innuendo | ben hardy

ELEVEN.

a month later

'i've missed this.' says nailah walking into leah's living room from the kitchen with a bottle of wine in one hand and two glasses in the other.

'me too! it's been way too long.' replies leah as she takes one of the wine glasses and holds it up so nailah can fill it it up.

'wine, chocolate and romantic comedies.' says nailah with a smile as she sits on the sofa next to leah.

'and most importantly no men!' says leah laughing.

'cheers to that!' says nailah as they clink their glasses forever.

leah recently broke up with her boyfriend, max, as she found him having sex with another man. leah wasn't necessarily upset, she did start having her doubts, she just wishes he was truthful with her from the start instead of cheating.

leah opens up a box of celebrations, puts in the middle on and presses play for 13 going on 30.

midway through the film while nailah is concentrating on the film, leah speaks up.

'have you spoken to him since?'

'spoken to whom?'

'come on nailah you know who.'

'oh ben? yeah, i've spoken to him briefly.' she says with a shrug.

nailah and ben have barely spoken since the night they broke up. nailah has been focusing on her job and her friends to help herself get herself over him. she is definitely coping better than ben, who is extremely close to breaking down. the only thing helping him is the current filming of bohemian rhapsody.

'have you told him that you're moving?' asks leah, now pausing the film, but nailah just shakes her head.

'i don't see the point to be honest. sure he was my boyfriend but it wasn't a long relationship. it was what, just over a month? i don't see why everyone's asking me how am i. they weren't like this with my exes, you know?'

'because none of your exes were like ben.' says leah looking at her making nailah suddenly be quiet.

even though leah is obviously on her friend's side, she does feel bad for ben too. ben is the best man that nailah has ever dated, even if it was for such a short period of time. nailah was always dedicated to her job, her main priority was to help the children and teenagers suffering, a relationship came second. nobody, except ben, respected that. they all expected her to drop her work especially for them, acting as if they are the reason she breathes.

besides all that, she completely understands why nailah is pissed with him, she would be to. but she knows ben means well and he didn't mean for any of it to happen.

'don't you think i know that?' she says quietly.

'talk to him nai, i know you want to.'

nailah sighs, looking over to her phone charging on the kitchen counter when suddenly it rings making them both jump.

'okay, that's spooky.' says leah as nailah gets up and walks over her ringing phone.

'who is it?'

'i don't know, it's not a saved number.' she says shrugging before answering it.

'um hello?'

'hi is this nailah jackson?'

'yes that's me. i'm sorry but, who is this?'

'melissa hill. i found your number in the yellow pages as i knew you were a psychiatrist.'

'melissa as in-'

'ben's ex yes. look, i know you're probably wondering why the hell i'm calling you but please hear me out.'

'i'm listening.' says nailah confusingly as leah just looks at her raising an eyebrow.

'i know what happened between you and ben, he told me about your break up. you're probably thinking "why the fuck is his ex girlfriend calling me" because i want you to know and hear this from a different person from ben. what happened that night, was a mistake. he didn't know what he was doing, when he called me completely shitfaced, i was confused as well. but i knew he was drunk because he hasn't told me he's loved me in nearly a year.'

'he loves you nailah honestly, believe me. i'm not forcing you to get back together with him or forgive, i'm just asking you to think about it. he's been calling me non stop, sometimes in tears, wondering if he's lost you forever.'

despite everything that's happened, telling nailah about ben's feelings for her does still hurt melissa. she still wishes it was her, he was in love with. but she's not going to play the jealous ex girlfriend, she just wants him to happy.

nailah just stands there, staring at the wall in front of her, tears slowly forming in her arms. leah watches her friend before worriedly getting up and walking towards her.

'nailah? are you there?' says melissa speaking up.

'yes, sorry. that was just a lot to take in.'

'as i said, it's your decision and it's up to you what you do. but please just think about it? he's a mess without you.

'i will.'

'that's great to hear, anyway i have to go now as i have work to do but thank you for talking to me. i was definitely expecting you to shout at me and insult me.'

'i would never do that. also, thank you for taking the time for calling me. i don't even know how awkward that must have been for you.'

'you're very welcome and it's fine, i'm over it. have a nice night nailah.'

'you too melissa.' she says with a small smile before she hangs up.

'was that who i think it was?' asks leah looking at nailah which she replies simply with a nod.

they sit back down on the sofa filling their glasses of wine, completely forgetting about the film while nailah explains to leah what had just happened.

what she said is really going to make nailah think about what to do next. she definitely thought she was over ben but after that conversation, she isn't.

'so what are you going to do?'

'i'm going to see him, i have to.'

'what? now?'

'no, not now! i've had too much alcohol to drive. first thing tomorrow morning.'

and at the same time, ben is currently trying his best to get over nailah by having a one night stand.

isn't that fun?