Mum is calling again. I ignore her call and the new text that pops in and redial Ben’s number for the umpteenth time. Only now, it doesn’t go to voicemail, instead, it’s switched off.
My heart is heavy as I pull out of his street. His bike is out front so I know he’s at home. I was hoping we could talk. Are we breaking up?
If he’s mad at me for this, he will hate me when he finds out I picked NYU and other schools outside San Francisco. In a few months, I will know my fate and I didn’t tell him to avoid hurting his feelings.
But it doesn’t matter now.
Tears trail down my cheeks as I resume the drive home. He’s not a good boyfriend. A good boyfriend would have tried to hear me out. Does he think I want to move away? He just left me. He won’t pick my calls. He won’t even let me see him. It’s unfair. I want to be with him too and he is acting like this.
The lights in our parlour are on. Mum is most likely making finishing touche
Ben is still not picking my calls. My mood is not any better as I flip the pancakes. I want to march to his house, pull him by his ear and kiss him after shouting at him for putting me through this stress.I dish the pancakes into two plates and squirt some syrup onto only my plate. Mum likes hers free of any toppings.The bell rings as I set the kettle to boil, Mum’s head pokes into the kitchen. She mouths, “Get the door.”She disappears before my reply. We have been busy sorting out our boxes, some of which we are yet to unpack because no one wants to go through the stress of repacking when it’s time to leave. I grab a carton of fruit juice from the fridge, set it on the tray with the plates I carry to the dining room. I am famished.I need strength for the conversation I will be having with Ben. After breakfast, my next destination is his house. I wrench the door open before the bell rings again and my breath slams i
Ben’s mum is nice. Really nice and sweet. I want to be on Ben’s side but my little interaction with her makes it hard to believe she and Josef are the bad guys in Ben’s story. I steal another peek at Ben, he pushes his meal around and finally takes a bite. His mum stares at him for a full second, then smiles. “How’s football?” Maddie, his mum, asks Ben. Josef beams at her question, maybe he also likes football. Football was Ben’s first love. I think she’s trying to lighten the mood but it is the wrong question. Ben stopped playing last session after his knee injury. He found fighting and has not turned back to football. Ben’s fork stops moving on his plate and a wave of anger rolls off him. “It’s fine,” I reply on his behalf. He clenches his fist on the table and I wrap my hand around his to calm him. “He’s taking a break from it.” “Ah.” Her mouth closes. I stare at my plate and count the seconds until the awkwardness passes. Sadly, it doesn’t b
BENI think Gracie is mad at me. Shit. I fucked up again. I shouldn’t have snapped. But it was so hard to keep calm with the false niceties. Gracie won’t be here again in two months time and I want to spend every second with her, not answer some lame questions about my life. I haven’t touched a ball in over a year.Asher throws one leg over me without looking away from his iPad. They spoil him too much. I prop a pillow behind his back to make him more comfortable, he flashes me a smile and continues watching one of those kids show from Disney or Nickelodeon. I sneak out of the bed and he rolls to his stomach.“Where are you going?” he screams.He wouldn’t have to scream if he removed those ear buds but he won’t. They were the first things Josef gave him after they exchanged greetings and he won’t take the damn thing off. I gesture to the door and he nods. I’m going to get my girlfriend before the
Maria is an idiot. She won’t stop teasing me. I bite a piece of my cake and a tiny smile forms on my lips as my phone lights up with a new text. Ben nudges me with his foot, I look up from my phone and my cheeks redden at the memory from Saturday. It’s all I think about these days and Maria’s jokes are not helping.“What’s up?” He props his hand on the table. I shrug. How do I tell him my best friend is asking naughty questions about him? She wants to know how far we went and if we intend to do the deed next time.I don’t have answers for her or myself.“The ceiling,” I say with a smile and throw an arm around his neck. He sniggers. “Just happy to be here.”Ben grunts. He watches me finish my snack while the rest of the cafeteria minds their business. We are sitting away from his friends today. I don’t mind but Olivia is there. We don’t talk but I still don&rsq
We stare at each other, my shoulders move carelessly in a shrug and Ben bridges the gap.“Will you?” His voice is a whisper now and my heart is acting up. “It’s a good choice.”“It is,” I say for lack of better words. “Benny?”He grabs my hand between his and places it on his chest. “I don’t want you to leave me.” My breath hitches when his eyes shimmer with tears and a tear rolls down his cheek. I have never seen him cry. My mouth opens and closes without a word, he takes it as his cue to say, “Please, stay here. Don’t go away.”Maddie’s words ring in my ears. I want him to be happy but I want to be happy too. I push his bag to the floor and straddle him. Ben looks up, tears coat his thick lashes and my heart beats harder than before.“You know I love you?” My thumbs move across his cheeks, his lips turn into that cut
We win our second match on our second month anniversary. Double celebration.My boyfriend grins as the referee raises our hands to declare us tonight’s winner. With my mask, I can’t do much but nod when the audience renders an ear-splitting cheer. We must have made a lot of people happy, especially those who gambled at the beginning of the match. After the first round ends, there’s an option to withdraw a lower amount than the original. Most people never take it. It was Ben’s idea for us to place a bet and Coach helped. Ben throws an arm around my shoulder, we are no longer concerned what people would think of us as we skip through the dim corridor. Coach joins us shortly, his grin is so big and proud, I can’t help smiling.“Made you two thousand box,” he says as he slaps a wad of cash on the dresser. My mouth opens and closes. Ben whistles. We might have been willing to bet but we didn’t expect this m
I am pissed. I send Mum a text to let her know I’ll be home later than usual. Ben is silent as I pull out into the streets. He has been quiet since Olivia called crying on the phone. I don’t buy her fake tears one bit. “She’s using you,” I say to him. I press the horn when the car in front of me refuses to move. Ben sits up without a word. I know what he’s thinking but I don’t want him to think it. She needs to stay away. “Are you not going to say anything?” He does that half-shrug thing and I blurt out, “I don’t want you to go.” “Don’t do that, Gracie.” I punch the steering. “Don’t do what?” That low growl that escapes him annoys me. I understand they might be friends but someone needs to put Olivia in her place. If he won’t do it, I’ll have to. Why didn’t she call one of her dumb minions for help? “She’s my friend,” he grits out. “I’m your girlfriend.” “Stop the car.” I step on the accelerator, p
Olivia’s face is spotless. No black eyes. No split lips. I bring out a sandwich from my bag without breaking my gaze from her. Ben tries to follow my eyes and I quickly look away. She does her make up really well.“Stop staring,” Ben says. He takes one of the sandwiches. “You’ll make her uncomfortable.”“She looks so different,” I whisper. I dig into my sandwich after cutting off the crusts.There’s no trace of the girl from last night, her lips are okay. She can apply perfect makeup on a bruised face and I can’t draw my brows without looking like a clown. It’s unfair how God distributed talents.“Gracie, stop staring.”It’s hard not to. But I try. Ben goes on and on about the play while I give the occasional nods to show I am listening. He catches on pretty quick to my stunt and his infamous scowl appears on his lips. I shrug.“If you could