Higher Ground
The High Life
Chapter
Love, Lies and Limo's
The Cliffhangers were sitting on the bench together enjoying the fresh air. All of them had had a lot on there mind lately and figured the free time they had would be best to spend thinking mostly about nothing.
As they looked over to the field where some kids had taken up a game of soccer, Cristina came barging along ruining the silence.
"I've changed my mind", she told them as they all looked at her in exhaustion.
"Excellent", Charlie said boredly, "So does the new one work better". She couldn't help not making a crack.
"I don't get it", Cristina shook her head puzzled. "Whatever, so you know the other day when Peter made us choose 2 possible career moves that we'd like to do in the future? Well I chose hair dressing or make up artist. Anyway so I was talking to my mother on the phone and she said well, there's no money in those jobs, why don't you choose something more intellectual."
"And so the moral of the story is…" Binna said.
"Drum roll please", Ezra laughed.
"Seriously, I'm turning my career in a whole new direction", Cristina said.
"Forward", Charlie joked.
"I'm gonna be a lawyer", Cristina told them enthusiastically. The Cliffhangers tried to contain there laughter.
"Oh, and what kind of lawyer would that be?" Patrick asked, enjoying the conversation.
"Oh, just the normal kind, you know", Cristina asked.
"Well, you're off to a nice start", Charlie laughed.
"Well, gotta go study", Cristina took off in the other direction.
"Unbelievable", Shane stared as she walked away.
"I wonder what that is", David changed the subject as he looked over at the driveway as a black limo pulled up. The others looked as well.
"It's probably just a parent", Kat answered logically.
"Who would be stupid enough to pull into Horizon in a limo? The kids would have it trashed in no time", David said.
"Yeah, even Ryder wasn't stupid enough", Damien said.
"Oh well, guess we'll have to figure it out later. We've got group", Ezra began to lazily stand up. As they started walking off, Damien grabbed Charlie's hand and pulled her back to face him.
"Damien, we've got group", she told him knowing what he wanted to talk about.
"Are you avoiding me?" he asked quickly, not letting her say anything else.
She smiled. "Why would I be avoiding you", she knew exactly why.
"Do you really want me to answer that cos I think you can figure it out on your own", Damien replied.
She sighed. "I'm not avoiding you", she told him.
"We haven't talked in 3 days", he said.
"Yes we have", she said, "We're talking right now".
"I'm making you talk to me", he would not let up.
"I'm not avoiding you", she repeated.
"Yes you are", he almost yelled, "Look, if it's because of the kiss I apologized for that".
"I hadn't even thought about that", she lied.
"You haven't?" he was hurt.
"No".
"What? So, it just happened and then you block it out completely?" he asked her.
"No…I, god you analyze things way too much for a guy", she was stuck. She didn't know what to say.
"Oh, now you're calling me a girl", Damien said.
Charlie had to smile. Damien was starting to act crazy.
"You're smiling", he wanted answers.
She couldn't help laugh. "Damien, you're acting like a crazy person".
"Thank you", he said exasperated.
Finally she stopped laughing, keeping a small smile on her face. "Yes, ok, yes I thought about it".
"I knew it", Damien swung his arm up in victory. She reached for his arm and put it down again, laughing. Finally she sighed.
"Why did you kiss me, Damien?"
"Well, I…" he was dumbfounded. He was asking her questions not the other way around.
"You what?"
"I got… carried away", he told her quietly.
"Carried away with what?" she desperately wanted to know what he was thinking.
"With you", he blurted out. She looked up at him.
"You got carried away with me?"
He smiled. He'd already dug himself in, why not did himself deeper.
"I don't blame myself for kissing you", he said to her as she looked up, "I blame you for kissing me back".
She smiled at him as he walked back to the bench and sat down. She walked over to him, resting her head on his shoulder. The hopeless pair sat in silence.
In Peter's office the man from the limo had some important discussions ahead of him.
"So, what can I do for you", Peter asked, sitting on his chair.
"I'm here to see one of your students", the man said.
"Is this official business or personal", Peter was curious as to why a business man in a limo would come to see one of his students.
"Oh, it's personal", he answered. "I need to see Binna Radetchi".
In the boys dorm Binna had been sitting by himself when he heard a knock on the door. He opened it to find Peter and the man from the limo.
"Peter, come in", Binna ushered the 2 in.
"Hi Binna, can I talk to you?" Peter asked.
"I didn't do it", Binna said, a natural reaction of Binna's when seeing Russian men in limo's who want to talk to him.
"Didn't do what?" peter asked.
"Nothing, nothing, just um… going with the theme", he mumbled.
Binna followed the two men outside and into the mess hall.
"I'll uh, leave you guys alone", Peter walked off leaving Binna very nervously standing with the Russian.
As they sat in silence Binna gave a smile.
"So, um… are you seeing all the students", he asked.
"No, no, I'm here to see you", the man replied.
Binna laughed nervously. "Great".
"My names George."
"Cool", Binna didn't know what to say. "Look, I don't know what you're doing here but I haven't done anything. I mean, I've been locked up here for almost…"
"I'm your father", George blurted out as Binna's face dropped.
"My, my what?" he was no longer scared of this man. Just angry.
"My names George Radetchi and I'm your father", he repeated.
The two sat down at a table, in silence for a few minutes.
"You want water?" Binna asked.
"Sure", George answered. Binna stood up and walked over to the water cooler and got two plastic cups. He poured the drinks and sat back down again. Neither of them knew what to say as they stared into there water. Binna noticed a song on the radio that he knew and out of habit, starting singing quietly to it. After about a minute George and Binna realized that both were singing. George finally gave up and left.
Binna walked back to the dorm completely in another world. He had no idea what to think, feel, say or do and was confused about what would happen next. Damien was alone in the dorm when Binna walked in and fell on his bed, sprawling out over the covers.
"Hey Binna", Damien said. Binna hadn't even realized Damien was there."Binna?"
Finally Binna saw Damien but still wasn't showing any signs that he was sane.
"I'm Russian…. And I'm rich", Binna said, his head still in the clouds.
"I thought you were Turkish", Damien asked confused. "Oh and if by rich you mean the 20 cents in your drawer, too late, Ryder took it this morning".
Binna just looked at Damien the words 'I'm your father' going over and over in his head.
Roger had taken over Sophie's classes for the day and was running late for his lesson with the Cliffhangers.
As he came in the noise suddenly died down and the class could begin. He put down a book on the desk. He had been told the class had been reading it.
"Who can tell me about Charles Dickens Hard Times?" he began.
"Hard times. We know about them right, lads" Ryder joked as the rest of the class was torn between laughing and sounds of disgust.
"Ryder, I'm glad to see you've connected with Dickens, even at groin level", Roger could still hold his own.
"Now, what do you think Dickens is trying to imply…Kat?"
"Uh… he's highlighting the side effects of industrial revolution", Kat answered.
"Good. Would anybody like to elaborate", Roger waited for someone to say something. "Come on guys, you've all read this, now I have no problem keeping you all in for lunch".
Charlie rolled her eyes. "He's illustrating the dangers of allowing humans to become like machines", she said as the class listened. All eyes were on her and she had to admit she felt pressured. "He suggests that without compassion and imagination, life would be unbearable", she finished shyly.
"Good, very good. Now Patrick, could you read from chapter 13 please", Roger asked.
"No, I'm ok", Patrick replied cheekily.
"That was a question Patrick", Roger said.
Pat held the book up and got ready. "Shamizi shomza ni romoza".
"And what was that", Roger asked amused.
"Old English, I guess", Pat shrugged.
"Binna, take over, obviously Patrick is a little exhausted", Roger joked.
Lunchtime in the cafeteria was abuzz with chatter at the Cliffhangers table.
"So, anyone know who that guy is yet?" David asked.
"What guy?" Kat hadn't thought much about the man in the limo since he pulled up.
"You know, the limo", David refreshed her memory.
"Oh, I forgot all about that", she said taking a bite from her salad sandwich.
"Come on, I mean how many limos we see around here", David said.
"Maybe he's like, in the mob or something and one of the kids here made a few deals with him and now he's come to make them pay up", Ezra imagined.
"Likely story", Charlie shrugged.
"It could happen, I mean, it makes sense, some of the kids in here…"
"He's my father", Binna interrupted Ezra.
"What?" the group said almost in unison.
"He told me before", binna told them.
"Well, are you sure, I thought you said you never knew him", Shane asked.
"Oh Russian and rich, I get it now", Damien said to himself as he remembered what Binna had said before.
"Where is he now?" Ezra asked.
"I don't know, he freaked out and I haven't seen him since", Binna replied.
"He's after something", Ryder said simply.
"Always the skeptic aren't you Ryder", Shane scoffed.
"Well, someone has to be, this guy could be anyone", Ryder said.
"You should tell Peter", Shane suggested.
"I think he already knows", Binna told them.
"Well, then you should ask where he's staying", David said.
Charlie shook her head. "No, you should wait till he comes back. He's obviously here for a reason, he's not just gonna leave".
"Well, what if he takes it the wrong way and thinks you don't want to see him", Ezra asked.
"Well, maybe I don't wanna see him. Maybe Ryder's right, you know. I mean, he shows up out of nowhere telling me he's my father. He couldn't get away fast enough when he found out mom was pregnant. Why should I see him?" Binna said all in one breathe.
"Maybe you should ring your ma, see what she thinks", Patrick said.
"Yeah, maybe", Binna said.
Later that day Kat found Binna sitting by himself at the docks. She wondered if she should sit with him or leave him with his thoughts. Before she had time to leave he saw her approach.
"Planning on jumping?" she joked.
"Now that you mention it", he said as she sat down next to him. "Kat, what should I do?"
"I don't think you should be asking me that", Kat told him.
"Well, then who?"
"Yourself", she said, "You're the only one who can really decide".
He sighed. "I called my mom. She said the same thing".
"Smart woman", Kat said.
"If I see him and decide that he's still the same loser he was back then all this would be a waste of time, but if I do see him and decide he's not such a bad guy that'll suck even more", Binna tried to think things out logically.
"I don't understand", Kat was confused.
"He just took off, Kat, no goodbye to my mom, nothing, what he did to her", Binna sighed. "I want to hate him".
"So that's your decision? You don't want to see him?"
"No…I mean yes, I have no idea", Binna slouched down over the dock, looking at the water underneath him. No matter how many times he went over it in his head he always came back to the same spot. He was stuck.
In the mess hall Charlie was reading when Damien came in.
"Hey, what're you reading?" he asked as he fell on the couch opposite hers.
"The Modern World of Today", Charlie read the title then closed the book, focusing her attention on Damien.
"Good book?" he asked.
"Sure, if you like small minded jerks scrutinizing and complaining about how technological progress is ruining society", she stood up and got a drink of water from the cooler.
"You don't have to read it", Damien suggested.
"Yeah, well, I just can't tear myself away from it", she smiled. "So"
"So, I should let you get back to it", he said.
"No, no, stay", she stopped him from leaving, "I could use the company".
It was getting late and Binna and Kat were still at the docks talking.
"You know I think coming here was the best thing that ever happen to me", Binna said thoughtfully.
"You do?"
"Made me realize that my mom didn't deserve to be treated the way she was", he said, "All she ever did was try to make things the best she could. All I ever did was make it ten times harder for her".
"I'm sure that's not true", Kat said.
"Believe me, Kat, its true", Binna told her.
"She loves you Binna. It never mattered how angry or sad she got, you're still her son, and she's still your mother. And that's what it comes down to", Kat said. Binna and Kat sat in silence, thinking to themselves.
"That's one thing I love up here", Kat looked up at the sky.
"What?"
"The stars. Never saw stars like that back home", Kat smiled.
"Didn't think you were into that", Binna commented.
"My grandfather was and astrologist", she told him; "He loved the stars. He used to take me and my sister up to Lake Wisoda in Wisconsin, and point out all the stars and there constellations. He told me once, that if you looked up at them, I mean, really looked, then all your problems would be solved".
Binna smiled. "I don't know about that".
"I don't know. I kinda like the idea. If you look long enough it does kind of give out a sense that everything's gonna be alright", she smiled back at him. Suddenly his thoughts turned to only her. He leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips. To his surprise, she let him. After a minute he pulled back and brushed her hair out of her eye.
"I think everything's gonna be alright", he smiled.
The next morning the girls woke up to the sound of Kat's chirpy voice.
"Good morning", she almost sang it.
"I don't know, is it", Charlie pulled her pillow over her head.
"It certainly is", Kat pulled the pillow away from Charlie.
"Could this rush of joyousness, be because of a certain Binna Radetchi?" Shane threw her bed covers away from her and sat up.
"Can't I just be happy?"
"Yes Kat, you can. Unfortunately, for the both us we are stuck with two pessimists", Cristina headed for the shower.
"I'm not a morning person, sorry", Shane said, "What's your excuse". She looked to Charlie.
"I'm not a… anytime of the day person", Charlie said.
"Come on guys, breakfast is in half an hour", Kat said hurriedly.
"Best not to miss that gruel", Shane joked as she moved off of the bed and to the wardrobe.
It was the first lesson of the day as the Cliffhangers walked into there English class. Sophie was waiting with her copy of Hard Times.
"Alright, guys, open your books up to chapter 14, Patrick, Roger told me how enthusiastic you were about reading last time, so why don't you show me your enthusiasm by reading the first page", Sophie began.
"Oh, sorry, Sophie but I can't. I didn't bring my contacts", he told her.
"Patrick, you don't have contacts, now no more excuses", she told him.
"Excuses? Wouldn't dream of it. But, I do feel a little sick, I think I might just go see Julie", Patrick raced out the door.
"Patrick?" Sophie called after him, and then looked at Ezra. "Ezra, if you will".
Charlie was suspicious of Patrick. Every time he had to read something he would think of some excuse. She decided to talk to him later.
The Cliffhangers had been on a break from classes and Ezra, Kat and Charlie were watching a movie when Patrick came in.
"What ya watching", he asked.
"Jumping jack Flash", Charlie didn't take her eyes of the screen.
"Ugh, I hated that movie", Patrick said.
Charlie gasped. "You've killed me pat, you truly have".
"Shh, he's counting", Ezra munched on some popcorn.
"Ohh, shh, I love the counting", Charlie focused on the TV screen.
"I'll leave you to it", Pat walked off, putting his head set on. As he sat over on a couch, Charlie remembered that she had o have a little chat to him. She walked over and sat next to him.
"So, read any good books lately", she asked.
"Yes, I have actually. Snow White. Didn't quite like the end though", pat joked.
"Ah, so you watched the movie then", Charlie said.
"Charlie that was a joke. Now excuse me, Jeff Buckley awaits", he put his head set back on.
"Pat, why do you always try to get out of reading in class", she asked carefully.
Patrick realized what Charlie was asking. "I don't like reading in class".
"Because you can't?"
"What? What makes you think I can't, look I'm not stupid if that's what you mean", he started to get frustrated.
"You're not stupid, Pat, I think you have dyslexia", she told him.
"So I'm stupid", Patrick said.
"No, look, I think you need to talk to peter, he can help you", she suggested.
"Yeah, no thank you, I'd rather not be humiliated", he said as he walked off.
"What was that all about", a voice behind asked. She turned around to see Damien.
"Oh, nothing, just, Pat being stubborn", Charlie didn't want to get into it. "What's up?"
"You busy?"
"Nope"
"Good, do you wanna walk?" Damien asked.
It was warm outside as the Damien and Charlie walked around enjoying the atmosphere of the mountains. Charlie liked feeling like this. For the first time ina while she could be around Damien and not feel like he wanted more. She liked being friends with him and even though she had the most intense feelings for him, she knew nothing could ever become of it. She knew too much.
"So, my moms getting married", Damien said.
"Really", she said in amazement. Damien had told her about Josephine Bretones many men.
"Yeah".
"Congratulations", she said.
"Thanks",
"Why?" she laughed.
"I have no idea", he chuckled with her.
"Love?"
"Possible", he smiled. His mother's marriages and divorces never surprised him anymore. He actually did, find them a little amusing.
"When?"
"3rd of July", he replied.
"Wow".
"What 2 weeks, last one was done in 2 hours", he told her.
"Jeez, Britney Spears must feel normal", she joked.
"I'm sure my mom is rockin' her world", Damien laughed.
Around the corner, in the sports shed, Binna and Kat were doing one of there weekly chores. As they cleaned the shed, putting sports gear back in its rightful place, a plastic ball fell down on Kat's head.
"Ow", she laughed. Binna laughed at her and she threw the ball at him, starting a game of, 'Who can dodge the ball more'. As they continued playing a shadow crept along the entrance. Binna looked around to see the man that had told him he was his father.
"I'm gonna go", Kat left the two alone. The two stared in silence, much like the other day when they had met.
"Was that your girlfriend", George asked coming forward. Binna got nervous and stepped back a bit.
"Yeah". After another minute of awkward silence George finally spoke.
"Say something, please".
"With respect, Mr. Radetchi, I'm not the one that should be doing the talking", Binna said formally.
George smiled nervously. "Would it be ok to get some coffee somewhere?"
"No", Binna said bluntly, "I've gotta clean the shed".
"I'm sorry it took me so long to come back after the last visit", George apologized.
"Is that what you'd call it?"
"What would you call it?"
"I don't know, a 10 second run in", Binna looked at him bitterly.
"I'm sorry, I got a little wierded out", George said.
Binna scoffed, smiling angrily, throwing down the plastic ball.
"Was there something I said?" George asked. Binna glared at him. "I know you're annoyed, you have every right to be".
"Annoyed", Binna chuckled, trying to contain himself. "I'm not annoyed. Annoyed is what you get when your dad doesn't turn up to your baseball game, but hey, you didn't turn up to any of them".
"I'm sorry"
"Would you stop saying that", he yelled. He couldn't hold it anymore, "I don't wanna here that you're sorry. You know, you come here, after 17 years, just out of nowhere. 17 years. And then you just expect me to talk, you expect me to pick up the pieces, where you left off. Does that sound normal to you? And then you say that you got a little wierded out. Let me tell you something, you don't have that right", he smashed through a stack of javelin sticks, all them falling to the flaw with a loud clatter. "You knew who I was, how did you think I felt when you turned up, said I'm your father, so goddamn casually. No, you know what? I was wierded out".
"If you'll let me explain", George stood there in shock of Binna's outburst.
"Explain what?" Binna said boredly. "Why you ran out on my mom when she needed you the most. Why you left her with nothing to tell her where you were going or why. I guess you figured she's realize all that on her own. Let me guess why you left, you never wanted a kid, you wanted to be free to do whatever the hell you liked. You were the guy with ten girls always on the go, am I right, George?" Binna said almost sarcastically. He then came towards his father; he reached for his shoulders and whispered in his ear almost to make sure that there was no mistake in what he was saying. "Well, fuck you, alright? Fuck you". With that Binna left, not sure if he had done the right thing, but feeling good about it in the moment. He wanted George to feel what he felt all those years. Lost and angry and sad for his mother.
Ok that's it for now. Next chapter, Ezra sees his parents, but is it everything he's been waiting for.
Also Binna's father returns and Charlie digs deeper into Patrick's dyslexia situation.
Plus David's father calls revealing the truth about his son's dilemma
Please, please, please review