Beauty and the Beat

Beauty and the Beat (9)

“Bombs away!”

I stared at Bennett as he slid down the slide. As soon as he got to the bottom, he jumped right up and raised his arms as if he had just gotten off the balance beam in gymnastics.

Since I didn’t have any paper, I held up all ten fingers before calling out and giving him his score, “Ten!”

Bennett bowed. “Thank you, thank you.”

Both Bennett and I laughed, and he waddled over and plopped down into the bark beside me. I let out a sigh, laying back and looking up at the dusky sky.

“We haven’t done this in a while,” Bennett thought out loud now, also lying down in the bark next to me. “I think the last time we hung out here was during junior year.”

It was true. Sure, we had been to the park since, but not with just the two of us without anyone around. We probably hadn’t been there in so long because the last time we had done this, we ended up both falling asleep in the bark and our parents called the police. When they eventually found us at four in the morning, they thought we were dead until I sneezed.

“I know,” I sighed. I shifted myself on the scratchy bark. “This used to be a lot more comfortable.”

Bennett and I laughed again. I breathed in and out, and I couldn’t help but feel calm. So far, senior year had been so stressful. I really needed to just hang out with Bennett like we used to.

“So, are you going to date Maxxon?” Bennett suddenly asked me out of the blue, and it almost caused me to choke on my own saliva. I shot up, hitting my chest as I tried to stop coughing. This alarmed Bennett, who sat up as well. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” I assured, my voice now raspy and hoarse. “You just… I just… You caught me off guard.”

I cleared my throat a few times, and this made my voice go back to normal. I was hoping that this would have distracted Bennett so he wouldn’t ask me again, but he was dead set on getting an answer. So he asked me again.

“No!” I practically shouted, biting my lip when I remembered that there were houses around us and it was starting to get dark. “Why would you even ask me that? You should know better than anyone that I can’t stand Maxxon!”

Bennett merely shrugged, lying back down in the bark. I did so as well, but a lot more slowly than he did. I was afraid to hear what he was going to say.

“I might be your best friend, but Maxxon is one of my closest friends, too,” Bennett explained to me now, and even though I already knew this, I didn’t want to hear about it. “And I think it’s about time you guys start getting along. I mean, it’s been twelve years since you guys have met and you’ve never gotten along. We’re all going to get separated after this year is over. And, ever since Mr. Deveraux has come back, you’ve gotten a little closer and nicer to Maxxon. I don’t know why, but you have.”

I didn’t know what I was supposed to say back to that. If I really was getting closer to Maxxon just because Ethan was back, then I had to stop myself. After senior year ended, I never had to see him again. I was going to go to Julliard and he was going to go to… well, wherever he was going to go to.

“I know what you’re thinking,” Bennett chuckled now, and I continued to watch the sky as it grew dark. There were only three stars out, but I knew that the sky would be filled with them soon. “You’re thinking about how you’re going to go to Julliard while Maxxon goes off to wherever he’s going to go.”

I pursed my lips. “How did you know?”

Bennett rolled his eyes. “Duh. I’m your best friend.”