60 Days with Ben (Completed)

Chapter 12

"Ben, are you kicking Fernando out?"

"I'm not kicking him out. How can you think that of me? He was already leaving."

"He said he was not leaving."

"Must be why someone arrived," I huffed.

"I did not understand."

"Do not try to understand, Elle," Fernando said and got up from the chair. He put his hand on Elle's shoulder. I did not like what I saw. "I'm going now."

"Bye!" Elle said while observed Fernando coming out the door. She turned her gaze to me, and before Fernando closed the door, he whispered a word to me:

"Jealous."

"Son..." I whispered to him.

We chose the song Just the way you are by Bruno Mars to start. I gave some support to Elle singing first. I used to take singing lessons when I was a kid, then sing for a crowd or sing for a girl did not embarrass me, but when Elle laughed, I confess that I was a bit embarrassed. I could not understand her attitude. I turned and drove the wheelchair to the stereo. I turned off to contain Elle's laughter.

"Why did you do that?"

"Must be because I do not like to feel like a clown."

"Then I'm the one who has bipolar disorder," Elle turned red and silent suddenly, she bitterly repented to bring on this subject. The girl straightened her glasses and pretended to wipe something off her pants. "I was just laughing because I did not know that you sing."

"Everybody sings, Elle."

"You understood what I meant."

"Understood what?" I said inducing her to speak what she meant. "No shyness, Elle. Admit that my voice is beautiful."

"Less, your modesty."

"It is beautiful too. I could stay all day talking about my endless qualities."

"You are ridiculous."

"This is what you say. Come on! Now it is your turn to sing."

"I do not know if I can."

"You have to try. I will not laugh. I promise. I will count to three. One two Three," I turned on the stereo.

"Her eyes, her eyes..." Elle's voice came out almost like a whisper. She sang to low. I do not think we will get a good grade with her singing this way.

"It's horrible."

"What?" She looked at me how if she had been offended.

"Not your voice. I can't hear you."

"So give me a microphone."

"I know you can do better."

"Not with you looking at me."

"So the problem is me?"

"Is not you. Not totally. You know I'm shy."

"Me too," Elle smiled. I pulled the chair up for her to sit on. As soon as Elle sat down, I brought my wheelchair close to hers. I put my arms on her legs. "Let's see how long you can look me in the eye without turning red and look away," Just as I said that and Elle was already red, and her gaze was already in another direction.

"You are crazy."

"It is serious. If you cannot even look at me, how can you face a class of thirty students?"

"I have already presented school work before, and I never needed to stare at someone to see how long I'd hold without turning red."

"I just want to help you."