Meet You There

Meet You There - Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Bennett's apartment was nothing like Caleb's. It was huge, open concept, and there were just a handful of kids from our school already there. Bennett brought me to the kitchen, grabbed two beers and then sat on a stool near the island. I sat beside him, watching as he opened one and handed it to me.

   "I'm really glad you're here," he told me. "Actually, I'm really glad we are... together."

   "I am, too," I told him.

   "You don't seem thrilled to be here," he accused me, then smiled.

   "I'm kind of nervous," I admitted, sipping the beer.

   "Nervous? Of what?"

   "You. Or, I mean, me, alone with you."

   "Alone?" he laughed. "There are literally twenty other people in this room."

   It was true, more people had just came in and it was getting louder, around us. Someone had started some music. A couple of guys were playing a fighting game on the huge screen TV.

   I shrugged, then took another sip.

   "You are, like, my favourite person. You know that?" he said, touching my cheek.

   "Why?" I asked, surprised.

   Now, he grinned. "You're different. You didn't know me before, you don't look at me like everyone else does."

   I smiled back at him, relaxing a bit. "How do I look at you?" I asked.

   He leaned in close, kissing my cheek. "Like, I'm a real person, like you care about me."

   "I do," I said quietly, just as he pulled me into a real kiss. His lips were soft and when I opened mine; his tongue found mine a moment later.

   Bennett was different, too. I only had Sheldon to compare him to, but he was definitely different - better. Sheldon had been sweet, most of the time. But he was also full of himself, and expected a lot from me. I didn't see it at the time, but he was sort of controlling. I only felt like what I thought was love - but it was more like infatuation. It was such a mistake.

   Bennett's phone buzzed, then again a minute later. He stopped kissing me to look at it, but put it back down again. I picked up my beer and finished it. I was used to parties that were loud, crazy, lots of dancing, grinding, yelling. Lots of drinking games. This one was fairly tame, for now.

   I noticed Kelly and Alex coming out of a room, holding hands. Anna was on the couch, cheering on the guys playing the video game. I noticed other people from school, drinking, wandering around, making out. The front door opened and another group of kids came in. Bennett was looking at his phone again.

   "Where's the bathroom?" I asked him, suddenly feeling annoyed.

   "What?" he asked, looking up from his phone. 

   "The bathroom?" I asked again, trying to keep eye contact.

   He looked confused by the tone of my voice, but typed something on his phone again, then slipped it into his back pocket. "I'll take you."

   He grabbed my hand and lead me through the kitchen and down to the hallway. Some guys said hi to him as we passed. Kelly waved at me. Down a long hall, at the end, he finally stopped. I looked at him. He looked tired, or high, or both. Quickly, he smiled big, then leaned up against me.