Friends With Benefits | Dylan O'brien

01: Beginning

Chapter 1 - Beginning

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FLASHBACK - 6 years ago

Hannah Montana played on the big screen, occupying my attention, juice box straw between my teeth when the phone rang. I'd been so bored the beginning of the summer because my twin best friends, Norah and Niyah were on vacation in Florida for almost a month with family. I was deprived of my usual summer fun with them.

When mom didn't come after the four rings, I pulled myself up from the floor, leaving behind my empty juice box to answer it myself. I didn't even acknowledge who was calling before pressing the green button.

"Mandy," a woman's voice weeped on the other line and I became concerned, realizing I suddenly had no business answering. I slightly panicked and tried my best to stay quiet as I frantically ran up the stairs to find my mom.

I found her cleaning the bathroom and hurriedly thrusted the phone towards her. She gave me a confused look before glancing at the contact name. She held the phone up to her ear with her shoulder as she continued to clean.

Still concerned with whoever was on the phone, I stayed silent, chewed on a hangnail and listened to find any context clues of what was going on with the woman on the line.

"Beth?" mom questioned into the phone. I knew Beth as one of mom's friends she spoke to often on the phone but I'd never seen her around. I couldn't hear what was being said but mom stopped what she was doing, her eyebrows furrowed in concern. "What's going on?"

"Can I go to the park?" I whispered to mom, who was too distracted to tell me differently, so she simply nodded like she was dismissing me to care of Beth.

"Oh my God—okay, calm down. It won't get dark for another two hours. We'll find him," mom said comfortingly but she sounded distraught herself. "Why don't you head over here now."

I could hear mom continuously soothing Beth who seemed to still be crying as I disappeared into my room to put tennis shoes on. I ran down the stairs and out the door, grabbing my scooter from off the porch and strolling down the sidewalk.

The sun beamed down on me, already causing my skin to form sweat but the summer wind blew against the warming skin and it felt amazing. Summer was ultimately my favorite season of all time.

The old small lady that often walked her ratty chihuahua around the neighborhood offered me an appreciative smile when I politely strolled around her but the small dog yapped and tried to run after me like it usually did whenever people came too close. I chuckled, looking back as the old woman tried to calm her rat.

I could see the empty park a few feet ahead of me and became excited as I realized that I had the place to myself—especially the swings.

I threw my scooter down in the overgrown grass and ran over to the swing, placing myself on the heated seat. I began to push myself back and forth with my feet and once I picked up the highest speed and butterflies tickled my insides, I stared into the baby blue sky in awe. I wished Madi and Emily were here but when the wind pushed against my skin and curled hair, I was content at that moment.

I swung for about fifteen minutes before my attention was taken by a small white kitten underneath the picnic table. My eyes slightly widened and my mouth became agape in awe. I immediately stopped myself on the swing to go try to steal a pet from the kitty.