Chapter 16

I walked around the sixth floor for awhile, too nervous to knock on Bennett's door. Was I being too easy, now? Did I have to go back to playing hard to get? I just knew I needed a friend and Josie and Polly didn't live in the same building as I did. Plus, they weren't exactly great friends.

   IM OUTSIDE YOUR DOOR, I texted Bennett finally.

   A few minutes later, he answered. DON'T KNOCK. MY SISTER IS THERE. IM IN THE VILLAGE.

   SO MUCH FOR LEAVING YOUR SCHEDULE OPEN, I sent back.

   He left? He hadn't even waited to hear from me.

   IM HELPING A FRIEND. COME MEET ME AT THE POD IN HALF AN HOUR? he asked.

   The Pod was a weird little spot in the village, between a men's clothing store and a tiny restaurant. It seemed to be an empty building in the strip that was just a hang out for teenagers. I had heard there were drug deals going on constantly. I'd only ever walked past it, as it was down the street from Anita's Thrift Shop.

  I had to get out of the condo building now, so I agreed to meet him.

  Anita's was still open, so I went in, on my way. An older girl who looked a bit like Maribella was at the counter.

   "We're closing in ten minutes, just so you know," she called over to me.

   I nodded back at her. It was almost 8P.M. I pretended to look at the sunglasses for a few minutes, just killing time.

   "Iris?" I heard a voice, so I spun around.

   "Hey," I said, seeing Maribella now. "I was wondering if you'd be working."

   "I'm not, actually. My sister is, but I was down here with friends so I stopped in to catch a ride home. I should have texted you." She looked embarrassed, suddenly.

   "Oh, no, that's okay. How was your week?" I asked, realizing that I hadn't really talked to her. 

   "Oh, pretty good I guess. You?" she asked back.

   "It was good, too... until today," I said, then shrugged.

  "What happened?"

   I took a breath, lowering my voice. "A lot. For one, Caleb's girlfriend is back. And I have some weird stuff going on with Bennett..."

   "The guy from Rock Light?" she asked, eyes wide. I nodded. "Tell me everything."

   "I want to, but I'm on my way to meet him. Can I call you later? Or we could hang out tomorrow?" I suggested.

   "Awesome, yeah. Text me," she said happily.

   "I will," I agreed.

   I walked down the street, once I went outside again, until I was in front of The Pod. I couldn't see inside and I was definitely not going to go in alone. A minute later, the door opened. A guy walked out, followed by Bennett. He grinned at me, right away.

   "You came."

   "Yeah, but I'm not going in there," I said, looking at The Pod again.

   "You think I'd bring you in to The Pod?" he asked, surprised. There's two guys doing blow off of a table and I'm pretty sure there's a threesome happening in the back right now," he went on.

   "Uh, okay, I'm definitely never going in there." I took a few steps away from the door. "How is it even legally open?"

   "Um, it's owned by a big name businessman in town, who's kids go to Renaissance. So, the cops leave it be." He shrugged, following me as I kept walking.

   "That's sketchy. So, why were you there?" I wanted to know.

   "My friend, Jay, needed money, for weed. His dealer will only meet here-" Bennett stopped talking when he saw my reaction to this. "I don't do drugs. Anymore," he added.

   "Yeah, me either," I said quietly. "But don't ask me about tenth grade."

   He laughed. "So, how was dinner?"

   I was glad for the change of topic. "It was weird."

   We were walking now, back towards the condo. As we walked past Anita's, Maribella and her sister were coming out. Her sister was locking the door, and Maribella grinned, seeing us.

   "Hey, again."

   "Hey," I said, slowing down. "This is Bennett. Bennett, this is my friend Maribella."

   He looked surprised, but shook her hand. Maribella smiled at me.

   "So nice to meet you, Bennett," she said to him. "Iris, see you tomorrow?"

   I nodded. "Yeah, tomorrow."

   Bennett and I continued walking, both of us remaining quiet. As we turned the corner, the condo came into view. It was now just starting to get dark out.

   "You're quiet," I told him, leaning in to him a bit as we approached the building.

   "I'm just thinking," he said, without hesitating.

   "About what?"

   He stopped walking and turned to me. "You introduced me to your friend without hesitation."

   "Maribella is really cool. She doesn't go to our school," I said, not sure what he meant.

   "Ah, so it's just the people we go to school with that you want to hide from." He looked a bit annoyed.

   "I thought you were okay with the secret friendship?"

   "I am, I guess. But only if it's short term," Bennett told me.

   "You said you'd wait."

   "I will."

   I smiled at him, pulling his hand towards the front steps of the building. I sat, so he followed.

   "I have... secrets. I promised myself I'd keep my head down and power through this year, so I can get to New York next summer and be free," I admitted, still holding his hand in mine.

   "Okay. So?" He looked confused again.

   "So, I didn't think I'd crash into you on the street on the first day of school," I admitted.

   "Oh, yeah, that happened." He smiled, but looked down at his feet.

   "I tried really hard to ignore you, you know. To not let you..."

   "What?"

   "To not let this happen, but..." I waited, to make sure he was listening. "It happened."

   He leaned in, close, so our faces were almost touching. "Yeah."

   Just as he was about to kiss me, the front door of the condo opened, surprising me. I moved away, but not fast enough.

   "Iris," Caleb said, narrowing his eyes at me.

   "Hi."

   "I'm driving Fox back to her apartment," he went on.

   "Okay," I said quickly.

   Caleb and Fox came down the stairs, moving around where we were sitting. I moved even further from Bennett.

   "I have a jam session later, so I'll be back pretty late," Caleb continued.

   "I'll be fine," I answered, knowing that Bennett was staring at me.

   Caleb nodded and lead Fox down the rest of the stairs, then down the walkway to the parking lot. He glanced back at me at the last moment before they disappeared.

   "We should not almost kiss on the stairs of the building," I said to Bennett, trying to hide a smile.

   "Right, I guess not," he agreed.

   "But now my apartment is empty," I told him quickly.

   He let himself smile. "I thought we were waiting."

   "We are waiting... to tell anyone that we are... friends," I said slowly.

   "Oh. So we are not waiting to make out in your apartment?" he asked, keeping a straight face.

   I shook my head.

   But when the elevator doors opened a few minutes later, there was Kelly, staring right back at us. Her eyes went wide.

   "What are you doing? I thought you went to bail Jay out of trouble?" she asked Bennett quickly.

   "I did," he answered.

   "Oh, so you just found this lost puppy on your way back?" she snapped, stepping out of the elevator.

   "Kelly, don't be a bitch," Bennett told her, shaking his head.

   Her expression changed. "Oh my god, you're with her. Like on purpose?"

   "Kelly."

   "I'm late to meet Alex." She pushed past me. "Good luck, honey, once your leader hears about this."

   "Kelly, seriously," Bennett tried, but she waved her hand in the air and then she was gone.

   My heart was racing. I stepped into the elevator after Bennett, but I couldn't think of any words to say. I was embarrassed.

   "She's all talk," he said to me, trying to shrug this off. "Don't worry."

   I pressed the number four, for my floor, not saying anything. When the door opened again, I felt like I couldn't breathe.

   "I'm actually tired," I said quickly, to Bennett.

   "Iris." He reached for my hand, but I pulled it away.

   "Goodnight," I finished, stepping out.

   I expected him to follow me, to try to change my mind. Instead, he just looked disappointed as the doors closed again with him inside.