Loose Ends

Chapter 27: Awkward

"So you admitted you just wanted to sleep with her, but you didn't mention the bet?" Henry nervously asked Ben while taking a sandwich from the lunch tray that was sitting on Ben's bed.

"Yes and no," Ben said with a sigh, putting some more chips on his plate. Ben had invited Alice and Henry over for lunch to fill them in on his talk with Amy.

"So do you think she'll wanna talk to me and Alice?" Henry said as he glanced nervously at Alice. "I think it would be in our best interest not to mention that bet, especially since Ben willingly backed out of it after falling for Amy." He gave Alice a pleading look and she rolled her eyes.

"Obviously the girl's tryna figure out how everything got so screwed up so maybe she'll talk to us and maybe she won't. If she does the least we can do is tell the truth, for once." Ben and Henry exchanged nervous glances before looking back at Alice. "Oh grow up you two! Amy now knows you went out with her under false pretenses so I doubt the bet's gonna come up," she told them matter-of-factly as she placed some more carrot sticks and dip on her plate. The three friends finished eating their lunch in silence.

"Hey, let's get outta here and get shakes from the Dairy Shack," Henry suggested. "They're half off for the next two weeks," he said in a singsong voice.

"Why not?" Ben said with a smile. Maybe getting some fresh air for a little while could help lift his mood a little higher. Amy, Lauren and Madison were just finishing up their own lunch at the Dairy Shack as Ben and his friends got into her car to head their way.

"So how are the Q & A sessions going so far?" Lauren asked Amy as she finished off her fries.

"Good so far. I've discovered that I've got a lot more allies that I thought I did and that I need to spend some time getting to know some people a little better."

"Oh? Like who?" Madison asked, taking the last bite of her cheeseburger.

"I'm gonna take some time this summer to get to know Ricky and his foster parents a little better."

"Well that sounds nice," Madison said, swallowing a drink from her soda. "So you think you and Ricky will ever be a couple?" Amy giggled.

"Honestly I don't know. For now we're just gonna hang out and try to become actual friends. Beyond that I don't know." Amy finished the last bite of her turkey burger and took a drink from her soda. "So what have you two been up to this past week?" Madison scrunched up her nose and frowned.

"Just working at the food court during the day. My dad's been giving me lectures on relationships at dinner though." She sighed. "He really doesn't like Jack and just can't see that he's made some mistakes but he's not a bad guy!" Amy chuckled and Madison glared at her.

"I'm not laughing at you, Madison. I think what you just said applies to several people we know, myself included. We're not bad people we're just teens who've made some poor choices." Madison nodded and smiled.

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

"Let's go get those shakes," Lauren suggested. They had just picked up and paid for their shakes when they turned around and saw Ben, Alice and Henry standing in line to order. They all made eye contact briefly before Ben and his friends exchanged glances and Amy and her friends did the same. The girls walked back to the booth they were just sitting at.

"Um, Amy?" Madison whispered.

"What?" Amy whispered back.

"Do you consider ben, Alice and Henry friends or not, after everything that's happened I mean?"

"Well," Amy began in a whisper and then stopped. "Why are we whispering? They can't hear us from over there. I consider Ben and his friends acquaintances. Ben and I've been through too much together and he's done too much for me to ever consider him an enemy but we've both hurt each other too much to be close friends."