After Headlines

30: Sweet Dreams Part II

" Let me go back." JoJo whispered.

" JoJo?" Ben knocked at the doorframe.

" What do you want?" JoJo gave him a dirty look.

" That's not the JoJo I know." Ben looked concerned.

" And you're not the Ben I know." She shot back.

" Touche." He nodded, crossing the room to sit next to her.

" Tell me about your dream." He said.

" Why?" JoJo sighed.

" Humor me?" He looked so shy.

" Okay, so, I joined the tour a few months in. When I got to the theatre, the first time I met you, you were shirtless."

" I remember that." Ben smiled fondly. JoJo laughed lightly.

" Josh was supposed to give me a tour but you offered to instead. From there we became really close. After a couple days, everyone decided we were meant to be and place bets on us. And we wound up dating."

" That's close to what happened," Ben cut in, "They placed bets but we never wound up dating. Instead, we stayed friends with intrest until Maya joined the tour."

" Because I got hurt?"

" Yes, but she stayed after you healed." Ben nodded.

" Do you even like her?" JoJo asked.

" In all honesty, not really." Ben shook his head, leaning back against his forearms.

" Then why are you with her?" She questioned.

" Because you told me to." Ben stated.

" What?"

" Before I started dating Maya, you and I got into a big fight. Long story short, you screamed at me to go date her instead." Ben shrugged.

" How mad was I?" JoJo asked.

" I thought you were gonna smite me with your eyes." Ben deadpanned.

" And you listened to me? You should know I'm irrational when I'm angry." JoJo whacked his shoulder.

" I do know that, but, I guess I was mad to and everything was just so weird." Ben sighed.

" But why are you still with her?" She asked softer.

" I guess, seeing how Bexley and Josh stayed together, I wanted to be that strong too." Ben confessed.

" First off, Bexley and Josh are literally two parts of a whole. Second, you're no less strong for breaking up with your girlfriend." JoJo laughed.

" I know." He sighed.

" Ya know, I like your universe a lot more." Ben stood, making his way to the door.

" Cause there's no bombs or because you're with me?" JoJo asked.

" I dunno, both?" He winked at her before slipped out of the room.

oOOo

Later on, JoJo wondered down the hall. She passed by a common room. Josh and Bexley were leaning against each other, his arm wrapped around her. Penny, Chaz, Iain, Anthony, and Michael Rios were playing an intense game of Go Fish on the floor. Ben, Jeff, and DeMarius were stretching on the floor. Michael Dameski and Nico were having a turn-off. JoJo was only mildly surprised they maintained their dancing abilities. She continued on down the hall. Nick and Natalie were sitting inside the "library." She was cuddled up against him, reading the book her was holding. She looked further down the hall. Outside Sky's door, he and Cara were really going at it. She scarcely saw them kiss in her reality, let alone make out in the middle of a hall. Sky reached behind her to open the door, and both of them fell into his room. Moving on.

oOOo

" JoJo." Someone shook her awake. JoJo opened her eyes to see Maya leaning over her.

" What do you want?" JoJo resisted the urge to slap her. Very few people can interrupt her sleep and live to tell the tale.

" I need your help." She stated.

" Do ya? That's nice." JoJo muttered sarcastically.

" Ben's in trouble." Maya stated. That caught her attention.

" What are you talking about?"

" He went into the wasteland, I need you to help me bring him back." She pleaded.

" And I should believe you-"

" Because you're like, in love with him or something." Maya shrugged. JoJo caught sight of something hanging around her neck. A sapphire necklace. More specifically, JoJo's sapphire necklace. The one her brother gave her. The one Maya stole.

" Where'd you get that?" JoJo made a grab for the necklace.

" A pawnshop, what's your deal?" Maya drew back. JoJo didn't respond.

" Are you gonna help or not?" Maya asked.

" Fine." JoJo pulled on her shoes. She and Maya quietly made their way to the heavy steel door that separated them, and the outside world.

Maya helped push the door open.

" Oh, and one more thing." Maya shoved JoJo outside. JoJo tumbled to the ground.

" Ben's mine." Maya slammed the door shut.

" You bitch!" JoJo shouted, banging on the door.