Control • Benny Weir [1] (#wattys2016)

☾ o n e; b a b y s i t t e r ☾

Grace wandered into the lounge of the home she had been living in for eight years, scoffing when she noticed what her younger cousin, Jane, was watching on TV. Unlike many girls Grace's age, the brunette girl seemed to have taken a disliking to a popular vampire movie that went by the name of Dusk. She didn't seem to understand what was so fascinating about a vampire- who, unrealistically, sparkled in the sunlight- falling in love with a human girl. It never seemed to interest the girl due to it's cheesiness and stupidity.

Jane, Grace's eight year old cousin, seemed to adore the film that Grace saw no real logic in. What surprised Grace more about the fact that Jane liked the film was the fact that Jane watched it as though it was on a never ending loop. She knew the dirty blonde girl she knew and loved watched the film, at least, once a day. It was surprising to Grace as she didn't see how anyone could watch the film the whole way through, let alone every day.

"Jane, as much as I love you, I really don't know how you can watch this film on repeat," Grace informed her cousin, who, playfully, rolled her eyes at her and let out a content sigh. Grace rolled her eyes, a small smile growing on her face, "Really, I think you've got a problem, sweetheart. You're obsessed." Grace stated before wandering into the dining room, where her cousin and best friend were walking in as well; their arms were filled with bags of snacks.

Benny smiled upon seeing Grace; no one but Ethan knew about the crush he had on his cousin and he wanted to keep it that way until the time was right. He was beginning to find it difficult, though; he had noticed that he was finding it harder to not compliment Grace or not to protect her in situations that could lead to her getting hurt. Benny was terrified of her finding out due to the fact that they were best friends and he didn't want to ruin that. They had been best friend's since Ethan introduced them when they were all six years old and he didn't want to lose the nine years of friendship, whether it was because he slipped up and told her or because she started noticing the signs.

Ethan and Grace had been put on babysitting duty while Ethan's parents were away, much to Ethan's dismay. As much as he loved his sister, he knew how devious she could be. Luckily for him, Jane happened to love Grace and never blackmailed her since she always took care of the eight year old correctly. That was why Ethan and Grace always were on babysitting duty; Samantha and Ross Morgan trusted them because of the fact that Jane was always healthy and sleeping peacefully whenever they returned home.

The only thing the two of them ever got in trouble for was breaking the 'no friend rule'. Samantha and Ross reminded Grace and Ethan that friends weren't allowed to visit while they were babysitting Jane every time the two of them were heading out for a date night. However, there wasn't a way for the two Morgan teenagers to avoid it; Benny just seemed to turn up at their door every time he noticed that Samantha and Ross had left.

"Look at all this!" Ethan cheered, glancing at all of the food that the two boys laid out on the table. Grace wandered over to it, her eyes scanning all of the food that Benny had delivered. He claimed it was for their 'amazing night filled with snacks and fun' but Grace knew it was, actually, just the three teenagers eating snacks and playing video games once she had taken Jane to bed.

"What'd you do? Rob an ice cream truck or something?" Grace asked, tilting her head to the side in confusion, which Benny found incredibly adorable. He would never tell her that, though; he didn't want to make things weird for the two of them.

"Tomorrow, we officially join the high school brotherhood," Benny explained, causing Grace to clear her throat to inform Benny that she wasn't joining the brotherhood, "oh, right! And the sisterhood. We are men. . . and a woman, I guess." Grace rolled her eyes at Benny, attempting to fight back a giggle, "we must mark the moment," Benny announced, causing a smile to grow on Grace's face.