In Your Dreams || Benny Weir COMPLETED

chapter twenty seven

"Are you sure joining the hockey team is the best idea, Benny?"

Mary sprawls herself across her bed, phone to ear, attempting to start her homework and talk her overly excited boyfriend out of joining the hockey team.

"You know there's only two ways to get popular in high school; make a band or join a sports team, and it's not like I got great pipes or more than one friend who can play an instrument. This is all I got." Benny replies.

"But you don't need to be popular, Benny. Why want all the attention? Take it from me, it's better to stay under the radar." Mary argues back. "No drama, just peace-well, I guess in my case not real peace-Ugh, you get what I mean."

Benny chuckles, "It's not really about attention, babe, it's more about achieving a status. I wanna be able to walk by a group of football players and not get shoved into a locker or called a dweeb."

"Yeah, okay, I understand that. I'm sorry, it's not fair you get treated that way. It bugs me."

"I know, it's just the way high school is."

"Well, you'll always be cool in my book." Mary replies, "Sorry, that was cheesy. It sounded better in my head."

Benny laughs, "No, it's ok. It was cute."

Mary giggles in response, but it gets cut short when she hears a bang on the door. She freezes, her heartbeat starts to quicken. "Babe? You still there?" Benny asks.

"Wha-yeah, yeah...um...gimme a sec, stay on the line." Mary replies. She stands up quickly, but still made sure her feet didn't make noise on the floor. She grabs the switchblade hidden in her drawer and slides it into her back pocket.

"What's going on?"

She bends her legs and back so she's under the view of the window, and tiptoes to her bedroom door. "I heard a knock on the door. I'm going to check it out. Just, stay on the line, please." Mary whispers.

"Babe, why do you sound so scared? It's probably just your neighbor or something." Benny replies. "Don't overthink it, you'll drive yourself nuts."

"I know, I'm just being careful. I haven't really been as careful as I should've been lately." Mary pushes her back against the wall, and quietly goes down her stairs.

"Mary, you've been here for over a year now and he hasn't appeared. I'm sure it's okay."

"Well I'm not gonna get my hopes up."

She reaches her door, and sees a tall shadow on the ground outside. She couldn't see the person clearly, but she could tell it was a tall man. She swallows a lump in her throat, and slowly moves her head toward her peephole.

"Oh thank god." Mary breathes a sigh of relief, "You were right, it's just my neighbor, Jeff."

"Good, see, I told you. Nothing to worry about."

"Well, Benny, you haven't been stalked by a crazy scientist for the past three years of your life, have you?" Mary jokes.

"Not that I know of. Text me when you can, okay?"

Mary chuckles, "Okay. Love you."

"Love you too."

Mary ends her call, and gently opens the door. "Hi, Jeff."

"Hi, Mary. Sorry to bother you so late, I was just wondering if you happen to have seen my dog? He got out last night somehow and I can't find him." He says, adjusting his suit jacket. Jeff was a professor at the local college and lived with his husband, Kevin. They were both great neighbors, especially for Mary; quiet, rarely ever talked to her, and polite.