60 Days with Ben (Completed)

Chapter 27

46th Day

I got ready in slow motion to go to school today. Finally, the "big day" had arrived to show the schoolwork. In the meantime, we had already changed song about three times. My English was grotesque when I was nervous. My hands were already sweating cold before I even got to school. I always hated to have to present work in the classroom. And everything seemed to get worse because of my excessive shyness. This time I had Ben to give me some moral support. He was not ashamed of anything, but I was still looking for what caused him shame. I wanted to use this against him, to defend myself against all the times he rubs it in my constant redness, only making my current condition worse.

We were in the last class, and I hoped there was not enough time for Ben and me to introduce ourselves today. I was looking at my cell phone minute by minute. I wanted to be aware of every minute that was going on. Ben placed his hand over mine on the table, suggesting that I should stop drumming my fingers on the table. He gave me a serene smile so I would calm down. I felt a look burning me, and I saw that it was my mother watching us. She made it clear she did not want to we show affection in the classroom, or anywhere else in the school. Ben took his hand from mine immediately.

"I'm on the verge of a fit of nerves," I whispered to Ben.

"Keep calm. It will not be that bad. I will sing so loud that no one will listen to you."

"Gabrielle and Benjamin, you're next," I almost saw the classroom spin, as soon as my mother announced our names.

I waited for Ben to come in front of me while I held the notebook sheet with the lyrics of the song. The reason I took the notebook sheet was not that I had not memorized the words; I had a good memory but wanted to hide my face in front of the classroom.

My mother turned on the stereo, so echoing the first tones of the song in the classroom. My heart quickened every time I got closer to opening my mouth. Ben started while I was still silent; I heard some laughter and wanted a secret place to be well hidden. Ben looked at me, inducing me to sing, encouraged by him to open my mouth, and my voice came out almost inaudible. I was doing a great job as a second voice. Maybe my voice could be classified as the third voice. The lyrics to the song where it said I could do anything was not having that effect on me. After 03:09 minutes singing Angel By The Wings by Sia, the torture was finally over. I returned to my desk lowering my head. Ben looked at me again, and said something:

"Elle, why did you do it? I could not hear you."

"I'm screwed," I leaned over the desk already hoping for the worst.

"Elle, I'm just not going to give you a bad grade because I do not want to mess up your report card," My mother said as soon as we got into the car. "What was that?"

"I'm sorry, Mother. I became paralyzed. I did not make it."

"It was only to have opened the mouth and to have sung. Everybody did it."

"It was not my intention."

I looked out the window of the car, and I saw Ben's mother, accompanying him. He waved at me. I wanted to get out of the car and leave with him. I did not want to hear my mother's sermons because I got the first bad grade since I began my school life.

I am finally going to get my freedom from school, where many of the students have been pissing me off ever since. My freedom was near. I had already made all the requisites to enter a college in the United States, but I still had not received any response. My mother has saved for years, eager for this day to come. Therefore, she decided to go over her pride, and give me the best grade for my ridiculous presentation. She would not mess my report card with a bad grade, was not a right thing to do, not now.