Page 38 of Something Like Summer
“We’re going to be late,”Tim countered.
“We can skip first period,you know.” Ben told him how the attendance system worked, Timlistening with an intrigued expression.
“I wondered how you wereable to take care of me without getting in trouble. You really knowhow to play things to your advantage, don’t you? You’ve shaved anhour off the school day, and now you’re manipulating me into beingyour boyfriend.”
“So we are?” Benbeamed.
“Yeah,” Tim smiled back.“Why not? But listen, I don’t want anyone getting in our way. Myparents can’t know about this. No one at school,either.”
“So just like things werebefore?” Ben said with some disappointment.
“Not like before. NoKrista, no other girls, and definitely no other guys. Just me andyou. I want it to stay that way.”
Ben didn’t think there wasanything to fear from parents or school. Those were all demons hehad faced already. Tim just needed time to realize these things forhimself. Rather than argue the point, Ben rose and dragged his newboyfriend into the shower.
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Chapter 11
“He hit me.”
Ben was dumbstruck, staringat his best friend and waiting for a mischievous smile to show thatshe was kidding. It never came. Tears formed in her eyes as hestood there holding the front door open. He had been on the vergeof sneaking out to stay the night at Tim’s house, as he had done somany nights in the past month, when she had started throwingpebbles at his window.
“Come upstairs,” Benwhispered, not wanting to wake his parents. “Ronnie hit you?” heasked once he had closed his bedroom door.
“No! My father!” Theemotional dam finally broke and Allison dissolved intotears.
Ben wrapped an arm aroundher, examining her as he did so. Allison’s left jaw looked red andsore with early signs of swelling. “I’m so sorry,” he said as heheld her, letting her cry it out without assaulting her withquestions.
“He’s such an idiot,” shesobbed. “I had permission to go out with Ronnie andeverything.”
“What set him off, then?”Ben asked, breaking away from her to grab some tissues.
“Thanks.” Allison blew hernose noisily. “He caught Ronnie kissing me goodnight. That’s it. Hewasn’t feeling me up or anything. My dad just flew off the handleand shoved Ronnie away. I started screaming at him, and he punchedme.” She held a trembling hand up to her jaw.
“Bastard,” Ben snarled,his own anger causing him to clench his teeth. “What did Ronniedo?”
“He was already gone.”Allison shook her head. “I’m not telling it right.”
“It’s okay. Just try tocalm down.”
“I’m all right.” She tooka deep breath. “After Dad shoved Ronnie I got in between them andtold Ronnie to leave. After he was gone I started arguing with Dad,and that’s when he hit me and I ran straight over here. I didn’tknow where else to go.”
“I’m glad you came,” Bensaid. “You should stay the night here.”
“Thanks.” Allison sniffedand sighed. “What are we going to do about this?”
Ben chewed his lipthoughtfully while they considered the situation in silence.Allison didn’t have any other in-state relatives, and the idea ofher moving far away was unbearable. But how could she endure livingwith such a monster? What was to stop something like this fromhappening again?
“I wish we were already incollege,” he said wistfully.
“You and me both. Have youdecided yet?”
That was another unhappytopic. Ben wanted to continue his vocal training at an arts collegethat specialized in music. Allison wanted to pursue a medicalcareer at one of the more traditional colleges. The inevitableseparation if they chose different schools was something neither ofthem liked to think of, and now wasn’t the time to discuss itfurther.
“I have no idea,” Benreplied. “It’s all so far away. You want your PJs?”
“Yeah.”
