Chapter 45

I was up bright and early with Bennett the next day, as he had to be at Renaissance at 9A.M. I made him breakfast - eggs and toast - while he took a shower, then he ate quickly, kissed me and rushed out the door.

  I waited around all morning, feeling like a lost puppy. I missed him. I hope he was doing okay. I couldn't wait to see him again. The way I felt like I was tied to him now was overwhelming. 

   I was wrapped in a blanket - because Caleb kept the apartment cold - watching a movie when my dad called. I was just thinking about turning it off and getting ready to go meet Bennett at the school. It was a bit after noon, and I knew he was done at 1P.M.

   "Hi, Dad," I answered, pressing speakerphone as I put my phone down.

   "Hey, sweetie, how was New York?" he asked cheerfully, his voice filling the room.

   "It was great," I told him, then added, "I loved it."

   "Wonderful. Oh, I'm so glad everything is going so well for you," he went on.

   I stood up and walked across the room, then grabbed a banana off the counter. "Yeah. Thanks."

   "I was thinking about your birthday," he told me, which made my chest feel heavy suddenly.

   My birthday was in a week and a half; I was turning eighteen. The only plans I had were dinner with Caleb, Fox and Bennett. I just wanted to spend the day with Bennett, really.

   "Okay?" I asked, peeling the banana.

   "It's a Friday, right? So I could take the day off and come visit for the weekend!" he went on.

   I froze, my heart racing. My dad and I had been close, especially when I lived in San Diego. But it had been almost a year since I'd seen him. I felt like he was more like someone I used to know.

   "Oh, uh..." I couldn't think of the right words.

   "Unless you already have plans?" he asked.

   I didn't, really. But I liked the idea of just going for dinner, and being with Bennett. My dad would ruin all of that. I didn't really want him to come and interfere with my life here. Did that make me a horrible daughter?

   "I'm sorry, I do. My boyfriend and I-"

   "Of course. I should have figured," he interrupted. "It's just that I feel so bad about missing your graduation."

   "Dad, it's okay. I'm good. You can come visit me in New York once I get settled. Okay?" I suggested.

   "Right, yes. Let's do that," he said quickly.

   "Great. I have to go, but I will call you soon?" I finished, now slipping on my shoes.

   "Yes, of course. Love you, Iris."

   "You too."

Bennett was our front of the school, standing with a guy who I remembered to be on the wrestling team with him, back in the fall. I didn't know his name. When he saw me, Bennett high fived the guy and then started towards me.

   "Hey," he smiled. "You came to meet me." It was like he wasn't surprised at all.

   I nodded. "How was it?"

   Bennett pulled me in to kiss me and then linked his hand into mine as we started walking. "It was okay. Turns out Ashton there failed a couple classes last semester and has to redo them to graduate, too."

   "Oh, well.. that sucks."

   "No, it's great, for me," Bennett laughed. "I'm not totally alone here."

   I didn't know what to say, so I asked, "Want to get lunch?"

   He smiled big. "Yes."

   We ate at the Java Hut, coffee and bagels, and it reminded me of that first day that I really talked to Bennett. He was outside the cafe, holding out a coffee for me. And how we were there, together for real, but yet it felt like time was fleeting.

   Maribella texted me at 3P.M., saying that she was almost off work and asked me to meet her outside Anita's. Bennett and I were back at the apartment, cuddling on the couch and talking. I knew I had to leave to go and see Maribella, but I didn't exactly want to. I didn't want to lose her, though. She had been a good friend, practically from my first day at school. And she had just been dumped.

   "I have to go meet Maribella," I told Bennett, pulling his arm off of me.

   "Nooo. Stay," he cooed, nuzzling his face into me.

   "I won't be long. I feel bad that I wasn't here when she came over to vent yesterday," I explained, sitting up again.

   He looked worried, just for a split second. "She was fine."

   "I know. But I'd want to vent to her if you'd just broken up with me," I said, smiling at him, but he didn't return the smile. "Just watch a movie... I'll be back in an hour."

   "Okay," he finally said, then pulled me in for a kiss before letting me go.

   Maribella was standing outside Anita's, leaning against the building, when I walked up. She smiled, which made me feel better right away. I had been actually worried about her. I stopped in front of her.

   "Hey."

   "Hi," she said, her voice quiet.

   "Do you want to get coffee?" I asked, motioning at the Java Hut across the street. I had been a few hours since I was there with Bennett.

   "Um, sure," she answered.

   We walked beside each other as we crossed over and headed in. We waited in line together, not really talking, then each got a coffee and found a table in the front. Once we were sitting, I could tell she was holding something bad.

   "Maribella, I'm really sorry about Ryland. And for kind of disappearing over the last couple of weeks..." I began.

  "Stop," she said right away, and I noticed tears in her eyes.

   "Oh, sorry," I said again, looking at her carefully.

   "No, stop saying you're sorry," she told me, then took in a deep breath. "I wasn't going to tell you this. And then I was just going to text you -"

   "What?"

   She covered her face with her hands. "I thought I should tell you in person, but, now -"

   "Maribella, what is it?" I asked her.

   Finally, she looked at me. Her eyes were red. Her cheeks were wet. I wanted to hug her and make her feel better, but then she spoke.

   "I kissed Bennett."

   "What?" The words didn't make sense.

   "Yesterday. In his bedroom."

   I shoved my chair back, so I wasn't so close to her. My only thought was to get away.

   "You kissed him?" I asked, though repeating it out loud sounded so wrong.

   "I'm so sorry. It was so stupid -"

   "Maribella, you kissed my boyfriend?" I asked her, hoping that I had it all wrong.

   "He was being so sweet, and I was crying... I shouldn't have gone there, but -"

   "Did he kiss you back?" I wanted to know.

   "No. I mean... no, it was just me." She looked down at the table. "I was going to leave because I felt really dumb, but then you were there..."

   "It was right before I got there?" I snapped, now standing.

   She nodded, looking up at me. I just stared at her, trying to figure this out. But there was no explanation that was okay. Not for this. We were both frozen in time, both of us knowing what this meant. She knew what had happened to be in San Diego. But she still let this happen to us.

   I shook my head at her, after a minute of silence. "Don't call or text me again, okay?"

   I didn't wait for her to answer, I was already going out the door.