don’t worry babe I’m
sure Read here will be gentle” Louise drew in a deep breath as Hayley and Tara
flanked her “Who the hell do you think you are?” she suddenly found her voice
“I know who I am babe I’m the guy who’s way outa your league” Louise manoeuvred
Mark out of the way “Costa…you don’t even make it into my league…you just ain’t
good enough…babe” she put him firmly back under the stone from which he’d
crawled “Wow Lou babe I approve!” yelled Paul as he scooped her up and spun her
around “Wow you certainly showed him” he added as he set her down once again
but Mark wasn’t finished with him “Oh Costa” he hissed Ant turned round
staggering into the crowd with the force of Mark’s fist “Very good! Read you
just earned yourself a weeks detention” barked Layton Mark never flinched
“Yeah?” he said on seeing Costa’s smirking face that smirk disappearing on
being punched again “Best make it two weeks then huh!” he added as he reached
for Louise’s hand and promptly lead her past the floored Costa “Let’s get outa
here sweetheart there’s a real bad smell in here” Louise grinned as she past by
“You okay darling?” he asked as soon as he’d gotten her into his car
“Yeah…you?” he glanced at his grazed knuckles “Never better” he replied as he
started the engine “Hey…maybe I should do something bad” he looked puzzled
“Huh?” she grinned wickedly at him “To get into detention with you” he slowed
the car to a halt then reached over and
brushed a stray strand of hair away from her face “You could never be bad” he
whispered in her ear before kissing her gently on the lips both closing their
eyes as the kiss deepened. The sound of
banging on the window had Mark open one eye, there he was his lips pressed
against the window on Louise side of the car making kissing noises “Maz go
away” they both yelled in unison “Well it’s about time” he called back as he
took a few paces away “God he’s mad” laughed Louise as Mark started the engine
once again “Come on let’s go somewhere a little more quiet” she nodded and
settled down for the journey. All those
bitter memories of Ant Costa’s rejection firmly in the past, she was ready to
trust again and who better to trust than Mark Read.
End of Part Two….
Hope you liked it Lou
Part Three coming sooooon