When Worlds Collide
Chapter 5
By: Bella
Benji and Tristen had decided to eat at a Mexican restaurant in the same hotel and casino that the were already in. They ordered and waited for their drinks to come.
"So, I know you're not really into the whole 'punk' thing and all, but you never did tell me what you had planned to do before your band took off," Benji commented.
"Well, to tell you the truth, I had no clue," Tristen said. "I have a degree in biological sciences, but I hadn't really decided what profession I wanted to go in to. And, I really didn't have the time to decide. Right after we all graduated we immediately relocated to LA to start recording the album, and from then on we've basically been on the road. It was this or graduate school, and I figured graduate school could wait a year or two but this was a once in a lifetime opportunity."
"Where'd you graduate from?" he asked.
"Stanford," she replied.
"Wow... that's... wow. Impressive. Nice school, from what I've heard," he said, a bit taken aback.
"Yes, it is," she agreed a little embarrassed. It always embarrassed her when people were impressed by her academic achievements. Especially since she had not gone further or put what she had accomplished to use.
"So, you must be pretty smart then," he said, sounding surprised. "You know, not that I didn't think you were smart before." he added, feeling stupid.
She laughed. "Well, I'd call myself motivated, I guess. I took academics so seriously when I was in junior high and high school. I swear, all I did was eat, drink, and sleep school. I didn't have friends, boyfriends, jobs, and all that other teenager stuff. I was so boring," she admitted.
"Doesn't sound boring, sounds intelligent. If I would have been more like you when I was a teenager, I'd be a much saner person today," he said with a smile.
"I don't know if I turned out sane though. Sometimes I think I missed out, you know? And now that I'm finally getting to goof around and have fun, I feel like everyone around me is starting to grow up and act more like I acted before. Everyone I know my age is going to graduate school, or getting important jobs, or getting married, or starting families, and I think I'll always be a step behind."
Her statement startled her. Although she had always felt that way, she had never said it out loud.
"I think I know what you mean, in a way," Benji sympathized. "I'm kind of at a point in my life when I'm ready to settle down and grow up, but I just don't really know how to act the part."
"Exactly," Tristen said while nodding her head for emphasis. She felt the same way.
Their drinks came. Benji had ordered a coke and Tristen had ordered a sprite. They both thanked the waitress and took sips of their drinks. As they did this, a young couple with two children sat at a table next to them.
"Mommy, this is what I was telling you about!" one of the little girls shouted excitedly, which caused Benji and Tristen to both look at the little girl and smile. The little girl looked like a miniature version of Tristen.
"Shh, not so loud in the restaurant, sweetie. It's just a fork," her mother replied.
"No, it's a dinglehopper! It's just like the one the big birdie combs his hair with," the little girl said, referring to the movie The Little Mermaid. She then attempted a demonstration, but when her hand flew back to run the fork through the back of her hair, she lost grip and the fork was thrown onto Benji and Tristen's table.
Both Benji and Tristen laughed hard as Benji handed the fork to the little girl's mother and the parents apologized to them. Still amused, they looked at each other with smiles on their faces.
"Kids are so cute. I can't wait to have kids someday," Benji commented.
"Me either. I've always wanted a family. A big one," Tristen said.
"How big?" he asked.
"I don't know exactly. Not too big, but definitely at least a few kids. I was an only child and my parents were pretty loaded, so I was lonely growing up in a huge house with no brothers or sisters to keep me company."
"I grew up with two other brothers and one sister, and it was really nice to always have them there for me."
Their conversation was then interrupted by the waitress arriving with their food.
---
"I'm stuffed," Benji said, pushing his plate away and patting his stomach.
"Me too," Tristen said, taking a sip of her soda. "The food was excellent."
"Yeah, mine was really good," Benji agreed. When the bill arrived, Benji immediately grabbed it and got out his wallet.
"Oh no, don't do that! It's my treat, besides, I've got more than enough to take care of it," she said, taking the wad of cash that she had won earlier out of her purse.
"No, I pay. I insist," Benji smiled at her and put his credit card on the tray as the waitress came by to collect it.
"Can I at least pay for my half?" she tried to bargain.
"No can do," he said, shaking his head and signing the receipt that the waitress had brought back, along with his credit card. He put his credit card back in his wallet, they both thanked the waitress, and they left the hotel/casino and headed down the strip, going no where in particular. When they reached the water show in front of the Bellagio hotel, they stopped to watch it. It was beginning to get dark, so the lights and water looked beautiful.
Benji looked down at Tristen and watched her as she watched the water. She was smiling and the light caused her to glow. He thought she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her a little closer to him.
Surprised but pleasantly by his gesture, she too wrapped her arm around his waist and looked up at him to see him already looking at her. Their eyes met.
"You're so beautiful," was all he could say to her.
"So are you," she replied.
"What would you do if I kissed you right now?" he asked, hoping that he wouldn't scare her away.
"Kiss you back," she answered as he smiled and they both leaned in. Their lips met and it was unlike any kiss either of them had ever experienced. Once they parted, the water show had ended and neither knew what to say because they were in such shock. As they continued up the strip, they came across one of the many little wedding chapels that Las Vegas is famous for.
A newlywed couple was racing out of the chapel laughing happily. The groom wore a suit and the bride wore a simple white dress. She was holding a small bouquet and threw it up in the air, where it landed at Tristen and Benji's feet. Tristen looked down at the bouquet, surprised, and then turned and watched as the two got into a Taxi and kissed as the Taxi drove off. She then turned back around and looked at Benji, who was smiling at her.
"Wanna get married?"