Chapter Text
Madison Middle School. Just one more minute before the bell rings. Just one more minute before the best summer vacation starts. That’s all one kid in a white short sleeved unzipped zip-up hoodie with green linings, black shirt underneath, and baggy cargo shorts could think of. What one Benjamin “Ben” Tennyson could think of at the moment, daydreaming his break going on a summer long road trip with the best grandpa in the world. Well, technically he’s not daydreaming, rather he’s just dreaming. As in, arms on his desk, head on his arms, napping on his seat.
Ben could see it now. The Rustbucket, riding shotgun, playing videogames, reading comics, working more on his soccer skills, and discretely throwing away whatever tentacle and eye filled food his grandpa tries to serve to him again.
“Mr Tennyson? Mr Tennyson. MR TENNYSON!”
“I’M UP!” Ben jolted awake, looking around. “I’m up. I’m up.” Some of his classmates were chuckling to himself, to which Ben just rolled his eyes at.
“Good.” his teacher said, pointing his chalk down at the board. “Now, can you come to the board and solve for the square root of the number?”
Before Ben could open his mouth to ask a question, his teacher beat him to it. “And no calculator, Mr Tennyson.”
Ben grumbled, then winced. And then-
RIIIINGGGGGGGG!
Ben grinned, practically celebrating internally. Saved by the bell, and the start of summer vacation. Students immediately started getting up and grabbing their bags. Ben, who’s already standing up, grabbed his bag and started booking it. As the teacher continued to talk, saying something about reminding his students about the work he expects them to submit after summer, Ben was already tuning him and everyone out.
“Summer vacation, look out!” Ben cheered, eyes closed. “Ben Tennyson is gonna go and make the best summer out of every-!”
Ben was stopped in his tracks when he bumped into someone, and at the speed he’s going, upon impact he wound up knocking himself onto the ground, falling on his butt. “Ah, crap! Hey, watch where you’re blocking!”
“Well, well, well, if it isn’t Reject Tennyson.”
Ben paused, turning his head up slowly. In front of him were Cash, JT, and their boss, Kevin Levin. All of them were still in their soccer uniforms, white shirts with a black collar and a black stripe running down the middle, a bit sweaty as they just finished practice. The three of them grinned condescendingly at Ben, with Kevin’s being the most condescending out of all of them. His toothy sharp grin looked more like a sneer.
“Kevin.” Ben snarled softly, glaring at Kevin.
“Ben.” Kevin said back, letting out a low chuckle. “So, summer’s started now, huh? You’ve got a lot of time to practice on your skills. Must be nice, huh? Maybe you’ll finally have the chance to join the team when tryouts open again.” Kevin leaned down, his and Ben’s faces only inches away from each other. “Don’t worry, by the time school runs back around, I’ll still be better than you, and you would still be a reject, Reject.”
Ben only just glared and growled at Kevin, closing his fists tightly.
“Aw, look at him, I think he’s gonna start crying.” JT pointed out, snickering to himself.
“As if, four eyes.” Ben snapped back.
“What’cha say?” JT exclaimed, before being stopped by Kevin.
Ben grinned slightly. At least he managed to press a button, even if it was just JT but still. Then, his eyes trailed off to Cash, who was holding someone to his left by the collar. The kid looked terrified.
“Hey, leave him alone!” Ben yelled, immediately getting up and attempting to run towards Cash, only to be stopped by Kevin. Kevin stopped Ben with one open hand to his face, and pushed him back to the ground.
“Beat it, Reject.” Cash simply said. “I’m just here to ask our friend over here to take back what he said about us to the principal. Nobody likes a snitch.”
Ben only stared at them. Kevin just laughed again. Then, Kevin, JT, and Cash turned their backs on Ben. “Now,” Cash said, grinning at the poor kid under their mercy. “Where were we-”
THUD
Cash winced, letting go of the kid, and rubbing the back of his head. He turned around and looked down, seeing a book on the floor. Kevin and JT turned around soon as well, all three of them staring at Ben who was now standing up, and in a stance that showed he was the one who threw the book at Cash.
“Maybe you didn’t hear me the first time,” Ben said, staring down at them. “I said, leave him alone.”
While the three bullies were busy at Ben, the kid looked at Ben, to which Ben looked back at him. The kid, taking his cue, gathered their things and ran off. Ben sighed, closing his eyes, and opened them again only to see Kevin running towards him and then pinning him against the lockers with a heavy slam.
“You just had to play hero, huh?” Kevin sneered, then smiled. “Alright then, Tennyson, you wanna play hero? You know what they say. No good deed goes unpunished.” he raised his hand, closing to a fist, ready to strike.
Ben closed his eyes, he felt the punch on its way, but he felt no impact. Ben opened his eyes, and saw someone catched Kevin’s fist. Both Kevin and Ben turned their heads, and saw a girl with orange hair and wearing a white short sleeved dress shirt with a blue sweater vest on top of it, and grey jeans.
“Gwen.” Kevin muttered.
“I had this.” Ben said, grumbling but he couldn’t hide the fact that he was happy to see her.
“Hello to you too, dweeb.” Gwen said to Ben first, smiling smugly. Ben rolled his eyes, but smiled softly back at her. Gwen then turned her attention back to Kevin, glaring again. “Kevin.”
The two only stared at each other, then Kevin let go of Ben. “Forget it. Have a good summer, Tennyson.” Kevin sarcastically spat out, looking at Ben. “Cause when we meet again, I’m gonna make sure to make your life worse.” he chuckled. “C’mon, boys. Let’s go.”
And with that, Kevin, Cash, and JT walked off.
Gwen watched them go, huffing and rolling her eyes. “Jerks.”
“You got that right.” Ben said, dusting himself off. “I can’t believe you kissed and went out with Levin.”
“It was one kiss, smooth brain!” Gwen flushed, furrowing her brows, looking mad and mostly embarrassed. “And we only lasted for one summer until I realized how much of a jerk he is.”
“Still, one summer too long.” Ben muttered. “Trash kisser.”
The two only glared at one another, before breaking out into laughter.
“Seriously,” Gwen said amidst her laughing. “‘Trash kisser’? That’s the best you could come up with?”
“Oh, give me a sec, I’ll come up with something better.” Ben said, still laughing as well.
Gwen walked over to the book on the floor, her laughing eventually dying out, and she picked up the book and started walking back to Ben. “You know, for a soccer guy, you sure do still have a nice pitch. Maybe you should try out for a baseball team.” she said, handing the book back to Ben.
“I would if our school had a baseball team.” Ben said, putting the book back into his bag. “But you know I’ve always loved soccer more anyways.” he said, his smile faltering a bit.
“Yeah, I know.” Gwen said, looking at Ben. She then placed a hand on his shoulder, smiling empathetically. “Hey, you’ll get your chance again at the next tryout. You know what Grandpa always says.”
Ben looked up at Gwen, a small smile returning to his face. “You can’t keep a Tennyson down for long.” both of them said in unison.
“There we go.” Gwen said, chuckling softly. “I just know you’ll show that jerk Kevin. And when you do, you’re gonna rub it in his face super hard.” she said rather deviously.
“Is that supportive Gwen talking, or is that angry ex Gwen talking?” Ben asked sarcastically, raising a brow.
“Who says it can’t be both?” Gwen answered with a shrug. Then she grabbed hold of his arm, walking briskly. “Now c’mon, Grandpa just texted me and he’s already waiting outside.”
“Already?” Ben asked. “But what about-?”
“Grandpa already went to our houses and grabbed the stuff we packed.” Gwen said, her excitement barely contained. “You did remember to pack your stuff last night, right?”
“Ah- Well-” Ben winced. “I was planning to pack my stuff when I got home.”
“Well, I hope you enjoy whatever stuff your parents packed for you.” Gwen said with a teasing snicker.
“Aw man.” Ben groaned. Internally, he was really hoping his parents included his consoles and comics to whatever they packed for him. But that was a long shot, and already he was wishing he did pack his stuff last night instead of marathoning Sumo Slammers: Slam Down.
“Sucks to suck.”
“I hate you.” Ben said back to her, before smiling mischievously. He wrestled himself free from Gwen’s grasp, and started running. “First one to the Rustbucket gets to use your laptop!”
“What the- HEY!” Gwen yelled out as she started running. “Ben get back here!”
“I’m gonna pirate Sumo Slammers: The Movie on your laptop!”
“Ben, that’s not funny! You’re gonna put viruses back in my laptop again, I just had it cleaned!”
The two continued to run. Running past the halls, past other students, through the door, and now outside towards a white RV with red and blue stripes. And now they were head to head, and now pulling on each other’s hairs in an attempt to slow the other down.
“I’m gonna get that laptop!”
“Over my dead body!”
“I’m gonna win!”
“I don’t think so!’
“Nu-uh!”
“Yuh-huh!”
“Nu-uh!”
“Yuh-huh!”
“Kids!”
Both Ben and Gwen stop. Then they looked at what’s in front of them. A plump man with grey hair, wearing a red Hawaiian shirt with a brown utility vest on top, brown baggy khaki pants, and with the warmest smile one could lay their eyes upon. “You think you could stop your hair pulling and say hello to your old man?”
Ben and Gwen beamed, letting go of each other and tackling their grandpa down. “Grandpa Max!” both of them exclaimed as they all went down into the Rustbucket where all of them fell to the floor.
“Kids! Kids!” Max joyfully chuckled, hugging them back. “Kids, you can get off of me now. I missed you too.”
Ben and Gwen then let go of Max, helping him back onto his feet. “Oof, my back. You two really went at it this time. One of these days, you two are gonna break my back.”
Ben scoffed. “As if.”
“Sorry about that, Grandpa.” Gwen sheepishly said with a chuckle.
“It’s alright, Gwen.” Max said to her, before putting his hands on both of their shoulders. “Now, who’s ready for their summer road trip?”