Chapter One(s) [COMPLETED]

Facing The Music (Teen Fiction)

Harris relaxed as if this was his lucky day. Before he could fully feel relieved, the door opened. He tensed and Benji glanced back and froze.

Hutch Madison stepped into the office. In his early thirties with honey blonde hair, handsome face, and velvet voice he was every woman's dream. He'd been in Benji's dreams for years, but for a lot of different reasons.

"Rick," Hutch said. "Are you all right? You left so abruptly." He noticed Benji then and smiled. It was a killer smile, perfect teeth, dimple, sparkly eyes. "Hi." He crossed over to her and held out his hand. "I'm Hutch."

It didn't feel real. Benji wouldn't lie to herself and say she hadn't imagined meeting her father a billion and one times. But right then, she didn't care. This wasn't about him. If it had been she'd found a way to get the envelope to him. But she hadn't. She'd only wanted Harris, he would want to handle any issue and Benji just needed a plane ticket.

Still, she stuck out her hand and accepted her father's handshake. His smile slowly diminished as he looked at her. She knew what he saw, her mother: round cheeks, pretty lips, wild curls but his eyes.

Forgetting about the fact that he was holding her hand, Hutch looked over at Harris. Harris stared back with an even but telling expression.

"Rick, what is this?" Hutch asked.

Benji took her hand away from her father's grasp.

"This is nothing," Benji said. She looked to Harris. "Can have that plane ticket or not?"

"Of course," Harris said, pulling out his wallet.

"No!" Hutch said. "I want to know what's going on? Why does this girl have my eyes and Liana's face?"

He took a step closer to the desk and noticed the papers laying there. Before Harris could snatch them up, Hutch grabbed the birth certificate and the paternity test. He held them, his eyes glued to them.

"Look," Benji said, growing annoyed that this was taking so long. "I didn't come here for this. Or for you," she said, throwing Hutch a look. "I came here to get away."

Hutch clung to the papers, eyes wide.

"Why?"

Benji crossed her arms and let out an irritated huff. "Because two days ago I graduated. A day ago I turned eighteen. Kindly enough my step-father let me finish my piece of birthday cake before gifting me with packed bags."

"And your mother let that happen."

Benji tapped her chin. "I think her exact reaction was a blink." She shrugged, hating the sting in her chest. "What can I say, my mother has terrible taste in men."

Though Benji didn't say it with malice, Hutch flinched all the same.

"So...that plane ticket?"

"You're leaving?" Hutch asked.

"Yeah." Benji snapped the papers from Hutch's hand and held out an open palm to Harris. Cash landed in it and she headed towards the door.

"You can't leave," Hutch said as Benji took a step out.

She met his gaze. "I have no reason to stay."

With that, she slipped out into the hallway and made for the stairwell. She figured they would assume she'd go to the elevator and she didn't want to be stopped. All the way down and out of the building, Benji replayed Hutch's face when he saw her. His manner was easy and open. Unburdened. She figured it wouldn't take him long to force this encounter from his mind and go back to that easy state.

Surrounded by her two duffle bags and planted on an uncomfortable seat, Benji watched the wall of arriving and departing flights. She looked at the cash in her hand. It had been more than enough for a flight to New York. One that left in three hours. She wondered if she should spend the rest of the money at one of the shops in the airport.

Instead, she shoved the cash back into her pants pocket. She gazed up at the ceiling, letting the sounds of the airport wash over her. She wished she knew how she felt. But it was like she floated above it all and didn't know where to land.

She'd met her father.

For the first time in her life.

So what?

He was one man. Granted she shared half her DNA with him. But what did that matter? She also hadn't shared a life with him.

He'd known she looked like her mom. It had been eighteen years since they'd seen each but he remembered. Benji had no idea what that meant.

She didn't want to think about him. She'd stopped thinking about him long ago. Or she'd tried. She succeeded most days. Unless one of his songs played on the radio. Or someone mentioned him. Okay, she failed more than she succeeded.

Benji closed her eyes, wishing he'd never come into the office. Her plan was working perfectly until then.

Someone moved close to Benji but she kept her eyes shut. Someone coughed. She ignored that too.

"Excuse me."

Slowly, Benji opened her eyes and raised her head.

There he stood, baseball cap pulled low. From his jeans and t-shirt, he might be anyone else.

"I'll miss my flight," Benji said.

"It doesn't leave for three hours."

He looked at her with open curiosity and wonder. Benji closed her eyes again and dropped her head back.

"Why are you here?" she asked.

"I never knew," he said.

"Cool. Now you do. Anything else?"

Benji held her guard up. She didn't want his honesty and soulful eyes swaying her. She'd gone eighteen years without him in her life. She could go eighteen years more for all she cared.

"Yeah," he said. "Stay."

The simple request tugged at Benji.

"I already bought my ticket," she said.

"I'll buy you a new one. One day. That's all I'm asking for. Stay for one day."

Finally, Benji met his gaze. She understood why the world loved him. His face was handsome without being intimidated. His whole manner was down-to-earth. He looked like someone you could talk to.

And he wanted to talk to her.

"Why one day?" she asked. "Is that so you don't get too attached?"

"No." He gave her a half-smile. "I figured if I asked for longer you'd say no."

Five minutes. A whole five minutes of meeting her and yet somehow he understood this about her.

Standing, Benji grabbed her duffle bags and slung them over her shoulder.

"One day," she said. "Then I'm leaving."

Her father smiled. "One day."

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Hey there ducky!

This was inspired by What A Girl Wants. I have no idea where it's going but I already love it! I like Benji and honestly even though I wrote this I would read this book. I have no clue why I like this chapter so much.

What do you think? Would you read this book? Thoughts on Benji?

Also I love the name Benji, always have. If wasn't until I watched a season of the British Bake Off that I realized it could be a girl's nickname, short for Benjamina.

Vote, comment, Follow!