Dear Mr. Pessimist,
I always read those unrealistic romance novels, where the man always comes running back to the woman. My question is this.
Will be able to catch me if I fall? If I can't be the strong girl you believe I am? If I finally reach my breaking point and blow up, will you be here?
With Love,
Sydney's
p.s I like how much you've been smiling lately, it makes your eyes look like a beautiful ocean
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox
"Where are you headed?"
I looked up from where I was in front of the door, sliding my bracelet on to my wrist.
"I'm going to a family reunion with a friend." I replied, spinning around to face her. She smiled, one of her warm, all knowing smiles.
"Are you going with Jess-"
"No, it's another friend. One from work." I said quickly, sitting on the edge of the couch to put my shoes on.
"Is he the one that had you smiling like you just won the lottery the other night?" She asked, acting more as a friend then a mother for a second.
"Yeah. His name is Bennett." I watched her smile start to falter.
"As in Bennett Banks, right?" I nodded, knowing exactly what she was about to refer to.
It was no secret that Bennett and Hannah had been in a car accident a year ago, everyone here in town knew. His family was loved, put up on a pedestal, so the second something happened they were on the news.
"And you said this boy was pessimistic? Are you sure he won't hur-"
"He wouldn't hurt me, Mom. He's a good person." I said, making my way toward the door, "I promise he's not going to hurt me, Mom. Don't worry."
*
I don't think I'd ever felt so out of place in my life. Bennett looked even more so then I did, and I could feel my hand grab his and forced a reassuring smile on to my face.
"Come on." I dragged him behind me as we made our way into the crowded park, making sure he was at least smiling.
"Bennett! Oh, darling! Look how much you've grown!" I heard a woman's voice say before Bennett's hand was torn from me and he was pulled into a hug. I laughed, crossing my arms over my chest as I watched Bennett get engulfed in a group hug.
"Who are you?" One of the little girls asked, tugging on my hand with big eyes, "Are you Bennett's girlfriend?" I could tell by her crystal blue eyes and dark hair that she had some relation to Bennett.
"Sort of." I answered, "I'm a friend of his, that's a girl." She rolled her eyes.
"That's not what I meant." I smiled down at her, and after a few seconds of trying to keep a straight face, she started laughing.
". . . I know, Aunt Irene. Anyway, this is Sydney. Sydney, this is my Aunt and her three kids Minnie, Lisa, and Ryan." I waved at the young kids, winking at the youngest, Minnie, beside me. She giggled and grabbed on to her mom's hand.
"Is your hair naturally this color?" His aunt asked, running one hand through it. I blinked in surprise at the question.
"Aunt Irene." Bennett groaned.
"I'm sorry, that was rude. I'm Irene. It's nice to see that Ben has finally found himself a girl. That other one was nothing but a street rat." She walked away before Bennett or I could say a word, her kids running after her once they had waved goodbye to Bennett and me.
"Ben-"
"It's fine." He ran a hand through his hair, "I'm used to it. None of them liked her, they thought I could do better." He shrugged, grabbing my hand again and pulling me toward the heart of the reunion. I saw his face start to grow red when he saw an elderly couple sitting at a table.
"I've got to go talk to someone. You can introduce yourself to my grandparents if you want." I nodded, heading toward the table. The old woman looked up with a small smile.
"Who might you be? I don't think I've see you here before." She said, glancing toward her husband.
"I'm Sydney Hale. I'm a friend of Bennett's." I responded.
"Oh, you mean Baby Bennett. Oh, he's a wonderful boy, isn't he?" I nodded, scratching at my arm nervously.
"He is." I replied. I was about to ask how she was doing when Bennett stopped beside me, a little girl in his arms. She looked no older then three or four, with the same blonde hair and big green eyes I had seen in the pictures of Hannah at the hospital.
"This is Hannah's daughter, Erin. Er, this is my friend Sydney." The little girl peeked her head up from Bennett's neck, staring at me in horror.
"She's adorable." I said, waving my hand a little.
"Her parents didn't really like me, Hannah's I mean. But they wanted Erin to be able to have a family, so we invite them to everything." Bennett sat down at a bench, letting Erin bury herself against his neck again.
"Does she know you're not-"
"Yeah. Her parents make sure of it." He cut me off, caressing her small hand.
"I don't think she's old enough to understand that Hannah's. . . that she's gone. And she's all I have left of her, Sydney." I nodded, sitting beside him and tucking my feet under me. Erin peeked her out again, looking at me, but this time she giggled when I waved.
"She likes you." Bennett whispered in my ear, "You should feel honored. She's a lot like me, she doesn't really like a lot of people."
*
"No, no. I'm sorry, Bennett!" I gasped, shaking my head as he pulled me into his water, much to his cousins amusement. I resurfaced with a vengeance, splashing water in his face repeatedly.
This went on for over an hour before we went back and sat by the tree facing the river, watching as Bennett's family took their kids and got them cleaned up for the barbeque.
"I'm freezing. If I get a cold or flu, I'm making you pay for it." I grumbled, hugging my towel tighter around me as a light breeze started to blow around us, rustling the leaves.
"Sure, okay." Bennett replied, shooting me a weak smile. I reached over and poked his bare stomach, frowning when I realized just how skinny he was.
"You need to eat more, Bennett." I hated how motherly I sounded, "You're way to skinny."
"So you'd rather me be fat?" He replied with a cocked eyebrow.
"No, you'd be doughy. You'd be my Pillsbury Dough Boy." I joked. He tried to stop himself, but within the next few seconds we were both laughing.
Once we both calmed down, Bennett took his towel and wrapped it around me, rubbing my arm.
"It is kind of chilly out here." He said, a mischievous look in his eyes, "I bet if we get naked and cuddle that we'd be warmer." I snickered, leaning back against his arm.
"Sydney. . ." Bennett trailed off as I pulled my head away from him and turned it in his direction.
He wants to kiss you idiot! Do something.
Despite my inner voice trying to get me to move, my body sat frozen in front of him.
"Fuck it." He growled before pushing himself from the ground and kissing me, his hands cupping my cheeks. I grabbed his slick shoulder, only causing me to fall into him like the klutz I am.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-" He laid his index finger against my lips, smiling.
"Don't talk." He leaned forward and kissed me again, this time deepening it. I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling away and resting my forehead against his.
"I can't get you out of my head either, Mr. Pessimist." I whispered, "Now I want you to go get something to eat before I have to hand feed you myself." He snorted, wrapping his arms around me.
"That doesn't sound so bad to me."
For a second, as we sat there, I was sure I had finally broken down Bennett's final wall. I was also aware that he hadn't entirely moved on from Hannah yet, but I was willing to stay here with him until he was ready to.
***AN****
Sorry for the short chapter.
I hope you enjoyed it anyway!
Let me know what you thought!
~ChasingMadness24