andante ❈ benjamin pavard

FOURTEEN

          Zoe couldn't help but become anxious as she boarded the private jet. Margot was probably worried sick. She felt insanely bad. She couldn't believe that she had run off with Ben without telling anybody, including her parents. Oh God, they probably thought she had been kidnapped. What possessed her to think that it was a good idea? Ben truly made her crazy. Zoe was never one for rash decisions. It was one thing to go to Paris, but Monaco was on the other side of the country.

"Do you think this is a good idea?" She found herself asking Ben, who sat across from her. He looked up from the book that he was reading. As Ben opened his mouth to respond, his phone began to ring. He picked the phone off the table before Zoe had the chance to sneak a look at the caller ID.

Ben quickly muted the call, and responded, "Why wouldn't it be? I told you I'd get you back in time for your meeting thing on Monday."

"No, I mean I haven't spoken to my parents or anything since Friday. No one knows where I am," Zoe told him. Ben averted his eyes from Zoe's gaze, which signaled to Zoe that he knew how wrong it was.

"I told you, no one's asked for you."

"I find that hard to believe. I talk to my parents every night before bed."

"Let me rephrase that. No ones asked for you to me. I'm probably the last person they expect to be with you."

She gave him a look. "Ben. I feel really guilty."

"Well, do you want to speak to them? I can arrange that."

Zoe frowned. His words didn't sit well with her. He was acting as if he controlled her every move; like he was her keeper. She was her own person. Well, she was her own person with no phone and no wallet.

"I'm going to see Mathieu when we get there."

The perked Ben right up. He looked almost... nervous. That took Zoe back. She didn't know why he was acting so weird all of a sudden. She knew that he was the king of crypticness, but his recent actions were taking everything to an entirely new level. It was unsettling. Maybe he's scared of flying, Zoe reasoned. The flight was only an hour and a half long. Maybe then he'd be back to his normal, charming self.

"Okay," Ben said. "What for?"

"I don't know, to tell him that I'm not dead in a ditch somewhere?" Zoe shrugged. She looked out the window as the engine started, and the jet made its way down the runway. "I don't want to worry anyone any longer. I feel really bad."

Ben sighed, a soft look coming across his face, "You're right. I'm being weird. I'll stop."

"Thanks." Zoe smiled and stretched her leg out to kick his feet. Soon enough, they were playing footsies like a pair of schoolchildren. Ben reminded her of all the good in her childhood, and she loved that. He made her feel safe.

The flight was quicker than Zoe had anticipated, probably as a result of her being more relaxed than she was before. Ben had done the gentlemanly honors of receiving the suitcases from baggage claim, and Zoe wasn't surprised to see a luxury car waiting for them as they exited the airport.

"What's on the agenda for tonight?" Zoe asked Ben as he typed away on his phone. Ben looked up and glanced out the window.

"We can stop by Mathieu's first, and then grab something for dinner. What are you in the mood for."

"Whatever you're in the mood for."

Ben laughed, "Seriously, what do you want?"

"I don't know. I'm not a picky eater." Zoe scrunched her nose and rested her head on his shoulder. She didn't realize what a big move that was until she felt Ben tense up. Awkward. She didn't know if it would be more awkward to move her head or to keep it there, but by the time she decided to move it, Ben had already de-tensed.

"We should get you prepared for America. Let's get burgers and fries. Maybe a milkshake if we're feeling crazy."

Zoe tried not to smile, but the grin grew on her lips anyway. He was so caring and thoughtful.  Zoe was super excited to head off to Columbia next month. Although her roommate was from Quebec, she seemed pretty cool. Zoe had also begun talking to another French girl named Amelie who was from Lyon. If Columbia didn't do random rooming assignments, Zoe would probably have roomed with her.

Mathieu didn't live that far from the airport, and they were at his apartment building in thirty minutes. Mathieu was pretty well off because the building had a doorman and everything. Zoe had never visited Mathieu after he moved, as he always went back to Maubeuge for the holidays. Zoe wondered if Mathieu's girlfriend, Sarah was there. They had been dating for a year and Zoe only met her once.

"So, I'll see you later?" Zoe asked as the car parked. Ben gave her a weird look.

"What?" Ben asked as he also got out of the car. Then, it was Zoe's turn to flash him a strange look.

"You're coming with me?" Zoe asked, the surprise clear in her tone. The wind whipped at her hair, and she tucked a chunk behind her ear. She closed the car door and looked at him from the other side.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Ben asked back, walking towards the building. Zoe watched his retreating figure. Something was really off with him, and Zoe couldn't figure out what. She had assumed that she would be able to see her own brother alone and find her way back to Ben's house, but that obviously wasn't the case. She watched as Ben stopped in front of the entryway, and turned around.

"You coming?" He called out to her.

She nodded and followed.

***

hey lovelies! long time no see. decided i'd start 2019 by updating. i had a schedule of updating at least once a week but that clearly went to shit. ha.

anyway, thoughts? comment + vote <3