Page 11 of Something Like Summer
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Chapter 5
“Oh. My. God.” Allisonstood slack-jawed in the middle of her driveway.
Ben leaned over to get abetter look at her out the passenger side window. The movement of acurtain caught his eye, just as he was about to say somethingsmart. Allison’s father stood in the living room window,immaculately dressed in the type of conservative business suit healways wore. Ben had never seen him wear anything different. Hewondered if the man slept in a suit as well. It was hard to imaginehim in something as casual as pajamas and impossible to believethat he would sleep in his skivvies.
Mr. Cross gave a smolderingglare that sent chills up his spine.
“Just get in,” Ben saidimpatiently.
Once his passenger hadboarded and they were a block away, he felt free to resume hisjovial mood.
“When you said you weregoing to pick me up for school, I thought maybe you had yourparents’ car or something!”
Ben shrugged, enjoyingkeeping Allison in suspense. This didn’t dissuade her from findingout the truth. She popped the glove box and pulled out the onlycontents--the insurance card.
“Tim Wyman?” Once againher jaw lost the ability to hold her mouth shut. “You have got tobe kidding me! Does he know you have it?”
Ben was offended. “What,you think I stole his car or something? I’m not thatsick.”
“Well, howthen?”
“I put him in thehospital.” Ben laughed. “That’s how.”
Allison didn’t find thisstatement amusing until he told her the complete story.
“That’s the most depravedthing I’ve ever heard,” she said once he had finished. “You realizethat you need help?”
“Say what you like,” Bensaid as he waved a hand dismissively. “My methods get results. Ifthings aren’t going so hot with Ronnie, cripple him. Guys are crazyabout it, trust me.”
“So what’s next?” Allisonasked as she reached over to gently take the wheel. She turned itslightly, just enough to stop the car from barreling into a trashcan on the side of the road.
“Oh, thanks. Next iscomplicated. I’m supposed to pick him up, which I figured I coulddo during lunch, but I don’t really want to come back afterwards.”Ben pulled into the school parking lot and swung into the nearestempty spot. He killed the engine and turned to his best friend. “Ineed you to cover for me in choir. Say I started hurling duringlunch or something.”
“Will do.”
“I don’t know what to doabout the other classes. I guess my parents will be getting a calltonight.”
Allison shook her head.“You should be fine. Have you ever noticed that they only takeattendance in second period?”
He hadn’t, but now that shementioned it, that’s how it always had been. The first week ofschool every teacher did a roll call, but after that only hisEnglish teacher still did so.
“The office would go madtrying to compare every attendance record,” Allison continued, “sothey just go by the one from second period. Mindy Scott was anoffice assistant last year and told me how it works.”
“So as long as I’m thereduring English I can skip the rest? Awesome!”
“Well, within reason. Ifyou don’t show up for a week, a teacher will probably ask theoffice if you keeled over or something.”
This was still good newsand made his future plans much easier to execute. “Can you find aride home?” Ben asked as he unbuckled his seatbelt and stepped outof the car.
“I’m sure Ronnie wouldn’tmind bringing me,” Allison said with a smile.
“Yeah, well, just makesure he’s out of the house before your dad gets back.”
“Like you need to tell methat.”
Ben was resiliently happyduring his morning classes. In P.E. a baseball hit him in theshoulder, giving him good cause to swear loudly and be sent onanother jog around the school. He felt twice as daring as usual andmade sure to stand out of sight until he heard the coach calleveryone back in.
