𝐅𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐞 - (𝐛𝐨𝐲𝐱𝐛𝐨𝐲)

Thirty Two

Noah grabs a knife and opens up the old box of clothes. Elly was sitting on a bar stool next to Benjamin and they were talking about something.

"Elly".

Elly turns her head, setting her soda down and walking over to Noah.

She looks through the clothes, finding at least five outfits. "Thank you so much, compa".

"Of course".

Noah's mom walks downstairs, smiling, "Hola Elly. ¿Te quedas a cenar?"

staying for dinner?

Elly looks over, shaking her head, "No señora, mi mamá me quiere en casa".

no, ma'am, my mom wants me home.

Noah's mom nods and smiles at Noah, "Tú?"

Benjamin looks at Noah, "She's asking if you're staying for dinner".

"Oh..no I can't".

Noah turns to his mom, "No mamá, está aquí sólo por un rato".

Elly stuffs the clothes into a drawstring bag. "Aight". She grabs her car keys off the island. "I gotta go, bro. My motha blowing me up".

"Okay. See you around". Noah dabs Elly up and she nods at Benjamin.

*
Benjamin walks in his house, setting his key downs and looks up to see Hayley sitting at his island.

Benjamin rolls his eyes, "Mom! Stop letting people in the house without asking me! Fuck!"

Benjamin flips her off, "Get the fuck out my house".

Ms.Evans walks over and shakes her head, "Honey. She was crying and asking for you".

"I don't fucking care! You let Zoē and Kiara in and they hate me! I don't wanna talk to her!"

"I do not appreciate the way you're speaking to me".

"And I don't appreciate you inviting the uninvited!" Benjamin grabs his keys off the table, storming up the steps.

Ms.Evans look over to Hayley and frowns, "I'm sorry. I don't know what's wrong with him".

Benjamin walks back downstairs, his keys in hand. "Where are you going?"

"I'm so sick and tired of you planning out my life for me! Fuck, mom! I'm sick and fucking tired!"

Benjamin opens the front door, slamming it. He gets in his mom's car and drives off angrily. Benjamin didn't know exactly where he was going. He just needed to take a breather.

Benjamin stops at a gas station and grabs his phone. He wipes his face, seeing a text from Hayley. He reads it and before he knows it, he's read it over at least ten times.

He throws his phone down, leaning his head on the steering wheel and lets out gut-wrenching sobs.

He can't stop overthinking of all the bad that has happened. He lost his two very best friends, he has someone out to get him, his hand was sliced open by a bully, it's all too much.

He finally calms himself down, wiping his damp eyes and starting the car back up. He doesn't bother grabbing his phone from the floor and begins to drive back home.

Benjamin reaches over, grabbing his phone and walking into his house. He sees his mom and dad both sitting at the table, a bottle of wine open.

"Oh my god! Benjamin! Where were you?"

Benjamin's mom gets up and runs over to him, hugging him. Benjamin doesn't react as he just stands still.

"Don't ever do that again! I was worried sick. You were gone for almost three hours!"

Benjamin lightly pushes her off and looks at his dad. "I'm tired". He hands his mom her keys and walks upstairs.

**
Noah holds Benjamin's hand as they walked into school. Lucas runs over and smiles. "Yo!"

"Wassup". Noah uses his other hand to do their handshake.

"What's good, Benny?"

Benjamin smiles at him and looks back to the floor. Lucas looks to Noah and he shakes his head. Caleb and Jackson walk over as well.

"You guys ready to gear up again? We against Carter's next week".

Caleb rolls his eyes, "I finally won't be benched".

Elly then appears with Gabi by her side and smiles. "Morning".

Noah turns around, nodding at her and Gabi. Benjamin lets go of Noah's hand and grab Gabi. "Can we talk?"

"Mhm. Be right back". Gabi tells the group before turning to Benjamin. "Are you okay?"

Benjamin takes his phone out and opens up the message Hayley left him. Gabi grabs his phone, reading it before rolling her eyes.

"What's the plan?"

Benjamin shrugs, "Noah, Lucas, Caleb, and Jackson can't hit her, respectfully...".

Gabi looks over at Elly who was laughing with the dudes. "Oh..".

**
During lunch, Caleb and Jackson went out somewhere with some other friends, while the rest went to McDonald's.

Benjamin sits down next to Noah and Gabi, Elly, and Lucas sat in the same booth. "This is disrespectful, Lucas switch places".

"What? No, you're tiny".

Elly looks over to him, "And what about it?"

"There's more than likely more room for you then there would be for me".

Elly shakes her head, pointing at him and looking at Noah, "Imma cut him".

Noah chuckles and stretches his arms out, "I got all the space in the world".

Benjamin chuckles and copies Noah, "Me too".

Gabi rolls her eyes, "We only did that cause you guys date, you know that, right?"

Noah shrugs, "Hm. We'll just pretend it's cause we're the favorites".

Benjamin grabs his phone, "So..Hayley showed up at my house last night and then left this message".

Noah gets the phone first. Then Lucas holds it between him and Elly. Lucas furrows his brows, "She said this?"

"Mhm". Benjamin messes with a string on his ripped jeans to avoid eye contact.

Noah grabs the phone back, "Why didn't you tell me?"

Benjamin shrugs, "Embarrassed, I guess".

Elly looks up, "Lemme see the phone again". Noah passes it to her and nods. She takes out her phone and adds her number.

**
Back in school and Noah and Benjamin were walking down the hall together. Benjamin was laughing at a stupid joke Noah told.

"You're so childish!"

"You're laughing. It had to have been funny".

Benjamin shakes his head, "No I'm laughing because of how stupid that was".

Noah grabs his chest, shaking his head. "You're mean".

Benjamin looks up, "And you're dumb. Baby, spell mischievous".

Noah opens his mouth, playfully shoving Benjamin, "Fuck you".