5th day
We still had a few days to finish the schoolwork, and we even haven't made any progress, or I was distracted admiring Benjamin blatantly, or sometimes he said a lot of bullshit, making me leave.
Today, he wanted to distract me insisting that we should do the schoolwork in the neighborhood square. Of course that I refused his request. It is not that I did not want to "go out" with him, but I do not think I was qualified to drive a wheelchair. I was afraid that something terrible would happen along the way. I was not prepared to deal with Ben outside his house. He had Mrs. Laura and sometimes his mother if something happened.
"Please!" Benjamin knew very well the most abusive tactics to convince someone. It was already the thousandth time that he said please.
"Okay, let's go," I shouted. "What do I have to do? Is there anything you need?"
"For now, just go to the kitchen, and ask Laura to take the backpack that I asked her to put some snacks inside," I stared at Ben.
"Have you prepared everything?"
"I knew that you would agree."
"You are unbelievable. Have you told your mother?" Of course that he hadn't spoken. The expression on his face denounced him.
"She wouldn't let me. Mom just comes home at night. We just need to arrive before her."
"It's already 5:00 p.m. o'clock, Benjamin."
"Ben," He corrected me. "If you don't hurry, shortly it will be half-past five."
I ran to the kitchen. Mrs. Laura was focused on the cleaning of wardrobe. I interrupted her bumping in the chair.
"Hey!"
"Hey, Elle! The backpack with the things that Ben asked it's there!" She pointed to the table. I took the backpack and put it on my back. I felt a slight pain in the back by the weight of the bag. Ben has set a lot of food for only a few minutes that we will spend in the park.
"Did you check if Benjamin did not put a dead mouse in here? That would be something he would do."
"Do not worry, I already checked," Mrs. Laura finally looked at me. "I was so happy that Mrs. Ana finally left Ben to go out without her presence and that this decision came from Ben," My hands were sweating cold. I think no one in this house knows about Ben's going out. I am sure that it is not only for them that Ben is lying.
"No one is aware you're going out!" I entered his bedroom angry.
"Speak quietly!"
"Why are you lying?"
"If I had asked my mother she would not have let me."
"Why, Benjamin?"
"Because it does not matter. If you do not want to come, I will go alone," And he went, left me behind as if he did not need me.
"Benjamin!" I screamed. He was already in the kitchen.
"I'm going now, sweetie," He said to Mrs. Laura that interrupted her work to give a kiss on Ben's head.
"Behave yourself and you take good care of him," She said pointing out to me.
"It's more likely I take care of her," Ben left, and I continued on his trail. I waved to Mrs. Laura, and finally got to the gate.
I walked beside Ben. The neighborhood square was not too far away we would spend ten minutes to get there. What worried me was the little black clouds that were forming in the sky. It was indicating that it could rain at any time. The wind fluttered my hair, warning that it would also be cold. I shivered, and I regretted do not have brought my coat. I tried once again convincing Ben not to go. He answered me:
"blah blah blah."
"You are so childish."
"And you are very old. I think you need to make an exorcism and take the old woman that hidden inside you.
"Very funny!"
The descent of the hill made Ben's wheelchair gain a little more speed. I opted to guide it, but Ben refused my help. I was trying to keep up with him. Was it my impression or was his wheelchair going faster than usual? I saw myself chasing desperately for Ben. I screamed hysterically for his name, while the people passed by us horrified by the scene. A teenager was chasing another teenager in a wheelchair.
"The wheelchair is out of control, Elle!" Ben screamed while the wheelchair had a crush when passed in a hole in the sidewalk. I was watching his body shake without me being able to do anything. The descent ended in another street. Many cars were passing by there at the time, making my heart speed up together with Ben's wheelchair. I was sweating cold; I knew that was not right to go out with him without a responsible person.
Before of entering the street, Ben abruptly brake the wheelchair. I sighed in relief and ran to him. I was trying to catch my breath when Ben looked at my sad situation. His eyes were mocking, and Ben began to laugh loud, those laughs that make your belly ache. He would put his hand on his stomach every time he looked at me and giggled. That is when I realized that his wheelchair was not out of control, but that he played a joke on me.
I was indignant with his stupid joke. I wonder if he were not able to act as a reasonable person for at least one minute. If something went wrong, what would happen? My heart bled just for think of this possibility. I let anger dominate me and punched him in the shoulder, making him stop with his fit of laughter immediately.
"Why did you do that?" He said running his hand over his arm.
"You scared me."
"Did you have to hit me?"
"I was worried about you," I turned my back on Ben. I feel his hand touch mine. His hand was hot, he intertwined our fingers, and I slowly turned to look shyly at his affectionate gesture.
"It was not so bad. You enjoy some drama. I was just having fun."
"Is there no other way for you to do this?" I looked at his hand, and I remember that he still was holding my hand. Ben released my hand and was suddenly shy. He did not look me in the eye and moved on. I followed him without saying a word.
The sky was overcast, but this does not impede the children come to the square to play. People work out in the public spaces of the square, some preferred go for a walk, and others walked with their dogs.
Ben and I were under a tree. I sat on the floor, while he put a song on his cell phone. Ben was silent, what was not familiar to Benjamin that I met some days ago. He seemed to think about something. Occasionally he looked down and looked at me with an interrogative way.
"Any problem?" I asked while writing some notes in my notebook.
"I'm hungry," I knew that was not the hunger that bothered Ben; I let him think that he had deceived me. I took a can from inside the backpack. I opened it and gave a sandwich to Ben.
"What bothers you, Ben?"
"The piece of lettuce that is stuck in my tooth," He smiled showing me, I did not hold back the laughter.
"You're hopeless."
I felt a raindrop fall on my face, what was already expected since everything indicated it would rain. I take my things quickly, and we went looking for a place to shelter us from the rain. We did not walk much but was enough to get us wet. We were under an awning of a store waiting for the storm to pass. Ben predictably found it funny.
"How do you feel?"
"Wet," I gave a light push on his shoulder. "It's late."
"I think it is better to call your mother and ask her came and got us."
"You can be sure that this will not be a good idea," Ben seemed tired and bored. I do not like when he appeared bored with my presence. "But I think I have no choice."
While it was raining, Ben called to his mother. Although the noise of rain falling on the roofs of houses and shops, it is possible to listen to the exalted voice of Ben's mother. I moved away from him a little, trying does not embarrass him, while his mother screamed at him on the cell phone. He stopped talking suddenly; I think he hangs up on her.
He does not seem the Ben of a few hours ago, suddenly he was silent, and his quizzical expression turned into something unconditionally sad. He stared at the floor, his hands were resting on his lap, I felt a tremendous urge to hug him, but my lack of courage prevented me from doing so.
Ben's mother arrived some minutes later. That sweet woman that I had known did not exist at that moment. She got out of the car and did not worry about bringing an umbrella. I can say that she was angry. Was she furious with Ben? Not exactly. It was with me that she was angry. Benjamin got in the car tailored to his condition. His mother activated the ramp.
Ana closed the car's door and stared at me with anger. She was as wet as I was.
"Do you have any idea how bad your idea might have been to Benjamin?" She asked me frowning.
"The idea hasn't hers," Ben opens the window of the car not worrying about what the rain could cause in its interior.
"I'm sorry. I should not have gone out with him without your order."
"Don't apologize, Elle. I forced you to come. Get in the car, now!"
"No, thanks! I'd rather walk," I said turning my back on them and heading toward my house.
"Elle, it's raining a lot," Ben screamed.
I followed my way to get home quickly. It was raining harder. I did not know how this could get worse.
When I got near my house, a car swiftly passed beside me, giving me a mud bath. Everything was already wrong, and this guy had to make my situation worse. I wanted to curse him, but I took a deep breath. I was already wet.
At home, I went straight to the bathroom to take a shower. While I was drying my hair, I thought in the stupid way that Ben's mother talked to me. She did not even offer me a ride. I lay down early trying to forget about my terrible evening.