Starboy

Chapter 42: Party Planning

Brandy

"You've been doing that all morning," I say to Benji, who is clicking his camera non-stop. "Aren't your wrists tired?" I smile.

He smiles back, his eyes still looking through the camera. "Never," he replies. "I don't think I'll ever be tired of this."

"Rainbow Lens," I say to myself. "That's kind of a pretty name. What is the store like?"

He sighs. "Boring," he mumbles. "I mean, the service sucked."

"Oh yeah?" I wonder. "Noted. If I ever want buy a camera I'll make sure to go to... I don't know. Henry's Camera Studio." I joke.

"Yeah, never go there. I'm serious."

I laugh. "I'll take your word for it."

Benji continues snapping shots of the apartment and then the view of New York from our window. I drink my coffee and think about something that's been on my mind lately—something I need to bring up with him. His birthday.

"Do you remember..." I start. "Do you remember what I told you... at your birthday party?" I ask nervously.

He stops taking pictures. "Which part?" He asks.

"I told you I had something—something planned for you that night. Do you remember?"

He turns towards me, lowering his camera. "I remember."

"Well what do you think about it?" I ask. "Where is your head at?"

"Where is yours? You seem like you have something on your mind. What's going on, B?" He asks as he sits down next to me.

"I... I want to," I admit. "I've always wanted to, Benji."

"Me too." He smiles. "Look, B, I'm sorry. I still feel absolutely horrible about that night. I can't even believe it—the things I said to you-"

"Benji," I stop him. "It's over. We need to start communicating more and stop holding onto the past. If we don't, we're just doomed. And Benji, I love you—I really don't want us to be doomed."

He nods understandingly. "I love you, too. And Brandy, of course I want to. I just want to do it on your terms and at the right time. I don't want to rush it, you know? I've always done that—rushed it. It's overrated."

I laugh. "When did you marry Jesus?"

He laughs. "I just decided that I didn't like who I was anymore, and a lot of who I was... was because of the girls I was with. I had a toxic behaviour with girls and I don't want to be like that with you."

"You don't need to get all sappy with me, you know. I know what's in your heart. Benji... I believe you've changed. You don't need to keep reminding me," I say, holding his hand.

He loudly exhales. "Okay, good. As long as you know what a great boyfriend I am." He smirks.

"Oh, trust me. I know."

"You know what you should start doing now that my birthday is done?" Benji asks. "You should start planning your birthday."

"No, absolutely not," I laugh. "I hate my birthday."

"No, I hate my birthday. That's my thing, you can't steal it. One of us has to love our birthday and it can't be me."

"Therefore it should be me?" I shake my head.

"Hey, if I had to endure a party, it's only fair that you should, too." He smiles. "You totally should. You could—you could invite your old friends like Anna, Daniel... and Hellen."