Starboy

Chapter 69: The Downfall

Suddenly and unexpectedly, he smiles. "I've always liked you, Brandy, you're a clever young girl. Frankly, I don't know what you see in my son."

"I see a good man. A man who struggled to love other people because he never knew love at home. I see a man who decided he wanted more out of his life and went to college — even though he didn't want to at first. I see a man who battled addiction all throughout his teen years and did something about it. He saved himself... because his parents couldn't."

Damn, Brandy. That was good.

He seems amused. What did I say that could have possibly put a smile on this man's face? The only thing I said that could put a smile on his face is maybe, the fact that he was wrong about Benji. Benji is a good person, maybe he sees that now.

"Brandy, does Benji know that you're here? Something tells me he would be very upset if he knew you were visiting me. The boy is completely against me. He came up last week and told me was done with me. I thought that meant his girlfriend would also be done with me," he chuckles.

My jaw unintentionally drops. "Benji... came to see you?"

He nods. "You know, I don't know what lies Benji has told you, but he's not so much better than me than he would like to believe. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, right?"

I narrow my eyes at him, still processing the fact that Benji lied to me about visiting Steven. "What do you mean?" You bastard.

"I'm surprised, is all. I simply misunderstood you, Brandy. You are a lot more forgiving than I presumed," he shrugs.

"Again... what do you mean?"

"Well, I mean Natalie, of course." He laughs.

"That was a long time ago," I say. "And it ended before the new year even began. Of course, I'm over it."

"The new year?" He squints. "I was with Natalie and Benji on New Year's Eve. They were the perfect faux couple for weeks after that."

... What?

"No," I say quietly, confused as ever. "I was with Benji on New Year's Eve. He came right on time and we kissed at midnight."

"Do you know where he was before midnight? Well, now you know."

"You're lying." God, I hope he is.

He laughs. "I'm in prison, Brandy. I'm not leaving here for a very long time, and quite frankly, I have nothing to lose. Honestly, I thought you knew, Brandy. That's why I was shocked you were still with him. He lied to you about it for months."

No...

I run out of the room and back out into the parking lot, breathing in the fresh air. I don't even know what to believe. New Year's Eve? Benji came running in at midnight and he kissed me at the Columbia party. I was there... he was there... but he was also with her, what? An hour before that?

He told me long before that day that he and Natalie were through. And I know he never really liked her and that it was all for his parents but he promised. He looked me into my eyes and he swore he would never see her again. I begin to imagine her perfect pale face all over again and I want to vomit.

How long did he lie about this for? It isn't even about him seeing her, it's about the giant secret he kept from me for months. He was sneaking around with her and lying to me about it? He could have simply told me the truth and I would have understood.

At the apartment, I don't know what I'll say when I see Benji. I almost don't want to unlock the door because I know that once I do, I'll also be unlocking the truth. And the trust? It may shake me to my core.