Tara smirked on seeing Ben creep into the
diner his face red with embarrassment “You actually made it here Adams boy your
mother must be so proud!” Ben walked behind the counter “Don’t even go there!”
he retorted “So what d’you want me to do?” Tara grinned wickedly, she really
was going to enjoy this “Put this on” she said handing him a wine coloured
apron Ben looked distastefully down at it then shook his head “You gotta be
joking I ain’t wearing that!”
“Suit
yourself Daz”
Ben
snatched the apron from her doubled it over then tied it around his waist.
“Suits
you,” teased Tara as she washed down the counter
“Ah
you got here” he heard his boss say “Hey Taz I’m going out you’re in charge”
Tara smiled broadly as he kissed her cheek “Taz will show you the ropes Ben” he
was told.
Tara wasted no time in putting Ben to
work cleaning tables “Oh puleese isn’t there anything else I can do?” Tara
slowly shook her head “Err…no” Ben looked desperate “Please couldn’t I wash
dishes or something…help in the kitchen anything but be out here?” he begged
and for the first time Tara noticed the vulnerability in his expression, he
really was finding this difficult “Okay…but if we get too busy you’ll have to
come give us a hand okay?” he looked grateful as he made his way to the
kitchen.
Tara followed him then quickly introduced
him to the kitchen staff, “Maz you know…he’s our resident cook aint ya babe?”
Paul never replied he merely waved an acknowledged yes. Ben stared around the kitchen, it was
spotless “Well you gonna stand there or are you gonna do some work?” he growled
Ben took a few paces nearer “What do you want me to do?” Paul pointed to the
pile of dishes in the large stainless steel sink then sighed “Gets busy in here
Adams…dishes don’t wash themselves” Ben glanced at the dish washer nearby “What
you want me to start loading them?” Paul shook his head “No point…dish washer’s
busted…have to do them all by hand…so best start huh” Ben rolled up the sleeves
of his expensive shirt then sighed “Great this is just great!” he thought as he
begun washing.
As luck would have it the diner wasn’t
too busy and so Ben could hide out in the kitchen until the end of his shift
“Well thank God that’s over” he stated as he dried his hands then wiped the
little beads of sweat from his brow “You survived your first day huh?” Paul
laughed as he threw the towel over his shoulder “Yeah” smiled Ben looking
relieved “Ain’t you going?”
“Not
yet…I’m doing a double shift”
“Why?”
“Coz
I need the money buddy”
Ben
felt bad; money had always come so easily to him.
“So
how come you gotta work here?”
Ben
hesitated wondering whether to tell him the truth.
“I
err…got into a bit of trouble where money is concerned and so had to get a job”
was all he said and Paul didn’t press him for any further information which he
was grateful for “Well I really do have to go” he added “If you really don’t
wanna go out through the main door you can always leave that way” Ben glanced
at the heavy door just beside the sink then smiled “Thanks buddy” he laughed as
he took a few paces away.
“Ben!”
cried Paul Ben spun round then caught the bags Paul had just thrown at him
“Take the garbage out with you buddy” Ben grinned at him “Sure…I’ll catch you
later” Paul nodded as he went to take a quick break.
Ben arrived home changed then hurried
to Jennifer’s “We’d given you up” said Ant from the pool Ben sighed “I had
stuff to do” he replied with a grin “What stuff?” asked Jennifer moving to let
him sit down “Just stuff that’s all” she looked annoyed “Fine don’t tell us”
Ben lowered himself onto the deck chair “What’s up?” asked Ant as he jumped up
onto the edge “Ben’s being all mysterious” huffed Jennifer Ant glanced at him
“Really? How come?”
“I
just had stuff to do that’s all”
“What
stuff?”
“He
wouldn’t tell me either”
“Come
on Adams…don’t keep us in suspense”
“Okay
I was catching up on some of my assignments if you must know”
“Assignments? Shit man why are you wasting time on
assignments?”
“Err
because I wanna do something with my life”
“Yeah
same here…it wouldn’t matter if I never handed in assignments…I’d still get an
A”
“How
come?” asked Ben looking interested
“Well
let’s just say I know how to work the system”
“You
do?”
“Sure
everyone does”
“I
don’t!”
“That’s
coz you’re just too damn smart!”
Ben
had no idea what they were talking about and quite frankly didn’t want to know.
“So
what you up to this weekend?” Jennifer changed the subject
“Not
sure why?”
“Coz
I’m having a party”
“Cool”
“You’ll
come?”
“Sure”
“Great”
Ant
sat down as soon as Jennifer went to fetch more orange juice.
“Well
she certainly has the hots for you Adams”
“Get
real…Jen only has the hots for one guy and it most definitely isn’t me!”
“Then
who…she’s always hanging out with you”
“Yeah
coz I always hang with Dunc”
“That’s
history buddy Dunc got what he wanted”
“Is
that a fact? I ain’t interested in Jen”
“You
ain’t but Jen’s like…hot”
“She’s
okay”
“Just
okay? Get serious Adams she’s an
absolute babe”
“Yeah
whatever”
Jennifer
returned with three glasses of orange, which she handed to them.
“So
Jen…any hot chicks coming to this party?” Ant inquired
“Sure
there’s Bianca Yasmin Gina and Erica”
“Wow
Bianca is she still with Simon?” asked Ant
“Yeah
they’re pretty much together”
Ant
frowned “So which chick is single?”
“Gina
and Erica”
“There
ya go buddy we got two free chicks”
“I
was kind of thinking I’d invite Hayley Parker,” said Jennifer
“Why?”
asked Ant looking disgusted
“Just
thought it’d be kinda cool that’s all…what you say Ben…d’you think she’d come
if I asked?”
Ben
shrugged his broad shoulders then sighed, “I don’t know…but like Costa said why
are you inviting her?”
Jennifer
tucked a strand of perfect blond hair behind her ear then stood up. “I just
thought I’d do something nice that’s all I thought we could get to know her a
bit she seems a nice girl!” Ben stared up at her then sighed “Fine…invite her
if you want” he finally agreed.