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Post by Deleted on Apr 22, 2010 0:21:18 GMT -8
Oh, no. Now he was trying the suck up approach? "You can't butter me up" he informed his son "I invented that. How did they get into the wrong hands?" he restated his question, since his son was not really answering After a pause, he said "Maybe my questions aren't simple enough for you. So let me break it down to yes or no questions. Were you mugged?" he spoke slowly, as if Chance couldn't understand what he was saying.
Ben was ready to yell at him to tell him, and maybe add a few curse words, but he knew that would get him kicked out. Instead, he was trying his mother's thing. His mother! Maybe he should take Chance to her! She'd get the truth! Nobody could keep the truth from that wicked old witch! Ben smirked at the thought as he waited for his answer.
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Post by Chance Del Rossi on Apr 23, 2010 11:28:23 GMT -8
For a boy with Chance's intellect, being talked down to as if he was stupid was downright offensive. It showed in his face immediately with the furrow of his brow and how his eyes made dead-on contact, showing displeasure for the talk. "I'm not stupid," he grumbled under his breath, actually sounding bitter at just the insinuation. He didn't feel very smart after what happened and for Chance, it was a giant blow to his pride. He put a lot of time and energy into withholding who he was, and when it was shattering beneath him, he had nothing to cling to. Intelligence was his lifeline. Without that to fall back on, he might as well be free falling. To make it worse, he felt like a pure disappointment. What type of father would actually be proud of an idiot? From the table to the napkin, Chance's hands moved and started to slowly fold the corners in before running his fingertips over the texture. He couldn't sit in silence forever. If he did, it was probably going to make him appear even more stupid than he already did. But, it was obvious he was stalling and his rationale had absolutely nothing to do with what happened, but with how it made him look and how quickly everything he looked up to could shatter.
It had been what—thirteen years since he'd been pulled out of his biological parents' home? And as safe as he felt throughout those thirteen, and as much gratitude as he had for having real parents that cared about him and that didn't make him feel like he was worthless, there was still that inkling of a fear. The fear that if you screwed up bad enough, a parents' love was far from unconditional. Strangely, it didn't apply to anyone else, however. If it was one of his siblings with doubts, Chance would have been the first person to push them in a different direction. He would say that nothing was going to change, no matter what they did and that they would still be loved and that their parents were too caring to hate. Yet, Chance put himself on a whole different standard.
After a moment, he drew himself back out of his thoughts and replied firmly. "No." He wasn't mugged. Now, if he had been, it might have been an easier story to tell. In fact, he could have told him while he was on the phone. Instead, this was his own fault. It was never fair to blame what he did to himself to impair his judgement. No one forced him to consume a little too much alcohol. "I put them there. I mistrusted someone." If there was one thing Chance was good at, it was making something sound less dramatic. He could tell the truth without making it sound half as bad as it was. It was all about what he said and how he worded it. And he was practising it quite a bit with Ben.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2010 14:05:26 GMT -8
Ben's face grew bright red again when Chance grumbled at him. "Watch your tone," he snapped at his son. The last thing he needed was to have Chance talk back to him. Didn't the boy recognize that he was trying to maintain his composure and keep his temper in check? Why did kids have to do that? Was Ben fun to test or something?
When he said he mistrusted someone, he nodded. Now they were getting somewhere! Ben looked at him "Was it someone you knew before you left?" Ben was thinking maybe Chance had a friend that made a really stupid mistaje with his car. However, his gut told him it was more than just that. Ben wasn't going to make any assumptions, however. Chance had always been a good kid, and Ben could always be fearing the worst because Megan and Matt were constonatly getting in trouble
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Post by Chance Del Rossi on Apr 23, 2010 22:24:35 GMT -8
"—But I'm not." Chance thought that the tone was semi-necessary. He wasn't trying to be difficult, nor was he reacting to being in any sort of trouble. It was a genuine defence that brought itself out when he felt like his intelligence was somehow challenged. It was all instinctive. Not a bit of it was thought out beforehand. And if he was going to imply it, Chance couldn't help but to at least grumble about what was being said. Sighing under his breath, the young man tried to cast it off after that. He didn't want to argue and he didn't want to anger him further. God, that wasn't what he tried to do. It was just difficult for him to focus on much of anything when someone was treating him like he was stupid. His eyes were pointed down finally. While he seemed to be going back and forth from eye contact to staring at the table, it was worse when he knew how he was acting was going to make it worse, but had too much dignity to otherwise let it go. There was a name for that... Wasn't there? Sighing, he let it drop, and hopefully Ben did too. But, Chance had high doubts that he was letting anything slide that evening. In typical hands-on fashion, Chance had moved on to the glass set in front of him, and instead started to trace the rim with his fingertip. He couldn't stay still.
Cringing at the next question, he swallowed down hard and tried to think of the best way to word that, but fell short. "Well, actually, I don't know. I could have—for a little while anyway. I wasn't exactly..." Pause. "...Fit for driving anyway, and I thought it was—" Pause again. "The most responsible thing to do." And finish. Out of all the answers he gave, that one was the most insecure. It was honest! But, it was getting down to where he made all of the mistakes. It was like he was finally starting to admit exactly what kind of trouble he got himself into that night. He was irresponsible. Chance didn't need anyone to tell him that he was. And if the repercussions weren't half as bad then he could have probably never told anyone. But, unfortunately, it was a little impossible to just go on and act like it never happened. It was actually interfering with his life and he needed help. If given the choice between help and doing things on his own, he often chose the latter and was incredibly skilled at it.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2010 23:09:02 GMT -8
"you don't know?" how could he not know if he knew them? It was true, a person came across a multitude of people in his lifetime. But still, wouldn't he remember the ones he really knew? Ben listened, not commenting on his irresponsibility. Instead, he rubbed his chin, mulling it all over. Already, his mind wanted to focus on what he was going to do the punk who took advantage of his[/] son. But no, he needed to get the truth out and then handle Chance.
"start from the beginning and tell me everything that happened" he instructed. He had been briefed on the events that unfolded the night before. Now he wanted the entire story. Ben was amazingly calm compared to his temperament a moment ago. He reached forward and lifted his son's chin to lock eyes again "that's better" he needed eye contact, to monitor Chance's. If they looked to the left, he would know he was being lied to.
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Post by Chance Del Rossi on Apr 24, 2010 21:39:50 GMT -8
"Well, I was a little—impaired at the time. And it's hard to remember what I knew." It wasn't as if Chance couldn't drink. He was well over the legal age, plus he was generally a responsible person. To say that Chance couldn't go to the bar and have a few drinks or ten was ridiculous. Maybe ten was a bad idea, but the principle was the same. He had ever reason to do what he wanted to. Unfortunately, there was a limit to those things that he should have known. Responsible meant that he didn't go out in public and get so inebriated that people suddenly had little pet names and his knowledge wound up mixed with fantasy and he was trusting enough to let someone drop him off the cliff. When Chance was drunk, he trusted too much, clung too much and was everyone's friend. Honestly, it had to be a riot for the people inside to have this kid making a complete fool out of himself. But, Chance didn't care. He wouldn't be the first or last drunken guy to do something stupid. Only a lot of them didn't end up with his range of problems. Hey, at least he wasn't dead because of some drunk driving fiasco! He had that to thank. He really, honestly did.
Again, he sighed, because Ben put him into a position that was incredibly hard to get out of. What was he supposed to say? Do? Ben wanted a retelling of the story. That wasn't as easy to get around as answering questions briefly and quickly. Now, he had to recount something that he didn't want to go into detail about. Chance might have told the whole story staring at the table, but when Ben lifted his chin so their eyes met, he didn't avert them. But, he did look incredibly disappointed. "It's a long story. Just don't... Overreact." He didn't want him to get even more angry, because Chance had no intention of lying to him. One, he doubted he could get away with it and two, it was a little counterproductive and he thought that being honest to his father was important. "I went to a bar last night. A sports bar, not too far from the hotel. I know it was kind of silly to drive there, but I figured I'd go hang out and you know, integrate." What type of person used integrate for hanging out? Chance was more than aware that his way of looking at the world and social situations seemed to differ greatly from the average person. It had always been like that. Sometimes, he was too smart for his own good. And he spent most of his life thinking that was an oxymoron. "I drank a bit too much, I really can't remember everything. It's a blur. And I think I sang." He informed him, sounding mortified momentarily before continuing. "When I left, I was going to walk... I remember that, but I wanted to make sure the car was locked... But there was someone else. They were sober, I let them drive and well, when I got back to the hotel I told them to park it." Chance said, because he remembered doing that much. It was blurry in between, but the basics were there. "And somewhere... I gave him my bank card." That was what he couldn't remember, but he had to do it with all of the money drained from it and that was where they found the damn thing.
"I spent the whole day at the police department. Because the guy robbed a gas station and dumped the car, drained most of my account and the cops traced the car to me." He took a breath, amazed that he was shakily getting through the story without being too long winded. "It's settled though. They've got the guy. And know it's not me. Just, it wasn't without repercussions that are yet to be determined."
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2010 22:03:44 GMT -8
Ben scoffed "please. When do I ever overreact?" he asked with conceit. Because, he always kept his cool, right? He leaned back noncholantly when told not to overreact, as if he didn't have a care in the world. He was cool, and could prove it! If he had a cigarrette, he'd be as cool as it got.
But then, Chance went into details and Ben's demeanor changed. First, he straightened up and his eyes started burning a hole in the boy's skull. His jaw clenched and his face grew redder than before. "and you don't have any money left at all, do you? How the hell do you expect to survive, Chance?!" he screamed at the boy. And without a thought, he stood and overturned the table.
The commotion stirred the attention of the manager, and the young girl swallowed before approaching him. "Sir, please, I can get you another table, but I'm going to have to ask you to calm down." The woman's voice was shaky, and it was obvious she was frightened of him. When Ben looked at her, she jumped back, making it even more obvious. It was Ben's next move that made her guard her head.
Ben grabbed his son's collar and pulled him up into a standing positon, and then lifted the young man's feet off the floor. "Where is he now?" he demanded. He wanted five minutes with the guy. No, five would be too much time to get the cops to help. He needed one. One minute to beat the tar out of the guy.
As furious as Ben was, all rationalizing went out the window. He didn't think about what this looked like, or how Chance was feeling at this particular moment. His adrenaline was pumping, and he felt like the incredible Hulk. Lord have mercy on whoever happened to be in his way.
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Post by Chance Del Rossi on Apr 24, 2010 22:39:09 GMT -8
When precisely?
Now. Ben overreacted right now. The second he yelled, all eye contact went out the window. Chance stared hard at the table, feeling eyes on them and feeling his shame lift 300 percent. And 300 percent wasn't even a possible percentage. It was 100 and lower. The idea was absurd, but 300 times. That was better, more rational and right now, he needed rational thought to calm his nerves. He needed strict problems with clear answers. He needed: If f of x is continuous at a then lim f of x equals f of a, and that living creatures were classified into two distinct catergories: eukaryote and prokaryote or that the sun contains 99.85% of the mass in the solar system. Things that were always the same, and strictly his to cling to. The table overturned and Chance couldn't even move. He was frozen and his heart leapt into his throat. Chance wasn't used to physical contact. It was practically forbidden when he was a kid, especially given his background. It was the quickest way to get him to shut down completely and that was exactly what he did now. After years and years, Chance completely retreated inside. He knew he made a dumb move! He knew that, and he knew that he had lost too much money. But, he could make more! Chance was well off before that... Very well off. He had more money than he knew what to do with and now he had nothing.
An employee tried to rectify the situation to no avail and when Ben lifted him by his collar, his eyes widened in shock and fear. His instinct was to fight and hide. But instead, he froze, unable to even muster a sound up at first. His heart was racing in his chest. It was a wonder no one else could hear it. And sadly, a part of him felt like he deserved every ounce of anger. When Ben's aggression was turned towards finding the guy that did it, he started shaking his head, opening his mouth to speak to let out nothing... Not even a squeak. Finally though, he managed. "In jail. He's in jail." Unless he made bail, but he doubted it. "Dad, let go." He had lifted his hand and actually attempted to pry his hands off of him. He didn't want to be the object of Ben's anger.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2010 23:04:03 GMT -8
In jail. Well, that was unfortunate. "Let's go bail him out then" he said and set his son down. After all, he could bail the guy out, then take him out into a nice, empty field, and beat him. Maybe it wasn't the most Christian thing to do, and maybe his mother wouldn't approve, nor would Marco. But that was the best part. Turning back to the woman, Ben pulled out his wallet and slapped a hundred dollar bill into her hand. "There. Go buy yourself a new table" he said and headed out to the car once more.
"How much is it? I may need to go to the bank." Every last one of Ben's words were pressed and dripping with hatred and anger for the guy. Even though Chance really should have had more common sense than that, he still took advantage of his son. And NOBODY messed with HIS son! Ben unlocked the car and opened the driver's side, waiting for an answer.
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Post by Chance Del Rossi on Apr 24, 2010 23:18:28 GMT -8
It was nice to be on his own two feet again. Silently thankful, he was more concerned about where Ben was going and followed swiftly after him, but not before shooting an apologetic look at the poor waitress. Rushing after him, he reached the car and looked at his father as if he had just sprouted a second alien head out of his shoulder. Bail him out? Oh, he didn't need to think about what he was thinking of doing? Obviously he was thinking with his fists and not his brain. "Dad, no. You can't just bail him out! He's in the system now, let them deal with him. I'm sure that anything you're thinking of is probably illegal and you can't go around doing that." Oh, like he needed to know what he could or couldn't do! "Just leave it alone. It's over... Can't do anything about it. He's in jail, and you know, jails can be rough. Let's just go." Far far away from public places. "I just needed a ride." He was already talking too much, trying to get Ben's mind off of taking anyone out of jail to do anything to. His temper needed to be in check.
Of course, he climbed into the passenger side. But, he wasn't planning on telling him the price, the guy's name or even where he was being held. Chance was going to keep his lips sealed nice and tight. There was no way he was going to go too far with his answers. What did he think he could do? It was wrong on too many levels. The justice system had to be allowed to work through this. Fists never solved anything. Except, maybe making people feel better for the moment. Chance wouldn't know because he had never been in a physical fight a day in his life.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2010 23:31:49 GMT -8
"Probably," he echoed with a shrug "but hey, I'm a lawyer," he reminded him. "With nothing to lose," he added as he started up the car. He put the car in reverse then grinned slyly "did this guy have a car?" Ben was thinking about his own insurance policy, and how they would cover it if he "accidentally" demolished the guy's car. Oh, the possibilities!
"You're moving in with me," he decided. "You obviously need someone to keep an eye on you." Plus, he had no money. And you couldn't stay in a hotel when you had no money. "I'm not loaning you a dime, you got that?" he looked at him as he stopped the car. He didn't exactly know where he was going "Well?"
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Post by Chance Del Rossi on Apr 27, 2010 19:51:54 GMT -8
Chance gave Ben an incredulous look. The man might as well have had antennae growing out of his head with the gaze the boy was shooting at his father. That was the stupidest reason he ever heard of. He stared briefly at him before he opened his mouth, "Lawyers aren't above the law. If anything, they have a higher standard to follow, to set an example. You can still be arrested and charged. And with that line of thought, you'd probably try to be your own defence and even for the best lawyers that's statistically a stupid idea. You can't just go out and break the law. Lawyer doesn't mean entitled." Chance lectured when it was completely unnecessary. But who in their right mind thought that their occupation was a way to get away with things? Actually, he knew two people that did just that. His biological parents. They were wealthy, famous politicians that had authority figures eating out of the palm of their hands. There was a reason that they were still out living the high life and pleasant figures in the public eye after everything they had done when he was younger. They had a sense of entitlement and it worked. Chance cast the thought off. They'd been on his mind a lot in the last six months, but he didn't need that now. He needed to get through this moment and keep his father from doing something incredibly brainless.
"Dad." He said flatly. "If he had a car, why would he need mine?" Okay, so maybe if he didn't want to be caught with his own it would be a good idea. But as far as Chance knew, the man didn't own one. It didn't help that the night was basically a blur. It hurt to even try to remember it and he had been doing that all day. Couldn't it be simple? Couldn't Ben just take him home and forget about it? He supposed it would never be that easy and sighed loudly. As Ben then went on about where he was going to stay and what he was going to do he looked a little mortified. "You don't need to do that... I'm fine." He said, but his tone dropped quieter, because he was lying. He wasn't. Then, he had to look at him expectantly and Chance shook his head stubbornly. "I'm not telling you where to go to get in trouble."
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Post by Deleted on Apr 27, 2010 20:07:52 GMT -8
"I never said above the law. But I know ways to not get caught. I won't even need a defense" Would he? The way Ben's brain was working, he very well could end up behind bars. However, as the boy continued to lecture him, his eyes narrowed "hey! Did I tell you you could lecture me?" When did Ben ever give his children permission to lecture?
Why would he need Chance's car? "I don't know! Maybe he wanted to kill someone and didn't want to use his!" Yeah, because people did that all time. But Ben wasn't exactly being rational. Of course, he hadn't been rational in a long time, since the night Marco left him when he caught him in bed with Jonathan.
"Fine? Fine?! FINE is when you're working and paying the bills and you're not rich but you're not broke either! No, you are NOT fine!" he raised his voice. When he refused to tell him, Ben shrugged "Ok. I'll just have to drive to each and every jail in Toronto until we find him." Yes, that's such a great use of his time!
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Post by Chance Del Rossi on Apr 28, 2010 9:43:46 GMT -8
"No, you're just implying it." Chance corrected. Knowing how not to get caught wasn't any better. It didn't make it right and if he was going to openly break the law because he could get away with it then he was basically placing himself above it. Not to mention, laws should not only want to be abided by because they could land you in trouble but because morally it was right. Maybe what the guy did to Chance wasn't, but it didn't mean he needed to spin around and retaliate or have his father do it for him. That wasn't going to happen if he could help it. No, Ben hadn't given him permission, but it was kind of silly to ask too. Like he was going to let him go on a spiel about how he wasn't supposed to act that way. So, instead of saying that he hadn't or even apologizing, he replied quietly: "Well, it was kind of a stupid thing to say." And it was, according to him.
The anger in his voice on whether or not he was fine caused the dark-haired boy to turn his eyes out the window instead. He frowned, fiddling with his own hands as he stared. "I was fine, I was..." He whispered, because this was a huge back track to him. He hadn't just been okay before, he had been a little too well off for his own good. Of course, he didn't realize how quickly all that could be taken away by one little mistake. He was young and successful and he felt like that should have mattered. But after one mistake it was as if that was never true. "You don't even know his name. So good luck. I'm not helping." His arms suddenly crossed over his chest. He was going to be stubborn about this, because he was doing the right thing by not telling him.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 28, 2010 11:14:05 GMT -8
Ben pulled out into the street. "Stupid? Stupid?! You better watch the way you're fucking talking to me!" he was pure screaming now. His blood pressure was rising fast, which was not good for him since he had just been in the hospital. His heart rate was rising too. As he looked at Chance, the car drifted into the lane running the opposite direction slowly.
"No, you fucking tell me RIGHT NOW!" he shouted. "You fucking got into this!" His hands squeezed the steering wheel so hard that his fingers turned red and his knuckles turned a ghostly white. He didn't even think about how close he could come to having a heart attack. He also didn't notice that a car was headed right for them and blaring its horn.
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