Carrying The Banner With You

Chapter 13- I Already Know That I Am Extra

Ben says that I can leave my car here and we can get it when we have to come back for rehearsals. He has to let go of my hand so he can drive. The car ride back is filled with silence. Not the uncomfortable silence that makes the minutes feel like hours. It is the type of silence that didn't need to be filled because we are both at ease and relaxed.

"Do you want to go get coffee and something to eat before we go back to the house?" Ben asks, breaking the silence.

"Yeah, sure." Ben pulls into the Dunkin' Donuts drive through. "Thanks," I smile at him when he hands me a hot coffee and a donut. When we get back to the house, everyone is waiting in the kitchen staring me down. Steph approaches me first. I tense.

"Do you know how worried we have all been?" she says, frustrated. "You will tell me where you are going from now on," she demands, sounding like a mom. I nod. "Come here." She pulls me into a hug.

I pull away from her embrace. "I'm sorry that I scared you all," I apologize to the group. "I promise that I will leave a note if I do something like that." Sky and Josh hug me and soon everyone joins the hug. "I have to go get changed so please let me go," I say, laughing.

...

"Oof." Ben plops himself down on me, as I am sprawled across the couch. He situates himself so he is laying on his back in between my legs, his head resting on my chest. "Really?"

He looks up at me with a boyish grin. "You weren't gonna move and I am not sitting on the floor. You are taking up the whole couch by yourself so you can share."

"Fine," I grumble with a slight smile on my face. Sky picks out a movie, and without thinking I play with Ben's hair while we are watching the movie. My phone buzzes on the ground, and I lean over to pick it up.

Grandma 

Call me pronto. Your father is not pleased about

 your grades. He let me talk to you about this 

one, but next time I won't be able to save you, 

I sigh. I definitely flunked one of my latest quizzes but the window to retake opens tomorrow. 

I am kinda busy at the moment... 

but I am going to have my grades 

fixed by later tomorrow.

I turn off my phone and continue to watch the movie not wanting to think about school. Ben clears his throat.

"What?" I ask. He takes my hand and puts it on his hair.

"Keep playing with my hair, it feels nice," he says. I give him a look. "Please?" I continue playing with his hair and watch the movie. Once the movie is over Chaz picks a new one.

"Sky! Why did you post that!" Ben yells suddenly. I peer over his shoulder at his phone. He put a picture of us on the couch on his story. "I don't mind the picture, but putting it to the song "Kiss the Girl" is so extra!"

I blush, praying nobody can see. "I already know that I am extra," Sky says, flipping his nonexistent hair extensions. "But I am not blind." I swear I can see Ben blush, but it could just be my imagination or me just seeing what I want to see.