Kat425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLDp6XgoB1X
February 19, 2005
*
Next day
*
Vanessa is staring at me.
I don't even have to look at her to know. I can feel her eyes boring into the back of my head.
"Need something?" I spin around to face her, giving up on perfecting my eyeshadow. I hate dealing with it anyway.
"No..." She looks everywhere but in my eyes. Uh oh... what is she hiding?
"Come on, Vanessa, tell me what's going on?" I turn to add some blush to highlight my natural features.
I hate when girls wear a ton of makeup, it looks awful.
Makes you wonder what they are hiding under that mask.
"Nothing's wrong. I just..." I look over, prompting her to continue.
"Just what?" I'm trying to tamp down my annoyance, but it's difficult after the conversation I had with Ben last night.
Everything is strong me off today. Even the sweet text he sent me last night apologizing agitated me.
I don't have the patience for Vanessa's evasiveness. I'm trying really hard to not lose my cool.
She sighs. "You realize this is the first time we've went out that you haven't asked if he would be there?"
"Well, maybe I'm just over it." Or maybe I'm just sick of your pity and concern.
"Over it? You've been pissed this whole time, what changed?" She eyes me suspiciously.
"I don't know... Maybe I just realized it was pointless to be angry." She crosses her arms defensively and I can tell she's about to defend me to myself.
"Now before you go all Mama Bear, just remember I was the one who crawled into his bed. What did I expect to happen?" She opens her mouth to respond, but I continue.
"That he would suddenly want to date me or bring me flowers or hold my hand? Please. That's not Ben. We all know it. I should have known better." I mean it all, but it still hurts my heart to think about.
In a few minutes, Vanessa will think Ben has changed, but I will know the truth.
Hopefully this works.
Honk.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCGLPItmlzC
Honk.
Vanessa looks out the window for Nate's car. "Time to go! Oh, and I hope you meant what you said earlier, because Ben is going to be there tonight."
"Oh..." I try to sound disappointed, but really I'm just excited to get this fake relationship started.
"Sorry, Katie-bug. You don't have to sit by him, though." She gives me a quick side hug before we head downstairs.
As we enter the lobby, I see Ben is standing next to Nate, looking so good in his dark jeans and leather jacket.
At the sight if him, all the anger I felt after our horrible conversation last night vanishes. I just want him to hold me.
"Uh... What the fuck are you fucking doing in our fucking dorm, playboy?" She steps in front of me, like he might attack me at any minute. I try not to laugh.
"I picked him up on the way. I didn't think it would be a big deal. We are all going to the same place, Babe." Nate looks nervous and he should be, Vanessa's glare is boring into his skull.
She looks at me, checking to make sure I'm not going to freak out.
I shrug, letting her know I'm fine. And I will be fine, as long as the plan is still on. Please let it still be on. I can't take this anymore.
"Well, okay, I guess..." She's still eyeing Nate like he betrayed her.
I have a feeling Nate is going to have a rough night, even though I'm sure he was just trying to help.
Poor guy. I do not envy him at all.
I sit next to Vanessa and Ben takes the seat on the other side of Nate.
I wonder when this plan will start. What could it be? I hope it's good.
I feel antsy, I really wish I knew what was going to happen.
I try to make eye contact with Ben across the booth, but he hasn't looked up from his phone since we sat down.
Is the plan off?
Who is so freaking important that isn't here? Crap. It must be a girl.
"I'll go get us some drinks." He cuts his eyes towards me before sliding out of the booth. "Kat, you wanna help me carry them?"
Before I can respond, Vanessa nudges Nate hard. "Snuggley bear, why don't you go help Ben?"
"'Ness, relax, it's fine. I'll go." I know she's just trying to protect me, but I can handle myself.
He slides the phone into his pocket, as he turns to walk next to me. "You ready?" His voice is barely a whisper. Normally, I would think it was sexy but right now, it just irritates me.
"Seriously?" I turn on him. Why did expect any different? I should have known better than to trust him.
"What? Are you backing out?" He looks nervous, his eyes searching mine for answers.
"I don't know... Maybe this isn't a good idea." I'm not sure I can do this.
"Kat-" He starts, but the bartender slides our drinks forward.
"That'll be 29.50." Ben hands her a $50. Jeez, what did we get? Liquid gold?
The bartender returns his change. She leans forward, winking at him.
I wonder if he's slept with her. She didn't ID any of us... Maybe there's a reason. I feel my irritation rise again.
How many girls has he been with? Do I even want to know the answer to that?
Probably not.
The thought makes my stomach churn.
We carry the drinks back to the table, but before we slide back in, Ben whispers in my ear. "Get ready." It sends a shiver down my back.
I sit back down I my seat, but instead of returning to his seat, he slides in next to me.
"What are you doing?" I try to keep my voice low, but I catch Vanessa's attention.
"Just sitting next to the most beautiful girl in the room." He smirks.
I roll my eyes. "Oh please. You use that line on all the girls?"
"No-" Before Ben can finish whatever lie he was about to spew, Vanessa interrupts him.
"Hey, is everything okay?" Confusion fills her eyes, as she looks directly in my eyes. Subtlety pointing between the two of us.
Oh, did I say subtle?
Because she wasn't. At. All.
"Uh... Yeah. Move along, Red, we're kinda in the middle of something here." He shoos her with his hand.
"Oh really? And what exactly are you in the middle of?" She scoffs, glaring at him.
This was such a bad idea. I need to get out of here.
"Nothing..." I get up to make my way towards the bathroom, but a hand wraps around my wrist, stopping me from getting very far.
"Kat, wait." I turn to face him, immediately regretting it.
"What? You suddenly want to be my friend?" I'm confused and hurt. I knew it was fake, but I wanted him to be committed to me, even if it wasn't real.
"Well, I was actually hoping for something a bit more than friendship." He takes a deep breath, glancing towards the table. Oh no, what is he doing?
"Kat, will you go out with me?" His eyes plead with me.
"Go out where?" I try to give him an out, but he doesn't take it.
"Anywhere. I want to date you, be your boyfriend, whatever you want." He sounds sincere. If I didn't know better, I might think he meant it.
But, I do know better.
"Thanks Ben, but I just don't think that's a very good idea." I can't see how this is going to work. I know it was my plan, but I'm seriously regretting it.
"Why the fuck not?" I flinch at his words. I didn't expect him to be so upset. Now he's free to skank it up.
"Seriously, Ben. It's fine, just go back to texting whatever bimbo has your attention tonight, and I will just-"
"There. Is. No. One. Else." He says through clenched teeth.
"Yeah, right." I definitely don't believe that. He's putting on a pretty good sore though.
Vanessa's mouth is hanging open and even Nate looks shocked.
"Kat. Listen to me. I want to be with you." Yeah right.
Maybe he shouldn't have answered the phone last night when he was obviously having sex with some skank.
"I'll do anything, Kat. Just say yes." I just can't. I wish I could. My life would be so much easier.
Maybe he shouldn't be texting other girls when he's supposed to want me.
I feel the anger rising up within me. "Oh sure, but you better keep in contact with all those whores, you know, just in case."
Crap, I almost completely forgot this was fake. I have no right to be upset.
"Really?" He huffs. "Fine, Kat. Here." He thrusts his phone into my hands.
"What do you want me to do with this? I'm not reading your nasty sexts." Gross. I don't want to know...
"Delete anyone who isn't you." He can't be serious.
"Wh-what?" I hear Vanessa gasp, but I can't look away from Ben. Is he serious?
Kai and Barbie slide into the booth. "Sorry guys, someone took forever to get ready. What did we miss?"
"Oh not much... Ben has just lost his mind." Nate laughs.
"Because he wants to date Kat? Or because he's deleting the skanks from his phone. Tell me, how many do you have in your phone?" She glares at Nate.
"I just-I uh..." He looks completely lost at how to correct his slip up.
"Oooookay... Don't let us stand in the way." Kai winks at Ben.
Been turns back to me. "I'm serious, Kat. Delete them all."
"Are you sure? You really don't need to do this." This is going pretty far for a fake relationship.
"The only number I need is yours, Beautiful." I roll my eyes at his cheesy line.
"Screw you, jerkface." Nate acts offended.
"Sorry bro, the only girl's number I need is yours. Better?" My heart does a flip.
Pitter, patter.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyptkXTX9rU
Pitter, patter.
"Yes. Please continue, Kat. This is quite the show." Nate chuckles loudly, seemingly glad the attention is off of him.
"Wish we had some popcorn." Kai chimes in.
"Is food all you ever think about?" Barbie scoffs, looking annoyed.
"Only when I'm not thinking about you!" Kai yanks her close, kissing her neck. She giggles, her irritation disappearing.
"Gross." Luke pretends to be offended, while he slides into the booth with Sophie.
"Hey guys! What's going on?" Sophie asks, linking her arm with Luke's.
"Where to start?" Vanessa mutters.
"What? What happened?" Sophie's face turns serious.
"Ben's trying to get with Kat, but I think she's rejecting him?" Kai answers, causing me to blush. God, I wish we could stop talking about this.
"She hasn't answered yet, asswipe." Ben throws the wadded up napkin he's been fidgeting with.
"She was just about to delete all the girls from his phone, right, Ben?" Vanessa eyes him suspiciously.
"That's right. Go on, Kat." Should I really do this?
Maybe this was his plan, maybe he wrote the numbers down and this is all an elaborate way to prove to our friends that he has changed.
Yes, that makes sense. I'm sure he has a back up. He's not dumb.
I don't feel bad about this at all.
Do I?425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkpLBBs5wn5
