☆𝐁𝐞𝐧 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐲 𝐈𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬☆

𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬=𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬

᯾short story᯾

"𝙸 𝙲𝙰𝙽 𝚃𝙴𝙻𝙻 𝚃𝙷𝙰𝚃 𝚆𝙴 𝙰𝚁𝙴
𝙶𝙾𝙽𝙽𝙰 𝙱𝙴 𝙵𝚁𝙸𝙴𝙽𝙳𝚂"
-𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐞𝐬

𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝟏𝟑

"this is going to be fun. it'll be out of your comfort zone" my friend, jennifer, smiles at me. i looked at her with a blunt facial expression. i didn't want to lie and say that i volunteered to come to this party. it was, what you call... charity work, plus she wouldn't shut up about it. at all.
she complained all week at school about it, and some of the people around her wasn't helping either talking about it like it was going to be the best thing to happen.

thomas was one to throw parties a lot and i would say from what i heard, they weren't the best. it consisted of the popular kids who thought they were party animals and brought the life everywhere they went because of their social class but really, they just had bland personalities and show offs.

not to brag but if i actually decided to go to a party, i would definitely be the one to keep it going, but i wouldn't do that because they don't deserve me. unless of course, charity work.

"what if i don't want to get out of my comfort zone?" i reply to her statement. she didn't say anything, only looked at me.

"four stages" i held up the number with my fingers. what are the four stages you may ask? it's my boredom meter. when it reached four, i'm leaving and never coming back. one being a small warning, either do something cool or it will rise. it may seem like i'm not easy to impress, but it's true. i'm not very easy to impress. your bar raises higher and higher over the years.

𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐞

i stayed in the kitchen most of the time. i looked inside the cooler for a drink but only saw bottles of beers. i grabbed one out of curiosity and opened it taking a sip from it without any thought. my scrunched up and i slowly but quickly spit it back into the bottle. after i did so i only held it for a minute or two longer till some random guy came up to me sweaty and breathing heavy.

"hey, you gonna drink that?" he pointed to the brown bottle. i looked at the bottle than back to him. "no"

"can i have it?"

i stayed quiet for a few seconds looking at him before outstretching my arm and handing it to him. he thanked me and walked off taking a drink from it. "damn..." a guy beside me says as he saw what just just happened. "couldn't be put to waste" i shrugged my shoulders and picked up a strawberry taking a bite off of it.

i danced in the corner by myself in my own little world with my earphones in. i didn't know the song that was playing outside my music but it didn't matter since the last song i heard was some kind of edm beat and the crowd swinging their heads everywhere. i felt hands on my hips and my mood immediately changed. "ew! get off of me!" i pushed the guy away from me and moved somewhere else.

𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐰𝐨

after being disturbed and my mood ruined, i didn't want to dance anymore. so i went back to the kitchen to my original spot. i looked around watching trying to find something amusing to the slightest.

i looked towards the kitchen's entrance and watched as someone poured something inside a cup. "is your life that miserable" i spoke in a monotone voice but loud enough for him to hear me but it caught the people around me attention. "excuse me?" he chuckled. "you literally just drugged someone's drink in the middle of the kitchen with people all around you, did you think no one would notice"

other than the loud music, it was quiet in the small area. i raised my eyebrows at the random stranger as he didn't say anything. i walked over to him and took the cup from his hand and tossed it in his face. small laughter and whispers from sounded inside the kitchen.

i sighed as i turned around with an eye roll. "i fucking hate this"

"wow.." that same guy from earlier said with amusement in his voice as i stood beside him again with my arms crossed.

"what happened to you?" a girl walked up to him with confusion on her face.

"ask that bitch over there" the guy pointed over to me. i rises my eyebrows with a small smile on my face.

"i would consider finding someone who doesn't wear khaki shorts and bright color pattern button ups with blonde hair swept to the side who drugs drinks when the person is gone" i looked up through my lashes and held my eye contact with the girl. 

they started a argument, so i just pretended i didn't do anything and closed my eyes. "do this often?" the guy beside me ask. "no" i replied carelessly. i opened my eyes and looked at him. "i do more than this half of the time"

𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞

i wandered around the house like it was a museum. i looked at the family pictures on the wall and thought to myself. 'typical rich people'
i continued my adventure down the hallway when looking inside random rooms. i found one in particular. "you've got to be shitting me" i whispered to myself. a game room. this guy has a whole arcade inside of his house. i went inside closing the door behind me and looking over the games. i decided to choose pac-man since that game makes me concentrate.

i was so deep into the game, i didn't hear someone open the door and walk inside.

"level six" the voice said from behind me. i jumped and messed up my turn causing me to get eaten by a ghost. the famous death sound filling up the room making me upset. i turn around and was met face to face with the guy from downstairs.

"kitchen boy" i say out loud with a head tilt. "sure, if that's what you want to call me" he chuckled and backed away from me so there could be more space between.

"we're you wandering around too?" i questioned him deciding to start a small conversation so there wouldn't be an awkward silence between us. "yeah, the kitchen got pretty boring when you left"

"i know" i joked turning back around to the game. "but am i sure you were just bored or were you following me" i looked over my shoulder. "definitely just bored and wandering around" he said from the other side of the room since he was looking around.

"ouch" i reply plainly as i focused on the game. there was silence for a few seconds until i lost the level again. "let me try" he popped up behind me again causing my breath to get caught. "do you not make noise?" i sarcastically question him and back away from the game standing off to the side. "not really—" he smirked as he looked into the blue screen moving the joystick around. "i'm...stealthy" he replied slowly as he concentrates on the game.

"what made you want to choose pac-man anyway, this is the easiest game ever" he continued but stayed focused. "says the one who died four times already. "the other three times were warm ups, and the last one was a practice round" he excused his horrible gaming. he raised up straighter as he watched the yellow guy get eaten. "i'm not a fan of arcade games anyway" he put his hands in his leather jackets pockets and looked at me. "want to go back downstairs?" he asks.

my lips went off to the side as i took a few steps around with my arms crossed. "not really" i let out a small laugh at myself. "i didn't really want to be here in the first place but my friend wouldn't shut up about it. but it's fine, i only gave this party four chances"

"four chances of what?"

"if it'll get interesting or not.."

"well...how many chances has it used?"

"three"

"hm" he hummed to himself and looked down at his leather boots. you could definitely say he stood out the most at this party. he was dressed in all black, it could be suspicious, but he was stylish. a black tee, leather jacket along with the boots, and black jeans with chains. i wouldn't be surprised if he had tattoos on him.

"i bet can i make the fourth chance something interesting' to your liking. i can say that the both of us wasted this night. especially on friday the thirteenth. don't you think we should do something that fits that instead of being at a party with the over privileged"

"if you want me to go with you somewhere, i won't because you're a stranger"

"okay...then i'm ben and you will be..." he trailed off. i stared down at my shoes, my arms still crossed. i look back up at him with a head tilt. he raised his eyebrows at me with a small smile on his face waiting for me to finish his sentence. "chewbacca"
i tried to hold back my laugh as i replied but so much came out.

"nice to meet you chewbacca. so since we're not strangers anymore, shall we?"

i told jennifer that i was going home because i wasn't feeling well and that ben was just a friend i had a class with. as we were walking outside, i took a look at his jacket. i didn't know there was a design on the back. death's soul. hmm.

"okay, you're in a gang. that's cool" i sarcastically say, but then i realized i had said my thoughts out loud though he didn't react so i guess he didn't hear me. he lead me over to a motorcycle and handed me the helmet. i stare down at it and look back at him. he was kind of confusing to read considering he had one of the most babiest faces i've ever seen.
"don't be scared" he gave me a charming smile and sat down in his seat revving up the engine. i sit down behind him and push the helmet down onto my head opening the small window to see better.

"hold on tight" 

i grabbed onto the seat behind me and sat there but we didn't move. he looked over his shoulder at me then i came to realization. "o-oh you want me to hold on here" i point to his torso. "yeah, i mean you'll feel more secured and i won't be anxious if you did" he chuckled. i let out a nervous laugh. "right, i mean—pshh yeah" i say as i wrap my arms around him. i didn't show it but i was beyond nervous because i've never been on a motorcycle before. these things are dangerous and he's a teen riding one like it's nothing.

'okay. just relax y/n, he knows what he's  doing'

ben pulled off away from the house going at a semi-fast speed. i wrapped my arms tighter around him and closed my eyes. "ever been on one of these before?" he asked. "no!" i answered quickly know that question was going to pop up sooner or later.

"ha, i can tell. can i fully breath, for at least a second"

"sorry!" i lightly loosened my grip around him. he laughed and went faster. "i was just joking with you, don't fly off alright"

i tensed up and opened my eyes in shock. i let out a cry and laid my head on his back as i imagined what he said. "ay, are you crying?"

when the bike started to slow down, i lifted my head up to see where we were. i didn't have my eyes closed the whole ride, i took some sneak peaks here and there.

he pulled up to this bar i believe that had a led sign that read 'Donnie's BeerHouse'
he parked his motorcycle in a space and we got off. i took off his helmet and placed it on his seat while fixing my hair.

"have fun?" he sighed with a smirk. "...eh" i shrugged my shoulders. 'no. i didn't' i thought to myself.

"i didn't really have an idea on where to go when we left that party so i relied on you instead but you didn't seem to come up with anything"

"i didn't know i had to" i followed him towards the entrance. "it's fine, we could hang out here. i mean, if you're okay with that" he opened the door sounding the bell and looked back at me. i look at him and nodded my head. as we walked inside, rock music played at a medium volume and it smelled like a cigarettes and alcohol mixed.

i followed ben to what i guess what the main part of the bar and was met with others, who were men and had on loads of leather. i froze in place standing behind ben as he greeted himself.

"welcome back" one guy said with a full beard and bandanna wrapped around his head. he sat on a stood beside two others with a beer in his hand. 

"did you enjoy the party, or was it too childish"

"it was alright" ben shrugged and gave me a water bottle. i wasn't really thirsty but i accepted it anyway because i felt that if i declined it, i would get stared at in a rude way. "alright? you brought home a doll! what's your name?"

i opened my mouth to answer but someone spoke before i did. "she's not interested" a girl walked passed us in a happy manner and going inside a room.

"where's vincent, i need to talk to him right quick" ben asks one his friend. 'please don't leave me. please don't leave me. please don't leave meeee' i repeated in my head in a panic but kept my composure calm. "he's in the back doing what ever he does daily"

"thanks. uhh stay here, make yourself comfortable, i'll be back shortly" ben tells me. 'AHAIASHAJ oh wow oh wow oh wow!'

"mhm" i nodded my head. he gave me a smile before walking out and i stood there. "so, you met ben at the party?"
the girl from earlier came back. i nodded my head staying silent. "what was he like? i mean how did you find him yada yada yada" she rolled her eyes with a smile.

"he was in the kitchen when i got there. i guess he was in there for a while and then we talked inside a game room because we were wandering around—individually of course! he ran into me while i was playing pac-man"

"playing pac man inside a game room?" she questioned. "mhm" i nodded my head again. "rich kids, i understand why you guys left now" she joked. i mumbled a small yeah and looked down at my water bottle that was still full. "my name is lisa, what's yours?"

"y/n"

"nice to meet you y/n....you seem nervous, i can see your muscles tensing all the way from over here"

"well of course she's going to be nervous, she's surrounded by a bunch of strangers mostly consisted of men inside a bar" i guy sitting on a couch says. "that's gavin, he's the only sane person here" lisa comments walking over to him and sitting in his lap. "everyone is sane in their own way" he wrapped his arms around her and rested his head on her chest.

i look around the bar and spot a pool table in another room. i awkwardly walk past everyone and enter inside the empty space. everything was already set and ready to go so i just removes the rack slowly and placed it to the side then grabbed a cue walked to the other side.

"for someone with a smart mouth, you're very quiet" ben's voice sounded and make me jump. "i was surrounded with people i went to school with"

"hey, what about me huh? we go to school" he pointed to himself. "i never seen you at school a day in my life" i shifted my weight onto one leg and placed my hand on my hip. "yeah i know, but i've been sometimes," he says. he grabbed himself a cue and went over beside me. "and i've seen you, always rolling your eyes at your friends dumb actions and whatnot"

"so what, you're stalking me and that's why you brought me here, so i could be your little pet?" i sarcastically say with a fake pout at the end. "no...but if you want to, i'll be up for it" he glanced at me with a small smile before he hit the balls. a solid went in the pocket first, so i was stripes.

"i bet-"
"oh wow" i cut him off with a playful scoff. "i'll bet that if i win, you can stay the night with me"

"here?" i questioned pouting to the ground referring to the bar quickly after taking my turn. "sure, there's a room in the back. i stay here most nights anyways" he tells me as he concentrates in his aiming. "would you like to place one too?" he leans back up and looks at me. "uh if i win you have to buy me cinnamon sticks"

he stared at me for a few seconds because letting out a laugh. i furrow my eyebrows confused on my why he was laughing. what's so funny about wanting cinnamon sticks?

"why are you laughing?"

"come on, there many things you could want and you bet on cinnamon sticks?"

"they're good, and i'm hungry" i defended myself and crossed my arms. "alright fine, deal" he held out his hand waiting for me to grab it. i did with a soft grip and pulled him in closer speaking in a low tone. "i want two boxes"

the game went by anxiously. there would be times i would miss a shot and he got a head of me but i was able to redeem myself. at one point he went three times in a row but that streak stoped once he kept messing up. right now, it was down to our last shot and i was playing. "don't stress. you wouldn't want to miss out on your sticks" he teased making me not as focused as i wanted to be. i cautiously pointed my cue and closed one eye so i could get my shot better.
i pulled back and pushed forward causing the ball to go at a medium pace but right when it was going towards the pocket, it hit off the corner and went the other way.

i gasped as i felt like my life just went down the drain and everything i just did felt like it was for nothing . i covered my eyes and let out a cry bowing my head falling to my knees.

"i win" ben says cheerfully. "it's okay" he patted my head. i stayed on the ground not making any eye contact with him or saying anything. "i can still get you some if you want" he still offered. i slowly lifted my head and looked at him with smile. "oh how sweet"

after ben had got the cinnamon sticks delivered, we sat in the room he mentioned earlier, watching tv. "want one?" i offered holding up the box. he shook his head and held his hand up declining my offer. "no thanks, it's the least i could do since you did lose"
i jokingly rolled my eyes and placed the box back in my lap. "i'm actually really good. tonight just wasn't my night that's all"

"oh yeah, definitely slacked tonight. we'll try again next time"

"psh, in your dreams, you will never survive the amount of loses" i said in a cocky attitude.
we laughed a little and went back to being silent. i tilted my head in thought and glanced at him. "you're taking me back home in the morning right?"

"well, i thought you would just stay for the weekend" he looked at me leaning his head back onto the headboard. "uhh nooo" a confused looked came upon my face. "the bet was for me to stay the night, not the weekend"

"want to bet again?" he smirked. "this time you stay till monday" he leaned his head down. he put his hand up to complete the bet and make it a deal so i cuffed my hand in his.

20 minutes later

"uh-" was the only thing that could leave my mouth as i stared at the pool table seeing all of his balls and the 8-ball gone into their pockets. "i thought you weren't going to make me survive with my loses...well i guess the tables have turned" he smiled putting his hand behind his neck. "i have pajamas" he put his cue back up against the wall and walked off.
i got out of my daze and put my cue back before following him back to the room.

"hey, i said tonight wasn't my tonight-"

"but you still agreed to the bet, chewy. you could've declined, i wouldn't have mind," he started saying making my shoulders slump. 'idiot' i thought to myself. "but you could've at least told me you weren't an actual good player, then i could've went easier on you" he says nonchalantly like it was nothing. my breathing stopped and my eyes widen. "i am a good player! the game is just rigged" i defended myself pointing my finger at him.

"it's fine, you don't have to lie" he laughed making it feel like smoke was coming from my ears. "whatever" i crossed my arms and walked away sitting on hit bed.

"also, you don't really have to stay, i won't make you. i just wanted to make another bet that's all. the bets have only been an affect on you really. ha, i don't even care" he sat beside me.

"akahkcha huh?!" i say out of shock his face went back straight as he seen my small outburst. "what? is it because i didn't care or-" he questioned clueless on why i reacted that way.

"yeah, i play pool twice with you with bets and you they don't mean anything to you this whole time because you just wanted to play the game with me in the first place, when all you had to do was ask to play again and now you tease and laugh at me because i'm not a good player, HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME!" i ranted, talking at a fast speed swinging my head around in frustration. ben bursted into a laughter falling onto his elbow from getting weak.

after a few seconds of thinking about the whole thing in my head, i slowly start to join in with him.

i decided i would stay with ben after all. he gave me gave me a shirt and a pair of boxers to wear as shorts for bed after the whole laughing party, since then we just laid beside each other bed.

"what's your name? other than chewbacca of course"

"who's asking?" i smiled into the darkness of the room. "the boy from next door, knock knock knock"

i giggle and shuffled onto my side. "it's y/n"

i see his shadow turn towards me. "it fits you. you're definitely a y/n in my book"

"is that a good thing?"

"yep," he says turning back to his original position and putting his arm under his head.

"and you'll be the only one"