Hate Every Beautiful Day
Chapter 22
By: Makena
"Someone just pulled in your driveway, Shannon," Joel informed. Shannon leaned back in her chair to look out the window at the giant maroon van that had just pulled into her driveway.
"That's Makena," she said, taking a bite of her cereal. Joel nodded and watched through the window for a moment longer.
"And Benji," he said, watching his brother climb out of the van. The top stairs creaked and Nicole climbed down, rubbing one of her eyes with he heal of her hand and yawning.
"What's for breakfast?" she questioned. She was wearing flannel pajama pants and a Ramone's t-shirt that was way too big on her, and her hair stuck out in every direction.
"There's cereal in the kitchen," Shannon said. "My brother's in there, though."
"Cool... maybe I can scare him?" she laughed, pushing open the swinging door that lead to the kitchen.The doorbell rang and Shannon shoveled a bite of cereal into her mouth before getting up to let her friend and Benji in. She stood in the doorway for a moment, looking the two over. They looked suspicious.
"Come in," she sighed. Benji kept his gaze on the ground as he walked past Shannon, but Makena stayed where she was.
"Um... sorry, I stole your date last night," she apologized, slowly walking through the front door. "He was gonna get in trouble, and I didn't want to hang around with Aaron after our fight. I guess I didn't think..." Shannon sighed.
"It's okay," she interrupted. "It was a stupid dance." She paused and closed the door, still only wearing her own pajamas. "So... what did you and Aaron have a fight about?"
"Would you believe it was about Benji?" Makena replied. "He thought I was spending too much time with Benji or... something, and... I actually got kind of confused, but it ended up with him being jealous."
"Ah... how interesting..." Shannon said. "What'd you two do after you left?"
"We went to my house," Makena replied, quickly adding "he slept on the couch" when she noticed the playful grin creep across Shannon's face. Meanwhile, at the table where Joel was sitting, the twins were having their own discussion on the previous night.
"You disappeared," Joel said. Benji nodded shivered slightly, wearing just the t-shirt and not the sweater.
"I know."
"Why?"
Benji sighed and yawned a little, still a little tired. "I started another fight," he replied truthfully. "With Aaron." He paused and noticed the "not again!" look on Joel's face, and continued. "He deserved it, though. He wouldn't let Makena go, and..."
He trailed off as the kitchen door swung open and Nicole appeared, holding a bowl of Lucky Charms.
"Hey, Shannon?" she called. "When was the last time you bathed your brother?"
"Well, seeing as how I kind of leave that up to him," Shannon replied. "Not a whole lot."
Nicole nodded. "I was afraid so." She paused. "He needs a bath." She paused again and looked down at Benji, smiling. "Hello, Benjamin. What brings you here?"
"That would be me," Makena said, walking into the dining area. "Where are the guys?"
"Would you believe it if I told you they're still sleeping?" Shannon replied with a laugh.
"I would be too, but..." Makena trailed off and paused. "The... phone rang..."
"Well THAT didn't sound suspicious," Paul said sarcastically, descending down the stairs.
"Of course not," Makena replied, batting her eyes at him. "Why would I sound suspicious?"
She grinned and looked over at Benji and winked. Benji gave her a half smile before suddenly feeling hungry and wondering if Shannon's brother was still in the kitchen.
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Benji watched her at lunch. And during every class he had with her, and when she was walking out of play rehearsals right after he had football practice and whenever she popped into his view.
'Why?' Benji thought to himself while he clenched his fist and bit down to tighten his jaw so he didn't say anything stupid he would either regret or beat himself up for later. 'Why?! This isn't supposed to be how it works! SHE'S supposed to follow me around and fall in love with ME! NOT the other way around!'
He winced when he noticed her walk slowly up to Aaron after her play rehearsals. They talked together for a moment before Makena nodded and hugged him. It looked so funny, her and him. He was so tall and she was short. Like him... she was almost his height. They wouldn't look quite as odd...
'Stop it, Benjamin,' Benji thought bitterly, shaking his head and trying to look away. 'She doesn't like you. It was a one time thing - she has a boyfriend. It wasn't supposed to happen.'
He let out a broken sigh and untwisted his Pepsi cap. He was slowly trying to get himself off the alcohol he had befriended, but it was a slow process and he knew he would have a drink when he got home.
'Bah,' he thought, taking the last sip and making a b-line for the trashcan. 'I can't do it... I need it. The only reason I started giving it up was for her...'
He paused when he noticed Aaron kiss her softly on the cheek and walk towards the parking lot. Alone. Makena hung back and watched him, waiting until she couldn't see him to turn around. She stopped short when she saw Benji watching her and smiled.
"Hi," she said, walking towards him. Benji watched her walk towards him, wondering if he had let his mind wander or if it was actually happening. Makena stopped just in front of him and smiled again.
"So... is it safe to talk to you today, or are we going to forget the whole "friends" thing we... I... agreed to on Saturday?"
Benji shrugged and clutched his backpack strap with one hand. Makena laughed and shifted her weight to one foot, readjusting the small stack of books in her arms.
"I'll take that as yes," she said. "To the "safe to talk to you" thing."
Benji nodded. "Okay."
Makena laughed again. They stood in silence for a moment before Benji suddenly leaned forward and kissed her on the lips. Taken by surprise, Makena jerked back a little, but let Benji kiss her anyway.
"Um... hi..." she said with a small laugh as he pulled away.
"Sorry," Benji said, blushing slightly and lowering his head towards the ground. "I don't know why I did that."
Makena nodded and laughed a little. "Why is it you're so bad ass and not afraid to speak your mind, but... when it comes to me - recently, that is - you're not as confident as you always are?"
Benji blushed again and kicked at the ground. "Um... because..." he began. "I... like you..."
Makena smiled and nodded. Benji looked up shyly at her for her reaction. "Oh," she said. Benji's heart sank. He sighed a little kicked at the ground again.
"Um... that's kind of interesting," Makena continued, scratching her forehead a little. "Because I think I kind of like you too." Hope began to build in Benji again as he looked back up at her.
"R-really?" he asked. Makena nodded but bit her bottom lip. She sighed.
"But... I have a boyfriend," she said as the last bit of hope left Benji once again. "And I like him too." She paused. "Benji, I can't like you both. And Aaron and I... we've been together longer and..." She paused again and sighed. "Benji, I like Aaron. We're... together."
"But... you just kissed me," Benji protested.
"I know," Makena said. "I just... god, Benji, I'm sorry. I didn't know what I was thinking and..." She sighed and began to back up.
"I'm sorry, Benji," she said, turning around to walk away. Benji sighed sadly to himself. He stood by the wall for a moment before whipping around and punching the hard brick wall. He took out a bottle of liquor from his backpack and began to slowly down it as he began his long walk home.