Between You And Me
Chapter 2
By: Sarah
I followed Benji into his room, my legs feeling kind of weird and rubbery but in the best way possible. I held the damp towel close to my body, my eyes focusing on his neck. He had such a great neck. Strong and tan, and when he moved his head all the muscles kind of rippled. I smiled to myself and climbed slowly onto the bed. Benji smiled at me, pulling on a pair of boxers.
“ When do you think Joel and Mayg will get back?” I asked, watching Benji get dressed. He shrugged, tugging a t-shirt down over his wet hair.
“ I don’t know…soon, I guess.” He said. He poked his head out of the neck hole and smiled. “ You going to get dressed?” He asked. I shrugged.
“ I don’t have any clothes here.” I said. He laughed and walked over, sitting next to me.
“ So you’re just going to walk around in that towel all day?” He asked, his dark eyes shining.
“ Maybe.” I shrugged. He leaned over and pecked me on the cheek, then stood up and grabbed a hoodie out of his closet. Too bad I hadn’t seen that last night.
“ Wear this.” He said, chucking it at my head. I squealed, as it hit me on the head. Benji only laughed, shaking his head.
“ Hand me my bra.” I asked, pointing to it on the floor. He reached down and grabbed it, but didn’t hand it to me.
“ It’ll be hotter if you don’t wear it.” He said, smirking. I groaned, rolling my eyes.
“ Well…it’s also hotter when you don’t speak, but I let you do that, don’t I?” I asked, smiling cheekily. Benji moaned and then flung my bra at my head too. I caught it, smiling triumphantly. I turned around, dropping the towel down around my waist and slipped it on.
“ Wow.” He said, as more of a statement then an exclamation.
“ What?” I asked, turning back around once I had my bra on. He walked over, hopping on one foot as he tied his shoe.
“ You actually have to turn around to get dressed?” He said. I smiled, shaking my head.
“ I don’t know.”
“ You just did.” He teased, sitting down next to me. He reached forward and ran his fingers over my collarbone. “ You’re so freaking modest.” He laughed gently. I blushed and grabbed his hand, pulling it away. Our fingers intertwined and I leaned forward and kissed him, softly.
“ I know I am. One of us has to be.” I said, breaking our kiss. I grabbed his sweatshirt and pulled it over my head. I groaned when I saw the sweatshirt had some funny picture of a cartoon bear farting into a campfire. “ Thanks, I love this sweatshirt.” I said, frowning at him. He laughed and shook his head.
“ Yea, I knew you would. Someone got it for me.” He shrugged. I pulled it off and threw it at him, then marched over to his closet and found something better.
“ HEY!!” A loud voice from the other room shouted, startling both of us. It was Joel. “ I hope no one’s getting it on, cuz me and Maygen are hungryyy!” He said. I laughed, yanking on panties and my jeans from last night just as Joel came to Benji’s bedroom door.
“ Why hello, love birds.” He said, smiling. I blushed and shook my head.
“ Hi, Joel.” I said.
“ I didn’t get to say ‘Hi’ last night, Nic. My evil twin Benji stole you away right after the show was over.” Joel laughed and walked forward, giving me a hug. I smiled and hugged him back, then kissed him on the cheek.
“ Hey Joely, how are you?” I asked. He nodded, patting his stomach.
“ Hungry! Let’s go eat, Maygen’s waiting in the car. She was afraid you guys would be naked and she didn’t want to see Benj’s penis…or lack thereof.” He laughed and ducked as Benji swung jokingly at him. “Me, on the other hand, I don’t mind. Unfortunately Benji is my brother and I’ve seen him naked…and you, I wouldn’t mind seeing you naked. So I was selected to come inside.” Joel added. I laughed and rolled my eyes. Benji laughed too, grabbing a beanie and slipping it over his damp hair. I shook my head, letting my damp strands fall around my face, not really caring.
“ Ok, well…now that you have been a perverted retard, let’s go eat.” Benji said, smiling. Joel smiled and nodded.
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We all shoved into a booth and ordered as much food as we thought we could possibly eat. I was pretty sure that between Benji and Joel, they had ordered at least fifteen pancakes and twenty pieces of bacon.
“ I’m so glad I’m home.” Benji said, digging into his food. I smiled and took a sip from my orange juice.
“ Me too.” I smiled, and leaned over and pecked him on the cheek.
“ Awwwwww, so cute.” Maygen laughed. I sighed and glared at Maygen. “ You two are so adorable.” She finished. Benji giggled, and didn’t look up.
“ Shut up.” I said to no one in general. Joel laughed though and it made Benji laugh even louder. I shoved Benji against the wall and he laughed harder, choking on whatever he had stuffed in his mouth.
“ What are we doing tonight?” Joel asked, ignoring Benji’s hacking. I handed him some water, but then I couldn’t help but laugh. Benji was laughing still too, and it made him cough harder.
“ We should…” Maygen shrugged. Benji raised his hand like we were in school.
“ Yes Mr. Madden, would you like to say something?” Joel asked, smirking. Benji cleared his throat, having finally stopped hacking up his lungs.
“ Should we ask them?” He said to Joel. Joel’s eyes lit up and he smiled, the shrugged. I frowned. They had definitely caught my attention.
“ Ask us what?” I said, glanced at Maygen to see if she knew. She shrugged, just as oblivious as I was. Joel nodded, smiling.
“ Yea, let’s tell them.” He said.
“ WHAT?” Maygen asked, grabbing Joel’s arm.
“ Ow! Get off, woman!” He laughed. Maygen glared at him before kissing him quickly.
“ What, Benji? Tell us what?” I asked, turning to him. He smiled shoving a piece of bacon in his mouth and enjoying the game.
“ Guess.” He mumbled. I groaned.
“ You…are really a woman?” Joel shouted. We laughed and Benji only glared at Joel.
“ You have a miniature sized penis?” Maygen said, joining in.
“ That’s not what Nic was saying last night.” He said, glancing at me and licking his lips in the most lewd and disgusting way possible. I groaned, making a face and shoving him away from me. He laughed and shook his head, joking.
“ Benji, please, now!” I demanded.
“ You were saying that last night too.” He said, cackling. I groaned, but couldn’t help but crack a smile. Joel was laughing too, just as hard as Benji. Their sense of humor must run in the family. Or maybe it was just normal perverted guy talk.
“ Ok, ok, hush everyone, I’ll tell you.” He said. “ What do you guys say to going to Hawaii for a few weeks?” He said. I knew that I gasped, I knew that my eyes got huge, I knew that I yelped, happily.
“ Are you joking??!” I exclaimed.
“ No, me and Joel have been talking about it for a while. And we thought…that if you and me got back together…once we got home from tour we could go on vacation for awhile. We wanna get a really big, nice place right on the water, Nic. It’ll be so awesome.” He said, smiling. I shrieked, happily, throwing my arms around Benji’s neck, kissing him happily. I had never been to the ocean, let alone somewhere as beautiful as Hawaii. My mind couldn’t even wrap around the idea of being somewhere so extraordinary with the one person in the world that I was completely and utterly in love with. I wasn’t the only one happy about going to the ocean, Maygen was practically hopping on Joel from happiness.
“ This is going to be amazing, so amazing.” I smiled, throwing my arms around Benji again, hugging him tight.
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I stepped into my apartment, smiling. The smile was just permanently plastered onto my face. I started dancing as soon as I stepped inside. I think Farah was playing some BT and I couldn’t help but dance. I hadn’t felt this good in so long.
“ Look who finally decided to come home!” Jordan said, smiling. She stood up from the table and walked over to me. I was still beaming. Farah walked out of her bedroom, half smiling.
“ What’s going on?” Farah asked, smiling softly. I kept smiling, dancing around.
“ Me and Benji are Me and Benji again!” I smiled, picking up an apple from the table and tossing it between my hands. Farah caught the apple abruptly in midair.
“ What??” She asked, her frown unmistakable.
“ Huh?” I said, frowning too. Why was she so upset?
“ You’re back together?” She asked. Jordan stepped up.
“ Aren’t you happy for her, Farah? Look at her, she’s practically glowing!” Jordan smiled and then hugged me tight. I was glowing. Benji made me glow.
“ Yea, I guess so…but…I just…don’t think he’s right for you, Nic.” Farah said, shaking her head.
“ What do you mean?” I asked, sitting down on the edge of the table.
“ He’s so…different from you.” She shrugged.
“ I know, but…I love him, I love him so much.” I gushed. I couldn’t help it. Farah smiled, kind of weakly. I put my arm around her shoulder and squeezed her. “Don’t worry, I got him wrapped around my finger!” I smiled, even though I knew it wasn’t really that way. “ I’ll take care of myself this time, Farah, don’t you worry about little ‘ol Nic.” I giggled. Farah smiled and nodded.
“ So what’d you guys do last night? I want to know ALL the juicy details.” Jordan said, grabbing my hand and pulling me to the couch. Farah followed, sitting down across from us. I smiled, biting my lip.
“ What’d we do…” I thought, smiling. Jordan laughed.
“ I’m sure you can remember. Tell me! I don’t have any life…I have to live through yours!” She joked. I smiled.
“ Yea, what happened?” Farah asked. I smiled to myself.
“ Well…” I sat back and started telling them the story. “After he sung the song to me…” I smiled. “ I still didn’t know what to do, ya know? I wasn’t sure if I wanted to forgive him or not…” They nodded, smiling. “ He came offstage and I would hardly talk to him at first. I was so scared…of what he was going to say-- of what he really wanted to talk to me about. But we just started talking and…it all fell into place. I told him how much I missed him and he told me the same thing, and about how stupid he had been. Oh Jord, you should have seen him. He was so gorgeous and—“
“ You got back together with him just because he’s cute?” Farah butted in. I frowned, shaking my head.
“ No, no of course not. Come on, Farah, I’ve known Benj for a while…I wouldn’t just get back together with him because he has a cute smile- although he does!” I smiled and Jordan laughed. “ Anyway, he just was being so sweet and nice. He asked me if I wanted to go back to his house and watch movies and catch up—“
“ Hah, watch movies is code for sex, right?” Farah asked, smirking. I frowned. Why was she acting like this?
“ Well…hold on.” I said, frowning at her. I turned back to Jordan, since Farah was obviously in a horrible mood. “ We did watch movies and for a while, I was sitting practically ten feet away from him. And then he just started telling me how much he missed me and…how homesick for me I was. I couldn’t help it, Jord I just melted! He was being so sweet.” I sighed, smiling.
Jordan smiled back, nodding her head.
“ Just as long as you think you can trust him.” She said. I nodded.
“ I really think I can this time. I think things will be different. I mean…this morning, we got in a fight about the girl—“ I paused and shook my head. “ Anyway, he just came into the bathroom and we started making love right there in the shower! It was so incredible- like nothing I’d ever experienced. Something amazing happened between us…I never felt so connected with someone.” I said, beaming. Jordan smiled, biting her lip. I glanced at Farah who was just kind of glaring at me. “WHAT?” I asked, turning toward Farah.
“ What? Nothing!” She exclaimed, getting up.
“ Why do you look so mad about me and Benj?” I asked, following her into the kitchen. She shrugged, pulling some orange juice out of the fridge.
“ I’m not mad, I just think you moved awfully fast.” She smirked. I frowned, shaking my head.
“Maybe I did…but I just know, that…I know we love each other.” I said.
“ Did he actually tell you he did?”
“ Yes, many times.” I said defiantly.
“ Probably just to get you to fuck him.” She said, putting the juice away with a thump. I frowned, not being able to help feeling hurt by her words.
“ Farah are you ok? Why are you acting like this?” I asked, softly. She shrugged and walked away without answering.
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I picked up the phone and smiled, taking a deep breath.
“ Hey.” I said, turning down my CD player.
“ Hey there.” Benji said. He sounded tired.
“ You ok?” I asked, laying back onto my bed. It was almost two a.m. and I suddenly wished I was with him, not home, with an empty bed.
“ I’m fine, just tired. You?” He asked.
“ Great.” I smiled, thinking about how great our vacation was going to be. We were leaving in two weeks and all I could think about was the beach and the sun and all the great, exotic things we would be experiencing.
“ What are you listening to?” He asked.
“ Thursday.” I said, turning it back up so he could hear it. I heard him sigh happily. “ I wish you were here.” I said softly. He laughed.
“ I can come over.” He said simply. I gripped the phone harder.
“ I wish… but Farah’s been in such a horrible mood lately- I wouldn’t want to subject you to that.” I said.
“ She has? What’s wrong with her?” He asked. I shrugged.
“ I dunno…I don’t think she likes you too much.” I said simply. Benji coughed.
“ Really? But I thought everyone loved me!” He laughed. I smiled.
“ Come over, Benji.” I said finally. He laughed harder. I turned up Thursday and curled into a ball, letting his soft, soothing laugh filter through my ears.
“ Nic, I have to tell you something about Hawaii.” He said, suddenly stopping laughing. I frowned, scared at how serious his voice had gotten.
“ What Benji?” I asked, hoping he wasn’t going to say that we weren’t going anymore. I took a deep breath.
“ It’s about my ex-girlfriend.” He said. I sat up.
“ Huh?”
“ She kinda lives down there and…” He wheedled. I took a few deep breaths. “ She’s getting married and we’re invited to her wedding.” He said. I nodded.
“ Which ex?” I said, not too worried about it. I had no idea why he thought I would be- all he wanted to do was go and support a friend, and help celebrate her marriage.
“ Shannon.” He said softly. My heart jumped. Shannon. The girl he was with during the tour instead of me. The girl that I thought I had finally conquered over—completely erased from Benji’s mind as well as my own. Maybe not. Obviously not.
“ Shannon?” I repeated, making sure I heard right.
“ Yea.” He said. I couldn’t breathe.
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I walked around in my room, stepping over CDs and clothes. My mind was racing and I kept wringing my hands, thinking about my conversation with Benji. I should trust him. I love him. He loves me. He wouldn’t do that to me again. He just wants to go to her wedding. HER WEDDING. I had a lot of questions to ask him.
Pulling my hair back I walked out into the main room and saw Farah sitting on the couch, reading. She was in her underwear, so I figured I should warn her that Benji was coming over.
“ Benj is coming over.” I said, walking by.
“ So.” She shot back. I frowned.
“ What’s wrong?” I asked, walking around so I could see her. She looked up from the top of her book and shrugged.
“ Nothing. I just don’t see why you rub it in my face that your perfect little Benji is coming over.” She said. What was she talking about!?
“ I didn’t mean…I just thought you’d like to know in case you wanted to get changed or something—“
“ Why, are you afraid he’s gonna cheat on you again with me or something?” She said. It hit me right in the stomach and I couldn’t talk for a minute. She just stared at me, her eyes cold. I shook my head, feeling tears.
“ I…can’t believe you.” I said softly, then turned and left. My heart was beating hard as I walked into the kitchen, leaning against the cold counters. Why did she keep saying such horrible things? I just didn’t understand where she was coming from. I tugged gently on the strings on my drawstring pajama pants and walked over to the fridge, pulling out some strawberries. I ate one quickly, trying to clear my head. What was going on?
After going through different scenarios for a while, I was interrupted by a light tap on the front door. I smiled, knowing it was Benji. I opened the door and wrapped my arms around him, pulling him inside.
“ Wow, what a greeting.” He smiled, his voice soft. I smiled and kissed him. I felt his lips curl into a smile. “ You taste amazing. Like strawberries.” He said, pulling away. I laughed and picked up a berry, holding it to his lips. He bit into it and then leaned down, kissing me again. I wrapped my arms around his neck, rubbing my thumbs against his neck. We parted after a minute and I hugged him tighter, kissing the side of his neck.
“ Watch out for Farah, she’s in bitch mode.” I said softly into his ear. He pulled away, frowning.
“ Really? What’s going on?” He asked, pulling away so he could go raid the refrigerator. I shrugged, sighing. I was still upset about the comment she’d made about Benji. I watched him pull some leftover pizza out and he bit into it, not bothering to warm it up.
“ You’re gross.” I laughed, grabbing another strawberry.
“ What?” He said, his mouth stuffed. I made a face at him and shook my head, disapprovingly. I loved how comfortable we were around each other. I guess the fact that we were best friends changed a lot of things. I had never had a relationship like this before. I loved it.
“ Come on, let’s go to my room.” I said, nodding toward the door.
“ Ohhh why?” He said, still smiling. I rolled my eyes and pushed him towards the door. He hardly budged at first, but then I reached down and pinched his butt, making him yelp and practically run from me. I laughed, chasing him into my room. He threw himself onto my bed, spreading out as far as possible. I tried finding a place to sit, but he just moved enough to push me off.
“ Benji, come on!” I whined, laughing as he pushed me off the bed. He grinned, shaking his head. I grabbed his legs and started tugging them, dragging him off the bed as he flailed his arms, looking for something to grab onto. I managed to yank him, and all the covers off my bed and onto the floor. He landed with a thud on top of me, and I was momentarily robbed of all my air.
“ Ow! What did I land on— NIC!” He said, laughing and turning around to hold himself up by his arms. I coughed, pinned underneath him. Luckily, my head had landed on a pile of clothes. Benji laughed, shaking his head.
“ Did I crush you?” He asked, looking down at me sweetly as I fought for air.
“ I..don’t think…I’ll be having babies anytime soon.” I gasped, as a smile formed. Benji laughed and jumped up, holding out his hands to me. I grabbed them and he yanked me up off the floor and then unexpectedly, scooped me up in his arms. I let out an involuntary squeal, wrapping my arms around his neck. He laid me on my bed now bare bed and leaned down, kissing me softly. His hands slowly and gently rubbed my stomach. He slipped his hands under my shirt, drawing circles on my stomach with his fingers. He slowly pushed my shirt up farther as his hands roamed farther.
“ Better now?” He asked. I nodded, tasting him on my lips.
“ NIC!” A loud, annoyed voice said from behind us. Benji turned around, standing up straight and I sat up, looking toward my door. It was Farah.
“ Huh?” I asked, pulling my shirt down as I got up. Farah was leaning against the doorframe, tapping her hand rapidly against her hip.
“ It’s almost two thirty.” She said. I nodded, brushing stray hair from my eyes. Benji sat down on the bed next to me and I felt him slip his hands under the side of my shirt. I tried to keep a straight face.
“ Yea, I know.” I nodded, watching Farah.
“ WE have a rule, you know, about having people over.” She said. I felt Benji slip his hands down the side of my pajama pants. I pushed him away, trying to keep from smiling. Farah was going to murder me!
“ I know. But we don’t really keep that rule. He’s just going to stay for a bit.” I said. I looked over at Benji and he nodded, like an eager little dog.
“ Just like…a little bit.” He repeated, smiling. I tried not to laugh, but I know I cracked a smile. Benji got up and walked over to Farah. He put his hands on her shoulders, shaking her gently.
“ Now, Farah, darling. I remember when you were going out with some fellow, about…five…four?…months…years…I dunno. Just remember that one guy? You had him over all the time and my Nic didn’t complain and I didn’t complain. Well, I don’t live here, but I used to come over all the time and crash here and you didn’t care, so what’s the deal now, Farah? We’re all friends, right? I just want to give Nic a little…R and R and then I’ll be on my way. It’ll be quick. Wham, Bam, thank you ma’am. I promise.” He said, grinning. I couldn’t believe him. If it were any other guy I would have slapped him and told him to go away and never come back…but it was Benji. I only held back the arising laughter in my throat. He patted Farah on the head and nodded.
“ Thanks for understanding, Farah.” He said. Farah glared at him for a second but then smiled. The first smile I’d seen in days.
“ Fine, Benji.” She said softly, shrugging. She turned and left. Benji beamed at me and bowed.
“ Thank you, thank you, donations will be taken at the door.” He said, shutting my door behind him. I laughed finally and flopped back onto the bed.
“ Benji, you are amazing.” I said. He sat down next to me, reaching over and intertwining his hands with mine.
“ I know.” He leaned down and kissed me. “ Now how about that wham, bam shit?” He asked. I groaned, shoving him away, but laughing at the same time.
“ First we have to talk.” I said, leaning on my elbows. Benji groaned.
“ No, not talking!” He said groaning and leaning back. I giggled and reached over, grabbing him by the waist. He turned to me and nodded.
“ Ok, talk.” He said. I nodded.
“ Shannon.” He frowned. I kept going. “When you were…with her…was she dating the guy she’s marrying now?” I asked. Benji frowned even more.
“ Yea.” He said. I nodded, not too surprised.
“ Do you still…”
“ Don’t even ask that Nic.” He said, sitting up. “ You know I don’t have feelings for her still.” He said. I nodded, but reached over for him, pulling him back toward me.
“ Are we only going to Hawaii as an excuse to go to her wedding?” I said. I couldn’t believe I had just said it, but I knew I had to get it out in the open. Benji frowned, shaking his head. He looked at me, his eyes intense.
“ No, no I would never do that. You are the one I want to spend time with. It just happened that her wedding was then…I didn’t know until a few days ago. Nic, come on.” he said, sighing. I nodded. He reached up, tugging gently on my hair.
“ What?” I asked.
“ Don’t you trust me?” He asked. I hesitated. I didn’t want to lie. I looked away, taking a second. “ Oh.” He said after a few seconds too long of a hesitation. He pulled away, sitting up.
“ Benji, it’s not that I don’t trust you…you…you’re the only person that I feel like I can trust sometimes and that’s a scary thought. The thought that I have so much of myself resting in you and…the fact that you could just take that and run whenever you want…”
“ I’m not running anywhere, Nic. I’m home.” He said. I nodded, reaching up and pushing my hands through his hair. He leaned against me.
“ I love you a lot, Benj. I just…don’t want to get hurt.” I whispered. He nodded, opening is eyes.
“ I won’t hurt you ever again, Nic. I promise. I love you.” He said back, his eyes burning into mine. And I believed him.