Hayley was sitting in the school library when Jennifer wondered over “Hi is this seat taken?” Hayley looked suspicious “Doesn’t look like it” she replied Jennifer sat down then smiled “So Hayley…how are you?” Hayley raised her eyebrows “What the hell do you want?” she snapped Jennifer smiled, that perfect smile which had every guy swooning “Well I came to ask what you’re doing on Saturday?” Hayley arched her eyebrows “What?” she sniped “Well I’m having a few friends over and thought I’d invite you…it was Ben’s idea actually” Hayley looked interested “Ben’s idea?” she inquired Jennifer nodded happily “Yeah he asked me to invite you…so here I am inviting you…party’s Saturday afternoon about 2pm take it or leave it choice is yours” Hayley stared wide eyed as Jennifer rose from the chair and as always all male eyes in the room descended on her perfectly formed body Hayley’s mind was in a whirl “Ben asked especially that you be there” she added then smiled sweetly before making her way from the library.
Gina smiled as soon as she emerged
“Well?” the tiny dark haired girl inquired “Piece of cake…she’ll be there
panting after Adams!” Gina fixed deep brown eyes on Hayley Parker wondering just
what a babe like Ben Adams seen in her “I wonder what the dork will actually
wear?” Gina bitched “If it’s anything like the dress she wore to the
Thanksgiving dance that was sooooooo last year!” Gina laughed as they made
their way out into the cool September air.
~***~
Ben sat listening to Layton droning on
about some ancient scholar across the room he could see Paul sketching
something in his note pad and on closer inspection he noticed that it was
indeed a naked woman “Marazzi!” Layton suddenly yelled and all eyes in the room
turned to see what Paul Marazzi was doing “Yeah” the boy replied looking as
innocent as he could “If you want to draw pictures I suggest you do it in art
class” Paul smirked as he watched the man rip the paper from his note pad
crumple it up and throw it on the floor “Jeez…I don’t think he was too wrapped
with the portrait of his wife…and it took me nearly all morning to do” Ben
sniggered on hearing what Paul had said “What pray tell us is amusing you Mr
Adams?” hissed Layton the smile leapt from Ben’s face “Oh shit!” he thought
“I’m waiting!” Ben frowned “Nothing…sorry” he said quietly there were more
sniggers “Just take yourself along to Mr Rawlings office!” Ben raised his
eyebrows “What?” he couldn’t believe he was being sent to the principal for
laughing “Oh come on…he ain’t done nothing wrong” Paul defended “Keep out of
this!” Ben side glanced Paul then shrugged “Get to Rawlings now!” ordered
Layton pointing to the door.
Ben left the room not really knowing what
excuse to tell the Principal every day some poor unsuspecting soul would take
the tedious trip to the office, he just didn’t expect he’d be one of them “Ben”
he heard a voice echo around the hallway “Shouldn’t you be in class?” he smiled
down to where Karen Ryan the school counsellor stood “I got thrown out of
Layton’s class” he confessed she raised her dark eyebrows “You?” he nodded
shame-faced “Great you may as well join Christian and I” she stated “I’m
suppose to be seeing Raw…Mr Rawlings” the counsellor sniggered as she placed a
hand on his arm “Best not bother Mr Rawlings with this…it’s not like you to get
thrown out of a class every day” Ben looked gratefully down to where the young
woman stood, she wasn’t much older than they were and she was gorgeous.
Chris looked at them when they entered
he’d been busy filing away a pile of papers “How’s things?” he inquired “Okay
thanks” replied Ben moving away from the door “You lost the bet Chrisbo” Karen
laughed
“It
wasn’t Paul who got himself chucked out of class it was Benjamin” Ben’s cheeks
reddened “You? How come?” Ben was quick
to inform “Yeah that sounds about right”
“So
how come you ain’t in English lit?”
Christian
grinned as Karen slipped from the office once again
“Didn’t
see the point…he always kicks me out”
“Yeah
I take your point”
“So
you come hide out in here?”
“Yeah…something
like that”
Ben
glanced around the office then sighed, “She’s okay is Miss Ryan”
“Yeah
Kaz is okay…she’s quite neat actually…for a teacher”
“She’s
a teacher?”
“Okay
counsellor then…she still runs with the enemy”
“So
do you talk with Miss Ryan then?”
“No! What makes you think that?”
“Sorry
I just thought that’s all”
“It’s
okay”
“I
just wondered what she was like as a counsellor”
“You
got a problem?”
“No! Well nothing I can’t handle”
“She’s
okay as a counsellor…she’s great with the younger guys”
“Yeah…I
thought I was a goner for sure…but she let me come in here”
“Rawlings
wouldn’t have cared…he’s use to all the kids Layton kicks outa class”
“He
really is the pits isn’t he”?
“Yeah…well
that all looks in order…I gotta go I got Math and if I’m late for Kauffman I’ll
get double detention”
Ben
smiled as he watched Christian Ingebrigtsen leave the office.
“You
okay Ben?” asked Karen when she returned
“I’m
fine Miss”
Karen
rolled her blue eyes then smiled “Please call me Karen or Kaz…Miss Ryan’s so
formal” Ben grinned at her “I’m okay Kaz” he repeated as he pulled open the
door and side stepped a familiar looking kid “Ah James in you come” Karen
smiled at him.
Ben pulled open the door leading to his
Computing class and stepped inside, “Are you okay?” he heard Jennifer ask
“Sure…why wouldn’t I be?” she shrugged “Well getting thrown out in all” Ben let
out a deep sigh “Wow it isn’t the end of the world Jen” Jennifer was taken
aback “What not the end of the world…Ben you got kicked out of English class
like one of those…” Ben drew in a deep breath the more time he spent with the
likes of Paul and Tara the more aware he became, these kids weren’t losers in
any way shape or form they were in fact really close friends who always looked
out for each other and he longed to be apart of something solid not
phoney.
~***~
Louise glanced at her twin; she could
tell she was up to something. Hayley
always got secretive when she was up to no good but what? What could Hayley possibly be up to? “I can’t believe she hasn’t told you? J-J
she always tells you everything…you’re like her best friend…please spill the
beans” JJ let out a deep sigh “I don’t know anything…she seems perfectly fine
to me” Louise stared at the dark haired girl “I’ll find out…I always do” she
vowed as she spun round and as she did so her arm caught the cup in Mark’s
hands spilling the contents all over him “Oh Jesus H Christ…are you okay Mark?”
Mark nodded as he wiped himself down with Louise’s help of course “God I’m such
a klutz!” she chastised herself “Relax there’s no real harm done” he laughed as
the door swung open and in walked Rawlings “Which one of you kids is Read?”
both J-J and Louise glanced in Mark’s direction “That’d be me” said Mark
unworried “Err…let’s go and have a little chat Read” Louise glanced wearily in
J-J’s direction then watched as Mark walked briskly from the room.
Hayley frowned as she made her way
across the school grounds to her Science class.
“What
did you tell her?” she snapped
“Chill…I
didn’t tell her anything…though I still think you’re being a jerk in going to
this party”
“Yeah
well what if I am?”
“Haylz…please
think this through”
“I
have…Ben asked that Jennifer invite me especially!”
“Oh
and you believe her?”
“Yes…I
do!” snarled Hayley as she marched to her seat
“It’s
you’re funeral” whispered JJ as she sat down on the stool next to Chris
“Trouble?”
he asked JJ sighed
“I
hope not”
“Why?
What’s going on?”
Jodie
took a deep breath then glanced across to where Hayley was now sitting.
“Jennifer
Rayburn has invited her to her party”
“Oh…and
you think she has an ulterior motive?”
“Well
yeah Chris…you know what these rich jerks are like…they think they can do
anything they damn well please!”
Chris
glanced across to where Antony Costa sat deep in conversation with his pose of
admirers “Yeah they certainly do” he agreed bitterly.
~***~
Ben arrived in Lori’s that Friday
afternoon dressed in old scruffy jeans and blue sweater which made his eyes
stand out even more “Hey how’s tricks?” asked his boss he smiled “Okay…you been
busy?” Daz nodded “A little…err Tara’s not feeling too well today…she’s gone
home but don’t worry someone will be in to cover her shift” Ben felt his heart
sink, he’d gotten use to working with Tara, hell he’d even gotten use to taking
orders from her but the thought of someone else ordering him about scared him,
he wasn’t use to taking orders giving them yes taking them no.
Minutes later a familiar figure appeared
in the doorway talking to Darren for a few seconds before making his way inside
“Oh my God!” thought Ben “Hi Ben…could you make a start on cleaning the
tables?” he nodded in Chris’s direction “Ain’t Paul here yet?” he shouted over
to him Ben shook his head “I think he got a detention today” Chris rolled his
eyes “That figures…the day I really need him to be here” Ben continued with his
task “I don’t suppose you can cook?” he shook his head “Sorry” Chris drew in a
deep breath “Great…I’ll have to do it” he stated as the rest of the staff filed
in “Ah you must be James?” said Chris when the tiny boy approached the counter
“Yeah and this is Charlie…Matt’s on his way…I think he’s with Paul” Chris
smiled “Okay Ben would you show the guys the ropes?” Ben straightened up then
stared at the tiny James Bourne who immediately averted his gaze “God! This kid’s scared of me” thought Ben feeling
ashamed he really was finding out about himself, he didn’t need some shrink
telling him how much of an ass-hole he was “If you just follow me” he said
quietly then led them into the kitchen.
Chris cooked until Paul finally arrived
with Matt in tow “Sorry” they both said together “Save it…these orders are
almost done…Matt go and let Ben have a break” Chris told him “Sure boss” the
boy replied then flashed him his usual cheeky grin.
Ben entered the kitchen carrying yet
more dirty plates which he placed in the sink “Oh don’t tell me there’s more”
grumbled James “I’m afraid so” laughed Ben as Chris threw him a can of Pepsi
“Take a break huh…you’re putting the rest of us to shame” Ben flashed him a
genuine smile “I’ll be in the office if I’m needed Ben and I are gonna have a
break…I’ve drafted Lou in to help out just now” Paul grinned, this was Louise’s
day off but still she’d been sweet talked into working something Chris was
expert at, getting someone around to his way of thinking would have earned him
an A for effort.
Ben sat down opposite Chris then opened
the can of Pepsi “This is your last day!” said Chris Ben narrowed his eyes
“What? Are you firing me?” Chris
laughed “No…Daz said that you were only working here for a few weeks and that
you couldn’t wait to get outa here” Ben swallowed “Oh right”
“It’s
your last day you should be ecstatic”
“Did
my step father say I were to leave?”
Chris
shrugged “I ain’t sure why?”
“No
reason”
“What’s
up…I’d be outa here right now if this was my last day”
“I
am happy about it honest it’s just…I actually quite like it here,” he confessed
“Now
I really am worried about you buddy…look if you want I could talk to Daz…hell I
know he’s always looking for staff”
“Would
you? I’d really appreciate it if you
could”
“Sure…I’ll
be in touch…I don’t suppose you could work tomorrow afternoon?”
“Sure
I haven’t anything better to do…what time do you want me in?”
“Err…about
2 we usually get busy round about then?”
“Okay…I’ll
get back to work”
~***~
Chris closed the door of the office then
lifted the phone and quickly dialled J-J’s number “It’s me…I’m at work so just
listen okay? I’ve got Ben to work
tomorrow around 2 just when the party’s suppose to be starting…it’s the best I
can do okay?” he told her “Great…I’ll call Hayley now” Jodie told him happily
“Thanks Chris” she added before hanging up “I just hope it works” muttered
Chris under his breath.