Starboy

Chapter 62: Benji, Alcoholic

Content Warning: Addiction

Benji

My interview went better than I imagined — all thanks to Brandy for helping me prep for it. I am officially an employee at Rainbow Lens, working right next to Hellen at the counter. I figured she would be happy for me considering she got me the job and all, but all she says to me has to do with the training.

"And make sure you remind them of the no return policy. They need to sign their name on the receipt so that they can't come back a week later and say they didn't know about it." She flips open her magazine again and kicks her feet up.

"Thank you," I say.

"Sure."

"I don't just mean for training me, I mean for helping me get the job. I don't know why Brian hired me but I feel like you might have had something to do with it."

"I just did what Brandy asked me to do and put in a good word for you. But don't flatter yourself quite yet, I did this for Brandy and only Brandy."

"That's fine by me. I'm just glad I got the job," I say. "Maybe this is our chance to, you know... fix things between us. I feel like sometimes you don't like me still."

"What would give you that impression?" She smirks.

"Mm... pretty much everything you say to me." I chuckle. "I'm serious, Hellen. I don't hate you and I do want to be friends with you — or at least good with each other. You're a part of Brandy's life and I'm also a part of her life so we should be chill with each other."

She shakes her head and closes her magazine, tossing it on the table. "I don't hate you, Benji. You helped fixed my relationship with Brandy. In a weird way, I'm kind of grateful to you."

"You are?"

She chuckles. "Again, don't flatter yourself. You know me, I'm just protective of Brandy, and can you blame me? Her whole life, the girl has been way too nice, especially to people who don't deserve it."

"I know that feeling, the feeling of needing to protect her. But she's nineteen, Hellen. Brandy is not the same person she was when she started college. I swear, sometimes I don't even recognize her, but I don't mind. She's grown to be really strong."

"Yeah, you've put her through a lot this year so she had to be strong," she jokes and we both smile. "But maybe it's for the best because you're right — she is a lot stronger than she used to be. And besides, I need to get over my head and stop thinking there's any way she would ever be into me. You've got her wrapped around your finger." She laughs.

What?

"Into you?" I repeat. "What do you mean?"

She looks around the room awkwardly. "Brandy never told you."

"Told me what? Do you... like her?"

"Damn, the both of you are clueless," she laughs. "I just figured she would have told you by now, but I was wrong. You're okay with that, aren't you? My thing for her? Unfortunately, you have nothing to worry about. Brandy is as straight as a ruler."

"I really didn't know." I sigh. "That makes sense, I guess, why you were so distant from her when we started dating. Now I just feel like a dick."

"It's fine," she says sincerely.

"Is it hard?" I say after a minute. "Having to be around her when you know she's... you know. With somebody else?"

She sighs. "Yes," she answers. "But I'm getting used to the feeling. I'm finally coming around to accepting it, too, because if don't... then I never will. It's just the way life works sometimes, I guess. Not everyone is you, Benji. We can't all be hot guys that girls stupidly fall to the feet of."