Much Ado About Nothing (Shakespeare for Everyone Else)

  Chapter Five

  “Freshman!” Bennett barked over his shoulder after the next day’s practice was over.

  “Yeah, boss?” the nervous kid asked.

  “Make sure you clean up the cones and the flags before Donnie and Clark get back, huh?”

  “Can I get someone else to help?”

  “No,” Bennett said. “Clean up like I said before they get back…shit, here they come,” Bennett grumbled, watching Clark and Donnie return from their run with Bryan by their side. His band practice must have ended early. “Get going, frosh,” he said, shoving him away.

  “Yes, boss,” the freshman said, starting to clean up the field.

  “What could they all possibly be talking about?” Bennett asked, starting to walk towards them. Catching his name from Bryan’s mouth, he smiled. “Gossiping like The Golden Girls? Well we’ll see what those idiots are up to,” he chuckled, ducking behind a large low-hanging tree by the parking lot as they approached. He quickly pushed aside some branches and hid himself.

  “Sing for us,” Donnie said to Bryan. “Unless you’re using your throat for other things—”

  “I’m telling you guys, I’m worn out,” Bryan said.

  “But it’s too damn quiet,” Donnie said. “Usually Bennett is here providing us with entertainment.”

  “Maybe we’ll finally be able to hear ourselves think?” Clark suggested.

  “It probably sounds like crickets,” Bryan joked.

  “Now for that, you have to sing,” Clark said.

  “Wait,” Donnie said, lowering his voice. “Do you guys see what I see?”

  “If you’re talking about Bennett ‘hiding’ in the tree, yes,” Clark said. “Bryan, start singing.”

  “I’m not going to randomly sing.”

  “Your voice is so pretty. It’s like a woman’s,” Clark said, smiling.

  “As flattering as that is,” Bryan said. “I’m still not going to sing.”

  “Oh fine, then simply play along, we are trying to convince Bennett that Bea still loves him,” Donnie explained quietly.

  “Does she?”

  “We are under the assumption that she must,” Clark said.

  “Is that because she rejected you?” Bryan asked, looking at Donnie.

  “Who told you about that?”

  “Oh you know…people,” Bryan said, shrugging. “So it’s true then. You were rejected by Bea last night?”

  “We just kissed,” Donnie said. “I’m over it.”

  “Already?”

  “Not soon enough,” he said lowering his voice.

  Bennett tried to catch their words, only noticing the name Bea. Damn, that girl seemed to intrude on everything even when she wasn’t around.

  “You gossip like a girl,” Donnie said.

  “Sometimes,” Bryan said.

  “I can’t believe people are talking about me,” Donnie said. “Don’t people have anything else to do?”

  “Who cares what people say?” Clark said. “Once we fix up Bennett and Bea, no one’s going to care that she rejected you.”

  “Rejection?” Bennett whispered as the group approached. They paused at Bryan’s car and he stepped in. “Shit, can’t they talk a little louder? I can’t hear a thing.”

  “We’ll fix this,” Donnie said. “If these two idiots can’t see that they’re perfect for each other, then we’ll have to force them together.”

  “He’s listening,” Bryan said.

  “Good,” Donnie said, pleased to hear it. “Come on, you’re not leaving yet. We have to mislead him.”

  “Is this really the best way?” Bryan asked.

  “Come on, we need you,” Clark said in a loud enough voice for Bennett to hear. “There’s something we have to talk about.”

  Bryan rolled his eyes as he noticed Bennett watching them closely. Could it be that he still loved her? Dropping off his backpack on the front seat of his car, he followed Clark and Donnie as they walked towards the fields and the tree in which Bennett thought he was hiding.

  “In love?” Bryan said loudly. “Bea?” he asked, playing along with Clark and Donnie.

  “It’s true, I heard Heaven say it,” Clark said.

  “That’s messed up,” Bryan said. “I thought that she hated him.”

  “There’s a thin line between love and hate, Bryan,” Donnie explained. “I would know personally because Bea rejected me only a few hours ago.”

  “Rejected?” Bennett whispered. “Rejected Donnie only last night?”

  “I don’t understand it,” Donnie said. “I said all the right things and even messed around with her in the same way she does with Bennett, but nothing. She turned me away and walked herself home before I had a chance to get over the shock.”

  “Maybe she’s just being shy,” Bryan said.

  “Bea’s a lot of things, but shy isn’t one of them,” Donnie said. “She likes someone else.”

  “Who?”

  “Bennett.”

  “How can you know that?” Bryan asked as he shook his head. “What makes you think she’s in love with him? She says horrible things about him during study hall.”

  “But she is talking about him,” Donnie said.

  “I heard her talking to Heaven,” Clark said. “Last night she came to talk to her, so I hid in the closet so she wouldn’t see me.”

  “And she really said she likes Bennett?” Bryan asked.

  “She said she was in love,” Clark said.

  Bryan looked doubtful but Clark’s eyes widened, pressing him to move on. “And still is?”

  “Bea talked about Donnie for a moment,” Clark explained, “but she would not stop going on about how Bennett pulled her into his arms when Jason showed up.”

  “It’s true,” Bennett whispered, leaning a bit closer. “I thought I felt something.”

  “I can’t lie,” Clark said. “I heard Bea say it with her own mouth—”

  “A mouth that never ceases to stop moving,” Bennett chuckled.

  “And believe me, I was as shocked as you guys,” Clark went on.

  Bennett shifted his feet guiltily. “I know I shouldn’t listen, but it’s their fault for talking so damn loud.”

  “Keep it up,” Donnie hissed to his friends. “He’s interested.”

  “Is she going to tell Bennett how she feels?” Bryan asked.

  “No,” Clark said stonily. “And I don’t think she plans to. That’s why she’s been acting so weird around him. It’s why she spits fire. That way she doesn’t accidently shoot fluffy hearts in his direction—”

  “Fluffy hearts!” Bryan exclaimed. “Not from our Beatriz.”

  “She attempted to write an email the other day,” Clark explained, “telling him how she felt. I didn’t see it personally, it’s on her computer, but she was talking to Heaven about it and I overheard.”

  “That would explain the picture she has hidden on her desktop,” Donnie said. “I’ve seen it. She has a picture of Bennett playing soccer. She must have taken it over the summer.”

  “Yes,” Clark said, hardly able to contain his laughter. “I think that I do remember seeing that picture hidden on her phone as well. She must be—”

  “This must be love,” Bryan said, fully caught up in the story now, with no clue as to what was true and false.

  “But it’s not all happy,” Donnie said in a somber voice.

  “No,” Clark said. “The reason Bea cares so much for Bennett is because she compares him to herself. She knows he would laugh at such an email.”

  “Oh he would,” Donnie said. “He can be such an ass sometimes.”

  “I wouldn’t laugh about that,” Bennett said quietly.

  “I don’t even want to think about it,” Bryan said. “And that’s such a shame because I bet Bea was being completely honest for once. She’s always had a way with words.”

  “On paper,” Bennett grumbled, still agreeing.

  ??
?Yeah,” Donnie said. “Damn, I wish she would write a note like that to me.”

  “Like she’d ever do that,” Bennett said to himself.

  “I’m worried about her,” Donnie said. “Bea deserves to be happy and I think giving Bennett a second chance isn’t the best idea.”

  “She should just tell him how she feels,” Bryan suggested.

  “And then what? Let him mock her mercilessly? Tease her? You know how cruel Bennett can be.”

  “Well if she won’t tell him, then perhaps someone else should,” Bryan suggested.

  “That would be worse,” Donnie said.

  “He would laugh at us and then laugh in her face,” Clark said.

  “No one should laugh in that girl’s face,” Donnie growled. “Bea’s the total package. Looks and smarts and—”

  “How smart can she be if she loves Bennett?” Clark asked.

  “Heh, I suppose that’s true,” Donnie said. “Bea’s wise beyond her years but I must remember she’s still capable of liking the wrong guy.” He sighed deeply, smiling as he saw Bennett out of the corner of his eye growing more and more frustrated. “I wish things would’ve gone better last night.”

  “You kissed her,” Bryan said. “There’s still hope.”

  “Hope for what? She pulled away before I could make her mine. She looked pissed…and not the good kind of pissed. She’s not meant for me, which is a shame because I do care for her and want to see her happy.”

  “You’re too nice for your own good,” Clark said. “She deserves to be loved by you.”

  “Like I said, it’s over. I think that what must happen next is for Bennett to know.”

  “Are you sure that’s smart?” Bryan asked.

  “We’re stuck in limbo, don’t you think?” Donnie asked. “Bennett would rather die than have Bea’s love and Bea would rather die than have Bennett find out how she feels about him. Even if Bennett loves her back, I’m not sure that Bea would want that love because she would think it was out of pity.”

  “Bennett isn’t that cruel, is he?” Clark said.

  “I hope not,” Bryan said.

  “These things have nothing to do with being proper, though. Bea would know. She can sniff out insincerity like a bloodhound sniffs out coke. However…” Donnie relented, “he’s very witty. It seems as though Bea likes hanging around him, though she may not be willing to admit that to anyone but Heaven.”

  “Heaven wouldn’t want to stir up trouble,” Clark said. “She’d never bring it up.”

  “Maybe we shouldn’t either,” Bryan warned.

  “No,” Bennett said. “You have to tell me, otherwise I’ll just have to sit on all of this news.”

  “I don’t think we should say anything,” Clark said. “Revealing this information to Bennett would only prove that I was eavesdropping on a private conversation.”

  “Same here,” Donnie said. “Bea just needs time to get over him. Hell, maybe she will start to see me in a new light.”

  “She never will,” Bennett hissed as they came closer.

  “Damn you guys,” Bryan said, shaking his head. “So much information. I think I need to go home and take a nap.”

  “You’re such an old woman. See you later, Bryan,” Donnie said.

  “Thanks for listening,” Clark said. “I hope this conversation will remain just between us?”

  “It will,” Bryan said. “Have a good night!” he called over his shoulder.

  “Good night,” Donnie said, lowering his voice. “I think he caught every word.”

  “Good,” Clark whispered before raising his voice loud enough for Bennett to hear. “I’m starving. Want to get dinner?”

  “You know I do,” Donnie said. “Are you going to bring Heaven?”

  “Sounds like a plan.”

  “And Bea?” Donnie asked. “Should we invite her or will Bennett throw a fit?”

  “Invite them both,” Clark said. “In fact, let’s go find Bennett and force him to invite her personally.”

  “She’s studying in the library,” Donnie said. “We should just invite her ourselves.”

  “Yeah, but let’s go find Bennett first. And remember, not a word about Bea.”

  “Consider the subject closed,” Donnie said, following Clark back into the school building, leaving Bennett to extricate himself from the tree. After he’d freed himself, he began rubbing the back of his mocha-hued neck.

  “So it’s true,” Bennett said, watching his friends walk back into the building. “I…I didn’t think that such a thing would be possible given the way she speaks to me, but if they think that I’ll just sit on this, then they don’t really know me. If Beatriz chooses to love me, then I’ll love her back. Donnie thinks that he’s the only one who sees her beauty, but dammit, I’m not blind. It is true that I’ve loved her for a while now. I love how she isn’t built like Heaven, but like a woman. Curves everywhere.

  Of all the women I’ve met in my life, only one has had the wisdom and wit to challenge mine, and I don’t doubt she feels the same. Though Donnie and Clark may say she’s not smart for loving me, I must say that she is. I love how intelligent she is and how she banters with me. I must have sealed away my feelings for Beatriz because now I suddenly feel so light. I loved her once, so certainly I will love her again. Christ!” he shouted into the air. As he began to walk back towards the school, he saw the door of the building open and Beatriz step out. “She’s coming. Could it be that she is coming to find me after speaking to Clark and Donnie? They said they would keep their mouths shut, but what other reason can there be?”

  “There you are,” Beatriz said, walking up to him with an annoyed expression. “Clark and Donnie are looking for you.”

  “Are you?”

  “Not exactly,” Beatriz said. “Since I just finished studying, they asked me to come outside to find you and let you know we’re all going to dinner tonight.”

  “Are you coming?” Bennett asked.

  “When I said ‘we’re all going to dinner tonight,’ I thought I was being pretty clear, but since you have a vacant look in your eyes that would rival Clark’s during an exam, I won’t confuse you further. I’ll be there.”

  Bennett rolled his eyes. She was a difficult woman, this one. “Well thank you for taking the pains to deliver this information to me.”

  “Indeed, it certainly was painful,” Beatriz said. “For seeing that ridiculous look on your face brings pains to my stomach and to my heart.”

  “Your heart?”

  “Yes, you make it feel as though I have heartburn,” Beatriz said, clutching her chest through her leather vest. “Seriously though, why do you look so goofy?”

  “No reason, Beatriz. Can’t I look happy?”

  “I’ll be happier if you choke on a cigarette over dinner,” Beatriz said, turning back around.

  “Don’t be so harsh. That wouldn’t actually make you happy, would it?” Bennett asked, falling in step with her. “You have to admit that you don’t actually want me to die.”

  “Maybe not,” Beatriz said, fixing her hair. “Why are you talking like this? I just told you that I wanted you to choke.”

  “I know you’re only joking,” Bennett said. “Are you going to sit next to me tonight?”

  “Am I supposed to sit at another table?”

  “I would love for you to sit on my lap,” Bennett said.

  “Ha! I’m not willing to take the blame for crushing your thighs before your next match.”

  “You’re not heavy,” Bennett said. “I could hold you.” Beatriz stopped for a moment, looking at him carefully. “Did I say something wrong?”

  “You’re acting weird,” she said.

  “I could, though,” Bennett continued, and stopping in front of the school building, he leaned his back up against the brick wall. “You’re a strong woman, but I’m strong enough to hold you.”

  “I…” she stepped up closer to him an
d he reached forward, grabbing her vest and pulling her to him.

  “If you had a secret, you’d tell me right?” he asked.

  “What the hell are you talking about?” Beatriz said. “Let me go, I need to get my stuff.”

  “And I need to look at you for a minute,” he said, keeping his grip tight. Glancing over her, he could hardly believe that he had forgotten how striking she was. He took in the dark freckles on her skin, the heavy liner around her chocolate eyes. She didn’t look away, thinking this was a challenge now and met his gaze with an intensity that sent shivers of excitement through his entire body. “I can hold you better than any other man,” he growled.

  “Leave me alone!” she shouted, jerking away from his grasp. “I’ll see you at dinner,” she said, disappearing into the school.

  “See me at dinner?” Bennett asked, watching her through the door as she walked down the hallway. “I will see you at dinner, Lemondrop,” he said, dropping his voice to a low whisper. “I’ve denied my feelings for too long. I can safely say that I’m interested, for if I wasn’t, I’d worry my heart had been removed two years ago. I look forward to dinner, Beatriz, as I look forward to loving you once again.”

  Act Three