Punishment Part 1

Ms. Young was zipping through town in her yellow bug on her way back to the school. She had just left her mother's home where she picked up some casual wear, and a few art supplies needed for scenery in the play. It was a warm sunny day, and she had the windows down, sun roof open, and the CD player cranked up. The first time in a long time she wasn't playing Ben's CD.

As she sped down the winding road she thought it over, and over again, her discussion with Ben in her classroom. She laughed to herself and whispered, "Discussion?" She realized it was an argument; she was dumped again – by a sixteen year old. She laughed to herself again as she thought; I'm a school teacher living with my mother and in love with one of my students. "Pathetic," she whispered. She suddenly down shifted, and pounced on the accelerator to catch the yellow light. She loved driving fast, and she probably ran a red light, but it was close.

She grabbed the soda cup, and finished the last sip. As she put the cup back in the holder she spotted her cell phone and instantly wanted to call Ben. Would he answer? He would have to she had big news. She had made the decision, the decision for her future that is. After passing a car she grabbed the phone and jammed the earpiece and microphone in place. She quickly scrolled through the phone book to B. Ben was of course first on the B list. She waited as the connection went through hoping he would answer, but there was no answer. As she turned towards the freeway, and gunned it down the on ramp, she laughed out loud, "Ben," thinking about where on campus he would be at this time.

Ben was carrying his gym closes as he walked towards the sports center. It was across campus, but he had plenty of time, and almost no one was out here. He was feeling better after explaining everything to Dino and Jonathan; just talking to someone about it made him feel better. He was enjoying the warm weather when his phone rang. Just then he heard his name yelled out. He turned around to see Sue running to catch up to him. He decided to ignore the phone.

Breathing heavy she said, "Hi…how are doing."

He was glad to see her, and he smiled. "Good," he laughed at her huffing, and puffing. "I thought soccer players were supposed to be in good shape?"

She smiled as she leaned over and responded, "Dot worry…I can still kick your ass if I need to.

Ben laughed, "Ok, I'll be careful. So what's going on?"

Sue stood up, "Ok, I was wondering if you are busy this Saturday?"

Ben was surprised, and expressed that by his eyes widening. "Uh, why do ask?"

Sue laughed and answered, "Well I thought we could go to a movie, or my dad has Redhawks' tickets for Sunday?" He had a blank look on his face. "SU's soccer team," she stated proudly.

"I thought you were all Princeton?"

"I am. Are you interested?" She questioned him with in annoyed voice.

Ben liked teasing Sue for all the times she blew him off, or outright dismissed him. "I didn't know you were interested?"

"Neither did I, but ever since the rehearsals I've gotten to know you, and well…," Sue's superiority complex kicked in at that moment, "…and you've earned a chance."

He laughed out loud, "Oh really? My, you're generous?" Tired of the games she started walking down the walkway towards the language-arts building. "Ok, ok, I'm sorry. I'd love to go," he followed her in a hurry up fashion.

Sue kept walking and stated, "You're making this a hell of a lot harder than it should be."

"Sorry I thought I was being funny. I'd love to go, but I do have to talk to my parents first. There's some family thing this weekend, but I forgot which day it is. Can you wait a day?"

"Sure," she answered in a relieved manner.

They continued walking with smiles on their faces when Ben's cell phone rang. He knew who it was, but was just going to ignore it. He meant to turn the ringer off when it rang earlier, but was distracted when Sue called his name. Sue looked at him, and finally asked, "Aren't you going to answer that?"

"Oh no I'll get it later; voice mail will get it." For some reason his voice mail wasn't picking up and the phone continued to ring.

"What if it's important, an emergency or something," she inquired in a serious tone.

"Ok you're right it could be an emergency, or maybe it's Dino…"

"Oh God don't bring up that sleez's name," she replied in a disgusted voice.

Ben made an uncomfortable laugh at the comment; suddenly remembering that Sue was one Jackie's best friends. He flipped his phone open and hit the talk button. He didn't even look at the display; hoping, praying it was Dino. "Hello," he nervously asked.

"Whoo Hoo, Ben! My love! Where are you," Ms. Young excitedly asked.

He closed his eyes and thought to himself why now? "Yeah," he answered in a defeated voice.

"I've got great news…wait," she turned the stereo down while pulling into the school. "I've got wonderful news," she exclaimed.

What could she possibly be so happy about he wondered? "What," he asked again in a low and defeated tone.

"Well, where are you, I want to tell you in person?" Ms. Young gunned her car through the access street towards the language-arts building.

Ben looked at Sue who was wondering who was on the phone. He told Ms. Young, "This isn't a really good time."

"Oh hell I'll just tell you babe; we can be together…,"

He couldn't believe she still didn't get it and stated, "We've already been over this." He tried to cover with a smile at Sue.

"Who is it," Sue asked.

Ms. Young asked, "Are you with someone?"

Ben turned towards Sue and quietly blurted out, "It's my mother." He couldn't believe he just said that; was it some Freudian slip as psychotherapist say. What was worse was he wasn't quiet enough, Ms. Young heard him say it.

She quickly down shifted, and applied the brakes desperately trying to not run the stop sign in front of her. Ms. Young new Ben wasn't happy with her behavior, but she was simply stunned that he just called her his mother. "BEN! That was low, and unnecessary! Couldn't you have said I was anyone else besides your mother," she yelled into her earpiece microphone.

Oh my God he thought to himself, "Uh...I…,"

As she sat at the stop sign she suddenly realized there were several students waiting to cross the street. They were more than close enough to hear her yelling. Oh my God she thought to herself, "Sorry everyone; I need new brake pads." She quickly shifted into reverse, and backed up so they could cross. "Sorry again," she embarrassingly cried. As the students crossed she lifted up her sunglasses, and desperately tried to see if any of them were in any of her classes. None, she thought, but she did spot Jonathon and Ben's jock friend laughing. When they saw her staring at them they immediately stopped laughing, and tried to in hide in the crowd crossing by. "That was odd," she whispered to herself.

"What," Ben asked over the phone.

"Oh, Ben, yeah," she replied as she accelerated up the road. "Don't worry I won't be giving you detention for being naughty; I forgive you." Ben smiled remembering how much he loved her odd sense of humor. "Besides my news is too good for me to punish you right now...I'm quitting my job." She laughed after she said it.

"What? You're quitting your job," he asked in a surprised manner. "No, wait, why?"

Sue asked, "Your mom quit her job?"

Ben winced and looked at Sue, "No, I mean yes, hang on a second." He spoke to Ms. Young, "Where are you?"

Ms. Young quickly pulled into a parking slot and exited her car. "I'm walking to my classroom to pick up a few things, and then I'm heading over to the auditorium. What about you?"

"I'm on my way to P.E., and I'll…,"

Ms. Young laughed and interrupted, "Em, sounds like fun; maybe I'll come and watch."

He smiled and answered, "Please don't."

"You know where I'll be; goodbye my love," she ended her call. While she continued to walk to her classroom she couldn't believe how good she felt now that she decided to quit her job. Ms. Young knew Ben would try to talk her out of it, but it was the only solution she could come up with.

As Ben closed his phone he thought to himself she's pulling me back to her. How the hell is she able to do this? "So why is your mom quitting her job," Sue questioned.

Ben laughed, "HA! It's such a long story, and I doubt you'd believe it anyway."

"Damn, you should have asked her about the weekend," she wined.

"Don't worry I'll get back to you on that soon," he assured her. "I've got to go; if I miss one more P.E. class they're going to fail me."

"I've got to go too. I'm helping Ms. Young grade quizzes today."

Ben stopped in his tracks and in a shocked voice asked, "What?"

She stopped and turned, "What's the problem; you look like you're about to get sick?" It was the second time today he wished he could. "What? What is it?"

"Nothing, I'm fine," he declared and started walking.

She had wondered what the deal was between Ms. Young and him for some time now. They were extremely combative during class discussions. "You don't like Ms. Young do you?

"Huh, what, she's all right," he struggled to answer. Of all the conversations to stumble into he thought. "When did this grading stuff start?"

"She asked me today when she gave me the script. I can get out of study hall so that's cool. Is it because you're not doing well in her class? She did mention she might fail you today." Sue threw her hands up in the air, "Oh, so that's why you're doing the play…extra credit."

Ben just laughed, "Yep you got me. I gotta go. Bye." He ran towards the sports center. Once inside he quickly checked in for roll. He walked to his locker, and immediately dialed up Ms. Young to find out what was going on.

Ms. Young, now sitting in her classroom, looked at her phone display. "Your turn to wait Ben Connor," she whispered to herself while smiling.

"Oh come on Monica don't play games now," he cried. He suddenly realized he had just yelled that out loud. As he looked around he noticed Jonathan standing behind him. "Oh shit; you scared me dude," he exclaimed while rapidly placing his hand on his chest.

Jonathan laughed, "Sorry." He walked over to his gym locker and began to work the lock's combination. "Girlfriend problems," he inquired.

Ben looked up with a surprised expression on his face, "I don't have a girlfriend. Remember?"

"You might want to stop yelling her name through the locker room then," he replied.

Ben annoyed, mockingly laughed and replied, "Thanks for the tip."

"Dino and I just saw her on the West access street," he stated as he pulled his gym clothes out of his locker. Ben worked his locker combination and pulled out his gym clothes, and gave no response to Jonathan's statement. "She practically ran us over at the stop sign." He sat down on the bench and recalled, "She was yelling at someone on her phone too." Ben knew that had to be him she was yelling at. Five minutes ago who else could be? Calmly Jonathan said, "It doesn't sound like you're relieving her stress enough?" They looked at each other and suddenly laughed.

"Why, why, are you telling me this stuff," Ben laughed out.

"I don't know, I thought you'd want to know," he replied.

Ben jammed his clothes in his locker, and asked "Where's Dino?"

"Oh," in a hushed voice, "Jackie's new guy is out there. He's checking up on him."

"Great, more drama today," Ben sighed. "I'm ditching class today, and you've got to help me out the window."

"What, where are you going," he questioned.

"Just help me please," he begged. They both walked over to the window, and Jonathan put his hands together to boost Ben up to the ledge. Dino kicked the door open and walked in freaking out Ben and Jon. They quickly aborted there plan not sure who just enter the locker room.

"You guys in here," Dino yelled.

Ben and Jonathon both expressed a sign of relief as they laughed. They both walked out to their lockers. "Yeah right here," Ben answered.

Dino acknowledged them by nodding and began to open his locker. "What are you guys doing over there?"

"Ben's ditching," Jonathan explained.

Dino chuckles. "Oh yeah? I thought you were failing this class dude?

"No, I'm cool; I made roll today," he responded.

As Dino changed his clothes he asked, "So what's so important?" Ben didn't want to answer. Jonathan slammed his locker shut, and sat on the bench wondering the same thing. Dino looked at Ben while shoving his close in his locker. "I thought it was over?"

"It is," Ben replied in a routed fashion.

Dino slammed his locker shut and sat down. "It makes sense now…why you're late to this class so often. It's right after lunch which you have been missing lately."

"Ok I'm going to see Ms. Young, but not for those reasons," Ben explained.

Jonathan laughed and muttered, "Reasons, I'd like to hear those reasons?" Dino laughed and punched Jon in the arm.

"Listen guys, in English today Sue passed me a note, but Ms. Young got hold of it. She thought I was passing it to Sue, but I told her it was the other way around."

"What did it say," Dino asked.

Ben looked up at the ceiling and sighed, "Meet me in the janitor's closet."

Dino and Jon busted out laughing. "Well did Ms. Young freak," Jonathan asked.

"Pretty much," Ben replied.

"So Sue is totally interested you; that's great," Dino said with his eyes wide open.

"Normally I would agree with you. But…not only is Ms. Young quitting her job, she asked Sue to help her grade quizzes right now."

Dino in a cautious tone asked, "She's quitting her job? Well what do you think…,"

Ben interrupted, "I don't know, but I don't like it!"

Dino smiled and asked, "When is this rehearsal again?"

Ben looked confused and questioned, "Why?"

"Because I so have to be there today." He let out a huge laugh.

"Ha ha, will you two help me out with the damn window?"

Ms. Young was sitting at her desk painting her nails smiling as she thought about Ben. She then began thinking about how she was going to quit her job. Should she quit today? Just tell the principal she's done, and that she won't be returning. She thought about her students, and realized she couldn't just abandon them. She started thinking about Ben, "Focus Monica," she whispered to herself as she switched to her other hand. Getting a recommendation from this school would be impossible if she just up and left. Ms. Young was aware that she was making sudden and drastic changes for Ben, but she wasn't stupid. She would need a job, and she loved teaching.

Just then Sue entered the room, "Hello Ms. Young." Ms. Young's mood changed very quickly. She was definitely threatened by Sue making advances on Ben. She had witnessed the two becoming closer during each rehearsal. The note this afternoon shocked her though. Had things moved that fast? She was reassured by Ben's attitude that things had not moved that fast, but how long would that last? A younger, maybe prettier girl as competition, it wouldn't last long.

"Hello Sue," Ms. Young responded in her typical teacher speak. Ms. Young was an excellent speaker, but she was really good at intimidating people with her voice – especially students. "Take a seat up here." Sue walked up to a desk in the front row and sat in it. Sue was totally ready to charms Ms. Young - what an opportunity she thought to herself.