CHAPTER 3: POOR KIDS MIXED WITH ME

Just after my first day of school, I’m called into Dad’s office. The worried look on Ana’s face tells me that he’s in a bad mood and I’m in trouble.

I walk into his office, it’s like an old-style western saloon or something with dark oak walls, piles and piles of work papers. The smell of leather permeates the area. It’s so different from the white, open-spaced concept of the rest of the house.

“What’s this?” he shouts, waving a piece of paper.

I flinch at this sudden display of anger. I don’t reply and I don’t move any closer.

“It’s your report card from last year” he answers his own question.

“But Daddy, that was like 2 months ago” I whine, flailing my arms dramatically.

He ignores me, beginning to read off my grades.

“75 in visual arts, 62 in english, 65 in science and 51 in math”

His face reddens, “STACY, YOU ALMOST FAILED MATH” he shouts, loud enough that his voice echoes in the room.

“But Daddy, you’re not being fair. There was so much going on last year. Erik cheated on Jenny, Mr. Mosgrove hated me, and that Ben boy started harassing me.”

He still looks angry, and opens his mouth to say something. But I don’t give him the change, changing the topic.

“And you’re not being fair to me Daddy, that report card was sent before summer break, how come your only getting mad at me now”

This sets him off, and he goes on a long tirade about how busy he is with work, paying the bills, and financially supporting my shopping trips. Finally after what seems like an hour he looks like he’s worn himself out and he takes a breath.

“Stacy, I’m worried about the family’s future, that’s all. It's not enough to just be pretty, boys these days want a smart wife as well.”

“There are plenty of boys that adore me at school”

“But no respectable man will take you seriously enough as anything more than cheap entertainment”

My face burns with shame. At that moment, we hear the sound of a soft knock.

“Come in” my dad answers, pinching his nose bridge.

Ana walks in, nervously rubbing her hands. “Sir, I got a call from Andrew’s school, he fainted on his school trip. May I take a week off to tend to him.”

Dad nods, then gestures to her dismissively, like you would swat a fly.

Despite this, Ana’s face lights up and all the tension and nervousness leave her body. “Oh, thank you, Mr. Williams.” she says gratefully.

I frown at this sudden display of motherly love. I’d only heard of Andrew in passing.

I turn to Ana, “I hope your son uh-”

“Andrew” she answers, smiling.

“I hope Andrew recovers”

“Thank you Stacy” she says before leaving. I sigh.

After the pitter patter of Ana’s footsteps fade, I turn my head from the door to Dad.

“Stacy-” he begins, his voice taking a softer tone, “I’m just looking out for your best interest”

“I know, I’m sorry Daddy”

His voice hardens, “So I don’t want to ever see crap like this again”

I nod, and with a flick of his wrist, I’m dismissed, just as he had with Ana.

Tears threaten to fill my eyes, instinctively I open my mouth to summon Ana but I stop myself. She’s left me, and I must deal with it myself.

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That night, as I was laying in bed my mind suddenly went to the restaurant boy, J-something. I smiled, a plan forming in my head, I was gonna pass the class with no more stressors. Oh, how I was going to screw him over. I laughed, I didn’t have to worry about any of my classes for the rest of the year.

The next day I taunted him in class. “How will you ever pay back the cost of my outfit working at that little restaurant?”

As expected, he didn’t reply. “There’s only one way you’re getting out of this James”

When I sat back down, Ben left his group of friends to sit next to me.

“Can I help you?” I said, coldly, not looking at him.

“There are so many things you could help me with”

I didn’t respond, and yet he continued to talk. “What’d you and that freak James have to talk about. I heard he's so poor he sleeps on a ratty mattress and he lives with a drunk..

I rolled my eyes, “You think I’d tell you anything”

“Fine, keep your secrets. But I don’t want to see you talking to that trash again.”

“I’m talking to trash right now”

He scowled at this, his gang of friends who were listening intently in on the conversation got up after seeing his demeanor change but he gave them a look and then sat back down.

“Have it your way Stacy, but we belong together. You just don’t see it” and with that he staggered away.

In the end, James accepted. It didn’t take long, a day or so before we came to his senses. We developed a routine of sorts, every day during third period I dropped off the day’s homework at James’s desk and he gave me back the completed work from the night before.

I did it all with Ben watching, maybe I just wanted to rile him up, maybe I just wanted him to leave me alone. As the weeks went on, I found myself staying longer and longer at James’s desk. There was something comforting about his presence, in a dorky little way.

We weren’t friends by any means but we definitely got closer. Anyways, it didn’t mean anything of course, I just wanted Ben to leave me alone.

It seemed to work for the most part until October 16, when he approached me from behind. I was just telling James about my day when the strong smell of bad cologne filled my nostrils.

“What is it?” I snap, annoyed.

“Calm down baby, I got a gift for you, he said holding out a black velvet box”

“Don’t call me baby” I replied, but there was no bite in my words. I was curious.

“Beat it, freak” Ben said to James, and James complied.

I opened the box to find a beautiful necklace.

“Oh, Ben” I exclaimed, “What’s this for”

“Does a man need a reason to give you a gift?” he asked.

He took the necklace from me, moving to put it on my neck. “This little thing cost me 50 grand, you look beautiful” he whispered into my neck.

I giggled in the heat of the moment, gave him a kiss, and his gang cheered. I fingered the details of the necklace, admiring how it sparkled.

Then I saw James’s face, he looked hurt and I was hit with a pang of regret. Was he hurt? I shook my head and pushed these thoughts away, it didn’t matter, James’s feelings don’t matter. What matters is I got a pretty new necklace and it made me happy.

When I got home, I told Ana about the dilemma. “I don’t know why I feel bad,” I confessed.

“Well, I don’t like this Ben character” she replied

“Ana, keep up” I exclaimed. “I don’t like him either, no one likes him”

“Then why did you keep that necklace”

“It’s cute, don’t I deserve nice things?”

“Of course you do, but no gifts come without strings. Ben wants something from you”

“Well that doesn’t matter I can handle him”

The weeks that passed were uneventful. As Ana predicted, Ben encroached closer and closer to me. Growing more bold with every interaction, flirting more and more with me. I treated him the same, obviously but my disinterest did little to dissuade him.

One day James came to class with his face all beaten up. His presence in class caused some laughs and people began to gossip, though it was obvious that Ben was the reason behind his new bruises.

I was struck by guilt, now I finally understood Ana’s words. Ben’s necklace did come with strings, I had been tolerant of him and his bullying of James, where I probably wouldn’t have been before.

I took off Ben’s necklace and walked up to Ben. Holding out the necklace I handed it to him. “Here,” I said, “You can have your necklace back”

Confusion passed over his face, he was silent for a moment before replying. “I don’t need it”

“Take it back” I said, as I held out my hand. He didn’t move to take it.

“Fine” I said, anger flaring up within me. I slammed the necklace on his desk and walked away.

Ben didn’t chase after me. As I made my way to James’s desk he looked away.

“I’m sorry James, I didn’t realize how bad Ben was”

He looked at me and for the first time I realized how green his eyes were, they were a shade of beautiful emerald green.

“It’s alright Stacy” he managed to smile. And we agreed to start meeting up without Ben knowing

When I got home I was called once again into Daddy’s office. He looked frustrated. We argued about Ben.

“I know Ben,” he exclaimed, “and he’s a good kid”

“He’s such a jerk” I responded, I didn’t mention my relationship with James, knowing that he wouldn’t react positively.

“Ben’s family is extremely prominent in this town” meaning he’s rich.

I kept talking back and eventually he lost his cool and began yelling.

“Do you want to lose your car, your home, or live on the streets?” he yelled.

“No, of course not,” I whimpered.

“Then stop causing trouble with Ben” he warned.