CHAPTER FOUR

BENJAMIN’S POV

Cindy left the science lab first, and I waited a few minutes before following. It wasn’t because I cared what people thought, but I couldn’t risk ruining whatever shred of a chance I had left with Beatrice.

When I walked into the class, Mr. Finnick was gone, and Anthony had that ridiculous grin on his face like he knew what had just gone down.

“Yo, bro, where the hell were you?” He asked, grinning as he tapped his pen against the table.

I didn’t need to respond to him, since his eyes darted toward Cindy and back at me mischievously. “You’re so bad.. bro,” he giggled.

“Where’s Finnick?” I countered, sliding into my seat.

“He just gave us a stupid assignment and dipped. So you’re good,” Anthony assured.

Then, before I could even process that, he turned around and called out, “Clara, Bea, get over here I’ve got an idea.”

Clara walked over, all sass and curious, and Beatrice followed behind her like she wasn’t just avoiding me all week.

“So hear me out,” Anthony began like he was proposing a bank heist. “Let’s get away this weekend to the beach house. You know, the one by Lakewood.”

“That fancy-ass place with the glass pool and that insane movie room?” Clara asked.

“Ooh I’m in,” Clara jumped before anyone else could react. “But what are we gonna tell Mom? You know she has this sixth sense when it comes to detecting fun,” she chipped in, her gaze resting on me.

“Leave that to me,” Anthony said, smirking like a devil in human skin. “We’ll take my car, and you guys can bring whomever you want to make it a mini squad getaway.”

“Well, if the place has a pool, then I need to get a new swimsuit because I threw all of mine away last summer,” a familiar voice interrupted.

We all turned at once, and my heart almost jumped into my throat when I saw Cindy walking toward me.

“Oh, Cindy,” Anthony said like she was a goddamn royalty, “You down?”

“Please…” she waved downwardly, “I’m already paired with Ben here, so I don’t need a special invite,” she cooed as she wrapped her arm around my waist, her nails dragging across my shirt.

Suddenly, I froze because her touch wasn’t what I wanted, and I could feel Beatrice glance at me and then away awkwardly. Clara, on the other hand, was silently enjoying the awkward tension.

“Clara, you bringing anyone?” Anthony asked, still wearing that shit-eating grin.

“Umm…no,” she replied, stretching the word, “Not yet anyway,” she added.

“Cool, cool. So it’s settled. Saturday, 8:30 am, my place. Pack light but bring vibes.”

*****

When we got home, Clara punched me in the shoulder the moment the door shut behind us.

“So you and Cindy are still hitting it off, huh?” She teased, batting her lashes. “Should I start calling her sister-in-law?”

“Chill the f*ck out!” I groaned, flopping onto the couch. “That girl is like glitter, she sticks and won’t come off.”

Clara laughed, tossing her shoes off, “But you gotta admit she got that crazy-in-the-sheets vibe.”

“Speaking of sheets,” I said, lowering my voice, “Something happened between Beatrice and me.”

“Wait, WHAT!” Clara jumped, her eyes wide with excitement, “You watered her garden?”

“Not exactly... We didn't... You know...but….It kinda got intense.”

“Why the hell didn’t you tell me earlier?” She almost screamed. “You know I live for drama, and you’re out here gatekeeping this gold.”

“Because she’s been ignoring me ever since,” I admitted, “Like ghosted me into another dimension.”

Clara sighed and flopped next to me, “And now we've got a whole ass getaway with Cindy joining the circus. That’s a recipe for emotional poisoning.”

She mimicked Cindy’s voice, “I need to get a new swimsuit,” then cackled like a witch on drugs.

“Thanks for that,” I said, deadpan.

She calmed down and looked at me seriously, “Just be careful, okay? I see the way you look at Beatrice, and it’s not just about her ass, even though she’s got a bunda to die for. You like her for real, and that makes everything ten times more dangerous,” she tapped my shoulders, before heading upstairs.

*****

Saturday morning, I was already up at 7 am, nerves buzzing through my skin like static. I went into Eva’s room and kissed her soft forehead while she snored like a tiny chainsaw before I tiptoed to Mom’s room, but she was already awake, sipping coffee and reading some murder mystery novel.

She looked up and smiled, “You’re up early.”

I shrugged, grabbing an apple from the tabletop refrigerator and sinking into the chair across from her.

“All packed and ready to go?” She asked.

Anthony always managed to do this thing where my mom would agree without asking questions. Sometimes, I could swear she swapped us at birth, and Anthony is her real son.

“Just be safe, alright?” She said, not looking up from her book, “And for God’s sake, use protection, Benjamin. I’m not ready to be a grandma yet.”

“Jesus, Mom… It’s a chill weekend, not an orgy.”

“Uh-huh,” she muttered, still flipping pages.

I walked to Clara’s room, only to find it empty.

“MOM, WHERE THE HECK IS MY PSYCHO TWIN!”

“She left an hour ago. Said she’d meet you at Anthony’s cause she had something to handle.”

Great, just great.

By 8 am, I was ready to leave. I threw my bag in the back seat and drove off, trying not to think about the possibility of Beatrice sitting next to Anthony all weekend while Cindy clung to me like a horny barnacle.

When I pulled up to Anthony’s place, my jaw dropped. The squad was already assembled like some kind of sexy breakfast club.

Anthony leaned on his car, and Beatrice stood next to him in a cropped hoodie and joggers that showed off her waist, and then there was Cindy in a two-piece yoga set that screamed; come f*ck me. Standing next to them with a duffle bag and a smirk that could melt steel was April, Anthony’s sister, and her boyfriend, Freddie.

Wait, no one mentioned that these two were coming with us.

Then I sighted Clara, clad in her baggy shorts and t-shirt, whispering something to…. Oh no!!

This weekend was about to be a whole-ass movie.