60 Days with Ben (Completed)

Chapter 9

I rested my arm on the fence that surrounded the pool, and I watched the water stirring in the wind. I listened a dry leaf being trampled. I hoped it was Ben, although I do not have heard the buzzing of his wheelchair. I looked behind, and I saw Mrs. Anna watching me.

"It's been a while since he came here," I returned my attention to the pool. "Marcos. I called him yesterday, invited him to lunch here and to keep company to Benjamin.

"I thought he visited Ben frequently. They were best friends."

"Benjamin doesn't have best friends since the accident. I do not even know if he has friends," My heart felt as if it was being perforated by every word said.

"They were a group. It was the four and Ben's girlfriend. None of them come to visit him?"

"They don't. They disappeared," Ana looked like she wanted to get something off her chest as if she needed to do it urgently, but nobody wanted to listen, but I was willing to listen. "Ben pretends he doesn't care, but I know that is eroding him from the inside. It was a full house, and it was not just on the weekend, it was every day. Every day, "She repeated and leaned her hand on the fence looking sadly at the pool. "How many parties did they give here? Marcos," She wiped a tear from your eye. "He came here every day. When Ben had the accident, and he was in the coma, he often went to the hospital, but as soon as Ben was discharged from the hospital and came home, his visits have decreased until they become nothing. He appears here once a month, and sometimes not even that."

"I'm sorry," I said and put my hand on hers.

"You are doing well for him."

"Me?" I asked surprised.

"It has been a while since he smiles so naturally, it had been a while that he didn't feel like going out anymore. You are a good friend. You have great patience with him. I know that sometimes his sense of humor is unbearable, but you still stand by his side. Thank you."

"No need to thank," I said remembering that I was not so patient. A few minutes ago, I wanted to punch his face.

"Let's go!" She said. "Lunch is ready," She was silent. "Please, do not give up on him," I nodded.

The face of Ana turned into something painfully sad. Her husband did not stay for lunch. She did not even see him leaving. I listened her asked discreetly to Mrs. Laura when he had managed to escape. She changed the subject when she realized that I had heard and tried to show her best smile. I did the same, wanting to make her believe that I did not listen.

For lunch, a delicious Bolognese Lasagna, rice with broccoli, and French fries, especially to me, so Ben said. I can tell that what I saw at the table was that the Ben that I had seen when he had returned to school. He looked grumpy, and he had not eaten anything yet. His face is red and frown.

"Damn it!" Ben said punching the table. The fork that was on his plate fall on the floor and some food were spilled on the table. That was enough to frighten us. No one expected this attitude of Ben, at least I did not expect.

I got up from the chair and went down to pick up the fork.

"You scared me!" Marcos said.

"Shut up, idiot!"

"Benjamin, I will not let you talk to your friend like that," His mother scolded him.

"You cannot make my father show up for lunch, imagine control what I say," Ben's mother bowed her head. She looked frustrated. Ben withdrew from the table, and I followed him. I think Marcos stayed there to convince her that she should not take into account what Ben says. I was glad he stayed.

Ben was already in his bedroom. He would slam the door in my face if I were not fast enough to hold it.

"Leave me alone!" Ben said without any kindness in his voice. I went into his bedroom and locked the door.

"You look like a spoiled child."

"I'm sorry if you did not know this side of me. Can't you see that I want to be alone?"

"I know, but I don't wanna do this. You don't seem to be the same today. Is it your father?" He moved the wheelchair to the window.

"Why do you insist?" He turned the wheelchair towards me.

"I just want to understand you a little."

"We only met a few days ago. I don't know if I can continue with our friendship. You are very different from my old friends."

"And does it matter?"

"Maybe two years ago, that would have mattered to me. Marcos has said so much about you while you went "outside," He made quotation marks with his fingers. He knows that I wanted was run away from Marcos.

"Did you agree with him? "I inquired.

"I didn't; I had to shut his mouth and remind him of some truths."

"Did you argue with him because of me?"

"I know this is strange if it were before I helped him make fun of you. I have a lot to tell you, Elle. Can I trust you to the point of telling you some terrible secrets?" I nodded. "Are you going to keep my secrets from Carla?" I never hide anything from Carla. I always tell everything happened in my life to her; now Ben was unexpectedly a part of it. "Come on, Elle, answer me."

"Yea. Yea," I babbled. I knew that yes was not 100% concrete.

"If I distrust that you let some part of our conversation slip to someone, I will break our friendship forever," I did not like the voice tone that he used he seemed very sincere.

"Who would I tell? If you haven't realized, I don't have many friends."

"Great! Since I have turned, our friendship shit into something worthwhile, I'll trust you and tell you what happened on the night of the accident."

"Even though you called our friendship of shit, I am precisely disposed to listen to him and keep everything in absolute secrecy."