Disclaimer: "The Secret Life Of The American Teenager" and it's characters is the property of Brenda Hampton & ABC Family. However this Fan-Fic is my story and all credits belong to me.
A\N: There are no "Angels" or "Demons" in MY story. Only underage adolescents, that I will do my best to protray as in-character as possible.
I also just wanted to show teenagers just being teenagers, instead of treating them like "mini-adults".
Inconvenient -
1. Causing trouble, difficulties, or discomfort.
2. Inopportune; untimely:
SECRET ADMIRERS
Benjamin Boykewich is the All-American boy. Ben grew up in a wealthy, upper middle-class neighborhood in Los Angeles. His parents, having moving from Brooklyn, to Southern California, to "try to make a better life". As the son of the owner of a Fortune 500 Company owner, Ben was born with what could be called "a silver spoon in his mouth". He could afford the best and had the best. But despite having what dozens of kids had envied and bullied him because of, he was envious of them. He would do anything if it would bring his beloved mother back.
Monday, Ben decided to show his fellow "Dead-Parents Club" Member his new car.
Ever since he broke-up with Amy, and Maria had flown back to Italy, Ben had decided the best thing to do was to just stay single for a while. He would get to know multiple girls - 'baby-less', 'Ricky-less' girls - before making a serious commitment to anyone. It was the perfect plan for a relationship success.
He could only dream that he would find a girl as interested in him, as Maria appeared to be. Staring out of the car's window at the stars, Ben thought about what he wanted. He wanted someone that would be honest with him for once - not like Amy had been. He wanted someone to trust. He wanted someone to love. For years, throughout Elementary and Junior High School, Ben had hoped that that 'someone' would be Grace Bowman. Now with Amy and Jack out of the way, he had had his chance to find out.
"This is a sick car, Ben", Grace exclaimed, trying to throw slang into her sentence to appear 'hip'.
"Yeah, I know. My dad and I picked it out, this past Weekend", Ben said, in agreement, looking around the interior of the vehicle with awe.
"When I get my driver's license, we're going to do the same thing" she asked, excited.
"I guess", he smiled, nervously.
Ben was confused. He wasn't sure about Grace. After spending time with her, he had determined that she was as nice as he had always thought she was. He enjoyed her company. But something was ... missing. The butterflies he used to get from just seeing her disappeared, and sitting with her he just felt so empty inside. His dreams had come true. The girl of his dreams was not only listening to him ramble on but laughed at all his jokes, but somehow he still felt extremely lonely. Maybe after years of pining after her, she wasn't 'his one' after all. But if Grace Bowman wasn't 'his one', then who was?
"What if it isn't her? Maybe it's just me", he thought to himself.
"I just had an amazing thought! If we have children, we're going to be doing the same thing with them!"
Ben's smile faded into a disturbed frown.
Ben sighed, looking once more at the night's skies.
How could he tell her the truth?
Despite his abundance of wealth, he never seemed to have noticed. Ben was a pretty easy-going, down-to-earth kid. Never showing signs of haughtiness, materialism, or vanity towards his less class-privileged peers. He made friends with middle-class kids like Henry Miller and Alice Valko – the only friends he had ever known. He loved his friends so much that he even went to Grant High just on the basis that they would also be going.
Ben and Henry are running hurdles around Grant High's track field.
"Hurry, up, ladies", Coach, exclaimed. "Hurry up!"
Ben stops, bends over and pulls out his Asthma-Pump. It was the boys' turn to run hurdles around the track-field. Feeling dizzy and disorientated, Ben had a little trouble standing up. Some of the other boys had stopped - spread out across the field was three classrooms of adolescent boys mostly either sitting or laid down. Ben was tired and was struggling to control his breathing.
"So, whose this Jimmy guy", Adrian asked, trying to pry her way into Amy's personal business. Band Class had let out early, and Amy and Ricky had immediately went off together leaving Adrian in somewhat of a panic. They were spending more and more time together, and since Ricky and Rueben had told her that they had kissed, it made her freak-out. She hated to be "the jealous girlfriend" but that's just what she was. Jealous. Ricky barely came by or anything anymore, but being celibate, she no longer wanted to use sex to keep him. She felt him slipping away and she felt she wasn't doing anything to stop it. So after finding out about Amy and Ricky, she made a big mistake in the prior weeks - she had sex with him again. It didn't help. In fact, it made everything worse. Ricky was now pressuring her even more, for sex, since she had given in so easily twice before. Amy had apologized for what she termed "a make-out learning session", but as far as she saw it Amy was never even her friend. How could Amy be her friend if she would help Ricky continue to cheat on her? The current rumors about Ricky and Zoe didn't help either. Adrian was in a pool of stress with her boyfriend - a fiery pool in hell, where her existence didn't seem to matter to him.
"He's just some guy that Amy is all crazy about now", Ashley said.
"So she's not into Ricky?"
"Nope", Ashley replied, shaking her head.
"She into Ben?"
"Nope. She doesn't even talk about him anymore. All she can talk about is Jimmy", Ashley said spotting Ben among the boys in the field. "I almost feel sorry for Ben."
"Don't", Adrian said, following Ashley's glance towards the younger boy. "Grace talks about him all the time."
"Yeah, I heard Amy complaining about them a few days ago", Ashley said.
"It's driving me crazy", Adrian said, annoyed.
"Ben and Grace?"
"No", Adrian said, looking at her weird. "Grace talking about Ben."
"It's weird. She never seems like she really wants Ben, unless someone else wants him", Ashley remarked.
"Who? Me", Adrian asked, surprised.
"Amy", Ashley responded, a bit taken back.
Once he saw Adrian and Ashley walking from a distance towards where the field was, Ben had an idea. Suddenly, Ben sprinted forward with what could be described by by-standers as the energy of a Cheetah. Running and pacing himself, he jumped over the hurdles.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
"Wow", Adrian exclaimed, grinning. Catching herself, she calmed down and turned to Ashley. "Did you see that?"
Ashley looked from Ben to Adrian, "Yeah."
Making his way around the field to where he last saw them, Ben smiled and waved. Ashley, remained unmoved with her hands at her sides, while Adrian smiled a little. Still looking, Ben remembered there was one hurdle that almost tripped him before coming up and jumped without looking forward – an amazing feet to do. A round of applause came from all the kids and teachers that saw. Suddenly all eyes were on him, but he was still looking at Adrian. Ben didn't remember that there were two hurdles at this point and not just one. So he stumbled over and fell hard to the ground. His head first before he tumbled foward and his feet landed hard on the track field's ground.
"Ouch", Ashley said, almost empathically.
"How embarrassing." Suddenly Adrian was no longer staring at Ben, but at the older, more muscular, blonde boy running ahead of him.
"Shit", Ben bellowed out, holding his left leg, watching Adrian walk off with the blonde boy as the bell rang. The physical pain was almost unbarebale. "I think I broke it."
"You big baby! It's not even sprained", Henry said giggling.
Now with his mind off the pain, Ben noticed it was no longer there. Feeling over-dramatic and slightly embarrassed, Ben got up and walked away.
In the locker room, as the boys got dressed Henry asked him, "What was all that about? Were you trying to impress that girl?"
"Huh?"
"One of the Majorettes", Henry said, grinning. "The one with Amy's hot sister."
"Adrian?"
"Yeah, that one with the really huge -" Henry excitedly exclaimed, cupping his hands against his chest to empathize the point.
"No, no." Ben interrupted, shaking his head. "We're just friends. We don't think of each other that way", Ben said somewhat dismayed.
"So, you don't -"
His voice returned to normal when he stated, "She's Ricky's girlfriend, and I'm not trying to get in-between - "
"Ooooh", Henry said. "Yeah, I understand."
"She's really cool", Ben smiled, tying his shoes, thinking about Adrian. "You'd like her."
"I like her already", Henry grinned.
"Whatever! Where are were hanging out after school", Ben asked, frowning, in an attempt to change the subject.
"The Ice-Skating Ring, duh."
Ben's cellphone started to vibrate.
"Who's that?"
"It's Alice."
After saying "Good-bye" to some of the other boys, and looking for his brand new car, Ben noticed Adrian getting into her Red car.
"Hi, Adrian", he said, bending downward near the passenger's seat window, so that he and Adrian were now face-to-face. He never told anyone but every time he was near her he felt his heart skip a beat. He didn't know nor understand exactly what his feelings for her were, but he knew his answer to Henry's question the prior day was a lie. At least on his part. Ben was always a dreamer, but he just had enough realism to know Adrian would never return them.
"Hey, Ben", she said smiling back at him. She was being unusually calm, and Ben wondered if he had caught her on one of her good days.
"I wonder what they're talking about", Madison said, nosily, looking at the two.
"Probably, about Ricky and me", Amy snarled. Amy had always been jealous of Ben's friendship with Adrian. She never liked the idea of Ben spending his free time talking to another girl. But she had always figured it was OK, because Adrian would never like Ben that way, anyways.
"I doubt it", Lauren interjected. "Ben is interested in Grace, now."
"Yeah, so he's pretty much over you", Madison blurted out.
Amy frowned and continued to look at the two. "Yeah well Adrian is never going to get over Ricky."
"I can't believe you kissed him when you know he has a girlfriend, Amy", Lauren said, voicing her opinion.
"Yeah, well I wasn't the only one that participated. I don't know why she's so mad at only me", Amy responded.
"It's a girl thing. We always get angry at the other girl, instead of the guy", Lauren responded.
"Yep", Madison admitted.
"Do you want a ride, home", Adrian said, smirking at him.
"No, I was just searching for my car", Ben responded.
"You can drive, now", Adrian asked, smiling. "Let me see your driver's license."
Taking it out his pocket, Ben showed her.
"You look high in this picture", Adrian said, grimacing.
"God, everyone says that", Ben responded.
"Aw, your just growing up", Adrian said, squeezing his check, playfully.
"Ben", Alice yelled, approaching the vehicle.
"I got to go", Ben said, nervously smiling at her.
"Yeah. Well I got to go too, anyways", Adrian responded, coldly. Her happiness and positivity was suddenly gone.
"Have a nice day", Ben yelled, as she drove away.
At the local Ice-Skating Ring close to their school, Ben is hanging out with his two closest friends - Henry and Alice. Alice is holding on to Henry, while Ben is holding on to wall.
"Dude, you're living like every man's dream", Henry said, in total awe of his friend. Feeling slighted, Alice takes her left hand and swats Henry. "I mean, after being with you, Alice."
"Hank, shut up", Alice grimaces. "So Ben, how is everything going with Grace Bowman?"
"Fine, I guess. I drove Grace around a bit", Ben responded.
"It's kind of weird that you and Grace are … What are you and Grace?" Henry seemed truly confused.
Ben shrugs, "I don't know ... friends?"
Alice stops Ben dead in their tracks, "Ben never tell Grace or any girl your just friends, if she hasn't said so, and you're making-out with her."
"Grace and I never really made-out. We kissed once, but that's it."
"Well, establish the relationship, before Grace establishes it. You don't want her thinking this is much more serious than it actually is", Alice stated seriously.
"See that's my fear. She kind of does", Ben responded.
"Wow. Never thought you'd use the words 'fear' and 'Grace' in the same sentence", Henry remarked.
"I'm not trying to have a serious commitment with anyone right now. I just want to … you know … have fun", Ben responded.
"Just fun or sex, Ben?"
"Both. I want to date around like normal teen boys do … and eventually have sex", Ben replied, somewhat fidgety, looking off at the ceiling as if he was remembering something.
"You think you and Grace are going to be having sex soon", Henry exclaimed, barely able to hold in his excitement, as if the whole thing was happening to him.
"No! We're not serious", Ben said, snapping back to reality. "I want to have sex when I'm good and ready to have sex, with the woman I'll eventually get married to. Not now."
"So you're done sounding like a complete horn-dog" Alice asked, looking at Henry with surprise, who stared back mutually dumbfounded.
"I just wanted my girlfriend to find me attractive", Ben sighed, referrancing Amy.
"So, if this is not about sex with other girls, what is this about." Alice was at a lost for words.
"I'm just saying that if I wanted to see other girls, I'm not committed … so …"
"So, what", Alice asked. "So you're just stringing Grace along."
"I'm not stringing Grace along. We've just hung out at her house, twice, and I showed her by car is all", Ben said, rolling his eyes.
"And kissed", Henry added, grinning.
"If I hung out with - or even dated - some other girl right now, in the same way I'm hanging out with Grace, at this point, it's not considered 'cheating'", Ben scoffed. "We're not a couple."
"Just make sure, Grace knows this", Alice warned.
"She still has Jack coming over to her house. Trust me, she's not over him", Ben said, biting into a snickers bar.
"So you don't care if she goes back to Jack? Do you even like Grace", Henry asked.
"Kind of", Ben shrugged off the question. "She's a nice girl. I wouldn't say the brightest, but she's nice – really easy-going. Nothing like Amy. But there's just no spark. When I kissed her I felt nothing. Nothing at all. I'm just not sure I'll ever come to see her as anything more than ... maybe, just a friend."
Alice and Henry look at each other. "Are you sure you want to continue with this whole 'Grace thing' or this more about not wanting to be with Amy Juergens?"
"I'll just call Grace and try to explain it", Ben said, after dialing Grace's phone number.
"No. Not over the phone, dumbass", Alice whispered.
"Hi, Ben", Grace beamed.
"Hey, Grace, there's something I want to talk to you about", Ben said nervously, over his phone's receiver. Needing reassurance from his friends, Ben places his cell-phone on "speaker".
"There's something I want to talk to you about too", Grace said, grinning.
"OK", Ben said, looking at Alice, searching for his next sentence.
"Friday", Alice mouths, silently.
"We'll talk. This Friday?" Ben said, fumbling over his words.
"This Friday it is, Ben", Grace responded, giggling.
"Well, later, Grace", Ben said in low, barely audible voice.
"Bye, Ben", Grace responded, bubbly as ever, before hanging up.
"Man, that talks going to be interesting", Henry snickered.
"Why Friday", Ben asks Alice, looking confused.
"It'll buy you time. We all know you're not the best with your words."
"I say that you should make Grace your girlfriend. I mean, we all know she's already out of our league. What are the chances of this ever happening to us again - I mean you again!"
Ben grimaced at his friends' shallowness. "I already stayed with my first girlfriend for all the wrong reasons and and it ruined a good two years of my life. Why make the same mistakes, again? What about love?"
"Love isn't the only thing you can give to Grace Bowman, Ben", Henry whispers, as he elbows him in the arm.
"I want to give a girl my heart. Not just my ...", Ben paused. "Well, you know ..."
"Your member?"
"Exactly."
Benjamin Boykewich's near opposite was Adrian Lee – raised in near-poverty by a single-mom. Adrian was looked at as angry, impatient, and hot-headed, in contrast to Ben's soft, meek personality. Unlike shy Ben Boykewich, Adrian Lee was blunt and straight forward. So was it weird that the two had become friends? Not to Grace Bowman, who knew both.
"Do you think I should wear this? Oh sweet baby Jesus, no. I'll look so horrible, and he'll hate it."
Folding her hands and chewing gum Adrian grimaced, "It's Ben. He'll like it because you're wearing it. He doesn't really care about what clothes are covering your boobs, just as long as he can see 'em."
"I don't know. Maybe I'll just wear the green outfit we picked out earlier."
"Just pick something. I'm getting tired of being here", Adrian said, frowning, looking around, filled with unease.
"I need something to see Ben in this Friday. He wants me to see him this Friday", Grace says gleefully. "Don't you want to pick out an outfit, you know for the next time when you and Ricky go out?"
"It's Ricky. We don't go out. Ricky doesn't take me anywhere. He's not like Ben. He doesn't care about flowers, candy, and dates … just getting down to the nitty, gritty."
"Isn't that what you liked about him", Grace questioned her friend, giggling.
"I did", Adrian admitted. "I guess I thought at some point once we started getting more serious, Ricky would get more serious."
"Why don't you try talking to him about it", Grace said, offering advice.
"Talking to Ricky? It's like trying to talk to a brick wall!"
"Hmmm. I don't know. I'm glad Ben and I are the same type of person. He's so romantic!"
"Oh, give me a break, Grace!" Adrian rolled her eyes.
"I thought you and Ben were friends too?"
"Yeah, but Grace, 'friends', not 'friends'", she said smirking.
"So you don't like him?"
"No, Grace. I do not. At least not in that way", Adrian said averting her eyes away from Grace's, breaking eye-contact.
"It's weird. He seems like a guy you would go out with", Grace said putting on her dress inside a single-stall.
"Ricky is the guy I want", Adrian responded, more so trying to convince herself than Grace.
"Ben is the guy I want now. For me, he's the kind of friend that could become so much more", she said with awe, thinking about him. "Not Jack … He's with that red-head Madison, anyways. Not Ricky. Remember, when I was dating Ricky and he was having sex with you and we actually fought over him!" Grace laughed. "We've never been on an actual date, but Ben comes over to my house and we talk."
Grace had made it seem like Ben was the best thing in the world, and Adrian was sure she was setting herself up for another heart-break. Grace would often do this – get all whipped up over a guy only to either have her heart broken or forget him like Yesterday's lunch.
"You sure he's not in love with Amy Juergens still? I mean he was crazy in love with Amy. He had to have been to have been there by her side through her being pregnant with Ricky's baby", Adrian said. "Either in love or crazy … or both."
"Ricky has a son with Amy and you're still with him. You're not crazy. In love, but not crazy."
"Yeah, but it's different for girls than with guys. Ricky wasn't pregnant. He wasn't walking around with a huge stomach and pregnancy symptoms. He never had people staring at him for being fat and unattractive. He wasn't the one with crazy hormones. He wasn't the one being called 'a slut' and me having to defend his honor", Adrian laughed. "If I was him, I would have never stayed with her. 'Your pregnant, Amy?' 'Yes.' 'Bye.' Why waste my youth providing for some kid that's not mine? You see how that turned out, with Ben, Amy and Maria. Now Ben feels he has to play 'catch-up-to-the-other-boys'. He messed up his Freshman year for some girl that could care less about him. She's with that Jimmy dude, anyways. Seeing how she was with Ricky the first day she knew him I bet she gave it up on the first date with this Jimmy guy.Yet, I'm the slut?"
"I guess. But that all just proves what an amazing guy Ben is."
"He kinda is", Adrian smiled.
"He told me he's over Amy and he's just glad to be out of that relationship", Grace said zipping up her dress. "OK, I'm ready!"
Grace stepped out in a pink dress, looking giddy and excited. And Adrian couldn't figure out why she just couldn't be happy for her friend. Why did the idea of Grace and Ben maybe someday being an item give her a sickening feeling in her stomach?
"Ben's a nice guy, but you still have to on your toes. He seems like he's over Amy Juergens but we're never going to know if and when he decides he wants to be with her again", Adrian warned, looking at white strap-less dress. "He and Amy were like a bad horror movie. It's never over!"
"You sure you don't want to pick something out for Ricky … Just to surprise him", Grace said playfully.
"Maybe …", Adrian grinned. "My Junior Prom is coming up, this Friday. Maybe Ricky and I will go … if I'm even able to get him to go."
"He loves you, Adrian. He said so. He'll go. Trust me", Grace said, trying to encourage Adrian, through her optimism.
"If he does maybe I'll use this later on", she said picking up a red-colored, sexy, see-through landriray.
"Yeah, that'll be his reward", Grace grinned back at her friend.
"I don't know why I'm still trying to make it work with Ricky. Maybe I should just give up", Adrian said, looking down. "He made-out with Amy. He said it was because she asked him to, but I doubt it. I know he's still fucking Zoe! Ricky can't keep his damn hands off of other girls. It's just … It's just getting to me."
"If you really feel that way, then maybe you shouldn't be with him. I mean, there's no excuse for him having sex with Zoe or kissing Amy."
"He keeps saying it's because I won't have sex with him. But I did have sex with him, and he still cheated on me. I don't think he knows what commitment is. How could he kiss Amy, if he wants to be committed?"
"I don't think you should give yourself to him, if he's not willing to give all of himself to you and only you. I made that mistake with Jack. To be honest, I would have never had decided I should sex with Jack if he never had sex with you … Honestly, Adrian, was it just 'oral'?"
"Why do you want to know that? I thought you were over Jack and falling for Ben Boykewich", Adrian said smirking.
"I do like Ben. I like him a lot. But I did love Jack. I just want to know how far the betrayal was."
"Jack asked me to give him head. It wasn't my idea, Grace."
"I was talking about Jack's betrayal. You and I weren't even friends, yet."
"Oh."
"You know what? I'm over it. I don't need to know all of what you and Jack did."
"Good for you", Adrian said smiling.
"Yeah, good for me", Grace sighed. "Not good for Madison. He's probably going to cheat on her soon. But that's what she gets for going after Jack when I was with him."
"Jack probably went after Madison, Grace. Was it you that chased Jason or Jason that chased you?"
"Both", Grace said, smiling.
While spending time with Ricky, at her house, Adrian thought quite a bit about her conversation with Grace.
Ricky and Adrian were kissing passionately, as their tongues intertwined. She was only wearing a red bra and pair of panties. He was in a black set of boxers. Ricky was gently nibbling on her ear, running his hands down her black thick, curly hair, as she left hickies down his neck - her own possessive self-proclaimed "stamp", letting other girls know that he was her's and no one else's. Ricky attempted to try to remove her underwear to which Adrian slapped his hands away. Grabbing her face, he then began to kiss her again.
"Ricky", Adrian whispered, breaking their kiss.
"Yeah", Ricky said almost out of breathe.
"Can we talk?"
"Sure. Shoot", Ricky said, suckling on the back of her neck now.
"Do you want to go the Junior Prom together", she asked with a beam of optimism that he might accept.
"I hate dances, Adrian", he said with disgust, now kissing her chest.
The usual.
"And apparently public places", Adrian said annoyed, pushing him off of her.
"Look, I'm already doing this abstinence thing for you! What more do you want", Ricky said, oblivious to how selfish that statement sounded.
"I want my boyfriend to take me out on an actual date", Adrian finally said, putting her foot down.
Ricky looked away, "I'll think about it."
"You'll think about it? You had no problem taking Grace on dates two years ago to get in her pants."
"Why are you bringing up the past", Ricky said, an increasing anger in his voice.
"I'm not. I'm stating a blatant truth! You keep me at home in the bedroom" she exclaimed, defending herself.
"Whatever, I'm leaving", Ricky said, springing up and putting on his pants.
"That's what you always do when things get real – run", Adrian muttered.
"I have to go pick up John from Daycare, and bring him over to my apartment. Amy asked me to", Ricky responded, putting on his shirt.
"Yeah, because you just love listening to Amy", Adrian said bitterly.
"What do you want from me, Adrian", Ricky asked, as if he were the victim.
"I want my boyfriend to be faithful and to treat me like a man treats a woman. I'm sick and tired of Amy Juergens being in my damn life", Adrian exclaimed.
"Don't you see I'm trying", Ricky retorted.
"Try harder", Adrian shouted.
"Adrian, Amy is always going to be in my life. She's John's mother. If you don't want Amy in your life, then I guess you don't want me or John in it, too."
Adrian is silent. She knows Ricky loves John, but a lot of the days she thinks about what life would be like if she was with a guy that didn't have a son or the drama the son's mother brings with it.
"I'm out of here. I'll come back when you're back to your senses. Goodnight, Adrian", Ricky said, tying his shoes.
"Whatever", Adrian responded. As he kissed her on her left cheek, Adrian moves her head away from him.
"Where's my jacket?"
"Here", Adrian says, throwing his own black-leather jacket at him.
"We'll talk later", Ricky says, almost apologetically.
Adrian doesn't respond. Her mind was playing back a set of memories.
"I'm pregnant", Adrian blurted out, putting back on her dark red T-Shirt.
"I thought you were on the pill, Adrian!"
"You're the one that didn't use a condom", Adrian retorted. "Atleast I was just in-between switching pills."
"You never usually give in", Ricky stated, trying to excuse his mistake. "I didn't actually really think you were going to give me anything."
"I shouldn't have", Adrian thought to herself.
Ricky was silent for a few minutes before asking, "So what are you going to do about it?"
"That's what you have to say? 'What are you going to do about it'"
"What do you want me to say? I know you're not going to keep it. You have too much to lose, at least education-wise, and I have too much to lose. I already have John. Oh, my God, Adrian - I already have John!"
"So, Amy could have your baby, but I can't?" She felt hurt and betrayed by her boyfriend's words. lt like he was not only accusing her of trying to trap him, but saying he didn't want her to be the mother of his child.
"It's not even about that. I never have any money left after I'm done helping Amy with John. There's nothing I can give you now, much more then."
"So, we're not keeping it", Adrian quizzed him, wanting to hear his answer.
"You want a baby waking you up in the middle of the night, making you not be able to hang out with Grace, making you miss Senior Year and College -"
"No", Adrian blurted out. She didn't want a baby, but she did like the idea of being the mother of Richard Underwood's child - atleast Amy would no longer have something over her.
"Exactly", Ricky said. "We both don't want this, so why ruin some kid's life?"
"Is John's life ruined?" Amy and Ricky never wanted John at first. Amy demanded Adrian drive her to an Abortion Clinic, as Ricky used everything in an attempt to manipulate yet another girl.
"I can't go back and change everything. But I can start making better decisions now ... for the best of everyone - you, me and John."
"And Amy?"
"Again, this isn't about Amy. This is about you, me and John."
"Yeah, I've thought about all that", Adrian said. She couldn't believe the words coming out of her mouth. Was she really so desperate to keep him in her life that she would risk her future? "But if it was up to you two years ago, John wouldn't exist either. Now you love him so much. Maybe we will -"
"No", Ricky replied, harshly. "We're not talking about this, ever. You know what you have to do!"
With that he left.
"Adrian." Ricky calling her name made her snap out of it.
"What", she snarled.
"I love you", he said, trying to calm her down. With no response, he shrugged before leaving.
Hearing her bedroom door close she whispered, "No, you don't."
It was a normal Wednesday night, and Ben had nothing to do. Henry was being tutored. Alice was staying after-school to earn more credits. Ben's shift was over at the Butcher Shop. Rocking back and forth, he tried to think of something to do to pass the time.
Just when he thought he was going to collapse of boredom, his cell-phone rang.
He tried to contain his joy. She never usually was the one to call him, and never on a Weekday at that.
"Hello, Adrian", he said, trying to sound nonchalant.
"Hi, Ben", Adrian responded. "How'd you know it was me?"
"Caller ID …" Ben said, in a matter-of-fact way.
"Of course", Adrian said, feeling a tad bit stupid.
"So, how are you?"
"I'm fine, Boykewich", Adrian said, annoyed. "So … Grace told me you guys are … going out," Adrian said, trying to sound like she didn't care – as if this wasn't her real reason for calling.
"Well, we're not really going out. We're just testing the waters. After everything I went through with Amy, I don't think I want another girlfriend for a while. Grace and I are more of friends than anything else", Ben said, telling only a half-truth. Ben was just testing the waters. But Grace seemed to be hoping for so much more.
"Yeah. Grace seems to think you're going out, Ben. She has this idea in her head that there is a chance you and her might become much more than friends, sometime in the near future. You might want to get that cleared up, wouldn't you Boykewich?"
Ben exhaled. "I'm trying."
"So why didn't you tell me", Adrian quizzed.
"Honestly … I didn't think you'd care, Adrian", Ben said, bewildered. Sitting up he spoke softly into his cell phone, "Do you have some kind of problem with me courting Grace, or something?" He tried to see if he could get into her mind.
"Of course, I don't care! You and Grace could get freakin' married and have a zillion babies for all I care", Adrian hissed. Adrian, as usual, could see right through him.
"Oh … Good. So how are you and Ricky doing?"
"We're doing fine, Ben", she lied. "What's with all these questions?"
"Well, you're the one that called. If you have something to tell me …"
"Ben, I'm done with homework and studying. My parents are at work, Ricky's with John, and Grace is … Do you know where Grace is? Whatever. It's not like I have anything else to do, besides talk to you. So, don't get all excited."
"Do you want to come over", Ben asked, his mouth moving faster than his thoughts.
"To do what", Adrian asked, her left brow raised.
"I don't know. There's a lot of things to do around. I'm just really bored –"
"Oh, gee, thanks", Adrian rolled her eyes.
"No, don't take it that way! I was just saying that I'm home alone and I don't really have anything to do, either. Maybe we could think of something fun to do together", Ben said, innocently.
"I don't think Ricky would like me coming over and having too much fun, Ben", Adrian said smirking.
"We're not going to have 'too much fun', Adrian." Ben paused before joking, "Besides, if I really wanted that kind of fun, don't you think it'd make more sense to invite Grace over?"
"Ugh", Adrian grimaced.
"I think Ricky would have a problem with it … But he's not going to know anything, right? ... Right?"
"He's not … Look I guess, I'll be over. What's your address", she asked after contemplating her options.
"Holy, shit! Really? … I mean, cool", Ben said, trying to play off his previous excitement before giving her his address and directions on how to get there. "OK. B –", Ben said, to the sound of dial-up. "Adrian? Adrian?"
Ben quickly took a look through all the areas in his wing of the mansion. Taking the suction vacuum, he tried to clean the rooms of dust and pollen. He didn't know why he was doing this. This was something he'd care about, not Adrian. After making sure there wasn't an item out of place, he looked in the mirror, and to his horror he discovered the only thing that needed fixing was himself. After smelling his armpits, he realize he should probably take a shower. When sodding up, and shampooing his hair, he took the time to make sure that some soap – in one form or another – was touching every part of his body. Scrubbing his skin and hair, running the water over his body, mixing with the dirt and suds, he tried to block any thoughts of making-out with Adrian out of his mind. Adrian was just his friend, he was still trying to be Ricky's friend, and most importantly he was technically still talking to Grace. Things could get really ugly, if he stepped out of line.
Ben answered the door in a blue pajamas pants and a white sleeve-less undershirt, holding a dumb-bell in his left hand, trying to look casual. But his slicked-back, gelled-down hair and the scent of his cologne told a different story.
Taking off her yellow rain jacket, and handing it to him, Adrian muttered, "Here".
She was dressed in a tight pink shirt, yellow capris, pink converses, and a yellow head tie. Her hair was perfectly curled. She had on pink lip-gloss and eye-liner.
"Why are you all dressed up? We're not doing anything special", Ben said, taking her jacket, trying not to stare, though that was a lost cause.
"What are you talking about? I always dress this way", Adrian said, smiling him, glad he noticed her efforts.
"Exactly."
"This place is huge, Boykewich", she said looking over, stunned at the huge space and all the entrances and exists.
Gently taking her hand in his, Ben led her over to the kitchen. "You want something to eat?"
"What do you have", she said her head turning looking at all the different machines and gadgets they had just to cook food.
"Anything. We can order food. What do you want?"
"I'd say a large pepperoni, chicken, and onion pizza with a side dish of buffalo wings," she said with grin.
"Ok. You have a large appetite for a girl", Ben said surprised.
"Do I look like one of those plastic, ciliate-injected, stick-figures you guys call 'models'?"
"No, but you could probably model if you wanted to", Ben responded with an innocence that sounded like it would have come from a 5-year-old rather than 15-year-old.
Blushing, she turned away from him.
As Ben made the order, she drifted away from the room. Wondering into another room, she noticed the mural of a young woman. She was a beautiful, curly-haired, brunette with olive skin. She had a lot of jewelry on – pearls, diamonds, bracelets …etc.
Ben slowly walked behind her, as Adrian could hear his foot-steps.
"She's pretty. She your mother?"
"Yes", Ben responded, now standing next to her, looking up at his mother's picture.
"What was her name?"
"Sarah Bosalini", Ben said. Turning towards her he said, "She became a Boykewich when she married my dad. They were teenagers when they got married. First loves."
"Like you and Amy?"
"Last month, I came to this epiphany – a realization of sorts. I don't think I was ever in love with Amy. I think I loved her but, maybe, I just wanted to help her. She was pregnant, Ricky wasn't there. She needed me. You know?"
"Ben, how do you feel about Amy kissing Ricky", Adrian asked, trying to see if he was truly over her.
"Me? Nothing. I'm not with Amy, anymore. She's Jimmy's problem now", Ben shrugged. "How do you feel about it, Adrian? He's your boyfriend."
"We've gotten past it", Adrian lied.
"I'm over Amy and her 'Baby-Daddy Drama'", Ben said, succeeding in making Adrian laugh. "Now I need to live for myself. No one else but me."
"Starting with Grace Bowman, huh?"
"Well, the only reason why I was dating Amy was because I knew I couldn't get Grace."
"Why would you say you couldn't get Grace?"
"Have you looked at me? I'm a nerd. You said it yourself. If I ever made a move on you, I'd fail. And it's not just you. Girls never liked me! Braces on or off! What reason on God's green Earth would you think I think I'd be wanted by Grace – a cheerleader? I'm not exactly the best-looking guy, you know?"
"Eh, you're not bad, Boykewich. I've seen worse."
"Coming from you I'll take that as a compliment", he said beaming, offering her a smoothie.
"Thanks", Adrian said, looking into the cup, trying to figure out the flavor of it.
"It's a weird slushy-blend of apples, oranges, grapes, kiwi, beats, kale and seltzer-water. The chiefs make these smoothies for me, Alice, and Henry all the time. There's more in the freezer actually if you want."
"Ew", Adrian blurted out, repulsed. "You don't have any of those rich-people wines around here?"
"'Rich-people wine?'", Ben laughed. He found her wording cute. "My dad keeps them locked up in a Cabinet", he frowned, knowing he had disappointed her.
"Oh."
"It's healthy, but it tastes good enough. Just our opinion", he responded holding his left hand to his chest when making this statement. 'Our' referring to himself and his best friends - Alice and Henry.
"My opinion - It would probably taste a lot better with some alcohol", Adrian commented, giving Ben back the cup. "Gosh Ben, don't you know how to have a good time?"
"A good time?" Ben didn't think that a good time necessarily involved alcohol.
"Yeah. Ben did you seriously think that mixed-fruit is the thing every girl wants when hanging out?"
Ben frowned. She always made him feel lame. He was letting her down.
"Yeah well, just don't take alcohol from some random guy. Some guys try to take advantage of girls that way", he warned, very concerned. "You know, the whole 'roofie thing'?"
"Thanks, mom", she responded, sarcastically, teasing him. She felt like he was treating her as if she was some 'stupid, naïve, Suburban College-Student'. She didn't drink either, and would never exclusively with boys she didn't know. In fact, she was really just trying to impress him, just like he was trying to impress her. She knew Ben always saw her as a cooler, older, wiser girl - even if she wasn't thought of so positively by the other kids at school. And she wanted him to keep seeing her that way. She didn't want to drink, but she had figured that Ben being a Boykewich - of all people - would know how to woo a girl. "That's if he is even interested in wooing me", she thought.
"Mom? I think I'd rather you call me 'daddy'", Ben attempted to flirt, trying to sound edgier, and erasing his apparent lameness in the prior conversation.
"Maybe he is interested", she thought.
"In your dreams." She smirked, remembering a previous part of their conversation, she added, "I told you that you'd fail? Well, that must be the reason we're not upstairs in your bedroom and you're not smearing my lipstick and buttoning down my blouse right now."
"Sounds like your dreams", he stated, grinning. "Mine are tad a bit raunchier."
"I think that would be more so my nightmares, Ben", she said, grinning. "No, seriously, is that the reason? You're like the only guy that has ever manage to resist these capris … so far."
"Part of it", Ben replied truthfully. "But remember I do have special 'nerd powers' that you popular kids are totally unaware of."
"The other part?"
"We're friends, Adrian! Besides what kind of guy I'd be if I invited you over here, to hook up with you, while I'm courting your best friend? What kind of guy would do that? I mean, you do have a boyfriend."
"I'd say a normal guy, Boykewich", she responded, smirking. "And stop saying 'courting'. Sounds weird."
"Ouch! You do know we're not all 'bad guys', Adrian?"
"I'll believe it when I see it", Adrian said, amused.
"You wanna play pool? We got a pool room", Ben said, changing the subject. He started grabbing her hand, and pulling her in direction of the pool room.
"What don't you have", Adrian asked, in shock.
"An IMAX movie theater. We have a movie theater, it's just not IMAX."
"You're so spoiled", Adrian blurted out laughing.
"And you're so sassy", he said, grinning, holding her in his arms, from behind.
"Thanks. I keep my heart in a jar in the family freezer at night, to keep it nice and fresh", she joked, looking up at him, behind her.
As the room got quiet, Adrian moved closer to his face, their mouths only centimeters way from each other. Ben quickly moved away from Adrian, breaking eye contact. Adrian looked on sad and confused.
"Oh, look. The foods here", Ben, blurted out, breaking the silence, when he heard the doorbell ring.
Her mind was suddenly filled with all kinds of conflicting and confusing thoughts.
"If he wants me, why didn't he kiss me", Adrian asked herself.
"Come", Ben said grabbing her right hand with his left, with the pizza box in his right hand, almost dragging her down the stairs.
"Where are we going? The basement?"
"No, the theater is down here!"
The Boykewich's movie theater was nothing short of breathe taking. There were at least 600 seats with 30 rows on each side of the room. There was a room where pop-corn was cooking and dozens of hot dogs and a refrigerator filled of soft-drinks.
"What are we watching?"
"Iron Man."
Much to Adrian's disappointment, Ben had more interest in Tony Starks than taking her clothes off. He ate his pizza, drank his soft-drink and didn't seem the least bit interested in what she was.
"Ben, why did you invite me, here?"
"I told you, I was bored. My dad is in the office all the time. It gets lonely in this big house all by myself. Yeah, sure the chiefs, the nanny, the maid, the butler, are here, but they don't talk much. Other than Alice and Henry – when they come over – I have no one around my own age to talk to here."
"But we're not even talking."
"OK. What do you want to talk about?"
"I don't know", Adrian muttered. Adrian didn't really feel like talking. Getting an idea she grinned, "Maybe we can talk in your pool."
Ben knew he was told to never bring any girls to his the area where the pools and jakozees were located, but his father wasn't home. He simply reminded his father's employees Angel and Jamal that he was the son of Leo Boykewich, and lied that Leo said he could have anyone he wanted there, confusing the two.
Stripping down, behind the house Ben felt insecure. He didn't have the muscles that Jack or Ricky had. Putting on a pair of Navy-Blue boxers, he dived into the pool, waiting on Adrian to arrive. His father had paid for him to have swimming classes a couple of years prior, so keeping with the memory he was a really decent swimmer. Not the best, but certainly far from the worst.
Seeing someone on the other end of the pool, Ben swam. "Adrian? Why aren't you getting into the water?" She had dressed down, now only in a bra and underwear, but she sitting on the stairs of the pool in the left corner.
Adrian shook her head, preferring to splash around the water with her toes. Pulling her into the water with him, he laughed, as Adrian hit him twice with her light taps.
"You dick", she screeched, her hair now wet, as she struggled to breathe. Adrian had never had swimming lessons.
"You said you wanted to talk in the pool", Ben said laughing, now doing back-strokes to the other side.
A few minutes passed, as no one said anything. Adrian stared up at the stars, before looking back at Ben. "Ben, what's the big deal about Grace? Yeah, I know she's a cheerleader, and she's blonde, and you White boys love blonde, cheerleaders … but what's the big deal?" She was trying to keep her head above the water.
He looked at her, "We went to the same Elementary and Junior High School – It was one school, technically. Grace was one of the first girls I ever had a crush on. But she like all the other girls never noticed me. They'd walk right by me whenever I said anything to them. It was even worse when I got braces. Once I liked this girl and I thought she liked me back, but then she and a group of her friends made up a rumor …"
"Yeah", Adrian said, egging him on.
"They made up a rumor I was gay."
"But you're not gay", Adrian said, giggling.
"Right."
"So why did it bother you?"
"Because I'm not. Being gay isn't a bad thing. But I'm not. I'm a regular guy. I like sports, girls, video games and porn – straight porn – as much as any other guy. There's nothing gay about me. Why would anyone believe it?"
"Yeah, but you also write poetry, are in the Drama-Class, and listen to Lady Gaga", Adrian said laughing.
"This isn't a joke, Adrian! Besides I like Hip-Hop, Martial-Arts and Metallica as much."
"Ben, a guy could be gay and like all that stuff. I don't get this. What does this have to do with you and Grace Bowman?"
"Maybe I liked Grace just because she was everything I ever wanted that I never thought I'd get, when I went to a school where I was getting my ass beaten by a bunch of jerks on a daily basis. Heck, I'm still getting my ass kicked on a daily basis by jerks. Maybe that's it. That's the answer you wanted me to say, isn't it?"
"Ben, I was bullied too. It's not going to last forever, you know?"
"Why were you bullied? … You're like a Goddess", Ben said softly, looking at her body.
"A Goddess", Adrian said looking away, to try to hide her blushing. "Look when I was younger, I was skinny – like you." Ben looked down at his body as Adrian continued to talk, "I was a geek – like you. Before I wore contacts, I wore glasses. Horrible fucking ones – the ugly ones with the really, big thick lenses! Plus, I didn't know how to talk to anyone –"
"You still don't."
Adrian pinches Ben.
"Adrian, why don't you want me going out with Grace? Do you secretly hate her or something?"
"No! I love Grace."
"Then, why do you hate that I'm seeing her? Are you jealous or something?"
"Me being jealous of Grace? Are you crazy?" Adrian exclaimed, horrified. "Why in the hell would I, of all people, be jealous of Grace?"
"Maybe Grace has something you want?"
"Oh, you mean you?"
"Just tell me you don't want me seeing her because you like me and I won't, anymore", Ben said whining, almost pleading, and pulling on her left arm with his right one.
"That's rich! Me liking a spoiled, little, rich geek like you? That's a laugh!" Adrian said, snatching back her left arm, going into hysterics.
"But you just tried to kiss me", Ben said, genuinely confused, slouching now. All his machoism and bravado was now gone.
"What? I don't know what you're talking about", Adrian played dumb.
"Back in the Kitchen?"
"You're probably mistaken."
"No, I'm not! You tried to kiss me!"
"Don't you like me, Ben? Why did you move, if you thought I was trying to do that", Adrian asked, trying to manipulate the answer to her previous questions.
"It felt weird", Ben lied. The truth of the matter was the being that close to Adrian made him feel incredibly nervous.
Grabbing his face, Adrian proceeded to press his lips to hers, before placing her hands on his shoulders, attempting to make their kisses deeper. After releasing him, she smiles playfully. "How about now? … Did that feel weird?"
With his checks now red, he was stiff and motionless, and could barely respond. He struggled to regain control of his breathing. He couldn't think. Guilt was present, but was almost being drowned out by the feeling of bliss.
Suddenly, hearing foot-steps the kids react in fear.
"You locked the locks on your front door, right", she asked, grabbing his arm. The night skies which were beautiful to her only a few minutes ago, only added to her fear.
"I-I think so …"
"You think? Think? Boykewich, if I get murdered because you forgot to lock your own front door …", she remarked, now screeching down into the water.
"Benjamin, I didn't know we had a guest", Leo said, walking down into their vision.
"Oh, Dad, this is Adrian", Ben said, smiling at Adrian, who smiled back at him.
"I know. I think we've met before, Adrian … in the Butcher Shop", Leo said folding his arms.
"Oh, yeah. Sorry about the window, Mr. Boykewich", Adrian said, avoiding eye-contact.
"It's OK now, Adrian. Somehow you've manage to pay for the damages", Leo then turned his sight on Ben. "Ben, why is Ricky's girlfriend in our pool, at night, alone with you, with no adult supervision?"
"One, I'm not a little kid anymore. I don't need 'adult supervision' anymore, especially not in my own place of residency. Two, she's not just his girlfriend! She's my friend. And I invited her here. We were just watching a movie."
"I didn't know you two were friends. So, what do you two have in common besides Ricky", Leo said, glaring at Adrian.
"I think I better go", Adrian said, getting out of the pool while wrapping a near-by towel around her body. "Goodnight, Ben."
Ben's eyes followed Adrian waiting for her to be out of view. "I can't believe you did that!"
"Did what?"
"That was embarrassing. I thought you were a 'cool dad'", Ben said, annoyed.
Ben ran out of the pool, putting on his clothes and the robe he formally had on, before racing to the main entrance, where he found Adrian already fully clothed and searching for her yellow, rain jacket.
"It's here", Ben said handing it to her.
"Thanks", Adrian muttered.
"Adrian, you just kissed me."
"Well, I, uh, needed to get Ricky back", Adrian lied. "Trust me, if your asshole father is going to be there after each time, I think I'll never do it again … No offense."
"None taken", Ben said opening the door for her. "Call me when you get home, OK."
"OK", she said smiling at him, as he closed the door.
"Bye", he said, thinking about how much better the night would have been if Leo didn't ruin everything.
After driving home, Adrian made sure to take a shower to get the chlorine from Ben's pool out of her hair and off her skin.
She made sure to comply with his suggestion and texted him that she had reached home safely, knowing fully well he'd be worried about her if she didn't.
Ben was always considerate of her.
"Happy Birthday", Ben yelled into the receiver.
"You remembered my Birthday?"
"Why wouldn't I remember your Birthday? You told me, it's July 26th only a month ago."
"Ricky never remembers it", Adrian said in a low voice. "In fact, no one ever remembers it."
"Oh", Ben mumbled. "Well, that's too bad."
"Well, look Ben I have to go", Adrian lied. "Hope you're having a good time in Bologna."
"Yeah, I'm spending a lot of time with Maria. She's really nice to me", Ben said, practically gushing about his co-worker. Adrian couldn't help but feel a little jealous. Why? She couldn't pin-point it. He wasn't her's, he was Amy's and she was Ricky's.
"Alright, later", she said, somewhat angrily, hanging up.
After she did that she felt awful. Here he was the only person that remembered her Birthday, and she what did she reply with? An attitude and hanging up the phone. He had called her everyday while he was in Italy to tell her about his vacation, but Adrian couldn't let her guard down for him. To let it down for him, could be dangerous. It could be dangerous because she did like him but she didn't want to end up falling for him. She didn't want her heart broken by two guys instead of just one.
She then began to think about the day. She had, had a lot of fun with Ben. She always did.
"Do you have the answers to these last three questions", Ben said, knocking the eraser of his pencil against his right temple.
"The first one. It's obviously sin A over cos A", Adrian replied.
They were sitting on her bed, in her room, trying to work out their Math homework. Adrian may have been a year older, but Ben's grades and work ethic, while in Junior High, had landed him ahead of kids his own age and in a class filled with mostly kids a year older.
"You're so sexy when you're smart", Ben stated, looking at her dreamingly.
"Ew, Ben. Concentrate on the work", Adrian grimaced, still working on her homework. "You said you wanted my help."
"I did. I do!" Ben exclaimed. "It's just that you make it so hard to concentrate on Pre-Calculus."
"Well try", Adrian responded, unphased. "It's important that you pass the next test if you want to pass the class."
"C'mon", Ben said. "I know your school work and studies are really important to you – which I really admire by the way. But you have to have some fun too, sometime!"
Leaning over Adrian took a good look at his work. "Ben, you have all the answers! Plus, the answers you have here are all correct. So when you asked me to help you it was just so you could spend time with me?"
"Maybe", Ben said, somewhat pouting, playfully.
"Ben, why do play dumb in class when it's obvious you more than get it." She didn't understand it nor did she find it attractive.
"I don't play dumb. I guess I just don't really care that much about school, anymore, as much as I did when I was younger. It's also hard to focus when I'm in school, and when I'm home I'm usually multi-tasking with different assignments." Ben was an A++ student from Elementary all the way to 8th Grade, but once he hit High School he was lucky if he got one A-. Leo thought the reason why his Grades had slipped was because of Ben's intense fascination with the opposite sex, but Ben denied this - instead blaming it on his attention-span shortening and his lack of focus.
"So, you're saying you're more focused in my bedroom than you are at school or at your own house", Adrian joked.
"Maybe you're my muse", Ben joked.
Looking out in the hallway for a few seconds, Adrian ran back in and blurted out "My parents are home!"
Ben took refuge by hastily throwing himself into her closet.
"I'm just kidding. Jesus Christ, Boykewich", she laughed.
"That's not funny, Adrian."
"My dad's not mean."
"He is a Cop. Enough said", Ben said picking himself off of Adrian's bedroom closet floor.
A message in her in-box. It was Ben. "OK. Goodnight", is what the text stated.
"This is boring. I don't see anything interesting", Adrian whined.
"Are you kidding me? Looking at the night's sky is the most exciting thing ever. Look at Pluto, the Milky Way's Tail, and Andromeda", Ben exclaimed, turning his telescope each time he said something.
"Yeah, Yeah. I'm getting tired", Adrian replied yawning.
"Do you not appreciate the beauty in the Universe?"
Adrian shrugged.
"My mother and I use to look at the Planets, Galaxies and Constellations all the time", Ben said, smiling, remembering the god times he had with her and this telescope she gave him as a seven-year-old, just three years before she died.
"Whenever I look up at the stars I think of Antonio."
"Who?"
"He was my best friend. He died two years ago", Adrian said looking downward.
"I'm sorry", Ben commented, rubbing her back, trying to console her.
"Pretty soon, my parents are going to be home, you know", Adrian said, trying to change the subject from Antonio. Placing her arm on his shoulder she flirtatiously asked, "There isn't anything else you'd rather do?"
"Nope", Ben densely said, shaking his head, trying to think of something.
"Do you ever observe the Universe with Amy, Ben?"
"No. Amy is always taking caring of John, or with Ricky and John", Ben frowned.
"So, this is strictly our thing", Adrian questioned.
"I guess."
"Good. At least I have one thing she doesn't have", Adrian remarked.
"There are many things you have that Amy doesn't", Ben said, confused.
"Besides a decent bra-size, name one", Adrian commented.
"You have … You have … a life", Ben responded.
Adrian folded her hands. "That's given. Everyone else does."
"You have intelligence … humor … pretty curly hair", Ben said, trying to think of more things.
"You think my hair is pretty? Well that makes sense. You're always playing with it."
"When did ever I play with your hair?" Ben was insulted. He wasn't a creep.
"Sometimes in class, when you and Joe are trying to bother me, or that day you gave me that 'hug'."
"Yeah, my cheek still stings from that slap", he said, playfully.
Reaching over, she kissed him on his left cheek – the same on she had slapped. "Feel better now?"
"I guess", Ben said, now blushing.
Lifting open a box, in her closet, full of make-up, lip-sticks, nail-polish, and other feminine accessories, Adrian thought of when she first got this present.
"Merry Christmas", Ben said grinning.
"Thanks", Adrian said, suspiciously eyeing the box. "What is it?"
"A box", Ben replied, happily.
"I know it's a box, Ben", Adrian grimaced, replying grouchily. "I was just wondering what is in it."
"You're going to have to open it when you get home to see."
"What about you? I have nothing for you."
"Oh, I don't need anything from you. I just wanted to give you something. That's all", Ben said, innocently walking away.
Later that night she called him and told him thank you.
"Well, you always like wearing all that stuff. A lot of girls do. But, personally, I think you'd still look good without it. I'll never understand why you wear all that stuff. I don't think you need it."
Looking at the Junior Prom Pamphlet, Adrian became increasingly enraged.
"What did Ricky give you for Valentine's Day", Ben asked, with joy, carrying her books.
"Nothing. Ricky doesn't believe in celebrating Valentine's Day", Adrian shrugged. "He believes it's just a day where Corporations just cash in. Like Christmas."
"Would you have wanted Ricky to give you something", Ben asked, looking at her face sensing her sadness.
"No", Adrian lied, shaking her head, pretending to laugh. "Ricky and I, don't get things for each other. Not on Birthdays. Not on Christmases. And definitely not on Valentine's Day."
Ben suddenly bent down, zipped down his book-bag, and took a heart-shaped, red box of chocolates out. "I got one for Alice, so I figured I could at least get one for you too."
"Uh, thanks, Ben", Adrian said, not really knowing what to say.
"No problem", he said, now giving her back the books he was carrying for her.
Her phone was vibrating again. Ignoring Ricky's call, she smiled a devilish-grin, thinking of who she now decided she'd take to her Junior Prom.
Walking to his bedroom, Ben saw his father in the entrance. He walked right past him.
"I always raised you to be an open-minded boy – someone that looks for positive traits in everyone. But I never raised you to just settle for anything, Ben."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean? Are you saying I'm too good for Adrian? First of all, that's just not true! Secondly, I said this before, we're just friends!"
"I saw you two kissing. Friends don't kiss, Benjamin."
"I know that", Ben said, breaking eye contact, averting his eyes away from his father's.
"That girl vandalized our shop, and now you just bring her here of all places, Ben? What's wrong with you?"
"She just got upset once, that's all. It's not like she's some juvenile delinquent, or something like that. If Ricky never cheated on her, it wouldn't've happened. I've known her for about a year. She's not like that, except for when he makes her that way."
"And you think you can be a better boyfriend than Ricky is being to her, don't you? That Ricky doesn't deserve her? That for some reason or another, you deserve her? That's why you invited her here - to show her that, right? Ben, I was young once. I know how teen boys think and I also know in the minds of most adolescent boys friendship with a girl is never strictly platonic", Leo said holding his hands out opposite from one another. Looking upwards and relaxing his body more-so he added, "Sarah and I were 'just friends' for three years before I finally got the courage to ask her out and she dumped her hoodlum-thug of a boyfriend."
"I didn't know that about you and mom but ... I take offense to your statement that a guy and a girl can't be just friends! A guy can be 'just friends' with a girl, and not think about her as anymore than that. I've been 'just friends' with Alice, Heather and a lot of other girls. What would make you think Adrian is different?"
"Ben, I've seen Adrian", Leo responded, looking at his son with a blank expression.
"Good point", Ben nodded. "Look dad, it doesn't matter what I feel for Adrian. Adrian knows what she wants, and what she wants is Ricky, and I guess all I have to do is ... hope."
"Hope for what?"
"Hope that someday she changes her mind about Ricky ... about me. It's all I can do. Nothing else, really."
"After everything, you've been trough with Amy and Ricky, don't you think this is a bit hypocritical?"
"It's hypocritical", Ben admitted. "It's inconvenient. But I can't deny it anymore, no matter how much I've tried. And I'm starting to think she can't, either."
"Ben, you may not want to hear it, but that girl is a walking disaster. And if Ricky got wise, he'd realize that."
"You don't even know her", Ben exclaimed, rolling his eyes.
"I know what her father has said", Leo responded, recalling conversations he has had with Rueben on a few occasions. "I know because I saw him at Grant High the day you stole my car to skip school with your little friends!"
"What has he said to you", Ben questioned, crossing his arms, with his feet spread apart.
"According to her father, she's problem after problem after problem. Never stops fighting! It's amazing she's never been arrested, with how he puts it. The school just suspends her, and does nothing else."
"That's just because of how people treat her", Ben said interrupting his father's words. But Leo ignored it.
"She also never stops seducing young boys such as yourself. I know that you're young, Ben, but never let your 'little head' make decisions you need your 'big head' to make."
"Seducing?" Ben exclaimed, gawking, grinning, and shaking his head profusely. "Dad, if anything boys seduce Adrian!"
Leo started pacing back and forth, "I don't know what Ricky's biological parents told him growing up and how they raised him, other than the fact that they weren't the best of parents. I know that his foster-mother is Black and his foster-father is Arab, so maybe that's why. Listen Ben, the world has all kinds of different, beautiful people. We all are unique in our own ways. That uniqueness is what makes everyone special. If different groups started to mix then that all that uniqueness and beauty would be lost, forever. Be nice to them. Befriend them. Go their houses. Have them over to yours. But, Ben, it never goes further than that."
"Are you telling me what I think you're telling me?"
"Son, I'm going to tell you what my father told me when I was your age growing up in Brooklyn, a place much more diverse than Los Angeles, and I was starting to get interested in girls - girls of various backgrounds. 'Be nice to them, respect them, even be friends with them if you want to – like what you have with Alice – but just never marry one.'"
"So you're not just upset that I'm interested in Adrian because she's a 'bad girl'", Ben questioned, with a hint of bitter sarcasm. "You're upset because she's not White like Amy or Maria?"
"I'm not racist, Ben. You see my business employee Aziz, our butler Angel, our maid Bolivia, your nanny Latoya, and your personal body-guard Jamal of whom I trust with your life. I'm just showing you how everything is in the real world – as it should be", Leo said sternly. "Don't accuse me of racism!"
"Dad, you're Sicilian and Jewish! We're not really White! Remember how everyone reacted to your parents' marriage, because he was a 'Yid' and she was a 'Shiksa'? Remember, how mom's family looked down on you because you aren't Italian? You're the last person on Earth that should be saying this."
"Not the same." Leo looked away, "Goodnight, son."
Ben was left standing there speechless.
