Starboy

Chapter 46: In The Morning

Brandy

"Brandy!" He shouts.

I hit the elevator button several times in a desperate attempt to get out of here as soon as possible. 

"Brandy, wait," he says. He finally catches up to me.

"This stupid slow elevator," I mumble.

"Let's talk," he eagerly suggests.

"Okay," I agree. "Why the hell are you here with Natalie? You didn't think to mention that when you insisted to go to this dinner alone?"

"I- I didn't know she was going to be here," he explains. "My parents dragged me out to this dinner and there she was, just sitting there. I was just about to text you, I swear."

I laugh. "Really? You didn't know?"

"No, I did not know. If I had, I would not have come."

I shakily sigh, trying to decide if I am overreacting. "You didn't know," I state calmly.

"I did not," he says again.

I exhale deeply. "You promise?"

"I do. I promise."

"Okay, then. If you say you didn't know then I believe you," I say. I feel like I can relax now.

"Let's get out of here, okay? I knew coming to this party was a stupid decision," he tells me. "Please. Let's go, just you and me."

"I have to go back to my dad's house," I tell him.

"Can I come?"

Andrew drives the two of us through the snowy streets of New York until we reach my dad's apartment. Benji explains what happened at his parent's Christmas party but I don't say much. I believe him but I don't know what to say. I am not exactly in the mood to talk about Natalie.

It is just such a turn-off that I saw him with Natalie the same day I went down on him for the first time. I know it's all some misunderstanding and accident that he saw her but it doesn't change how I feel. I never wanted to see her again in my life, and yet there she was with him.

**

Benji

I hate lying. The truth is worse, though.

I realize I could tell Brandy what was really going on. This whole situation was kind of the perfect chance to tell her everything, but I missed my shot. I freaked out when Brandy showed up out of nowhere and didn't know what to say. Natalie and I will be over soon so there isn't really a point in hurting Brandy by telling her the truth anyway.

"Why did you show up at my parent's house?" I finally ask her.

"I just wanted to surprise you," she says. "But not in the way that you surprised me." She sighs.

We get inside Jack's house, which is nice and toasty compared to the snowy outdoors. I expected Jack to be a little bit nicer to me since we had a good time at brunch, but he still seems cold and distant.

Brandy goes and hops in the shower, leaving Jack and me alone. I decide to ignore the rude signals he was throwing at me and strike up a conversation.

"How has your Christmas been, Mr. Bright?" I ask.

He shrugs. "Lonely. My daughter doesn't live here anymore, Benji."