The One That Got Away || Benny Weir

01

Benny and Ethan walks into the cafeteria line, waiting on getting their trays.

"Benny, this is it. Our whole social life could depend on how we act here in the next few days." Ethan says.

Benny turns to him wearing a pair of goggles. "What do you think?" He asks with a grin.

"Benny!" Ethan scolds, yanking them off.

"Hey! Those are state of the art alien DNA detector googles." Benny whines.

"Yeah, so?" Ethan questions.

"So, the high school cafeteria is the ideal place to test them out." Benny explains.

"Those will brand us as dorks for the next four years." Ethan says as he continues holding the goggles. The two of them begin to argue before hearing someone shouting their names.

"Ethan, Benny!"

They turn to see Rory waving at them. The two look at each other and sighs.

"The three amigos ride again." Rory says. "Any of you got a buck .28?"

"That's it. I am getting away from you guys or I am doomed to be--" Ethan was cut off as he accidentally rams into a girl and pouring his sloppy joe down her shirt.

"Dork! Thank you so much!" The girl scoffs before walking away.

"That is one babetastic tower of babelon." Benny says.

As the three boys take their seat at one of the tables, they were in their own conversations until Benny laid his eyes on the girl who entered the cafeteria.

Ethan notices his best friend started to zone out. "Benny?" He turns his head to see who he was staring at before sighing. "Reagan? Seriously? She hasn't talked to us in years, Benny."

Benny sighs. "I know. But she was the Princess Leia to my Han Solo." He looks back over at Reagan, who made her to way to the table with two girls. "No way. The girl you branded is friends with Reagan and her."

"Who?" Ethan questions, turning to the table. "Stage One Dusker girl?"

Benny nods. "Her name is Erica. What if she's your babysitter for tonight?"

"No, I doubt it's the same Erica." Ethan says.

"You're right. It's probably too good to be true." Benny says. "I'm gonna go find out." He gets up and heads to their table as Ethan yells, trying to get his attention.

Benny reaches their table and sits in the chair next to Reagan, who looks at him wide eyes. She hasn't spoken to him in almost two years, and now, he's sitting next to her. But she knew it wasn't for her as he looked at her friend, Erica.

"Hi there." Benny flashes his smile that Reagan always adored. "Are you by any chance babysitting the Morgans tonight?"

"Yeah." Erica says, looking between Reagan and Sarah. "Why? Do you know their kids?"

"Yeah, one of them's my buddy. Sitting right over there..." His voice trials off as Ethan turns away to hide his face. "He's a bit shy." He awkwardly smiles. "See you around." When he turned to look at Reagan, she flashes him a smile as she watches him walk away.

"Who was that?" Sarah questions Reagan.

The Sullivan girl looks away from Benny and back to her friends. "Who? Benny?"

"Is he your friend?" Erica asks.

"He used to be." Reagan answers. "Him and I were always closest when we were younger, but when my mom died, I kinda pushed him and Ethan away. I haven't talked to them ever since."

"Well, I think there's something between you two." Sarah smirks.

A blush rises to Reagan's cheeks. "I-I mean... I liked him back in grade school, but I haven't said anything because I thought he would never feel the same. Besides, things are different now."

*

Later that night, Reagan was walking with Erica as she was on her way to babysit Ethan. But during their walk, noises were heard in the woods, slightly freaking out Erica.

"E, everything's okay." Reagan assures her. "There's nothing to be afraid of."

"Hey."

Reagan lets out a yelp as she turns around to see Sarah. Erica snorts as she nudges Reagan who rolls her eyes.

"Sarah, you scared us." Erica says.

"I wanted to apologize. I haven't been the greatest friend lately." Sarah says to them.

"Yeah." Reagan nods. "We miss hanging out with you. You barely text us."

"Things are kind of weird right now." Sarah tries to explains. "I can't really--"

"No, it's okay." Erica cuts her off. "I get it. I'm not cool enough for you since you've started dating Jesse. I have Reagan by my side."

"No. That's not it at all. I swear." Sarah says as the three of them continue walking down the steps.

"Then what?" Erica questions. "We're supposed to be organizing this fan club screening together."

Sarah sighs. "I know. My life's just..." She pauses as she looks over to Reagan who nods. "Really complicated right now."

"This is the one where we get to find out if he bites her or not." Erica says.

"Erica, it's just a movie." Reagan tells her, Sarah noding in agreement.

Erica gasps. "'Just a movie'? Oh my gosh. Who are you two? I have to go. I have a babysitting job. I'll see you around Dusk abandoner."

"Erica." Sarah calls out for her before sighing. "You're right. It is because of Jesse but it's not what you think."

"Well, speak of the devil."

Reagan lets out another yelp, but this time, she turns around as she swings her fist, colliding into Jesse's face. When she realized who it was, she gasps.

Erica looks over confused, wondering how he got there so quietly before one of his friends walks up to her.

"Nice punch, Reagan." Jesse compliments before turning to Sarah. "You're not avoiding me, are you?"

"Oh, she's avoiding a lot of people." Erica speaks up, receiving a look from Sarah.

"Come on. What are you afraid of?" Jesse asks.

Sarah. "I just... I need some more time."

"Tick... tock... time's up." Jesse grabs ahold of her wrist.

"So listen." Jesse's friend says to Erica. "There's this monster party at Jesse's later and if Sarah's not interested, maybe you'd like to hang out with us." He looks over at Reagan. "You too, sweetcheeks."

Reagan gives him a disgusted look as Sarah speaks. "She can't. She's babysitting."

"No, I'm not." Erica tells her before turning back to the light-skinned boy. "Count me in."

"Erica, no!" Sarah exclaims.

"I'm allowed to break the rules too." Erica says before whispering. "And he's really cute."

"You don't understand--"

"You go on ahead." Jesse cuts her off. "Sarah and I need to have a little talk."

As everyone walk away, Reagan stays behind. She didn't trust this Jesse guy one bit and she wasn't going to leave Sarah alone with him.

"Reagan..." Sarah places a hand on her friend's shoulder. "It's okay."

She looks between Jesse and Sarah before walking away. When she was far enough, she hid behind a tree as she watched the couple argued. Suddenly, she saw Jesse throw Sarah into the air and followed with her head in the direction she was going. She lets out a sigh when she saw where she landed.

Ethan freaking Morgan's house.

Looks like it time to reconnect with her ex-best friends.