Starboy

Chapter 9: Apartment 11B

"Your Dad is crazy." Benji finally says after we exchange a few summer stories in the car ride to the apartment. "He was threatening me."

I sit there and pretend I don't know what he's talking about. "What? What did he say?"

"He basically just told me that he's 'watching me' and that if anything were to happen to you, it would be my fault." He laughs it off.

"Sounds like him." I laugh along. "Tell me more about Cuba. You were telling me about the night at the hotel." I change the subject.

"Right," he remembers. "Shit, it was fucking crazy. I had just come back from hooking up with this girl and when I get downstairs to the lobby, this man starts yelling at me in Spanish and starts chasing me down the street."

"That's crazy." My eyes widen. "What the hell was his problem?"

He shrugged. "The hell if I know, right?" He chuckles. "No hablo Español."

"Your dad is literally from Colombia..." I laugh. "He speaks Spanish."

"True, but my mom is also white as hell," he laughs along. "I should really learn some Spanish, huh?"

We finally pull up the apartment building, which seems like thirty stories high. It's a beautiful glass building, which hints that it must be new.

"Holy shit," I mutter underneath my breath.

"Home sweet home, huh?" Says Benji, clearly having heard what I said. "Come on," he says, gesturing his head toward the front door and smiling.

I take a deep breath before walking through the front door. Never have I lived in such a beautiful building before--I'm overwhelmed.

We head up the elevator and it finally dings once we reach the eleventh floor... our floor. "After you." He tells me.

We finally reach our room, 11B. "Ready for the best fucking time of our lives, B?"

I roll my eyes and laugh. "Of course I am." No, I am not. I lied. I'm freaking out inside and I have no idea what to expect from this. Living with Benji sounded so good until I reached the point where I realized I am actually living with Benji.

But wow, is the apartment stunning. The furniture is already set up and there is so much more room in here than in my old home. It feels weird to say that-- my old house. "Did your parents do all this?" I ask, referring to the display of furniture and the spread of food laid on the kitchen island.

He shook his head. "Tina, the new maid. It's nice, huh? Our new place." He dropped his bag to the floor and placed his hands on his neck. "This is what freedom looks like, B." He ran to the couch and jumped on it, leaving a Benji-shaped mark on it. "Whoo!" He shouted.

"We have neighbours, dummy." I reminded him. "Shut up." I joked.

"Aw, lighten up, Brandy. I'm just getting some first handed taste on our new place. Join me, will you?" He offered his hand out to me, still laying down comfortably.

I smiled way too big, much bigger than I intended to. "Okay," I agreed. "I mean, how can I not? Look at this place." I was still amazed.

I jumped down on the other side of the sectional sofa, slightly bumping into him. I feel those damned butterflies again and I wish I could kill them. I've never seen Benji so happy. The only time I've seen him this happy was when Emily fell into the pool three years ago at a party. I have to admit, it was hilarious.

"How you feelin', B?" He asks, sitting up a tad straighter.

"I'm feeling really happy," I answer honestly. "I'm excited about school, too."

His smile suddenly faded away and he fell back onto the couch. "Don't even mention school. I never want summer to end." He admits. "How can you be excited about something as fucking terrible as school?"

"I don't know," I stare at the ceiling as Iay on the couch. "I like school."

"Do you really like school?" He asks disgustedly.

"Well, I like having somewhere to be, and things to do. You know how I love my plans, and school has always been a part of my plan. Plus, aren't you excited about all the college parties?" I smile, even though I know he can't see me.

"Yeah, sure, but my parents are gonna be on my ass 24/7 about my classes. Dad told me that if I can't keep a solid 60% average, they're shipping me back home." He reveals, a bit of annoyance in his low voice.

"I'll make sure you keep that average because there's no way I could afford this place without you." I joke. "Are we still on for tomorrow?" I ask, realizing he probably will not remember.

"On for what, B?" He asks. I knew it.

"We discussed it before you went MIA for the summer. We said the day before classes start, we would check out NYU together. You don't remember..."

"Ah," he says, probably pretending to remember. "No, no I remember." He stands up suddenly and walks over to the kitchen, opening the fridge and all of the cabinets. "No booze?" He shuts a cabinet door close. "Tina brought everything except the only thing we actually need. Candles." He notices as he picks one up. "She brought candles but she didn't bring booze."

"Benji. Focus." I snap him out of it. "Are we still going tomorrow or did you already make other plans?"

"I don't have plans. We have plans." He smirks as he pours himself a glass of water. "How do you feel about our first lame-ass frat party?" He sips it and raises his eyebrows.

"Party?" I ask. "What time?"

"Don't worry, we'll have the whole day to check out the campus and do all of your geeky things."

"They're not geeky." I throw a pillow at him and he laughs. "I just want to try their famous Aussie coffee and check out where we'll be spending most of our time for the next four years. NYU is beautiful, Benj. Keep an open mind, will you?"

"I promise, Mom." He jokes. "But only if you promise to check out the frat party. I know this guy, Shawn, total asshole, but has a lot of connections. You get on his good side and you get to go to every legendary party at NYU."

I roll my eyes playfully. "I promise. But you have to promise not to get completely hammered within at least the first ten minutes of it."

"I can't promise that." He smiles.

I throw another pillow at him. 

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