Possessions
Chapter 16
By: Makena
The reception was held on the main level at the Holiday Inn. Aaron and Raemie sat at the center of a long table that could be seen by everyone. The dance floor was a live with music and people who didn't even care what they looked like. Those that weren't out on the dance floor were sitting at tables or socializing with each other.
Makena sat at the end of the long table next to another bride's maid, who was busy trying to spot Good Charlotte. Makena rolled her eyes and took up her champaign glass, gulping it down. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and burped slightly before looking around the room. It was full of couples - old and young - having fun together as they celebrated the newest couple in the room. Makena sighed sadly to herself and stood, walking towards Aaron and Raemie.
"Congrats," she said above the music. Aaron and Raemie turned towards her and smiled.
"Thank you!" Raemie said. She paused. "You're not leaving now are you?"
Makena shook her head - a lie. "No - I was just going to run up to my room and get something. I just wanted to say congratulations."
"Thanks," Aaron said, bending down to kiss her softly on the cheek before whispering in her ear. "You'll find yours soon."
Makena forced a smile and nodded a little as Aaron and Raemie started talking to an older couple who had walked up to their table. She used that opportunity to slip out of the large double doors, unnoticed.
Except for by Benji, who's eye's hadn't left her since the ceremony.
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Makena slipped a bobby pin into the locked door - a trick Shannon had taught her once - and opened the door. She left the bobby pin in the lock as she climbed the stairs to the roof in flannel pajama pants and a gray hooded sweat shirt. A blast of cool wind hit her face as she reached the roof of the hotel. She fingered the object she had hidden in her sweatshirt sleeve and slowly walked towards the edge. She looked down to see if a fall would leave her injured or dead. Deciding that the fall would kill her, Makena glanced over the city of Waldorf as a single tear fell and a new blast of wind blew her blond hair back.
"Good bye," she muttered. "I never loved you."
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Benji had snuck away from the wedding reception and the alcohol to follow her. Staying hidden, he watched as Makena picked a lock with a bobby pin and disappeared. He looked around and began to follow her when he was sure no one was watching. Thankful she had left the bobby pin jammed in the door, Benji found it easy to climb the stairs and to the roof. He emerged at the top and immediately saw Makena, teetering over the edge of the building.
"Makena!" Benji called before having a chance to think.
Surprised, Makena whirled around and furiously tried to wipe her face clean of the single tear that had fallen.
"Go away," she told him, turing back towards the edge.
"Makena... why?" Benji asked, slowly inching towards her.
Makena didn't respond. Benji slowly took in a deep breath and continued to slowly walk towards her.
"Why do you want to do this to yourself?" he asked her. "You have so much..." Makena shook her head.
"They're just possessions, Benji," she said. "They're just stupid fucking possessions." She paused. "You can have them. I don't want them."
"What are you so afraid of?" Benji asked. Makena frowned.
"Nothing," she replied quickly. "Go away."
"Why?" Benji asked again. "Why this? It doesn't have to be this way."
"Yes, Benji, it does," Makena retorted. She paused and sighed unhappily. "I can't win."
Benji frowned in confusion. "What?"
"It's a losing battle, Benj," she explained. "I can't win."
"I..."
"Just go away, Benji."
"Please don't," he said suddenly. Makena turned to face him and noticed that he was standing almost right next to her.
"Why not?" she asked him as tears began to form again and her voice began to waver. Suddenly she began to cry. "I'm so alone." Benji said anything as she began to shake as tears spilled. "I don't want to be alone anymore," she sobbed. Benji's heart quickened as he realized that he, too, was very alone. He was always in the company of Joel, Paul, Billy and more recently Chris, but he was still very much alone.
"Marry me," he said suddenly. Makena stopped crying for a minute and looked down at Benji.
"What?" she asked.
"Marry me, Makena," Benji repeated. "I love you - you're the only one I have."
"You have Joel," Makena said. Benji shook his head.
"He's my brother," he said. He paused. "I'm alone, too. Please - marry me." Makena glanced over the edge of the hotel again.
"Makena, please," Benji said again, holding his hand out. Makena looked at him again before taking his hand and stumbling down from the ledge into Benji's arms.
"Is that a yes?" Benji asked. Makena nodded, not letting go of Benji. An object fell from her sweat shirt sleeve and fell with a clang to the ground. Both Benji and Makena looked down to see a knife, glistening in the sun. They looked back up at each other.
"Just in case," she told him before coming back in for another long hug.
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Benji helped Makena back down to the main floor where they were greeted by a curious and half furious Aaron when he noticed the two. Makena was huddled under Benji's left arms for protection against the world and herself.
"Makena, are you okay?" he questioned hastily before glaring at Benji. "What the fuck did you do to her?" Benji glared back but didn't reply. "I'm fine, I'm fine," Makena insisted, not allowing Benji to let her go. "I'm just not... well..."
Aaron frowned in confusion as Joel approached. "Dude, what happened?" he asked, avoiding eye contact with Aaron. Benji shook his head.
"Nothing," he replied in a soft tone. "Just... leave her alone, okay?"
Aaron hesitated but slowly backed off when Raemie came and found him for another dance. Joel, on the other hand, wanted to know what had happened.
"Benji... what's going on?"
Benji glanced down at Makena, who was staring off in the distance at the green wall behind Aaron and Raemie's table.
"I... we're getting married," Benji replied. He waited for an objection of telling people from Makena but received none. Joel stared.
"Married?" he asked. "Why? When?"
"Why? We need each other, okay? When? We were thinking Vegas. Soon, I think." He looked down at Makena, who still didn't reply. Joel glanced at her as well before smiling. He bent down and kissed the top of her head. Her blue eye's fluttered up and met his own dark eyes. She smiled at him before resting her head against Benji's body once more.
"I'm going to take her upstairs," Benji said, his voice still soft.
Joel hesitated. "You're not going to...?" he asked. Benji shook his head.
"I'm not drinking, Joel," he told him. "I'm finished with that."
Joel nodded and smiled a little. "I believe you," he said. Benji smiled.
"Thanks," he said in appreciation.
"Are you coming back down?" Joel asked. Benji shook his head.
"I wasn't really wanted here anyway," he replied. Joel gave him a half smile and nodded.
"I'll see you later, then," he said. Benji nodded and turned, Makena still latched to his body.
"When you said you're not drinking anymore, did that mean no for me too?" Benji looked down on her and softly kissed her on the top of her head.
"We'll talk about that later," he told her as they headed for the elevator.
She nodded and sighed, detaching herself from him a little before looping an arm around him. She ran a hand through her hair a little and put her head on his shoulder.
When upstairs, Makena immediately laid herself across the bed and fell fast asleep. Benji, who hadn't been told to leave, looked her over for a minute before lightly kissing the top of her forehead. He was about to make himself welcome in her recently cleaned room when he noticed a liquor bottle peaking out from her duffel bag. He hesitated before lifting it from her bag.
Longingly he looked at the precious liquid until he finally cracked it open and took a mouthful. He paused, the alcohol sitting in his mouth, before he ran to the bathroom and spit it into the sink. He glanced at the bottle and set it down on the bathroom counter before leaving.
Within a few minuets, he had gathered every bottle of alcohol - six total - and began to pour it all down the sink. There was a moment when he hesitated. He glanced at a bottle and bit his bottom lip before he shook his head.
"They're just stupid possessions," he muttered as he quickly poured out the last of the alcohol. "Stupid possessions." He knew Makena wouldn't be happy with what he had done by morning, but he didn't care - they had forever to talk about it.
The End.