𝑺𝒖𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝑺𝒊𝒙𝒕𝒚-𝑻𝒘𝒐 | b. rodriguez

the knock at the window

Benny's POV

"–HEY! HEY GUYS!"

Goddamn son of a–

"HEY GUYS, I FOUND EM!"

You have got to be kidding me.

Both Shaye and I jerk away from each other before the others can realize how close we'd been, to.. well, kissing.

You almost kissed her.

I shove my hands in my pockets and back away from her, and she sits up on the picnic table. She glances from my eyes to the banana split I'd left melting beside her.

Squints, and Smalls, and all the guys rush up to us. Bertram accidentally steps on the melted pool of Shaye's ice cream. The cracked cone crunches beneath his foot.

"Oh, ugh, oh man."

"Ben, Shaye, where've you guys been?" Squints asks, blinking at us in the twilight.

I pick up the split and spoon some of its soupy mess into my mouth.

"Just here," Shaye says. "Having ice cream." She squirms a little after she says that, as if she's just itching to tell all the guys to go the hell away, that they're ruining our moment.

At least, that's what I want to tell them.

I steal a glance at Shaye, who now avoids my gaze. It's dark, but I can sense the faint blush of her cheeks that indicates her embarrassment – we'd almost been caught.

Out of the corner of my eye I notice Ham scrutinizing me, as if I look suspicious. In attempt to appear innocent, I focus on my ice cream, finishing it right then and there.

Not being able to help it, I steal another glance at Shaye– her soft hair is drooping over her face– probably an attempt to hide it. How I wish I could just touch it, brush it away from her ey–

"Hmph," Ham grumbles, folding his arms across his chest.

I shoot him a glare. Don't say anything, Hamilton.

He glares back, but after a few moments, raises his brow and shrugs.

The other guys didn't seem to notice our exchange. "Did you guys ride the Ferris wheel?" Smalls asks. Shaye glances at me, and back to her brother. "Sort of.. how was the Trabant?"

The guys all turn silent and ghostly pale. Smalls opens his mouth for a second and then snaps it shut. He looks like he's about to throw up. "It was, um.. It was–"

"–a blast!"

"Yeah, yeah, really!"

"Swell– you two shouldn't have missed it!"

I wouldn't have given up the conversation I'd had with Shaye for anything– well, except for maybe a shot at the major leagues. Even still..

"Hey, Shaye, ain't it about time for us to go home?"

Shaye glances at me, and at Smalls. "Uh, yeah, Scott. Probably. Anyone know what time it is?"