andante ❈ benjamin pavard

TWELVE

"Can you at least play the Mamma Mia version?" Zoe heard Ben ask. Mon Dieu, that kid would truly be the death of her, in more ways that one. The man in charge of the karaoke machine gave Ben a hard look in response, and pauses the music. If looks could kill, Ben would be six feet under.

"Do I know you?" The man asked. He had a large head of bright orange hair, paired with an equally bright orange mustache. His resemblance to the Lorax was actually unfortunate. Zoe kind of felt bad, but then she remembered how rude he was, and didn't feel bad anymore.

"Do you want to?" Ben asked, sending the guy a flirtatious wink. Zoe scoffed. Squinting her eyes, she read that his name tag said Simon.

"Stop being such a slut," Zoe told him, giving him a slight shove. "I'm sorry for him. Can we get this over with?"

Simon stared at Zoe for a few moments, before shrugging. "Yeah, whatever. I just really think I know him."

"You're better off not knowing him, trust me," Zoe promised, which earned her an elbow from Ben. She laughed instead of wincing from pain, and he wrapped an arm tightly around her neck. She liked how well they fit together, even if he was trying to wring her neck.

The slow ballad of the Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again version filled the fairly empty bar, and Zoe glanced at her audience of five people. One person was wearing headphones, oddly enough. Zoe looked at Ben, who was looking at the screen, with the threat of a grin on his face. He swayed cheekily to the music, and Zoe physically could not stop herself from smiling.

"Take it easy, with me, please..." Ben sang directly to Zoe. That bastard. He already knew all the words.

It took Zoe a while to gain the courage to sing, as much as she wanted to make fun of Ben for his terrible, off pitch squeal-like sounds. Even if he was bad, he was truly enjoying himself and that was all that mattered to him, and that's what should matter to anyone.

"There's a shimmer in your eyes, like a feeling of a thousand butterflies. Please don't talk, go on, play, andante, andante, and watch me float away," Zoe practically mumbled. But it was more than nothing. Ben's stare was intense as she sang, and she felt her cheeks flare up. The combination of Ben's gaze and the lyrics deeply resonating with her made her flustered.

There was definitely a shimmer in Ben's eyes. He was a Disney prince. And he gave her more than a thousand butterflies. He gave her at least one million, and they were still multiplying. He was so beautiful it made her want to throw up. And he was so kind it made her want to keep him forever. The two contrasting feelings made her more confused but more in love. And that was right. She loved him so much she couldn't articulate it. The closest she could get was that stupid song.

As Zoe began to sing more, Ben sang less, and eventually, Ben snuck off the stage, leaving Zoe all by her lonesome. It wasn't that bad, because she could finally hold her own, but it definitely wasn't a Britney Spears-level appearance.

"Andante, andante, tread lightly on my ground... Andante, andante, oh please don't let me down..." Zoe dragged out the note as the ending chords began to play, and she felt a smile blossom on her lips. She did it. She sang. And a dog probably didn't die. She knocked on the wood behind her. She didn't want to jinx it.

Zoe handed the mic back to Simon, or the Lorax, while Ben paid for their session at the register. She waited for Ben to finish near the edge of the stage, where Marco was setting up the machine for the next participants.

"I'm not dumb, you know," Simon said.

Zoe looked up at him. "What?"

"I'm not dumb," he repeated.

"Okay?" She replied, rightfully confused. Simon gave her another one of his looks, and Zoe wondered what the hell she did to piss him off. Ben was being the annoying one.

"I know that's Benjamin Pavard," Simon said. Oh. Zoe stood up straighter. What did he want? Simon must've noticed Zoe's defensive stance, because he rolled his eyes. "Relax, I'm not going to alert paparazzi or whatever. I'm a huge fan. I've been following him since Lille. I know who all his friends are, so I know who you are, and you seem like a nice girl, and I just wanted to warn you."

"What? What do you mean you know who I am?" Zoe was thoroughly confused, and Simon sounded vaguely threatening.

"I mean I know your brother, therefore I know of you. Mathieu Dupont. You're Zoe, his little sister. You seem like you're happy with him, so I assume you don't know. Or maybe you do and you just want your fifteen seconds of fame."

Zoe was taken aback. Who was this Lorax-looking man, telling her stuff about her own life? What didn't she know?

"What the fuck are you talking about? I'm not with Ben at all. He's just a friend, not that you need any explanations because you clearly know everything." Zoe crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at him.

Simon raised his eyebrows, his mouth forming an 'O' shape. "Wow, you really don't know?"

Zoe furrowed her eyebrows. She was tired of everyone being so cryptic. "What don't I know?"

"You love him, don't you?" Simon asked, completely dodging her question. She was also getting tired of question dodgers.

"What does that matter?" Zoe asked.

Simon tilted his head, his mouth pulling into a frown like he was... sorry for her. His change in mood startled Zoe.

"Good luck with that." With that, Simon turned around, and started the karaoke machine. A few moments later, Ben came up from behind her.

"Ready to leave?" Ben asked, holding his hand out for Zoe to take. The gesture was too intimate and too confusing for her. What were they? Were they just friends, or something more? Or was Zoe just making this entire thing up?

She glanced back at Simon. He was just a fan. He had no idea what Ben was truly like. He only got interviews, whereas Zoe got Ben driving her to Paris at three in the morning. The real Ben.

"Yes," she said, biting her lip.

And she took his hand.

***

sorry i went MIA for a bit, but i'm back! school started and it was really hectic. anyway, thoughts? on zoe and/or ben? as always, please vote and comment! <3