1.1.1 Chapter Six
Business was pretty slow at the Peach Pit and Brandon Walsh was bored. He had been reduced to wiping down tables to keep busy. It was Friday night and everybody but Brandon was out having a great time or at least that's how it felt. He sighed. Friday nights at the Pit could be a real drag. They started off slow like this one and then got real busy when everyone crowded in from the movies or wherever else they'd been out having fun. He checked his watch it wasn't even 9pm yet. The Peach Pit stayed open until 11.30pm on the weekends. Sighing he began to wipe down the counter for the third time. As he did he wondered if Nat would let him get a start on his AP English assignment while things were quiet.
"Hey Brandon wake up, you've got a customer". Nat must have eyes in the back of his head Brandon thought. "What can I get you?" He asked without looking up.
"A mega burger and make it snappy' a familiar voice replied. 'You know a smile wouldn't go a miss either. Call yourself a waiter? You'll never get talent spotted by Spielberg with that attitude."
Brandon smiled, he recognised that voice. It belonged to his best friend Steve Sanders. Six feet tall with a muscular frame and curly blonde hair, Steve looked every inch the all American high school jock. Those who didn't really know Steve saw him as the spoilt Beverly Hills rich kid. His mom Samantha Sanders was a famous actress and former star of "The Hartley House" which used to be one of the most popular shows on TV. Steve's dad Rush was one of the most successful businessmen in LA. Like most Beverly Hills marriages this one hadn't lasted, and Steve's parents had divorced when he was only five. Now Steve lived with his mother in one of the coolest houses Brandon had ever seen.
Steve could be rude and arrogant but Brandon knew that behind that brash exterior was a sensitive guy who just wanted to be liked. Brandon had been one of the first to learn Steve's secret. Steve was adopted. Last Christmas Steve had taken off to New Mexico to try to find his real mother. Sadly for Steve he was too late. Karen Brown had been killed in a car accident a few years earlier. But Steve had met his grandfather Al, and at least he had come back to Beverly Hills with some answers.
Brandon had first met Steve when he'd caught Steve cheating in a history test. Brandon smiled, they were complete opposites and he knew that most people considered theirs an unlikely friendship. But he liked to think that they were a good influence on each other. Brandon knew that he could be overly serious at times, always concerned with doing the right thing. Steve taught him to have fun, dared him to do crazy stuff, to cut loose every now and then. In contrast, as Steve himself had once commented Brandon tended to 'bring out the boy scout in him'.
Steve grinned "Brandon my man how's it going?"
"Hey buddy. Eating out again? This is the third night in a row you've been in here. Tsk tsk don't you care about your health at all?" Brandon wagged his finger in Steve's face.
Steve was unrepentant "I'll have you know that a mega burger contains all the vitamins and minerals a growing boy needs".
"You see that's what I like about this guy Brandon, he talks a lot of sense". Nat butted in, patting Steve on the back on his way to the jukebox.
"You see' Steve grinned, 'I've been telling you that for years. You should listen to me Brandon. Nat obviously recognises genius when he sees it."
"You just keep believing that Steve, that's all that matters." Brandon said soothingly as if he were addressing a very small child.
"So where's the gorgeous Nikki tonight? Don't tell me it's past her bed time?" Steve retaliated.
"Real funny Steve, just keep 'em coming". Brandon was getting used to his friends teasing him about his relationship with Nikki Witt. He'd kept her at arms length for weeks, too embarrassed to be seen dating a sophomore. Truth was the only person who had ever really had a problem with the age gap was Brandon himself. Now his friends wouldn't let him forget it.
"So where is she?" Steve pressed
Brandon sighed. "Back in San Francisco for the weekend visiting her family."
"That's great!" Steve beamed.
"It is? You know Steve" Brandon continued, patting his friend's shoulder in mock sympathy 'I don't think you've quite grasped the concept of a relationship. It means actually spending time with the other person."
"It's great because it means you can come to the driving range with me tomorrow." Steve explained.
"The driving range. As in golf?" Brandon wasn't quite sure he'd heard this right.
"Yeah my Dad's forcing me to play in his golf club's annual father and son tournament next week. I could use some practice. Anyway golf is a great game, you'll love it." Steve was nothing if not enthusiastic.
Brandon had played golf once before with his dad back in Minnesota. It had poured with rain all day and what's more he'd turned out to be a lousy golfer. He was in no hurry to get back out on the course. Now ice hockey, that was Brandon's thing; that was a real sport. Still he had managed to get Steve and Dylan on the ice once, so he guessed he was gonna have to give golf a whirl.
"Hi guys". Andrea Zuckerman joined Steve at the counter.
"So Brandon you got my piece of pie ready yet?" She looked hopeful.
"I have indeed" he confirmed placing the plate on the counter in front of her. "But I'm starting to think I might need this more than you do."
"Why what's wrong?" Andrea was genuinely concerned.
Brandon smiled "My best buddy here is trying to talk me in to giving up my Saturday to play golf."
Andrea laughed "Brandon golf is a great game - personal challenge, technical skill, plus spending the day out in the sun - what have you got to complain about?"
"I'll tell you what Andrea' Brandon countered 'if you're such a fan why don't you join Steve at the driving range tomorrow?"
Steve beamed. "Yeah Andrea you're more than welcome to come along".
"Thanks guys, but I've really gotta spend tomorrow preparing for my college counselling interview". She frowned. "I still need to find some scholarship money from somewhere".
"You know what Steve, I should probably be preparing too." Brandon made a last ditch attempt for freedom.
"Forget it Walsh you don't get out of it that easy. Your Saturday is already accounted for. Besides you don't need to sweat it, just come to California University with me. It'll be great, just one long party!"
"You've already decided Steve? I'm impressed" Andrea couldn't hide her surprise.
Steve grinned "Well to be honest it wasn't that difficult, there has only ever been one choice. My father and my grandfather both went to C.U. and they expect me to carry on the family tradition."
"So what are your chances of getting in?" she asked.
"Andrea' Steve looked at her patiently 'My father was the KEG president. My grandfather was the KEG president." He winked "I think it's safe to say that I'm a shue in".
"Well that's great Steve. Isn't that great Brandon? Brandon?"
"What? Yeah great" Gloomily Brandon helped himself to a large piece of Andrea's pie. Contemplating his heavily laden spoon he sighed morosely "You know what Andrea, right now I just can't get past agreeing to spend my Saturday playing golf!"
Andrea laughed, pushing the plate of pie towards him "In that case be my guest".
Business was pretty slow at the Peach Pit and Brandon Walsh was bored. He had been reduced to wiping down tables to keep busy. It was Friday night and everybody but Brandon was out having a great time or at least that's how it felt. He sighed. Friday nights at the Pit could be a real drag. They started off slow like this one and then got real busy when everyone crowded in from the movies or wherever else they'd been out having fun. He checked his watch it wasn't even 9pm yet. The Peach Pit stayed open until 11.30pm on the weekends. Sighing he began to wipe down the counter for the third time. As he did he wondered if Nat would let him get a start on his AP English assignment while things were quiet.
"Hey Brandon wake up, you've got a customer". Nat must have eyes in the back of his head Brandon thought. "What can I get you?" He asked without looking up.
"A mega burger and make it snappy' a familiar voice replied. 'You know a smile wouldn't go a miss either. Call yourself a waiter? You'll never get talent spotted by Spielberg with that attitude."
Brandon smiled, he recognised that voice. It belonged to his best friend Steve Sanders. Six feet tall with a muscular frame and curly blonde hair, Steve looked every inch the all American high school jock. Those who didn't really know Steve saw him as the spoilt Beverly Hills rich kid. His mom Samantha Sanders was a famous actress and former star of "The Hartley House" which used to be one of the most popular shows on TV. Steve's dad Rush was one of the most successful businessmen in LA. Like most Beverly Hills marriages this one hadn't lasted, and Steve's parents had divorced when he was only five. Now Steve lived with his mother in one of the coolest houses Brandon had ever seen.
Steve could be rude and arrogant but Brandon knew that behind that brash exterior was a sensitive guy who just wanted to be liked. Brandon had been one of the first to learn Steve's secret. Steve was adopted. Last Christmas Steve had taken off to New Mexico to try to find his real mother. Sadly for Steve he was too late. Karen Brown had been killed in a car accident a few years earlier. But Steve had met his grandfather Al, and at least he had come back to Beverly Hills with some answers.
Brandon had first met Steve when he'd caught Steve cheating in a history test. Brandon smiled, they were complete opposites and he knew that most people considered theirs an unlikely friendship. But he liked to think that they were a good influence on each other. Brandon knew that he could be overly serious at times, always concerned with doing the right thing. Steve taught him to have fun, dared him to do crazy stuff, to cut loose every now and then. In contrast, as Steve himself had once commented Brandon tended to 'bring out the boy scout in him'.
Steve grinned "Brandon my man how's it going?"
"Hey buddy. Eating out again? This is the third night in a row you've been in here. Tsk tsk don't you care about your health at all?" Brandon wagged his finger in Steve's face.
Steve was unrepentant "I'll have you know that a mega burger contains all the vitamins and minerals a growing boy needs".
"You see that's what I like about this guy Brandon, he talks a lot of sense". Nat butted in, patting Steve on the back on his way to the jukebox.
"You see' Steve grinned, 'I've been telling you that for years. You should listen to me Brandon. Nat obviously recognises genius when he sees it."
"You just keep believing that Steve, that's all that matters." Brandon said soothingly as if he were addressing a very small child.
"So where's the gorgeous Nikki tonight? Don't tell me it's past her bed time?" Steve retaliated.
"Real funny Steve, just keep 'em coming". Brandon was getting used to his friends teasing him about his relationship with Nikki Witt. He'd kept her at arms length for weeks, too embarrassed to be seen dating a sophomore. Truth was the only person who had ever really had a problem with the age gap was Brandon himself. Now his friends wouldn't let him forget it.
"So where is she?" Steve pressed
Brandon sighed. "Back in San Francisco for the weekend visiting her family."
"That's great!" Steve beamed.
"It is? You know Steve" Brandon continued, patting his friend's shoulder in mock sympathy 'I don't think you've quite grasped the concept of a relationship. It means actually spending time with the other person."
"It's great because it means you can come to the driving range with me tomorrow." Steve explained.
"The driving range. As in golf?" Brandon wasn't quite sure he'd heard this right.
"Yeah my Dad's forcing me to play in his golf club's annual father and son tournament next week. I could use some practice. Anyway golf is a great game, you'll love it." Steve was nothing if not enthusiastic.
Brandon had played golf once before with his dad back in Minnesota. It had poured with rain all day and what's more he'd turned out to be a lousy golfer. He was in no hurry to get back out on the course. Now ice hockey, that was Brandon's thing; that was a real sport. Still he had managed to get Steve and Dylan on the ice once, so he guessed he was gonna have to give golf a whirl.
"Hi guys". Andrea Zuckerman joined Steve at the counter.
"So Brandon you got my piece of pie ready yet?" She looked hopeful.
"I have indeed" he confirmed placing the plate on the counter in front of her. "But I'm starting to think I might need this more than you do."
"Why what's wrong?" Andrea was genuinely concerned.
Brandon smiled "My best buddy here is trying to talk me in to giving up my Saturday to play golf."
Andrea laughed "Brandon golf is a great game - personal challenge, technical skill, plus spending the day out in the sun - what have you got to complain about?"
"I'll tell you what Andrea' Brandon countered 'if you're such a fan why don't you join Steve at the driving range tomorrow?"
Steve beamed. "Yeah Andrea you're more than welcome to come along".
"Thanks guys, but I've really gotta spend tomorrow preparing for my college counselling interview". She frowned. "I still need to find some scholarship money from somewhere".
"You know what Steve, I should probably be preparing too." Brandon made a last ditch attempt for freedom.
"Forget it Walsh you don't get out of it that easy. Your Saturday is already accounted for. Besides you don't need to sweat it, just come to California University with me. It'll be great, just one long party!"
"You've already decided Steve? I'm impressed" Andrea couldn't hide her surprise.
Steve grinned "Well to be honest it wasn't that difficult, there has only ever been one choice. My father and my grandfather both went to C.U. and they expect me to carry on the family tradition."
"So what are your chances of getting in?" she asked.
"Andrea' Steve looked at her patiently 'My father was the KEG president. My grandfather was the KEG president." He winked "I think it's safe to say that I'm a shue in".
"Well that's great Steve. Isn't that great Brandon? Brandon?"
"What? Yeah great" Gloomily Brandon helped himself to a large piece of Andrea's pie. Contemplating his heavily laden spoon he sighed morosely "You know what Andrea, right now I just can't get past agreeing to spend my Saturday playing golf!"
Andrea laughed, pushing the plate of pie towards him "In that case be my guest".