Brandy
Benji and I are born exactly one month apart, exactly four weeks from each other. Growing up, he would always have these elaborate birthday parties at some fancy revenue, and I would stick to pizza and movies at my house.
Weirdly, we've both kind of preferred the small gatherings, the intimate ones. At my house, we had privacy and we could just talk about whatever we wanted to, without Benji having to take off every two minutes to say hi to someone.
Of course, I also loved his birthday parties. It's kind of a tradition. Every year I would wear the same black dress from the department store, mostly because my dad was on a budget and I haven't grown since eighth grade. This year, however, I feel like I'm finally growing again. Not physically, but I feel like I'm growing as a person and also as a woman. I finally want to wear clothes that make me look good.
As predictable as it sounds, I'm not much of a party person. I've never liked dressing up and making small talk with strangers. Benji has had years of practice so he knows just about everything from surviving boring nights.
We slept in separate beds last night because I wanted to wake up and surprise him with some breakfast. He put in so much work for our first date and I just want to give him an equal amount of effort. It is his nineteenth birthday, after all. That's a pretty big deal.
I whip up some pancakes, toast and coffee and prepare everything on the table. I've memorized his schedule by now so I know what time he wakes up.
I quickly change into something a little less comfortable and tie my hair back with a dark purple elastic. I glance at the clock and realize that's it's already nine o'clock, and that he should be getting up soon. Starting school at NYU has changed his entire routine. He used to wake up at eleven and now here he is, a little brighter and a little earlier.
His door creaks open and he has that whole messy hair thing going on. He's in his grey sweats and a white t-shirt, which he somehow looks out together in. We mutually smile and I run up to him and he pulls me up, and I wrap my legs around his waist.
We kiss and he falls back into the wall, and I lean in even more. I part my lips from his and smile again. "Good morning, birthday boy." I grin.
"Good morning to you, beautiful," he says, kissing me again. He notices the spread of food and looks at me. "You're too good for me."
"Sit," I say. "I'm no chef, but I did my best. Then again, most people can make pancakes and buttered toast. It's not like a super special dish-"
He places his hand on mine and interrupts me. "It looks amazing. Thank you, B. You really didn't have to do this."
I shrug. "It's your birthday—you deserve to have everything today. And... I have a special plan for tonight."
He smiles. "Oh, yeah? Like what?"
"Shh," I say. "I'm just teasing you. I can't tell you what it is, it'll spoil everything."
He laughs. "Right, sorry. I'm looking forward to whatever it is. It can't be any worse than the party tonight."
I think about Miles coming tonight and debate telling him I'm bringing a 'date.' I also suddenly remember Benji promising to never see Natalie again. "I thought you and Natalie were over." I sigh.
"We are. It's just one more night," he promises.
"It's your birthday." I sigh. "Everyone is going to think she's with you, as your date. I want that to be me." I complain.
"That is you," he says. "You know how I feel about you."
"She's going to ruin everything," I say. "Didn't you talk to your dad about this? You said that you would, Benji."
He sighs. "I did. He said that after tonight, I will never have to see her again. He just... he wants everyone to think I have this rich, perfect girlfriend."
I tense up when he says that. I get the ongoing feeling that his parents and everyone in his world will never think I'm good enough for him because I'm not rich or traditionally pretty like Natalie.
"I get you after the party," I cross my arms.
"I'm all yours," he promises, grabbing onto my hand. "Okay?"
"Okay."
**
Benji
I've never met Natalie's dad but Dad told me he's absolutely insane. I don't know how I'm going to keep this lie from Brandy or for how long, either. All I know is that I'm just going to go along with it for a little while longer and figure it out from there.
The party isn't until later tonight because what the hell kind of a party starts in the morning or even early afternoon? I have my suit picked out and everything, even though I'm not a huge fan of dressing up.
I can't help but wonder what Brandy has in store for tonight—she said it's a surprise. Honestly, the thought of us back alone in the apartment tonight is the only thing that will get me through the party.
"So what's the plan?" Brandy asks me. "How do you want to spend your nineteenth birthday?" She kisses my cheek lightly.
"With you," I say lowly.
She laughs. "What do you want to do with me?" She asks me again.
"Whatever you want," I insist.
She playfully rolls her eyes. "Uh uh," she says. "It's your birthday, not mine. I have mine next month which means then and only then will I be able to decide what to do. Today is your day. What do you want to do?"
"Baby, I mean it. You can decide. I'm... I'm not good at plannings things."
"Well now I just know you're lying," she says. "Or do you not remember the amazing first date that you planned for us? Because I remember it and it was literally perfect and so well thought out."
"Do something for me?" I say. She nods at me. "Promise me you'll be there for me tonight."
"Of course I will be," she promises. "You don't even have to ask. It's your birthday."
"I... I want to spend today with you. And I promise that after the party tonight I am all yours."
"But?" She asks suspiciously.
I take a deep breath out. "But I have to spend the day with my parents."
She chuckles. "That's fine, Benji. They're your parents, of course, you should spend time with them on your birthday. I'll have you all to myself later, anyway."
"Are you sure it's fine?" I ask.
She nods. "I will see you tonight at your big party!" She kisses me again before taking off to hop into the shower. "Wait!" She shouts before peeking her head out through her door. "I love you."
"I love you, too," I say back, a huge smile written all over my face.
I head out to my parent's apartment because I promised them to spend the afternoon with them. And by that, I really mean I promised I'd spend the day with them and Natalie. This is not something I want to do but rather something I have to do.
I don't exactly know why I haven't told Brandy about the situation with Natalie's father. Maybe it's because I am embarrassed about the whole thing, or maybe I'm just used to lying. Either way, I am just going to continue fake-dating Natalie until this thing blows over. Honestly, how long can it really last? Another month? I can get through it.
"Benji is here!" Mother shouts as the elevator door opens. "My birthday boy." She walks over to me and kisses my cheek lightly. "Come in, dear. Have a seat. We have prepared a delicious brunch for you."
"Where are Dad and Natalie?" I ask as I sit around the full table of food.
"Oh, you know your father. He's a very busy man. He had a meeting this morning, he's just running a tad late," she explains. "Eggs?" She asks me.
I shake my head. "And Natalie?"
"I told her to come twenty minutes after you were to arrive just in case you were late." She chuckles. "I never know with you. Sometimes you say you'll be somewhere and then won't show up at all."
"Well, I'm not," I say. "How long is this going to go on, Mom? Really. Dad's not here so just be honest with me. When can I stop dating her?"
She sighs. "Benji, it's your birthday. Why don't you stop talking about that and enjoy your day?"
"I can't," I argue. "I wanted to spend my day with Brandy but I had to come here and have brunch with you guys and Natalie. How am I supposed to enjoy my birthday when I can't be around people I actually like?"
She scoffs. "Benji, enough. Now, have some freshly squeezed orange juice and relax. We can discuss that matter another time."
After a painfully boring talk with Mom about school, the elevator door dings and both Dad and Natalie pop out. They walk toward the table and are both smiling right at me.
"Hi, babe," Natalie says before kissing my cheek. "I have something for you." She places a bag on the empty chair next to me and waits for me to open it.
"What is it?" I ask as I look down at the bag.
"Open it and you'll see," she teases as she sits down beside me.
I pick up the bag and reach for the box that is at the bottom of it. The box is labelled Cartier so I know right away that she bought me a watch. I force a smile as I pull off the lid and place the silver watch down on the table.
"Oh, that is so beautiful, Natalie!" Mom exclaims.
"Wonderful taste this young woman has, huh, son?" Dad smiles.
"Do you like it?" She asks.
The watch itself is quite nice. It isn't that I don't like it, it's the fact that I have dozens of watches already. Every year, at least one person buys me a watch for my birthday, which adds up. I watch her bite her lip and hope I will say something grateful to her.
"It is a nice watch," I remark. "Very nice."
She smiles. "You like it?"
I nod. "It's..." I look at Dad who is trying to tell me to play along and pretend to love it. "Amazing," I say. "Thank you, Natalie."
"I knew you'd like it. And something as perfect as this needs to be worn by someone just as perfect." She straps the watch onto my wrist, adjusting it so it fits me just right.
After brunch, we spend the day at The Palace and make sure everything is perfectly right for the big party tonight. Mom and Natalie run around the whole place and check every single last detail like madmen. Meanwhile, Dad is on his phone the whole time with work and I am sitting on one of the empty tables alone.
I decide to text Brandy.
"I miss u.
-Benji"
A few minutes later, she texts me back. I quickly flip open my phone, desperate for contact with someone who isn't in this room.
"I miss u 2. How is ur birthday so far?"
I smile to myself.
"Bad. I wish I was with u instead."
"Don't worry! I have a special plan for u tonight ;)"
I wonder what she had planned. She keeps hinting at something but I have no clue. I wonder if she set up a date like I did on our first.
"Can I have a hint?"
Beep beep.
"No hints—it will spoil everything! See u later. You can spot me in a blue dress. Xo."
--
Hello and happy Friday! I hope you liked this chapter, this is part 1 of Benji's birthday... 'fun.'
I'll be posting chapter 38 tomorrow so make sure to come back then!
I finally finished my exams and feel so free and also relieved. How have YOU been?
Until tomorrow,
Beth