60 Days With Ben

Chapter 2

"Let me guess what your reaction was," said Carla while we waited at the school gate for my mother to take us home. "You dragged out the chair, completely disconcerted. Did you make that annoying noise when you were dragging a chair because you were shaking and sweating, and you didn't even have the strength to lift the chair? And, I almost forgot, did you turn redder than pepper and drop all your stuff on the floor?"

"Carla, please! You're making me look even more stupid than I'm feeling," I frosted my eyes behind my black-rimmed glasses.

"Sorry! I know you get out of control in some situations," Carla adjusted the strap of her backpack. "How did he react?"

"Ben ignored me. It was as if no one had sat beside him."

I relived the whole pathetic scene in my mind as we made our way home. The heavy traffic made the trip much longer.

Benjamin was irreducible in the matter of not speaking to anyone. It was like his gaze of fury asked me not to insist, seemed more to beg.

"Do you have any suggestions for songs?" I had asked for the third time. He remained silent. It was as if none of that mattered to him. It was as if he really was not listening to me, he was not interested. Simple as that, but too offensive to me. He had no right to treat me like that.

I cannot say that singing an English song in front of the entire class would mean anything to me, but I needed that grade. And it is not just because I was the teacher's daughter that I was going to get some perks, that I did not have to accomplish my duty as a student.

Some certainties I had already made up in my mind:

First: Benjamin was relentless. He was only present in the room because he was forced by someone, and he seemed willing to make his return to school a very difficult situation. For him? To the person who obliged him? For everyone who tried to approach? I believe all these options are valid.

Second: I would never sing alone in front of the class, I needed someone to support me, but fate, or rather my mother, wanted that support to be Ben.

Third: I had to do something. I could not get a low grade by now just because of Benjamin's temper.

We stayed in that awkward silence until the end of class. Ben had created an invisible barrier between us which I could not break easily. It was endless minutes for me. I wanted to confront him, but I was not a type to confront anyone, so, as soon as the bell rang, I grabbed my things and got out as fast as I could, running away from him like a frightened child.

One of the advantages of mom not having lunch at home is that I can prepare whatever I want for lunch. Carla always accompanies me when I'm by myself having my meal. It is not just because of my loneliness, but it is a way out for her since, at her home, meal is controlled by a nutritionist. So, no greasy food, chips, cheese, candy or any other fattening food. When she comes here, I make everything she likes but she cannot eat at home.

"Isn't there any way you can ask your mother to change your duo?" Carla asked as she dipped the chips into the sauce.

"And who would want to trade the partner with me? Or with Ben? No one has spoken to the poor boy since he arrived."

"That's what happens to be snobbish," She said with her mouth full.

"Carla, don't say that."

"You know it's the truth! Benjamin and his gang thought they owned the school. They talked to many, but only those they handpicked."

"I pity him," I sighed.

"No! It's not called pity, it's that old platonic love for Ben growing back inside. Be careful!" Carla pointed the potato at me.

That night I went to sleep with my friend's words in my mind. She was one of the unique persons that knew me completely. I was thinking too much about Benjamin because of a few brief minutes I spent with him.

Ben had been staring at me for a fraction of seconds while we were doing double, it was just this movement that I could see he had made, thought I had not realized, but just like him, I also knew how to look at a person without having to move my head. He was bored, and I was afraid to make him more bored. Although Ben was acting like an idiot, I tried to understand him, it was not an easy year for him.

A light rain fell that night, the cold that came with it made me get up and close the window. I had the habit of sleeping with my bedroom window open, even though the house had only one floor and no bars. I spent a few minutes observing the night and wondering why something so tragic had happened in Ben's life.

The day dawned with the sun shining. The sky was clear, and white clouds sprinkled the blue infinity. It was as if it had not rained the night before, the only thing that indicated that it had rained was the pools of water that had formed on the ground.

I met Carla at the school entrance gate, she had managed to arrive before me today.

"What happened? Did you fall out of bed?" I said and then took her for a hug.

"I thought it would be raining in the morning, so I decided to advance my alarm in a few minutes. You know how it gets on rainy days. I just wanted the guarantee to take a busload off the road," Carla was distracted as we walked. She waved to a boy I did not know.

"Who is this?" I asked her.

"Fernando. So hot!" Carla did not ask me a question but made a statement, leaving a smile on her face.

"It may be, but since when are you getting involved with him and not telling me anything?"

"I'm not getting involved with him, not yet. He is a new student. He is in the same class as mine. I'll give some more time to see what happens."

As soon as the bell rang, I ran into the classroom, which was slowly filling up. Twenty minutes had passed since the teacher began the class, and Benjamin had not arrived yet. Was the light rain that fell last night enough for him to make an excuse and not come to school?

I waited anxiously for the second lesson to ring. I still had the hope that he would come for it, but he did not show up. The place where his chair would be was empty. I began to worry about how this sudden lack of Benjamin was affecting me.

The rest of the week was slowly dragging on. It was as if my world was in slow motion. Each day I listened to some songs, choosing those that had easy pronunciation, and which I could sing on my own. My English pronunciation was not perfect, but I spoke the language well. In the rare spare hours my mother had, she used to spend teaching me how to speak English.

This was one of the rare "mother and daughter" moments that we had. Nowadays, we still do that, but the scolding is much bigger if I pronounce the wrong word. For my mother, everything must be said correctly.

By the weekend, Carla came home for our Saturday at the mall. We did not go there for shopping, but just for a walk. We were not partygoers but the ones who would rather spend two hours watching a movie. I enjoyed a good horror movie and Carla a good romance. Since it was not usually that we had a horror movie playing, I was used to spending several Saturdays watching romantic movies.

Worst of all was seeing Carla crying over every sad scene in the movie. I always laughed at the situation, which made her upset and in a bad mood for my lack of sensitivity, although I always told her that it was not lacking sensitivity, but that I had common sense.

On Sunday, I spent at home with my mother, not with her exactly, as she spent most of the time locked in her mini office correcting exams.

Monday arrived faster than expected, and to my surprise, Ben decided to appear. He seemed more broken up than the last time I saw him. His beard was unshaven, and his black rebellious hair indicated that he was not too concerned with appearance.

Once again I had forgotten that I had an English lesson. The doubles were not formed. The rehearsal to sing the song was to be done outside the classroom. That was a relief for me. I did not feel like sitting next to Ben and being ignored by him all through class.

When the exit sign rang, Ben threw a piece of paper on my desk. He was quick enough to do that act and get out of the room before any student since his chair was in a position where it would prevent the exit. I fixed my glasses, opened the paper and was surprised by what was written on it:

In my house. 4:30 pm.