golden girl (b.t.c.)

chapter forty-three

monday, august 17th
     "nervous?" eliana looked at ben. he ran a hand through his hair and took a deep breath. "just a bit."
she squeezed his hand and kissed him on the cheek. "you'll be fine. she's gonna love you."
they walked into the dining room of the restaurant, and eliana stopped short. she blinked at the blond boy in front of her.
"sam?"
he grinned. "what's up, sis?"
her mom smiled widely. "he just came home from his trip, isn't that exciting?"
"yeah, um, yeah." eliana nodded. "guys, this is ben."
sam squeezed ben's hand a little too tightly when he shook it. "nice to meet you, kid."
eliana's mom shook ben's hand and gave him a tight smile. they sat down at the table, and ben tried to strike up a conversation. "sam, ellie said you went to northwestern, right?"
sam looked up, shocked. "i did go there, yeah. i'm surprised ellie even mentioned me. i am the less successful sibling, after all."
mrs. dempsey shot him a look. "sam."
ben ignored the tension. "she said you're super smart. engineering, right?"
he nodded. "i'm starting my first job in a month." he pressed his lips together. "i haven't heard much about you, though. what do you do again?"
ben shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "i-um, i'm a dancer. i'm touring with newsies right now."
sam repressed a laugh. "you're a dancer? honestly, eliana, not what i expected." he said. she glared at him. "what did you expect?"
"not a dancer. maybe something respectable." he shot ben a glance. "how much do you even make?"
eliana grit her teeth. "shut up, sam."
he laughed. "what, can't he defend himself? i just wanna make sure he'll be able to take care of my little sister."
ben put a hand on eliana's leg to calm her down. "he's right."
"ben, he's just trying-"
"it's fine, ellie." ben smiled at sam. "since i understudy a lead role, i get an extra sixty every week, along with assistant dance captain compensation. so, i think my gross salary every year is around..." he paused and snapped his fingers. "a hundred and twenty three thousand."
sam's jaw dropped.
"of course, that's before my travel costs are taken out." he continued. "so, it's really only around seventy, eighty thousand."
mrs. dempsey raised her eyebrows. "do you really make that much?"
ben nodded. he smiled at sam again. "is that enough to take care of your little sister?"
sam closed his mouth and glared at the two of them. he abruptly stood up. "i'm going to the bathroom."
eliana leaned back in her chair and sighed. "he's so childish."
mrs. dempsey turned to ben. "i am so sorry about that, ben. he can be...hard to take at first."
ben laughed it off. "that's okay. i just want to make a good impression."
she smiled. "you're making a great impression on me."
     they made small talk for the rest of the night once sam returned. the waitress came back and held up the check. "who's paying?"
sam started to take out his wallet, but ben just raised his hand. "i got it." he flashed a grin at the waitress and she handed him the check. eliana couldn't stop smiling at him as he pulled out his wallet and gave the waitress his credit card. sam just glared at him.
     mrs. dempsey smiled at ben. "it was so nice to meet you." she shook his hand again.
"likewise." he flashed another award-winning smile. "nice to meet you too, sam."
"yeah." sam again gripped ben's hand a little too hard. eliana gave sam a halfhearted hug and he and mrs. dempsey went on their way. once they were out of earshot, ben turned to her. "i think that went well."
she shook her head. "i'm really sorry, i had no idea sam was gonna be here."
they walked to the pier and looked out onto the water. ben let out a little laugh. "he's a piece of work, isn't he?"
"i warned you." she giggled. "you shut him down pretty well, though. i didn't think you guys made that much."
"we don't." ben started to laugh again. "i was bluffing so hard. i make only, like, fifty thousand a year after travel costs."
eliana smacked him on the arm. "ben! why would you lie?"
"i wanted to shove it in his face. he was being a dick." he grinned. "besides, i wasn't totally lying. that's what dan makes."
eliana shook her head, suppressing a little smile. "well, at least my mom likes you."
"i have a way with moms." ben said. "it's my irresistible charm." he gave her a cheesy grin, which made her roll her eyes. she smiled and gave him a quick kiss.

a/n: yeah i completely bullshitted those salaries please don't come for me HAHA