Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: Write a Coming OF AGE short story (11/20/14)
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TITLE: Benjie... er, Ben. | Previous Challenge Entry
By Jack Taylor
11/26/14 -
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Ben examined the remains of the small crater in his chin for the tenth time. The cream filled it in nicely. He unbuttoned his shirt another level and then rebuttoned it. ‘Maybe this isn’t the right shirt.’
He flexed his shoulders, took a deep breath and tried a military pose. ‘Didn’t make any difference.’ His chest was as flat as ever.
The phone on the counter hadn’t vibrated for ten minutes even though he’d texted Sharon at least a dozen times. ‘Maybe she didn’t like the selfie.’ He should have sent the official 9th grade school photo. Or the professional snap taken at his cousin’s wedding last weekend.
“Benjie… Benjamin… Benjie.” It was his mom. “Phone call.”
‘Who would be calling the house phone? People have cell phones for a reason.’
“Benjie, phone call.”
“Coming, mom.”
Ben checked in the mirror one last time, ran a brush through the ebony curls that flocked to the bottom of his ear lobes, gave his head a shake and then rushed down the stairs to the kitchen phone. “Hello. Benjie… er, Ben, here.”
“Benjie, is that you?”
“Yes, it’s Ben. Who are you?” He gently nudged away the Siamese cat rubbing itself against his shin. ‘Not now, Felix.’
“Benjie, this is Dahlia. I hope you don’t mind me calling. Sharon sent me the selfie you took. All ten of us at the pajama party here voted that your eyebrows were the best. Okay, just thought I’d tell you. Bye.”
Ben dropped the phone like it was a snake about to strike. It crashed to the hardwood floor and shattered into three pieces. Felix tore under the kitchen nook like a launching missile.
Robbie, Ben’s younger brother, charged into the kitchen and stared at the pieces. “Mom, Benjie broke the phone.” He ran out of the room heralding the news. “Mom, Benjie broke your phone.”
Ben slipped into the bathroom by the time his mother knocked. “Ben, what is going on? What happened to the phone? Who called you?”
Ben undid the last two buttons and tore off his shirt. “Must have been a wrong number. Ask the cat about what happened to the phone. I’m taking a shower.” He turned on the ceiling fan and shower and Bose sound to drown out any other comments. Finally, he flushed the toilet.
‘How could Sharon betray him like that? Surely, it meant something when she sat only two rows away in Mathematics and then again in History. Her wave across the cafeteria had to have been obvious to any of the six hundred others in the place. And why would she twirl those blond ringlets, and play with her dangling ear rings if she didn’t want his attention?’
His phone buzzed and floated across the sink counter toward the edge. He snatched it up. Caller ID said it was Steve Adkins. “Hello, road kill, you still stuck on Titan’s six?”
“Benjie, you’re so out of it. That was last week’s game. Assassin’s Creed is way better.”
“So, what’s up?” Ben shut off the fan, speakers and shower.
“I met this new girl, Sharon,” said Steve. “I invited her to youth group tonight.”
Ben snatched up his shirt and held it over his chest. “You what?”
“What am I supposed to do? She sat next to me in English and Spanish and then she waved at me across the cafeteria. It’s obvious to everyone that she is wanting someone who knows how to love.”
Ben slipped on his shirt and paced the small floor in the bathroom. “Stevie, she needs a man.” He wiped the condensation from the mirror and looked at himself through the streaks. “I’m pretty sure that wave in the cafeteria was for me.”
“You wish, egghead. I sent her a selfie half an hour ago and she says that all the girls she knows voted me as the man with the best lips. Now, what do you think she’s saying?”
Ben shut down the phone, yanked open the door and ran right into his mom.
“Girl trouble?”
Ben handed over his phone. “I won’t need this anymore. I’m not going to youth. I’m not hungry.” He tried to brush past her, but she caught his arm and gave him a hug. He stood stiff.
“Benjie, er, Ben. There’s a girl named Elizabeth downstairs. She says you sat next to her in History and she wants to know if you can help her with homework.”
“Give me a minute.”
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