Suzie’s House 121: Overheard

“Do you think we should cut class to find out?”

Lisa walked so close to Ben he could feel her shoulder next to his even when she wasn’t bumping into him because people in the hall shoved her. He wondered if she realized she was too close. Then her words sank in.

“You? Cut class?” He couldn’t believe it.

“School is almost over. Our grades are probably already in. I’ll bet no one even notices.”

“You aren’t anything like I thought you’d be,” Ben mumbled.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

He ignored the question. “Besides. I don’t want to skip when Ms. Spring is teaching.”

“What? You DON’T want to cut class? I can hardly believe it.” She winked to take the sting out of her words, but he took them seriously anyway.

“I only ever skipped out when Gene insisted.” The two of them stopped in the cross roads in the halls next to the principal’s office.

“Well, this is for Gene isn’t it? I think we should cut class to go to his house and find out if he’s all right.”

Ben stomped down a spike of jealousy. What did it matter if Lisa liked Gene better? It wasn’t like she was anyone’s girlfriend. Besides, he felt the same way. For all his talk, Gene didn’t skip school much, and when he did, you knew something was bad. It wouldn’t hurt to go by his place and make sure he was all right. But maybe not during Miss Spring’s class.

“You think he’ll be alright if we wait until after school?” Ben suggested.

Lisa twisted up her mouth and squinted, thinking about it. Seriously thinking about it, which made Ben think about it, which got him worried. He was about to change his mind when the door behind Lisa opened and out came Principal Greear with some woman Ben had never seen before.

“His condition isn’t serious,” the woman was saying. “I’m sure Gene will be able to attend class tomorrow and the next day. But if you have any strenuous activities scheduled, you should insist he sit them out.”

Ben froze. Gene? There was only one Gene he knew of in school.

“You did say he had two cracked ribs, didn’t you?” Principal Greear asked the woman.

“Yes, and some fatigue, mostly from sleeping in the parking lot. If I’d known he would need the back seat of my car to sleep in I would have left it unlocked.” The woman chuckled, but her smile was more sad than happy.

Lisa’s head kept whipping around, looking from Ben to the grown ups until he realized he was staring. He quick whipped around so he could eavesdrop without looking like it. That put him shoulder to shoulder with Lisa. They leaned together so they could whisper to each other.

“Do you think they mean him?”

“Gotta be,” Ben answered.

“I’m glad Mrs. Hammacker agreed to take him in for the time being. With your recommendation, I feel I can move forward with this.”

“What!?” Lisa voiced Ben’s thoughts. Mom said Gene could live with them? Then they shushed each other.

“In fact, I’m on my way to the hospital to pick him up now. And thanks for the copy of the story, Dale. I’ll read it the first chance I get.”

“You do that.” The principal went back into his office, and the lady went out the front door.

“Can you believe it? Gene has two cracked ribs!” Lisa looked horrified.

“Sure I can. I’ve met his dad. What I don’t believe is that he’s moving in with me!”

“He is? Oh, yeah. Who else is school is named Hammcker.”

The bell for class starting rang. He and Lisa stared at each other, both undecided.

“Well, we might as well go ahead and go to English. It’ll take that lady that long to get him out of the hospital. After that, you want to come to my house?”

“Yes!” Her face broke out in this big, gorgeous smile, all white teeth and happiness. Looking at it made him want smile too.

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