Chapter Two

After his trip to the mall Ben arrived home to find his mother’s car parked in the drive “Holy shit!” he mouthed she wasn’t due back yet, she had been lecturing in Europe, Dolores must have called her thought Ben as he tried to sneak past the den. “Not so fast…get in here!” growled his mother “Great…I’m dead!” he told himself as he opened the door “Anita…you’re home” he greeted her with a kiss “Yes I’m home and it’s mum to you” he rolled his eyes “Okay…Mom how come you came home early?” his mother fixed huge blue eyes on him “Well you tell me Benjamin?” his eyes widened, shit she really was pissed at him “Err you wanna clue me in?” she indicated to the letter she was holding “There’s a whole list of things here Benjamin” she snapped “What things?” his mother looked exasperated “Well your being rude to Dolores for a start” Ben flashed their housekeeper an evil look “What? Just cause I was rude to the help you came home?” his mother’s mouth dropped open “I beg your pardon? What the hell did you just call Dolores?” he bowed his head “I’ll have you know that Dolores is a much loved part of this family…And I will not have you treating her in such a shameful manner” Ben drew in a deep breath “Sorry Dolores!” he sniped “That’s okay Benjie” the older woman accepted “It is nothing of the sort Dolores…apologise again and this time mean it…then go to your room…I shall talk to you later…I’m too damn angry to speak to you now” Ben turned to Dolores once again “I’m sorry” he said in a low tone then fled the room.

Anita Adams paced the floor as she spoke to husband Jeremy on the phone she had had to cancel an important lecture to come back and sort out the problems at home “I’m telling you Jeremy his cards are maxed out…God alone knows what he’s done to his car!” Ben sat on the stairs listening to her rants. He remembered clearly what he’d done to his car, he’d almost totalled it in a race “I think you better come home…things are worse than I’d first thought” Ben rolled his eyes, now his step father was coming home.

As soon as Jeremy arrived home all hell broke lose, Ben had always resented him. For so long it had only been him and his mother until she had met and married Jeremy “What’s all this about Ben? This isn’t like you? What you doing it for attention is that it?” Ben frowned “No!” he spoke indignantly “Then what?” Ben shrugged trouble was he didn’t know why he did half the things “It beats being bored” he laughed “Benjamin you crashed your car…Dolores told me you were racing” he glanced at the worry in his mother’s eyes and felt ashamed “It was dumb I know” he admitted “Promise me you wont ever do that again?” he smiled “I promise” he muttered as he watched Jeremy glance at the credit card statements “Oh shit” he thought “Ben what the hell did you spend all this money on?” he couldn’t tell them he’d maxed out all his cards trying to impress his friends “I’m not paying for these Anita!” said Jeremy his tone firm “And neither are you” he added, Ben looked from one to the other “What? Well I haven’t got the money” he insisted “Well I suggest you get a job” Ben almost chocked “What? Are you serious?” Jeremy nodded “I’ve never been more serious about anything” Ben gasped “Oh come on? Mom are you gonna let him treat me like this?” he was pitting one against the other but desperate situations called for desperate measures “Yes Benjamin...in this case yes” Ben felt betrayed “Keys” said Jeremy holding out his hand “What?” he raised his eyebrows “Keys…you can’t be trusted with an expensive car…so you can do what most kids your age do?” Ben’s eyes narrowed “What’s that?” he asked, “Get the bus,” said his mother “Oh what? I can’t be seen getting the bus please mom don’t do this to me please” she shook her head “I wont have you killing yourself Ben” she said in a low worried tone “I wont mom I’ve learned my lesson” he begged but to no avail she had already made up her mind.

Over the weekend Jeremy organised a job for him after school and on the weekends “What? Don’t I get any free time?” grumbled Ben when told “Err no…that’s what comes of being irresponsible Ben” Ben frowned “Great” he muttered to himself “Get up off your butt…you have to go and see the bloke this afternoon” Ben drew in a deep breath “Fine…I’ll just rush upstairs and change shall I…I mean I wanna make a good impression don’t I” he hissed as he marched from the den.

~***~

Tara was busy cleaning tables when the bell above the door sounded making her look up “Daz…someone to see you” she told her elder brother Darren “Show them in honey” he replied from the back “This way” she said with a broad grin on her face “Hello Ben” she whispered “You look like a walking advert for Gucci” she smirked “Yeah well at least I can afford Gucci…you look like you get your clothes from a rummage sale” Tara glanced at him he was wearing Gucci jeans, shirt, shades “Daz this is Benjamin Adams he came about the job” she sniped as she walked away “Hey Ben your dad called” the handsome young man said as he shook Ben’s hand “He’s not my Dad” Ben stated “Sorry” said the man as he indicated for him to sit down. “So…have you any experience working in a snack bar?” Ben sniggered “Err no…I’ve no experience working anywhere” the fair-haired man shook his head “Great just what I need a rich kid in trouble” he muttered, “Hey if you don’t want me I can easily go?” Ben offered signalling to the door “No! I owe Jeremy a favour…so I guess you’ll have to start Monday after school…Tara” Tara appeared with a broad grin on her face “Yeah?” Ben stared at her “This is…” the man began “Ben Adams I know who he is” Darren sighed “Yeah whatever…anyway he’s gonna be coming here on Monday after school…do me a favour?” Tara grinned wickedly “What?” she inquired “Be kind to him…he ain’t had to work before” Ben felt as though he was being ridiculed “Sure we’ll take great care of him” she smiled joyfully up to where Ben now stood “Come on I’ll show you out” she laughed.

Jeremy started the engine when Ben got into the car “Well?” he inquired “I start Monday…happy now?” Jeremy grinned “Ecstatically happy thank you” Ben bowed his head “Yeah seeing me crash and burn would make you ecstatically happy…I mean my rep is just gonna be zilch” Jeremy never batted an eyelid “Well you should have thought of that when you were spending all that money” Ben made a face before looking out of the window.

While his parents dined out Ben ate alone not that he complained he was use to eating on his own “Is everything okay Benjie?” Dolores asked on seeing the worried look on his face, he glanced at the Spanish woman dressed in grey overall, her black hair pinned up in a bun “Yes Dolores” he said with a sigh, he was sitting in the huge dining room “You will be okay tomorrow…wont you?” he glanced at her “I’ll be fine” he retorted “I wish I hadn’t wrote your Mama now” Ben fixed huge blue eyes on her “I’m kinda glad you did Dolores…things were getting out of hand” she smiled warmly at him “But if I hadn’t called you wouldn’t be going to work” Ben sniggered “No I’d be going to jail” he admitted the woman placed both hands on her cheeks “Oh no Benjie” he smiled “Really it’s fine…don’t fret okay?” she nodded as she filled his glass with orange juice once more.

That Monday morning Ben left for school Jeremy dropping him at the bottom of the hill before heading off to the city and his office. Ben felt uneasy as he looked around him, kids mulling around in groups “Well well well…I gotta saver this moment…the day Benjamin Adams…model for Gucci…had to catch the school bus…what you trying to be…some sort of regular kid?” laughed Tara as she looked him up and down “Get lost” growled Ben “Now that ain’t very smart Ben” she sniggered as he shifted around uncomfortably “You really are getting a kick outa this aren’t you?” Tara bellowed “Sure I am…I can’t wait until school finishes…I mean I don’t suppose you told your cronies about your little after school activity?” Ben’s eyes widened “Thought not…Wow I wonder what they’ll say when they find you serving them?” Ben swallowed “You wont be part of their little cleek then will you you’ll be a Billy no mates or is that Benjie no mates?” Ben frowned “Why are you being so horrible?” he hissed, “I’m not! I’m just being myself…wow I can’t wait to see you in that purple and cream uniform…damn shoulda had Gucci make one especially for you” Ben shook his head then marched away “You not taken the bus Benjie?” she called after him “I’d rather walk” he hissed.

A car pulled up along side him “Hey Ben…you need a ride?” the blond beauty asked from the driver seat “Yeah…yeah Jen I do” he replied as he jumped in next to her looking back to where Tara stood “You weren’t actually gonna get the bus were you?” Jennifer asked looking appalled “Well my car’s Err off the road just now” he lied a smile spread across her face revelling perfect white teeth “Well lucky for you I came along when I did couldn’t have you taking the bus now could we?” he smiled “Especially as it’s full of loser kids like Tara Hayes or worse still the Parker Twins” Ben thought of Tara Hayes “Loser kids?” he laughed “Yeah sure…well come on anyone who has to work in a dumb snack bar after school has to be some kind of loser right?” Ben frowned “Are you asking me or telling me?” she smiled as she turned into school.

Antony Costa smiled as Ben neared “Where’s your wheels?” he inquired “At home” he barked as he past by “Ben…if you need a ride home I’m available” offered Jennifer “Wow Go Benjie…she’s just asking for it buddy” Ant remarked as she past by him “Wow are girls permitted to wear skirts as short as that? And those little boots well what can I say?” said Paul Marazzi as he past by “Back in your cage animal” Jennifer replied firmly “Wow…anything you say mistress” she stopped dead then slowly turned “Get Lost moron” Paul wouldn’t be deterred “Okay babe anything you say babe” Paul saluted her “You got no chance Marazzi…she’s way out of your league” said Ant as he lightly slapped Paul’s face “Yeah? That’s what you think!” he called out in annoyance.

Ben wondered why Antony Costa had never taken on Marazzi he knew they had clashed a few times but Ant had always backed down when challenged to a fight “Hey Jen” said Antony as he sidled up to her “You goin to Lori’s after school?” Ben almost chocked “What…oh come on that place is just full of losers” Ben relaxed but Ant was undeterred “Come on…we can just hang out” he suggested as they walked “Oh come on…she’s right the place is for losers we never go there” Ben said anxiously

“Yeah I know why d’you think I wanna go there?”

“Because you’re a jerk?” thought Ben not daring to say so out loud

“You wanna go ruffle a few feathers?” said Jennifer interested now

“Yeah…well Tara Hayes for one”

“Why Tara?” Ben quizzed

“Because she annoys the shit out of me”

“What? She’s just some dumb broad,” said Ben

“She’s weird,” said Jennifer “I mean what’s with the baggy clothes?”

Ben glanced at Jennifer and all her girly curves and for the first time he was imagining Tara Hayes and all her girly curves “Well are we gonna go or not?” said Costa firmly “Sure…count me in…I’ll organise a few girlfriends you bring the guys” Jennifer said as she hurried away “Great I’m So dead!” muttered Ben solemnly.