FLAWLESS — The Neighbourhood

The blazing sun punctured my head as the night before took a toll on my senses. I hadn't had much to drink, yet I managed to suffer from a small hangover.

My feet touched the floor, a cold arising upon my skin causing goosebumps to plant themselves upon my body. I looked over at my window to see that noon was surfacing, anticipating the time to be around ten or eleven.

I grabbed my phone and immediately texted Benny, he had finally given me his number at the party in between his drinks.

"You feeling better?" I texted, checking in on how he was after his first attempt at a party. I was surprised as my phone vibrated alerting a quick text from him.

"My. Head. Is. Gonna. Blow. Off." He responded, causing laughter to erupt from me. I texted him a laughing emoji and advised him to take Tylenol and to stay hydrated. He obeyed my commands as he sent me a picture of a water bottle and container of Tylenol.

I went downstairs to find myself alone as I realized my mother had probably left to her first day of her new job, she had become a nurse. I found a note pasted on the island that stood in the centre of the kitchen, her neat cursive writing came into view as I grasped the note.

'Hey Lina,

Next time you're out, don't come home too late. I'm not gonna be easy on you, but this is a warning because I know you're stressed about the move and I'm pretty happy with you managing to find friends here. I'm off to work, call me in case of an emergency. Love you

- mom.'

My eyes scanned the note wearily, finishing it with a sigh. I groaned as I placed the note back to where it was originally found and made myself breakfast.

I ate by myself to the sounds escaping from the open window of my kitchen—Benny's distinct voice vibrating through the atmosphere from the house next door. I was surprised that he managed to get out of bed from his hangover.

"Dang, its hot outside," He said to someone.

"Yeah, I don't know about baseball today, man," Smalls' voice replied to his friend disappointedly.

An epiphany sparked through me as I realized I was home alone, the idea forcing me to call Benny.

"Hello?" His voice beamed from the other line.

"Hey Benny, I was uh—wondering if you and the sandlot guys wanna come over? My moms at work until tomorrow morning," I explained, my nerves punctured with ounces of nervousness.

He hesitated before answering, "of course, what time you want us there?"

I stared at the digital clock on the fireplace of my living room—eleven piercing my vision in bold letters.

"How about one o'clock?" I asked.

"Yeah, I'll gather the guys up and meet you there," His voice spoke in excitement.

"I'll see you, Rodriguez." I said, ending the call abruptly with a wide smirk plastered on my lips.

I wanted to introduce the sandlot boys to the newfound friends Benny and I had gotten aquatinted with at the party, so I texted Brandon and asked if he and his group wanted to join. I thought the event might lead Brandon to decline due to the sandlot boys attending, but I was utterly surprised when he sent me a text alerting his arrival.

I ran to my room and threw on a pair of black track pants that had a red line coating the side of my legs, a red tube top, and a distressed black jean jacket, pairing the outfit with a pair of white Nike shoes. I glanced at my appearance, an atrocious expression glued to my features due to my insecurities resurfacing.

I wasn't one for makeup, but I put in a small effort as I sported winged eyeliner on top of my mascara coated eyes. As for my hair, I left it sprawl in wild auburn curls past my shoulders.

I looked at the time to see that an hour had went by, meaning I still had to get my house prepared for the guests I was having.

Benny immediately called me, confusion vibrating through me.

"Hey Elena, most of the guys are headed to the pool, only Kenny and Bertram are gonna come, is that alright?" He asked

"Yeah, don't worry, that's perfect actually," I chuckled shamelessly.

"Oh, okay, we'll see you later Elena." He dismissed the call urgently.

I didn't know how Benny would react about the people from the party coming if the sandlot boys were joining, he did want the party to stay a secret.

My thoughts scrambled in sirens as I pictured the anger that would torment Benny when he was met with the group and how his friends would catch him in his lie. Guilt reverberated through my veins at the thought of him being the slightest upset.

I contemplated on cancelling the entire gathering, but I couldn't bring myself to be humiliated by the group of older kids that somehow respected me already. I should've cared more about the sandlot boys and Benny.

I must've sat in the same spot for too long engulfed in thoughts before I realized that my doorbell was ringing.

✱✱✱

Brandon greeted me at the door with his friends trailing behind, each of them carrying a bottle of alcohol.

"Nice place, Lina," he smirked as his eyes scanned the atmosphere.

"It's pretty nice," Hailey added with a kind smile.

Adam, Zara, Charli, and Adrianna didn't bother saying a word as they all made themselves comfortable on my couch, placing their bottles of alcoholic drinks in my kitchen.

My nerves burned with guilt as another knock pierced the atmosphere.

"Ugh, it's the sandlot boys," groaned Zara.

"Hey, be nice, Benny is cool." Brandon scolded his girlfriend as I exited the room to open the door.

I stepped outside as Benny, Kenny, and Bertram all stared at me with delirious expressions all painted upon their features.

"So, I have one minor detail that I didn't mention on the phone," I explained, their eyes all locked on mine in confusion.

"What's up?" Benny inquired.

"So, some of my new friends are kind here, they wanted to hang out as well and they have alcohol and other. . . things," I trailed off, studying Benny's expression to anticipate anger, instead I was met with nervousness.

"It's okay, they won't be that bad if they have good shit." Bertram laughed, making his way inside without question.

Kenny stood next to a worried Benny and awkwardly awaited to be let in.

"You can go inside, Kenny," I told him. He made his way inside without any words radiating from him, instead a kind smile balanced upon his features.

I was left alone with Benny and the guilt all penetrating me at once.

"So, is that Brandon's group?" He managed to ask.

"Yeah, I—uh I'm sorry Benny, I shouldn't have invited them," I sighed.

Benny smiled kindly at me, "Elena, it's okay, I just don't want Kenny and Bertram to be annoyed that I lied, but I think they'll be fine, especially Bertram,"

"Yeah, I just hope they don't do anything stupid," I snorted.

"Of course not, I'll make sure they are on their best behaviours," Benny announced, jokingly slapping his hand to his forehead to impersonate a sergeant.

"Okay, lets go in and see where the night takes us, Rodriguez," I smiled as the atmosphere shifted, my guilt displaced with a newfound comfort from Benny's presence.

I interlocked my slender hand with his to drag him inside. Benny trailed behind me as we walked into the kitchen, everyone easing off into their own space conversing or drinking wildly.

"Oh, I forgot to mention Canada," Benny hesitated. "You uh—look gorgeous."

Hues of mahogany tinted my cheeks as I was betrayed by my embarrassment. "Thank you Benny, you look great as well."

He always looked effortlessly divine, managing to pull off a white shirt and a pair of rolled up Levi's, and his classic black PF flyers. I held back an aching sigh as my heart rang at the sight of him.

I somehow always managed to mask the undeniable attraction I perceived for him, disclosing my insecurities with a small form of confidence that I didn't actually have.

He smiled at my compliment, planting his eyes to the ground.

I scanned my surroundings to see how Bertram and Kenny were, the boys sprawled in opposite spots. Bertram was engaged in a conversation with Charli and Adrianna, trying to impress them with cheesy flirting, and Kenny was situated by himself on a rocking chair I had close to my fireplace. He looked out of place whilst Bertram managed to fit in some how.

Brandon directed his eyes to Kenny and kindly sparked a conversation with him, I couldn't help but to develop a small ounce of respect for him due to his infinite spurs of kindness. I couldn't say the same for Zara though.

"Are you drinking again?" Benny asked, ripping me from my previous span of thoughts.

"Uh, probably, you?"

"I don't know, yesterday was shit but since we are at your house and I can go home real quick, it doesn't sound super risky, I'm just kinda scared," Benny confessed as he leaned in a bit closer to me.

"I can take care of you Benny, just drink," a chuckled escaped from my lips with a childlike grin burning through Benny's expression.

"Okay, just don't let Bertram and Kenny to see me the way you did, I don't want them to lose respect for me, I just—"

I interrupted him as he rambled on, "Benny, they will still respect you, you're a great guy and drinking shouldn't depict whether or not you should be respected."

"Yeah, you're right," his smile blazed from his pouted lips. "Thank you, Elena."

A lighthearted smile crawled on to my features as I began pouring a cup of alcohol for him, the substance overflowing the red cup.

✱✱✱

The night took a turn when Bertram got hammered, everyone burning with howls of laughter as he entertained the guests with his intoxicated state.

We decided to play a game of truth or dare, a swarm of cliched dares and embarrassing truths all engulfed the night.

"Elena, truth or die," Bertram slurred.

"I hate to break it to you Bertram, but it's truth or dare," I patted his shoulder with pits of laughter flooding from me.

"Oh ya." The intoxicated boy said, his body swaying as he plopped on the couch, a snore spilling from him in seconds.

I looked over at a very drunk Benny, my features dawned in worry as I thought about how he'd deal with another hangover right after his first.

Benny managed to get quickly buzzed, his torso stammering when he attempted to walk. I on the other hand managed not to drink that much, which was a surprise to me.

I grabbed him as I did at the previous party and led him to my bedroom, everyone else still engaged in the game—minus an unconscious Bertram.

He wobbled in different directions as I attempted to guide him up the stairs—almost falling over the railing.

"Elena?" He asked confused, the intoxication scrambling his thoughts.

"It's okay Benny, you can rest in my room." I said, heaving his torso to the second floor.

I somehow managed to help him up, lifting him to plant his arms across my shoulders as the rest of his body balanced itself lopsidedly upon me.

I threw the covers off my bed and placed him on, fixing the pillows for him to ease into comfortably.

He turned to scan the room, the blaring light of my lamp on my desk puncturing his vision causing a wince to pour from his lips.

I shut the light off and grabbed the blanket I threw off, sliding his shoes off before placing the long and fluffy duvet over the angelic boy.

I tucked him in, a smile planting itself upon his hazy expression. I sat next to his unconscious state and studied his features, admiring the way the shadows of the night casted constellations upon his cheeks and the wisps of hair pooling around his forehead.

His mouth hung open with a trail of drool hanging from the corner as though it were a thread. I laughed at the site and grabbed a tissue to wipe it off.

As I was getting up to return to the party, I felt a hand grab me by the wrist, the calloused palm and slender fingers interlocking me.

"Stay," The word vibrated from him, causing my insides to be entranced in a state of agonized craving.

I couldn't leave him to fend for himself in the state he was placed in, so I moved myself next to him.

"Okay." I sighed, turning my back away from him.

As I slowly eased into the depths of unconsciousness, a muscular arm snaked around my waist causing a flock of butterflies to penetrate the core of my body.

"Elena, who's that?" His eloquent voice asked quietly. I turned to see his index finger pointing to the picture I kept of my father on my desk. My lips pouted as I kept the overflowing sadness at bay.

"That's my dad," I replied, stupidly letting the sadness exhale from my words.

"What happened to him?" He asked in innocent curiosity.

"He—he's not here, he disappeared," I answered, not letting the truth spill from my words.

"Is he the reason you always look so sad?" He asked, my expression bewildered at the evidence that he stated proving that he must've seen through my countless facades.

"I'm not sad," I stated, attempting to keep my poker face.

"Yes you are, you're sad girl," his voice slurred as he held me closer to him.

The words rung through my ears, the mere thought that he could see through absolutely terrified my every sense.

His voice growled in sleep, "One day, sad girl will be happy."

I felt the brink of tears spill from my eyelids, Benny's words swarming like a hurricane about to engulf me.

Knowing Benny for a week had already began to change me, my every action and thought was to avoid falling into the attraction I had for him, but every day he gave me another reason to get lost in the emerald hues of his eyes and drown.

I would not fall for the happy boy he was, not destroy him more than I already managed to do.

//////a.n\\\\\\

Un-edited chapter written at 4 a.m

I also don't know how I feel about this chapter :// hopefully whoever reads this doesn't find it terrible.

Also, to anyone interested I'm writing another Benny fanfic called "why me" the idea was provided to me from a great plot shop and I'm so excited to work on it. Anyone reading this can check it out once I've posted it.

-nr