Chapter 4 - Grace and Bennie

"Come on, Bennie, won't you say hi?" His grandma entreated. "Or is she so pretty and dead gorgeous, you can't?" 

Asher scoffed this time and broke the staring contest, looking away. "Gorgeous, my foot." He muttered under his breath. 

I heard him though. I knew I was pretty, but for her to use dead gorgeous was a little over the top. It's not like I looked dressed up in my old cargo dress and moccasins. With my hair parked in my usual rough bun because I hardly have the time to take good care of it. Or was she being sarcastic?

Whatever. I returned my attention to the elderly woman. "I'll like to hurry now. Please can I get my bags?" 

"Yeah, sure." She responded. "Bennie, do me a good favour and drop her off. Her bags are a lot."

"No, thank you. I will simply take a taxi." I quickly objected. She laughed.

"You don't know how much you will be charged for these, do you? Don't worry, he has a ride. Let him handle it for you." Then she looked up at him. "Will you, darling?"

"Of course, yeah." He answered sweetly.

I glanced back at him abruptly, sure I must have misheard. But he gave me a very sweet and polite smile, taking my bags from his grandma.

My God. I am so doomed right now. All because of a cup of noodles I might have just ignored. I expected him to protest, not put up a fake act. Now what was his plan? 

I felt worse and sick to my stomach when he opened the passenger door for me, before turning around to settle into the driver's seat. I can't believe I was getting a ride from the most popular guy in school. His car this time was a silver pickup, a GMC Canyon, different from the white Porsche 911 Turbo he often drove to school.

Today, he had decided to pack his hair in a ponytail at the nape of his neck, and he looked hot as usual in baggy pants and a designer shirt. My eyes rested on his hands the moment he touched the steering. Good Lord, the guy was so hairy. I don't know why, but my eyes wandered instinctively to his bare legs. 

Freaking fine and hairy.

Why won't the girls gather to watch him play?

"What are you staring at?" 

His deep husky voice startled me. I felt my stomach dip in embarrassment and my cheeks heat up too.

I forced a scoff. "Nice wheels. Nice ride too."

Dumb lines.

He said nothing.

The silence made me feel more stupid.

Okay, Grace. You've got this. Show this dude what you've got so he doesn't think you're tripping over him. I cleared my throat as he pulled the car out of the lot. "Listen, Ash. Let's just pretend we never met, okay? I told you yesterday to send me the bills, not flood my phone with endless questions." I began, feeling my courage return. "Drop me at the next bus stop. I'll find my way from there. Thanks for the ride. I know this whole drama was just for your granny."

He was silent again.

I was forced to pinch myself at this point to be sure I wasn't dead and invisible.

"Bennie?!" I called in exasperation.

That did it.

The car came to an abrupt stop in the middle of the road. He turned to me stiffly with a killer glare.

"What did you just call me?" 

"Ben..." I stopped. Not now. I could always do this later. Cars honked impatiently behind. I felt very uncomfortable. "Please, let's just move first. It's not safe here." 

I tried not to look panicky. It was at the tips of my lip to tell him to kill me if he wanted to, rather than giving me that killer gaze, but that would only be expressing my fear to him. I wouldn't let him see that. "Fine. Suit yourself." I reclined my head against the headrest and shut my eyes like I don't care, forcing my racing heart to stay still, lest he noticed. The car moved then, and it was so hard to withhold my smile but I did.

"Twelve bucks." 

He finally broke the silence.

My eyes flew open. "Twelve bucks for what?"

"The ride." 

"Okay." I uttered with an air of nonchalance, though I felt deeply broken inside. I had been hoping to add the cab fare to my savings, instead of returning it to my mean aunt. If only I hadn't called him Bennie. But I wasn't going to let him see my disappointment. I guess my response surprised him because he stole a glance my way, but I looked away and stared out the window. My vision attempted to blur with tears, but I forced them back in. I’m no loser.

Country bumpkin from nowhere.

Poor hopeless nobody.

For some reason, these phrases kept repeating in my head nonstop. They messed with my brain. Maybe returning to Minnesota wouldn’t be such a bad idea since everyone here hated me.

It really hurts. 

I must have been deeply absorbed and lost in my thoughts before I realized the ride was lasting longer than usual and he had not even bothered to ask my destination. I sat up immediately, glancing around, but I could barely recognize the area. "Please stop the car." I said frantically. The sun was gradually setting, and when I looked at the time on the dashboard it was twenty-eight minutes past six. But Asher didn't pay any attention, he drove on instead.

"I said you should stop the car!” I commanded fiercely, hitting his hand, but it seemed to have no effect on him. “Stop the car this instant, Bennie!” I yelled at the top of my voice.

Again, that did it.

He pulled the car to a stop, parking by the roadside as he killed the engine. The whole area looked totally deserted, save for an empty self-service gas station by the corner. I could hardly see a soul around, nor did I have any idea where we were.

“Where are we?”

“Your money. I need to buy some gas.”

I opened my purse and handed it to him without any fuss.

“Where are we?” I asked again.

He didn’t respond. He stepped out instead and walked around to open my door.

“Get out.”

I frowned. “What? I just paid you already. This is not my destination. I don’t…”

He dragged me out before I could finish talking. I was so stunned and scared.

“Asher?”

I watched him head to the backseat where my shopping bags were. He flung them out one after the other, save for one or two I managed to catch. Some of the contents spilled out in the process, leaving things like the fresh tomatoes and bananas partially ruined.

I was deeply pained.

Did he really intend to dump me here after collecting the last dime I had? The money my aunt gave me had barely been enough, so I had managed as best as I could and had almost nothing left.

“Are you acting out just because I called you Bennie?” I demanded as he slammed the back door shut after throwing out the last bag.

He gave me a hateful stare. “If I hear that name from you again, I swear I’m gonna hit your head hard against this car till you bleed.”

His voice was filled with venom.

“Then tell your grandma to stop calling you Bennie if that’s not your name or if you hate it so much!” I retorted, fueled by anger.

He made a sudden dash toward me, but I leaped out of his way and darted off. Fortunately, he let me be.

I only returned to my bags after he got into his car. Then he poked his head out the window. “This is for ignoring my texts and then talking shit to my face, rather than apologizing. As you wish, I’ll deliver the bill tomorrow, and you’re expected to pay before the week runs out.”

I watched the car until it drove out of sight.

Then realization dawned on me.

I’ve just been ditched in the middle of nowhere.