Purpose ❆ Benny Rodriguez

15 | cold

12/05/2015

chapter fifteen ;
COLD

♡

SOMEHOW, THE COLD December weather of California satisfied me. It was a nice change – and I had honestly believed that the weather would always be hot.

　Tonight the temperature ranged from the mid-forties to fifty. It was Saturday – none of the teenagers had school, and the adults had no work. For a while my father had been planning on having a bonfire, so the Rodriguez family gathered in my backyard.

　Upon Benny's suggestion, I invited all of the boys, Ivy, and Leah.

　"When do you think Leah and Bertram are going to get together?" I asked, as Benny and I rested against the side of my house, watching my dad build the fire.

　Benny shrugged. "I don't think they will."

　"Why not?"

　The boy glanced at me, hazel eyes twinkling and brightening with his smile. "You don't see it? Hmm. And I thought you were observant."

　A frown pulled my features downward. "What?"

　"I'm almost a hundred percent sure he likes Ivy now. Every time she comes around, he acts even dumber than he usually does – trying to make her laugh, I guess. And come on . . . Leah never really shows any sign that she likes him."

　My brows rose, and I considered Benny's words for a moment. "Hm. You're right. Well, what about Ivy?"

　Benny chuckled. "You're the girl – Shouldn't you know how she feels? She laughs at him a lot. That's all I got."

　Before I could respond, faint voices caught my attention. Upon glancing over, I found both Ham and Smalls approaching us, grinning. In Ham's hand was a paper bag.

　"What's in the bag?" Benny called.

　A grin crossed Ham's face. "S'mores stuff."

　As the minutes passed, there were more arrivals. Yeah-Yeah and Squints were the next to show up, followed by the Timmons brothers. And then Kenny, Bertram and Ivy made their presences known by sneaking up on all of us at the fire – Ham almost strangled Bertram for flickering a lighter beside his face.

　"Now we're just waiting on Leah – "

　"Nope," Bertram cut me off, plopping down onto the ground in front of me, back facing the fire. "I invited someone."

　Kenny rolled his eyes, sitting beside Bertram – and when Ivy sat on the other side of Bertram, I couldn't help but to meet Benny's eyes. He winked.

　"You're going to kill him," Kenny told me. "And if you don't, Benny definitely will."

　"Oh, God, Bertram," I sighed. "What did you do?"

　Bertram smirked. "Brought a little spice to this party."

　"First of all, it's not a party – it's a bonfire," I corrected. "Second – it better not be Hannah or some stupid shit like that."