“You’d better get some before your father eats it all.” She motioned toward the kitchen counter where an enormous pizza box sat with its lid cracked open. There was a picture of a fat Italian guy with a white hat tossing a pie into the air on the top.
“Smells good,” said Benjamin.
“It is,” said his dad through a mouthful of cheese and mushrooms.
Benjamin grabbed a plate and loaded it up with two huge slices. They were so big that they flopped over the ends of the plate and drops of pepperoni grease dripped onto his hand. He attacked the pizza as he walked to sit down on the couch. His dad glanced over.
“Slow down there, champ. Don’t want you to get a stomach ache.” He chuckled.
Benjamin nodded and swallowed. “I didn’t know how hungry I was.”
“That’s what happens after a fight, buddy. All that adrenaline goes away. Always happened to me after a big game. There wasn’t a buffet on campus that could fill me up.” Benjamin’s dad had been an All-American quarterback in college.
“Guarantee you’ll sleep like a baby tonight.”
Benjamin looked tired. Dark circles threatened to drag his eyes down past his nose. He yawned before taking another bite of pizza.
His mom walked around the couch and sat down next to him. Benjamin’s dad got the clue and clicked off the television.
“Honey, I wanted to talk to you about the fight today.”
“Mom, I…”
“Don’t worry, I’m not angry and neither is your father. We just wanted to find out exactly what happened.”
The look of sincere concern on their faces wasn’t normal. Benjamin knew his parents loved him, but they usually left him alone. He didn’t blame them. He’d learned to take care of himself.
Tears came to his eyes as he recounted the tale.
“Are you sure you didn’t hit the other boy?” asked his dad.
Benjamin shook his head.
“So how did he get thrown back, Ben?”
His dad always called him Ben and his mom called him Benji. It was one of those weird things that parents do. It’s like they think they own a different part of you.
“I guess I must’ve just pushed him really hard,” said Benjamin.
Everyone was silent for a moment as they digested the story and their dinner. Benjamin wiped his eyes and yawned again.
“Why don’t you go get some sleep, honey,” said his mom.
Benjamin didn’t protest. After a kiss on the cheek from his mother and a pat on the shoulder from his dad, Benjamin made his way back up to his bedroom.
His head hit the pillow and immediately he fell into a deep slumber.
Chapter 4: Friends
Benjamin was dressed and ready for school when he sauntered downstairs for breakfast.
“Good morning, sunshine,” his mother called from the kitchen bar. The always-present mountain of paperwork rested next to her meal of grapefruit and non-fat cottage cheese.
“How do you eat that stuff, Mom?”
“What? The cottage cheese?”
He nodded.
She shrugged. “I guess it’s an acquired taste.”
Benjamin opened the fridge and looked inside. Someone had placed the leftover pizza into an oversized Ziploc bag. He opened it and grabbed a piece. His mom noticed.
“See, I don’t know how you eat cold pizza for breakfast,” she said.
“I guess it’s an acquired taste, Mom.”
She rolled her eyes and refocused on her work.
“Do you mind if I walk to school today?”
“Actually…I know you’re not going to like this, but I think we should go to the hospital to check on that boy.”
Benjamin’s eyes went wide.
“What?”
“Look, honey. I know what I said in the principal’s office yesterday, but I’ve found that sometimes just going and saying you’re sorry works wonders.”
“I don’t know, Mom…”
“Do you trust me?”
Benjamin nodded glumly. Could he really say no?
They both finished their breakfasts and headed to the garage. Benjamin slowly climbed into his mom’s Lexus and buckled himself in.
+++
Ten minutes later they arrived at the local hospital. Benjamin’s mom asked for Nathan Pratt’s room number from the white haired lady at the information desk.
“Room 402.”
“Thank you.”
Benjamin skulked behind his mom as they boarded the elevator.
When they reached Nathan’s room, the bully was talking to two adults. It turned out it was his mom and dad.
Benjamin had expected a lot of screaming, all directed at him. None of that came. Mr. and Mrs. Pratt were really nice. They both apologized to both Benjamin and his mom, and then made a red-faced Nathan do the same.
“I’m so glad you both came,” said Mrs. Pratt.
“We were just talking about calling you,” said Mr. Pratt nervously. He was wearing soiled overalls with a logo on the front. Benjamin didn’t recognize the company. “I just want to let you know that Nathan will be properly punished for what he did.”
“I’m so glad to hear you say that, Mr. Pratt,” said Mrs. Dragon. “What do you say we adults go out in the hall and let these two make up?” She smiled sweetly to her son. He knew that look. It was the same look she’d given him before he had his first swim lesson. It was like she was saying, “You’ll do it and you’ll like it.” With a smile, of course.
The Pratts agreed and left with Benjamin’s mother.
The two enemies were alone. Neither knew what to say.
“So what are you in for?” Benjamin asked cautiously, thinking a joke might cut the tension.
Nathan grinned. “The usual. Lobotomy.”
The two boys laughed nervously.
“I’m sorry about hurting you,” offered Benjamin.
“It was my fault, dude.” He winced after saying ‘dude.’
“What’s wrong?” asked Benjamin.
Nathan grimaced and waved his hand. “No bigs. Just a couple busted ribs.” He patted his chest gingerly.
“Doesn’t it hurt?”
“It’s not so bad with the drugs. I hope they give me some for home.”
“Yeah. That would be sweet.”
“Yeah. They make me a little funky in the head.”
“I bet.”
An awkward silence blanketed the room.
“When do you get to go home?”
“They said sometime today. I don’t mind it so much, but I don’t think my parents are happy about paying for it.”
“Paying for what?”
“The hospital bill.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah. My dad’ll probably make me work it off down at the car shop. That’s what I had to do when I ran mom’s car into a light post.”
“You can drive?!”
Nathan shrugged. “Kinda. My grandpa taught me how to drive his truck out on the farm he used to work on.”
“That’s cool.”
“Yeah.”
“So how did you wreck your mom’s car?”
“I took it out one night when my parents were working late. Tried to keep it on the down low by keeping the headlights off. Made a turn too quick and BAM. Bye-bye light post.”
Benjamin laughed. “My parents would’ve killed me.”
“I thought mine would too. Got grounded and had to fix it myself down at the shop.”
“You know how to work on cars?”
Nathan nodded. “Started messin’ around in the garage when I was a kid. You know anything about cars?”
“Nope.”
“Too bad.”
“Maybe you could teach me?” Benjamin suggested.
Nathan paused to think about the request. “As long as you promise to not chop your finger off.”
“Okay.”
Before they could finalize their plans, the three parents re-entered the room.
“Everything
okay in here?” asked Mrs. Pratt.
The two boys nodded.
“Good because I’ve invited the Dragons over for dinner.”
Benjamin and Nathan moaned and rolled their eyes. Why do parents always make you do things you don’t want to do?
Chapter 5: Distracted
The other kids stared at him all morning. Was he destined to be the school freak until graduation? Benjamin tried not to think about it and worked hard to focus on what the teacher was saying. He kept his eyes downcast, taking detailed notes.
“So when General Washington got the news about the advancing British forces…” droned Mrs. Dewberry. Benjamin probably knew more about history than she did.
Distracted, he doodled a picture of George Washington standing on top of Mrs. Dewberry’s head. It was a good likeness. He wasn’t happy with the way he’d drawn Mrs. Dewberry’s dress. Turning his pencil over to use the eraser, it slipped out of his hand and fell to the floor. No one noticed.
Benjamin bent over to pick up the pencil. Before he could grab it, the pencil hopped up into his hand. Benjamin jumped in surprise, knocking his textbook to the floor in the process. The room went quiet as the students’ gaze flew at him. His face flushed deep red.
“Is there a problem, Mr. Dragon?” Mrs. Dewberry asked, crinkling her nose impatiently.
“Uh, no Mrs. Dewberry…sorry.”
“That’s all right. Now please retrieve your textbook so that I might continue.”
Benjamin hurried to comply. The blonde haired girl sitting next to him giggled and whispered to her friend. People were pointing.
“Eyes on me, students!” Mrs. Dewberry ordered, punctuated by a clap of her hands.
Benjamin relaxed. He inspected his pencil carefully. No strings. No magnets. How had it flown up into his waiting hand? First the thing with Nathan, and now this? What was happening to Benjamin Dragon?
Chapter 6: The Pratts
The Dragons pulled up to the modest one-story brick home. There was a mailbox out front that had Pratt hand-painted in flowing yellow lettering.
“I guess this is the place,” announced Mr. Dragon.
A tingling mist came down as they hurried to the covered front stoop. Mrs. Dragon rang the doorbell. Mrs. Pratt answered a moment later.
“Tanya and Tim, welcome!” she said with a smile. “How are you, Benjamin?”
“Fine, thank you, Mrs. Pratt.”
She let them in and called for the rest of family.
Benjamin looked around the living space. It was warm and inviting. The smell of baked bread mingled in the air. There were a lot of pictures on the walls and knick knacks on the shelves and side tables. Everything looked well used but tidy.
Mr. Pratt walked into the room and shook Mr. Dragon’s hand. “Welcome to our home. Can I get you all anything?”
“I’d love a beer, thanks,” said Mr. Dragon.
“And you, Tanya?” Mr. Pratt asked.
“A glass of water would be wonderful.”
“You got it. Tim, you wanna come give me a hand?”
Mr. Dragon followed Mr. Pratt to the kitchen. They were already discussing something about restored cars.
“Nathan, come out and say hello, honey,” Mrs. Pratt called out.
A moment later, Nathan shuffled out. He went to wave a greeting but winced in pain.
“Ow,” he said.
“Still hurt?” Benjamin asked.
Nathan nodded.
“Nathan, why don’t you show Benjamin around the house. Dinner’s in ten minutes,” said Mrs. Pratt.
“Okay, Mom.”
The two boys headed toward the back of the house. They stepped into what could only be a boy’s bedroom. Video game and music posters covered almost every wall. A wooden loft bed sat propped over a small desk. Benjamin examined the room.
“You like Deadmau5?” he asked, pointing to a poster with a Mickey Mouse looking head on it.
“Yeah. You?”
“Yeah.”
Nathan took a seat on the edge of his bed. He eased himself down slowly, closing his eyes slightly.
“Whatcha been up to?” Benjamin asked, still looking around the small bedroom.
“Just watching TV.”
There was an uncomfortable silence as both boys searched for something to say.
“How was school?” asked Nathan.
“Sucked. Everybody was looking at me like I was a weirdo.”
“Sorry about that.”
“It’s okay. I’m used to it.”
“You guys move a lot?”
“Uh huh. My mom’s job.”
“What does she do?”
“She’s a lawyer.”
“What about your dad?”
“He fixes companies.”
“My Dad said he played football in college.”
Benjamin nodded.
“That’s pretty cool. You play football?”
“My dad wishes. You?”
“Sometimes.”
“Why’s that?”
Nathan looked embarrassed. “I got kicked off a couple teams when I was little. My dad knows all the coaches, but no one wants me on their team. He says it’ll change when I can play for the high school team. I’m gonna try out next year.”
“Can I ask you something?”
Nathan cocked his head to the side. “Yeah?”
“Have you always bullied other kids?” Benjamin asked quietly.
Again the uncomfortable pause. Finally Nathan answered.
“I guess.”
“Why?”
The larger boy’s shoulders shrugged.
Before they could continue their conversation, Mrs. Pratt called them to the dinner table.
+++
The rain had stopped by the time they’d finished dinner. Nathan took Benjamin out to the tree fort in the backyard. The dads were in the garage looking at the old Bronco Mr. Pratt was restoring. The moms were drinking coffee in the kitchen.
“Wow!” exclaimed Benjamin. “Did you make that?”
A smile crept onto Nathan’s face.
“Me and my dad did.”
“That’s awesome.”
They climbed the eight foot wooden ladder and entered the covered structure. Nathan breathed heavily as he squeezed over the ledge. There was enough room for four or five other kids. Benjamin wished he had one in his yard.
“So what do you do out here?”
“I used to come up here with my dad. Now that I’m older I come up here to get away and read.”
“What do you like to read?”
“Not what you’d think.”
“Why?” asked Benjamin.
“I like stories about magic and knights. You know, fantasy and sci-fi stuff.”
Nathan avoided Benjamin’s gaze by picking at a piece of splintered wood on the wall.
“That’s cool.”
“You want to tell me how you stopped me from knocking you down?” Nathan asked, still avoiding Benjamin’s look.
Benjamin’s mouth opened. He didn’t know what to say.
“I don’t know.”
Nathan’s eyes flashed and then mellowed.
“Did you pull out some crazy karate stuff on me?”
“I don’t think so. I’ve never taken karate.”
“Brazilian jiu jitsu?”
“No.”
Nathan scratched his head.
“All I remember is you putting your hand out and them I’m flying back. It felt like a truck hit me.”
Benjamin shrugged.
“I don’t know.”
“Maybe you have magic powers.”
The boys stared at each other and then burst out laughing.
“I wish!” Benjamin managed to blurt out between heaves and giggles.
Chapter 7: The Incident
The next couple weeks went better than Benjamin ever could have imagined. He and Nathan had become friends and spent most of their afternoons together. Sometimes they would work at Mr. Pratt’s auto shop
and other times they would hang out in Nathan’s tree house.
To Benjamin’s surprise, Nathan was pretty smart. He did a lot to hide that fact from the other kids at school. Benjamin asked Nathan about it once.
“It’s easier to be the big dumb kid I guess,” he’d said.
Nathan’s ‘friends’ hadn’t been too happy about Benjamin. They’d tried to press Nathan into not hanging out with the new kid, but Nathan stopped hanging out with his old friends instead.
They ate lunch together, taking over a small table in the corner of the lunch room. Slowly, and one by one, a couple of Nathan’s friends mellowed and rejoined their leader.
There was Little Mikey, who was as short as Benjamin despite being two years older. He had more confidence than anyone Benjamin had ever met, except his own parents, of course. Sometimes he would walk down the school halls singing at the top of his lungs. Luckily, he was a good singer and the teachers didn’t really mind. They thought it was funny.
Funny Paul came next. He was always telling jokes and making farting noises. Everybody thought he was hilarious.
Last came Aaron. He was almost as tall as Nathan, but pretty quiet. When you first met him, it felt like he looked at you with mean eyes, but it turned out he was just shy. Nathan told Benjamin that Aaron was pretty smart too.
Together the five boys would walk the halls joking and laughing. Gone were the days of picking on other students. Nathan had squashed that. He’d told the other boys that he’d learned his lesson because Benjamin was so cool. That made Benjamin happy.
The older boys treated Benjamin kind of like a mascot, but at least no one was staring at him anymore.
There hadn’t been any more ‘incidents,’ as Benjamin liked to call them. He’d tried to make his pencil do the floating thing again whenever he was at home doing his school work. It never worked. Maybe he’d just imagined it.
One day Benjamin and Nathan decided to walk home instead of taking the bus. It was only a couple miles and they lived in a safe town. There hadn’t been a robbery in over ten years.
They were discussing the latest book they’d both checked out from the library. Something about dragons, knights and wizards. Neither of them was really paying attention as they crossed the street next to the grocery store.
Benjamin Dragon - Awakening (The Chronicles of Benjamin Dragon) Page 2
