Ok I’ve decided to update this quickly well basically coz u almost begged me to lol and because Julz said I should put u out of ur misery hehe
He couldn’t go to Lori’s after school. There was just no way he would degrade himself, Jeremy really was something else how could he expect him to go along with this? There had to be another way.
“All
set for this afternoon?”
He
glanced up to find Tara Hayes standing “Sure…I can’t wait!” he said
sarcastically she grinned down at him “Have you told your friends?” she added
looking across to where they sat “What do you think?” her smile spread across
her face “Guess not…d’you want me to do it?” she offered “No!” he yelled she
crouched down beside him “Why?” he rolled his eyes “Oh go figure” she knew she
was getting to him and loved every minute of it, she was getting him back for
every single time he’d been mean to every single one of her friends “Ben you
coming?” asked Jennifer who’d just stepped out of the main school building
“Hayes didn’t anyone ever tell you you look like a guy?” Tara simpered “Beats
looking like some kind of blond bimbo” she retorted as she walked across the
well-kept lawn to where her friends stood.
Ben placed his arm around Jennifer’s shoulder as he led her past Tara
and across the gravelled path to his own friends “What was weirdo Hayes saying
to you buddy?” Antony inquired smiling warmly to where Jennifer stood “Nothing
much” said Ben side glancing Tara who was now deep in conversation with the
twins “Have you ever seen anything as ugly as Hayley Parker?” asked Jennifer
Ben gazed at the girl he’d collided with earlier “Hayley Parker…is that her
name?” he mentioned “Yeah she helps out on the school paper” Ben stared at her
“I mean the way that sweater looks on her…it probably looked better on the
sheep” bitched Jennifer Ben glanced at the girl once more taking in what she
was wearing. Long grey pleated skirt,
baggy t-shirt and sweater with shoes, which had obviously seen better
days. Unlike her sister Louise she was
dressed smartly in tight jeans black ankle boots with a white blouse, her mousy
brown hair cut neatly into the latest style.
On closer inspection Louise Parker was really quite pretty which had Ben
wondering why her sister hid behind hideous silver framed glasses “You okay
babe?” Jennifer’s voice interrupted his thoughts “What? Oh yeah I’m fine” he sighed as they headed
off in the direction of the playing fields.
~***~
Hayley sat watching Ben walk away with
his arm draped casually around the school babe “It was inevitable really Haylz”
Louise tried to ease her pain “I mean the school babe with the school
hunk…they’ll be homecoming king and queen” added Louise Tara flashed her a look
which plainly said ‘Lou shut it!’ “I’m just saying that’s all” Hayley suddenly
shot from the grass embankment and headed off towards the building “Oh good one
Lou” Tara muttered as she followed.
Hayley entered the press office (which
in reality was just on old converted classroom) and slammed the door behind
her, which made her best friend look up “Wow…what’s pissing you off?” asked J-J
“Lou!” she snapped as she sank dejectedly onto the swivel chair “Oh…what’s she
done?” Hayley let out a deep sigh “Well nothing…she was just trying to be nice
in her usual subtle as a brick way” J-J raised her eyebrows “Trying to be nice
huh…why what’s going on?” Hayley watched as her friend fiddled around with a
pencil “Ben” she now had Jodie Jackman’s full attention “What’s the jerk done
now?” Hayley sighed “Only gone and gotten himself a girlfriend” J-J frowned
“Ouch” she sympathised “I mean I wouldn’t mind Jode if she had at least one
brain cell…but she hasn’t she’s positively dull” J-J paused for a second “So
who’s the lucky girl?” she said with just the hint of sarcasm edging her tone
“Jennifer Rayburn” J-J rolled her brown eyes “Seems like they’re well suited…I
mean they must have at least one brain cell between them?” Hayley rolled her
eyes “What? Well suited? Oh pul-eese!”
J-J smiled as Tara entered “Are you okay Hay?” Hayley nodded solemnly “I know
he’s a jerk” the smaller girl said as she adjusted her glasses ‘But he’s my
jerk’ she thought unhappily.
Jodie Jackman continued with the
assignment she’d been working on while Hayley and Tara discussed Ben Adams “Hey
Jode…how’s it coming along?” J-J let out a deep sigh as the editor of the
school paper approached “I can’t get any kind of angle on it Mark” she admitted
Mark Read took the note pad from her “How come?” he asked “Well every time I
try to broach the subject with the younger kids they clam up” Tara glanced
across to where Mark Read stood tall dark and incredibly handsome “What are you
doing?” she asked walking over to them, boy did Mark suit red she thought
taking in his clothes black pants and red sweater “I’m trying to high light the
bullying element at Brandon ” Tara gasped “What? You’re gonna take on Costa and his lot…Gee Mark I hope you like your
life?” Mark frowned “Yeah well someone has to take a stand against this and
since Principal Rawlings ain’t gonna do jack shit about it then it’s left to
us” J-J looked wearily up at him “He’s really gonna have you’re ass for this
Read you know that don’t you?” she warned “Yeah I know…it’s a price I’ll just
have to pay”
Tara’s eyes widened “Hey I’ve just had an
idea…there was this kid oh damn it what the hell was his name? I can’t remember anyway I rescued him from
his locker”
“Kids
get bundled into their lockers all the time…that’s nothing new” said Mark
“Yeah
but they don’t have some kind of attack do they? If I hadn’t come along when I did God know what might have
happened”
“Would
you know this kid if you seen him again?” asked Mark looking interested Tara
nodded “I think so” she agreed before tearing off to find him “I’ll come with
you” suggested Hayley following her through the door.
~***~
Jennifer smiled then pushed Ben away
from her they had been kissing in public something unheard off at Brandon High,
they could get into serous trouble for such displays of affection “What? What is it?” he asked looking around she
frowned “I was just making sure Duncan was watching” she said boldly Ben was
slightly taken aback “What? Duncan
James? Why d’you want him watching us?”
Jennifer grinned wickedly “Oh come on Ben he’s just so dishy and if he sees me
with you then he’s gonna get jealous isn’t he?” Ben stood up abruptly “Yeah
he’ll get jealous all right and kick the Goddamn crap out of me…I don’t intend
to play those kinda games Jen!” she shrugged “Suit yourself” she said without
batting an eyelid. Great this day is
just getting better and better he told himself as he marched away colliding
with someone once again.
“Sorry…sorry
sorry” he apologised as he crouched down to help the girl retrieve her things,
once again she pushed her glasses onto her face “Wow you again? We really should stop meeting like this,” he
said as he flashed a genuine smile “I think that’s everything Hayley” he said
happily as he watched her walk away.
At last the bell sounded the end of the school day but Ben
couldn’t go home just yet and as he’d no intentions of going to Lori’s snack
bar he decided to head to the public library instead “If his parents thought he’d
turn in for that dumb job then they could think again. He pulled open the heavy glass doors and
stepped onto the highly polished marble floor taking in every inch of the place
it was old very old. Paintings adorned
the massive walls, he drew in a deep breath as he pulled open another heavy glass
door and stepped onto a vivid red carpet this place was something else.
People sat dotted around the place
tables full of books, notepads lay open Ben suppressed the urge to laugh as he
made his way to the back, he’d spied a vacant table and intended remaining
there for the duration of what would have been his shift. He congratulated himself on his genus of a
plan this place was perfect.
The woman librarian stared cautiously up
to where he now sat alone and looking rather shifty ‘Books I need books’ he
thought as he got up from the swivel chair and approached the first row of
books he came across “Well hello again” he heard a voice behind him “Hayley
right?” he asked she nodded shyly “So why…” they both said together “You
first?” Ben gestured, “How come you’re here?” she asked he sighed “Keeping out
of trouble…you?” she glanced down at the pile of books clutched in her hands “I
have an assignment to do for Friday and I ain’t even started” he sighed “You
into journalism then?” she nodded “Yeah…I’m gonna be a musical journalist one
day” Ben smiled “Hey maybe you’ll write about me…I’m studying music” Hayley’s
eyes widened “You are?” he nodded “Cool…you in a band then?”
“Err…not
yet”
“So
can you sing then?”
“I
don’t know…I haven’t really given it much thought”
“What
kinda music you into then?”
“All
kinds…except opera…I draw the line at opera”
“Pity
could just see you as the next Pavarotti”
Yeah
right…here let me help you with those” he offered as he took some of the books
from her and automatically carried them to the only vacant table, which just
happen to be the one he had been sitting at.
Hayley was in seventh heaven, the boy of
her dreams was sitting right there with her helping her with her assignment and
boy was he intelligent he explained everything in simple terms things she’d
found difficult for years just fell into place the way Ben explained them “Wow
I can’t believe I’ve been doing all this wrong for years” she whispered
“It’s
a simple enough mistake…and let’s face it Layton isn’t the best teacher in the
world” he defended her she smiled warmly at him then removed her glasses
revealing vivid blue eyes “Thanks Ben…thank you so much…I’ll have this done in
half the time…shoot I might even be able to squeeze in a milk shake at Lori’s
fancy one?” it was a long shot and Hayley knew it was Ben drew in a deep breath
“I’d love to but…” she tried to hide her disappointment “I have to get going”
he declined gently “Sure I understand…some other time?” he smiled then nodded
“Yeah some other time” he agreed as he glanced at his watch “I gotta go” he
added as he lifted his sports bag “See ya” said Hayley suppressing the urge to
let out a massive squeal.