Ben
February 25, 2005
*
Same day
*
Before I can even think of a response, someone is pounding on my door.
Dammit.
Red's annoying voice comes through, making me wish it wasn't wrong to slap some sense into girls. It's not fair, guys do something stupid and girls are allowed to hit us. "Come on lovebirds, it's time to go bowling!"
Kat's gaze never leaves mine as I answer the obnoxious voice. "Just a minute." She's waiting for my answer, but what does it mean?
Does she want more? Or less?
"You better be decent!" We both manage to sit up just before the fucking door swings open.
Why the fuck didn't I lock it?
Because I'm an idiot, obviously.
"Come on, let's go knock down some pins!" She scans the room, like she's hoping to find something.
Thank god Big Ben isn't out this time.
Nate steps into the room behind her. Fucking great. Let's just have a party in here.
He kisses her cheek. "Hey babe, before we go, I need to talk to Ben. Alone."
She looks hesitant, but doesn't question him. "Okay... Just let us know when you're ready." She plants herself on the bed next to Kat.
In my fucking spot.
How did I go from making out with Kat to talking to Nate with a really awkward boner? This sucks.
Nate turns on me as soon as we reach the living room, so I decide to just get this over with. "What's up, bro?"
"Samantha." Fuck. What now?
"Think about it Ben, how did she find out where we are?" He has a point...
"I don't know, man." There's no way she should know. Nobody know where we are.
He turns on me. "Have you told anyone?"
"What? No!" Shit, that's a lie. "Well, I mean, just Kat."
"What? Why the fuck would you do that?" Is he serious right now? Why wouldn't I tell her.
"I trust her." I mean it. She wouldn't tell anyone. I know it.
"She must have told someone." Fuck no. He's crazy, isn't he?
"She wouldn't do that." She wouldn't, would she?
No way. There must be some other explanation.
"Babe, what's going on?" I look towards my bedroom door to see a very confused Red with Kat behind her.
Shit.
"Your friend just ruined everything." Nate's anger is getting the best of him. He's not thinking clearly.
Red looks back at her friend, but Kat just shrugs, wide-eyed, shaking her head. She's just as clueless as Red.
"You mean, Kat?" She points at her, as though Nate doesn't know who she is.
"Yes." He spits out, glaring at both of them.
"And what did she do, exactly?" Red steps forward, hands on her hips, glaring right back.
It's like two parents defending each of their children. Nate has my back and Red is in what Kat calls her "Mama Bear" mode.
"She's the only one that knows about us." He points back and forth between us.
"What about you?" Her eyes are wide and even I can tell she's hurt to be out of the loop. "What are you talking about?"
I step forward, placing my hand on his chest. I need to diffuse this situation.
"Bro, I already fucking told you. It. Wasn't. Kat." I emphasize each word, hoping his brain will reattach itself.
"Is someone going to fucking tell me what the fucking fuck is going on before I fucking kill someone?" She screams, waving her arms around.
I turn to Nate, surely his girl will calm him down, right? "I think now would be a good time to go explain this to your girl."
"No, we need to figure this out first. We might need to leave." Leave? No fucking way.
"Why would you leave?" Red looks to Nate for answers, but he only has one thing on his mind.
"Well, if it's not her, then who could it be?" Damn, he's really blowing it.
"Hello! Can you not hear me?" She waves her hands in front of his face.
He completely ignores her. "How many do you think know? Should we pack?"
Red huffs, stomping off and slamming Nate's bedroom door. I can't say I blame her, he was being a total dick.
Kat walks after her. "I better go..." She points in the direction Red went. I nod, letting her know I understand.
Man, this is not at all how I wanted this night to go. I wanted to watch Kat bend over and torture her a little for ignoring me.
Maybe make out a little more in front of our friends. I'm just so happy our little fake relationship is out in the open now, plus they deserve a little payback for all the make out sessions in front of us.
I can't wait until Kat meets my mom so she will stop hounding me about... "Holy shit. I think I know who told Samantha."
"Who?" He tenses, like he's ready to attack this mystery person.
"Who knows where we are and wants me to be with Samantha?" It has to be her, nobody else would do this.
"Shit. She wouldn't do that, would she?" God, I hope not. But it makes more sense than Kat.
"I'm gonna call her." Nate nods, as I pull out my phone.
I slap his back, nodding my head towards his room, while whispering. "You need to go fix this. What the fuck were you thinking, man?"
"I was thinking we needed to leave, so what difference did it make, you know? It was just easier to not think about how much it would hurt to leave her." He blows out a breath. "Do you think she'll forgive me?" His anger replaced with uncertainty.
"It's going to take a shit ton of groveling, bro. I mean a shit ton. Kat would have my balls in a vice if I pulled that shit." I cringe at the thought.
"Yeah... I don't know how to I'm going to fix this." I'm honestly not sure either.
Before I know what's happening, Red runs straight to Nate, punching him in the chest over and over with her tiny fists. "How could you not tell me? Did you not trust me?"
He grabs her hands to stop the attack, but she yanks out of his grasp.
"I mean Ben told Kat and they've been dating for like a week!" I don't mention that I actually told Kat about it before we were even dating.
He opens his mouth to answer, but she smacks him, his beard muffling the sound. "We. Are. Fucking. Done."
A look of utter shock on his face as he watches her storm out the front door, slamming it behind her.
"I'm really sorry. I had to tell her, you know how she gets." Poor Kat, stuck in the middle of this whole mess.
"Yeah, I do." He sighs. "Don't worry about it. This was my mistake, not yours." He gives her a small smile, before she turns to follow her friend.
I watch my failed date walk out the door before turning to my idiot friend. "You know, you've screwed me over too. You just accused my girl of some pretty serious shit." I guess bowling night is cancelled.
"Fuck. I'm sorry, man. I should have handled that better." No shit, Sherlock.
"You think?" I have no clue how he's going to get Red back. Or if he even can. But I'm not losing Kat over this crap.
Kat walks back in the door. "Um... Ben, could I maybe get a ride home? She left."
"Yeah, why don't you go wait for me in my room? I'll be right there." I want to go with her now, but I have something to do.
She nods, walking off, looking confused.
"Im gonna call mom and then try to fix the mess you just made. Wish me luck." I walk out the back door without waiting for his response.
I pace back and forth on the deck as the phone rings in my ear.
"Hello dear!" Mom's voice chirping in my ear. I need to make this fast and get back to Kat.
"Hey Mom. Listen, I just-" She cuts me off with a loud sigh.
"Joseph Bentley Alexander, I thought I taught you better than that. You don't even care how I'm doing?" I already regret calling her.
"Sorry, Mother. How are you?" I blow out a breath. Stay calm.
"I'm fine, Ben. How are you?" I fucking hate small talk.
"I'm great. Things are great. Listen, I-" Dammit. She cuts me off again.
"How's your girlfriend? When are you bringing her home so I know she's real?" Harsh, mom.
"Kat's fine and she's very real. Just ask Cole." Seriously, why would I make her up?
"Oh yes, he told me all about her, but we all know he would lie for his big brother. I want to meet her myself, make sure she's good enough for my little Joey. Oops, sorry. I mean Benny." She's not sorry, she hates that I go by a different name now.
"Of course, Mom. As soon as possible." I'm starting to regret my decision to tell her about Kat.
"Are you busy tomorrow?" Shit.
"I will have to check with Kat." I sigh. Kat's going to be pissed.
"Alright dear, I better let you go. Just let me know if we should plan for extra people." She tries to end the call without even caring what I wanted.
"Mom, wait. I called you for a reason." I need to know this. Now. "Have you talked to Samantha at all?"
"Why yes, dear. She came by to visit me the other day wondering how you were doing. Poor girl. You just left without any explanation." Fucking shit. Seriously?
"I told you, Mom, she cheated on me several times." Shouldn't my mom be on my side?
"Well, I just don't understand why you couldn't work it out." Can I reach through the phone and strangle her now?
"None of that matters now, I have Kat." I try to keep my anger in check, but it's getting harder every second that I'm on the phone.
"Of course, dear." My own mother doesn't even believe me.
"Listen, did you tell her where we were?" Please say no.
"No dear, of course not." Thank god.
"Did you tell her anything that might have led her to figure out where we are?" Surely she's not smart enough to figure it out on her own, someone must have told her.
"Well, no. I just said you went off to college, but she seemed awfully intetested in finding you. I told her you wouldn't even tell me the name of the school." If she didn't, then who?
"Okay, good. Thank you, Mom." I shouldn't have to pursue my mom for being a decent human being.
"No problem, dear. Would you like me to tell her next time she visits?" Thank god I got my dad's intelligence.
"No! Please, don't tell anyone. And please don't talk to her anymore. I have a new girlfriend now." Please understand how fucking wierd it is.
"I will try, but she can be persistent." I sigh, knowing it's the best I'm going to get.
"Okay, thank you." Of course, I know she's never going to tell Samantha to leave, because what would the neighbors think?
Nate and his mom were the only ones who supported me through the breakup and they are the only neighbors that matter.
"No problem, dear. Oh! I got a letter from the school for you when you come home tomorrow." She already assumes we will be there.
"Okay..." Oh shit. "Mom, did I get that before Samantha came by?"
"Oh, I'm not really sure. I think so, why?" Well, at least it wasn't on purpose.
"Nothing, please put it in my room so people can't see it." I also shouldn't have to tell my mom how to keep my secret.
"Okay, love you, Jo-sorry, I mean Ben. I'll just never get used to that." Not like she's tried that hard. She hates the new me and she hates Nate for making me this way. If only she believed it was actually Samantha.
"Love you too, Mom." I barely get it out before she hangs up.
Well, at least I know.
I think.
How did she find this house though?