Grape Juice from Lemons

CHAPTER XVIII

Him...

I stood in front of the white and gold mansion. I remember vividly sneaking into this house, when I was much younger, to play with Benyamin and Smith, not accuse the latter of killing a man. After talking to Jennifer and crippled Noah, my suspiciousness towards Smith has only grown.

He was at the same party as Max was, the night that he died in a car crash. Noah said he saw a brunette, and the car that crashed into them was a Challenger Hellcat. Cherry red. He didn't say which gender, but Jennifer was at that party and she said Smith had a blonde girl under his shoulders the whole night. That leaves me nothing, but Smith and his brown hair.

It's him.

I knock on the door, what a gentleman I am before the door slowly creaks open and Benyamin is staring back at me with huge eyes. I had nothing to say, he has .. grown up. He's not that scrawny kid that we bullied with Smith anymore. He's got muscle and expensive jewelry. He has a job. And he doesn't have braces anymore.

" Is that you, Blue? " He always called me blue, he said I always looked sad. Truth was, I was thinking, calculating, planning. Even with all that, I couldn't have guessed I'd show up here today.

" Maybe, is Smith around? " Benyamin opened the door an inch, he couldn't let his eyes fall from me.

" How long has it been? " It's been almost three years, three years since I last saw him in Wilmington high school, he was a complete nerd. Who would have known he'd share a throne with his brother. Who'd know he'd be crowned prince of the cocaine industry.

" A while. Answer the questions, please. I'm in a rush actually. " Benyamin shook his copper locks, but couldn't keep his green eyes from mine. He was skeptical, as he should be. He's wiser now.

" He'll be back in a sec. He ... went out. " I nod and lean on the doorframe, but Benyamin opened the door wider, for me to step in.

" Blue, you don't have to stay outside, come in. It's fine. "

" You sure Smith won't mind? " Benyamin shakes his head and turns his back on me. After all these years he hasn't lost trust in me. I respect that so much but fear his judgment. I've changed over the years.

" This place hasn't changed. "

" You have." He surprised himself, with the words that came out of his mouth. I stood still in the middle of the foe. " I apologize. It's just, I couldn't recognize you, at first. "

" Why's that? "

" You're taller, skinnier somehow and you're voice ... it's much deeper than before. " I shrug his way, thinking that nothing has changed, but I can't say that. I can't say that it hasn't. " It's not only that, you walk differently, your eyes are more tired and grayer, you don't have hair." I smile a little because Benyamin used to force me to wear man buns.

" Years do that to you. " I stared at the rug on the ground, before Benyamin continued to walk straight to the kitchen. The mansion was the same as if I'd last been here yesterday. " How'd you recognize me? "

Benyamin turned around and handed me a glass of water before he shrugged his shoulders. " " ell, you wouldn't really get it "

" Why'd you say that? " Benyamin chuckles lightly as he sips his water.

" It's stupid forget about it. "

" Benyamin, I've known you for years. Speak, old friend. "

His cheeks slowly reddened as he shyly looked at me. " Weirdly enough, it was your awkward smile. The way your eyes slightly looked down to look into my eyes. You won't get it, it's fine, I-"