Yes (Parks and Recreation Fanfic)

Part 11 - Leslie

I've never been more terrified than when I woke up against a guy who had his arm around me. I was facing away from him, so I couldn't see his face. I started panicking, trying to recall last night. There was a sketchy guy in the corner who was dousing beers... but he seemed more into Ann. Plus he was muscular. This arm wasn't. As creepy as it sounds, this guy felt... familiar. Could it... no, it can't be... he doesn't go to clubs. What if he's a random stranger? I observe the arm a little more. Wearing a dress shirt. Dress shirt? Wait, why don't I just turn around? I look back and all the blood drains from my face.
"OH MY GOD. BEN?!?"
His eyes fly open. It takes him a second, but then he scrambles back off of the bed.
"Leslie, oh my God. I'm so sorry! I must've drifted off last night before I could leave!"
"What happened last night?! Why are you here?! Why are you in my bed?!"
"Leslie, I swear nothing happened. I went to the Snakehole to look for Tom, and I found you and Ann blackout drunk. I drove you both home, and carried you both inside. By the time I got here, I was so tired from lifting you two that I must've fallen asleep here!"
I take a deep breath. That's the best possible answer I could've heard.
"Thank you. For taking us home."
Ben seems a bit relieved at my answer.
"Are you OK?"
"Yeah the hangover is starting to come in. My head is... oh god... how much did I drink?"
"I don't know. I tried to ask you last night, but then you passed out. Is there anything I can do to help?"
"I think I'm gonna call in sick."
He looks a bit worried, but nods.
"I'll pass the message onto Chris."
"Thanks."
"Bye. And, sorry, again."
"Don't worry about it."
"I'll send Ann to come in and check on you if I- Wait. No I won't. She's as bad as you are."
We both laugh a little.
"Oh, by the way, I talked to Chris."
I sit up a little taller. This probably won't be good.
"There's a loophole in the rule. We can't get in trouble now that this is over."
It's been a month since we broke up, and still the words "this is over" make my heart sink.
"How much did you tell him?"
"It's a long story. He doesn't know though. I just asked how Councilman Dexhart hasn't been fired yet."
"Clever. So we're good?"
"Jobwise, yes we're good." I don't know if that was meant to say that he wasn't OK emotionally. My brain already hurts, so I can't think about it too much.
"You're the best, Ben. And don't you dare say anything against that."
His smile spreads across his face. "I won't. Well, I have a city that I need to assist in managing. Bye, Leslie."
"Bye, Ben."
He leaves and immediately, my head is consumed by immense pain.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

5 MONTHS LATER

I'm surrounded by my friends and my co workers. The giant screen reads the current number of votes. My campaign managers are standing behind me, watching the screen impatiently. Bobby and I are separated by 3 votes. I look to my side, Ann is also looking at the screen. Ben is on my other side. After the awkward time when he fell asleep in my bed, we've decided to pretend like the whole "illegal dating" thing never happened and just be good friends. He looks over at me.
"You OK?"
"Just worried."
"It'll be alright. I have total faith in you."
I remember back at debate night. I was killing it, until Bobby said that he might move Sweetums if I won. I asked my campaign managers if I could attack him. They said I shouldn't. My scores dropped down immensely. All I've done in between has brought up my ratings, but has it been enough?
"I'm glad you have faith in me, but do they?"
"They would be idiots if they didn't." He looks back up at the screen. I have a one vote lead on Bobby.
The results from the last precinct roll in. I take a deep breath and close my eyes. When I open them, I see Bobby Newport's face smiling back from the screen. A unanimous groan comes from the crowd behind me. He won. Almost the entire precinct voted for him. I should've known. It's a poor district and most of them work at Sweetums. I turn around to my campaign managers.
"Can there be a recount?"
"I'm sorry, Leslie. We're just out of the range of 1%."
I look around. All eyes are on me. Ann comes in to hug me. I feel Chris come in too. Then Andy, Ben, Jerry, Tom, Donna. I think I see April move in. All of them surround me with their support. I don't have a city council spot, but I have the unwavering support of my friends.
I read my concession speech a little later and then go into the crowd to talk. Everyone expresses their sympathy, but is still optimistic somehow. They say that I can try again and surely I can win. It's just luck. My heart feels a little crushed. Bobby will never be able to take on the role I planned to. I was going to run that Council. My mind is filled with "what ifs". "What if I had decided to attack Bobby at the debate?" "What if I had put an extra paragraph into my speeches, or taken one out to make it shorter and capture the people's attention longer?" I feel my heart skip a beat as I think, "What if I'd lied about being with Ben in the first place?"
Would I somehow have been better off?