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

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

The whispers start during lunch. Ben and I do our best to ignore it while heading for the cafeteria but once we step inside, the place falls quiet. Eyes are on us and my steps almost falter. They are full on staring.  My hand slips into Ben’s, we stop at the end of the queue and everyone scampers away like we have a plague. Ben tries to brush off the attitude but I note the worry in his gaze as he nudges me to the front.  We get our meals and make for our table. His friends don’t call out to us like they usually do. Everyone is staring. It might be my imagination but I feel like they are staring at only me. But why? What have I done this time?  “Do you want to get out of here?” Ben asks.  I nod without hesitation. “Yeah.”  Throwing our bags over his shoulders, he offers me his hand. I don’t take it because my phone rings.  Maria.  The first thing she says is, “Check the blog.”  I

I pull the phone away from my ear but Maria keeps screaming like a banshee. The video of me hitting Olivia is all over BG and it is the highlight of her day. Maria says something I don’t hear and I grunt in reply. She’s excited but I am not. Not when Ben is upset. I think I fucked up this time. Big time.Maybe I am being paranoid but I don’t think we will get better even after Ben cools off. I don’t want to think it’s over for us but it feels like it is. He picked her over me. To show his support, I guess. I swipe the back of my hand against my eyes. My eyes sting too much. I want to curl in bed and cry like a baby.I end the call after a few more moments of false enthusiasm to Maria’s constant teasing. I can’t tell her about Olivia because Ben already feels like shit talking to me about it. I massage my temple to try and stop the growing headache. I feel like shit. His words play over and over again in my head unt

BENThe play is today. I’m not sure there’s a need for me to be there since the female lead is suspended. Whitney or someone else I don’t remember is the backup but it’s useless, she doesn’t recall her lines. I will not embarrass myself in front of the whole school. Who needs the play anyway? I only joined drama club to tease Gracie. I kick my tires until my foot screams in pain. I don’t want to think about that girl. Donning my helmet, I start for Olivia’s house. She’s back home but confined to bed rest. That devil spawn isn’t home and won’t be back for about a week. I hope his parachute fails on his skydiving trip. It will be fun to hear his screams as he falls to his death. He will experience the fear and the pain he put her through. I kill the engine when I’m in front of her house. Olivia is not coming for the play and I am missing my first class by coming h