Ben
September 9, 2005
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One week later
*
After spending all weekend together, I haven't been able to see my Little Hurricane all week. We stuck to just talking thanks to my stupid brother who just couldn't take a hint.
Or maybe he knew and just wanted to screw me over. Except not literally, nope, no screwing, at least not in my room.
Why is he here all the time anyway? Yeah, sure, he sits in a few classes, but he's in highschool. He really needs to just stay home.
And I really need to see my Beautiful.
She's been busy studying, or so she says, but I have a feeling she's just avoiding me. I'm not sure why, but it ends today. It's finally Friday and she has no excuses. Now I just need a plan.
It has to be really good.
The last date I tried did not go very well, she hated it before it even happened. I mean, who doesn't like bowling?
Is there something else we can do where I can stare at her butt all day? Hmm, maybe mini golf?
Nah, she probably hates that too.
I should stick to something simple, something basic. Something like dinner and a movie.
That's it!
I'll just do that. Get flowers, maybe some chocolate, treat her like a queen. Girls like that, right?
She can't get mad at me for spoiling her, can she? No way! This is a great plan.
Now, I just need to get her to actually go. This may be the hardest part. I'm going to need some help.
Shit.
Picking up my phone, I dial the one person who seems to hate me for no reason.
Here goes nothing.
The line clicks, but there's no greeting. There's nothing but faint background noise to let me know she hasn't hung up yet.
Then I hear it.
The voice that soothes my soul and makes my heart race at the same time. In the back is my mind, I know I should just hang up, but that thought is drowned out by the sheer excitement I feel at the sound of her siren's call.
I've missed her so much.
Red's voice is muffled and hard to understand, but Kat's replies comes through clearly. "I mean, I love him, but I just... I don't know."
Holy shit. Is she talking about me? What doesn't she know? Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
This is bad.
There's another voice, that I can't quite recognize. "I know what you mean. I'm just not sure if Luke is The One."
"What? Are you serious?" Red screeches in my ear. She must have shifted the phone or something.
Jesus. She's so fucking loud.
"I mean, how do you know?" The voice I now assume to be Sophie is so faint I can barely hear her.
Shit. Poor Luke.
"I thought you guys were perfect together, so how the hell should I know? I think I've just lost faith in love." I sit with my mouth hanging open as Red continues this fucking depressing conversion.
Damn. Poor Nate.
"So, what about Ben?" I listen intently as Soph asks the question that fills me with dread.
Fuck. Poor me.
"What about him?" My hurricane fires back. I'd probably appreciate her smart ass reply, if it was any other question.
"You know, is he The One?" Sophie's soft giggle does nothing for my nerves.
"Oh. Well, yeah. I mean, it's not him that I don't know about." I hear collective gasps as Kat blows all our minds.
Wait. What the fuck does that even mean?
"What the fuck does that mean?" Red echoes my thoughts. That was kinda creepy.
Kat sighs. "I mean-"
"Hey guys, it's time for Psych class. You ready?" An unfamiliar voice interrupts the most important moment of my life.
Shit. Fuck. No. No. NO.
I hate you random voice. You suck.
That was fucking intense and I still need to talk to Red. Maybe I should stick to texting, but where would be the fun in that?
I shoot off a quick text to Red to call me before I start shoving things into my pockets.
Keys.
Wallet.
Phone.
Dignity?
I'll just leave that on the floor where I lost it earlier. Why the fuck did I listen in like a creeper?
Why am I such an idiot? What did any of that even mean?
Shit. Now I just have a million questions and an epic date to plan. This should go well...
"Get it together." I glare at my own stupid face in the mirror, but it doesn't make me feel any calmer.
Driving to the store, all I can think about is Kat. She doesn't know about what?
By the time I get a shopping cart, my brain has replayed the conversation a thousand times.
Fuck.
Okay, get it together. Focus. First things first, flowers. Should I go classic with a single rose? Or get a full bouquet? I wish I knew her favorite flower. You would think with all the talking we did, that would have come up, but no.
I know her favorite color is red, but does that include flowers?
Fuck it. I'm going all out. Why not?
I grab the biggest bouquet they have and it even comes in a vase with hearts all over it. Perfect.
Damn. I wish I could get a bottle of wine here. It's one thing to get into a bar underage, but a store is a whole different ballgame.
I grab a bottle of sparkling cider, just for the heck of it and head to the chocolate aisle.
Now, what kind of chocolate? She usually goes for cake, but that's not super romantic to hold behind my back. I've never seen her eat dark chocolate, but then again I've rarely seen her eat anything. Should I get the peanut butter kind? Or maybe caramel? Or the kind with nuts?
I giggle like the immature schoolboy that I am, before realizing I'm in public and I've been staring at chocolate for 15 minutes, more than likely muttering to myself.
The grey haired lady next to me looking at the hard candies gives me a look, before reaching for a bag just out of her reach. Without thinking, I pull it down for her with my empty hand.
Before I can hand them to her, her face lights up, a broad smile completely transforming her face. "Why thank you, handsome young man."
"You are quite welcome." I almost called her beautiful in return, but I caught myself. Only one Beautiful in my life.
"Your girlfriend is a lucky girl." She gestures towards the flowers.
"Nah. I'm the lucky one." I'm sure I'm blushing at this point, but there's nothing I can do about it.
"Why don't you get this one? These are my favorites." She pulls a medium size variety box from the shelf and hands it to me.
Perfect.
"Thank you. I think I was overthinking it just a little." I probably would have been here a lot longer before finally making a choice.
"Just a little, huh?" Her laugh is like a warm hug, surrounding you until you're no longer sure why you're even laughing in the first place. It's infectious.
She's infectious.
I reach out my hand to her once the laughter dies down. "I'm Ben."
She takes my hand gently in hers, patting the top of it with her other hand. "Nice to meet you, Ben. I'm Louise, but you can call me Grandma Lou, God knows everyone else does."
It comes out like it's an annoyance, but her spark in her eyes tell me she wouldn't trade it for the world.
I wish she were my grandma.
"Oh! I guess I better stop yapping your ear off before you drop something." She gives me a soft, sad smile.
"Well, thanks again for the help, Louise." I smile back before heading to the checkout. I lay everything down on the conveyer belt and reach for my wallet.
Shit. I still have her candy.
I just stole candy from an old lady, pretty sure I'm going to Hell.
Glancing around, I see no sign of her anywhere.
As the clerk checks my hundred dollar bill, out of the corner of my eye I see Louise coming towards me, frantically telling me to wait.
"Just a sec." The cashier gives me a pleasant smile, but I can tell she's a little annoyed.
Louise pushes her cart up behind me, throwing her items onto the belt. "You still have my candy. Did you pay already?"
I nod and she just sighs.
I hand the confused cashier another hundred. "I'm getting her's too."
She nods and begins scanning her items as I move back to help Lou load the belt.
Once the cart is empty, we move up to load it with bags. While Louise is busy getting it all back in, the cashier hands back my change.
I start pushing the cart towards the door, but she's not having it. "Wait. I haven't paid yet!"
"Yes you did." I push on the cart again, but she's blocking it.
"Listen here, I might be old, but I'm not senile. I know I didn't pay yet, so just hold your horses." She turns back to the cashier, but the next person in line is already swiping their card.
Her face is screwed up in confusion and I begin to wonder if I might have made a mistake.
Without a word, she moves out if the way, letting me follow her out of the store. She opens the trunk and I help her load the bags into it.
Suddenly, her face lights up with realization. "You paid, didn't you?"
I chuckle. "I have no idea what you are talking about."
"What are you doing? You're a young college kid." She looks at me skeptically, like she'll find the answer written somewhere on my face.
She won't.
"Don't worry about it." That's right, I should be poor and struggling. Shit.
"I can buy my own damn groceries. I don't need you starving because of me." She takes out her wallet, pulling out cash.
"Seriously, I'll be fine." I'm not sure how to say I'm rich without actually saying it.
"If you say so. How about you take my number and if you ever need anything, I'll repay the favor." She takes my hand in hers, patting it again,
"That's really not necessary." I wish she would just drop it. It's really not a big deal.
"My husband runs a jewellery shop, specializing in engagement rings." She winks, but my head is spinning.
Engagement rings? No fucking way. It's way, way, way too soon for that.
"Or I can get you a great discount on a necklace, if you'd rather." She winks at me again.
Not like I need the discount, but if I'm giving anyone my business, I want it to be her.
"You know what I'll take your number, just in case." Who knows what the future will hold. I type it into my phone and pray Kat doesn't notice a new woman's name.
"See, I can still be useful." She says it more to herself than to me.
"Here, just in case." I write down my number on the back of my receipt and hand to her, since she doesn't have a cell phone. "Now, where is that shop, exactly?"
Looks like I have one more stop to make.
***
*****
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Alright guys! This chapter is a lot longer than my usual, but I wanted to make up for taking so long. 😀 Hope you enjoy a little extra time with Benny boy.
I still need ideas for the 100k celebration, so please let me know if you think of anything!!
(And if you have no clue what the heck I'm talking about, please go see the last chapter of Run. 😉)
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Character inspiration for Louise