Starboy

Chapter 32: Heart On My Sleeve

Benji

I shove Natalie off of me as soon as I understand what's happening. My brain is slow right now, and so is my reaction time.

"What the hell?" I say, half drunk and confused, and half angry.

"Dont be lame, Benji," Natalie says. "Just go with it."

I drunkenly take off to search for Brandy and realize she must have already left. "Fuck," I mutter. I sloppily take out my cellphone and attempt to dial her number.

The phone rings and I wait for an answer. When the connection goes through, I'm so excited. "B, where are you? I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Talk to me, baby."

"Benji?" A voice says, only it isn't Brandy.

"Who is this?" I slur.

"Hellen," she says. "Why the hell are you calling me? Are you drunk?"

"Wait what?" I zone out.

"Of course you are." She chuckles. "Is Brandy not with you?"

"No, no, no. She's not here. I can't find her. I fucked up, I seriously fucked up," I say.

"I'm not surprised," she says. "Where are you? I'll pick you up."

"You will?" I know I sound surprised.

"Unfortunately, yes," she answers me. "Now where the hell are you?"

***

Twenty minutes later, I see a cab parked in front of me outside with Hellen inside of it. She rolls down the window. "Get in," she orders.

I trip over on the way to the cab and squeeze in beside her. A part of me doesn't know if I'm drunk of if Hellen is really picking me up from a party.

"Why are you helping me?" I ask her when the car starts to move.

"Because." She shrugs. "I care about Brandy. And she would never be okay with you drunk calling me and knowing I didn't help you."

"I'll pay for the cab," I insist. "Let me." I pull out my wallet and hand it to her.

"You don't have to offer. Of course you're paying—you're an eighteen year old millionaire." She laughs.

"Where are we dropping you off?" She asks.

"Uh..." I trail off. "My apartment, I guess."

Hellen gives the driver the address and I lean back in the seat and look out the window.

"What do you mean you fucked up?" She asks. "Oh, God. What did you do?"

"I didn't do anything, really," I say. "Someone kissed me," I sigh. "And I think Brandy saw us. Everyone did. Natalie kissed me in front of fucking everyone."

"I fucking knew that Natalie girl would cause nothing but problems." She gloats. "Didn't I say that?" She chuckles. "And Brandy saw?"

I nod. "I think so."

"How many times?" She asks. "How many times are you going to hurt her before you leave her alone?"

"I'm not trying to..." I tell her. "I never wanted to hurt her. I didn't ask Natalie to kiss me. She just did it."

"Did you pull away?"

I sigh. "Eventually."

She scoffs. "Eventually? You're an idiot, Benji. Did you know that? You're a literal idiot."

"Of course I know that," I agree. "I just hope I didn't ruin everything for good. I really love her, Hellen. I know, I know—you hate my guts—but I still love her. She's... she's the one."