Meet You There

Meet You There - Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Josie actually banished me from the group, but I didn't care in the slightest. It wasn't as if I couldn't live without the constant gossip and all the talk about how great her boyfriend was. Besides, I had Bennett. And now, Kelly.

   She found me later in the week, in the hallway near my locker, waving, purposefully. Then, the next day, she called me to sit with her in fourth period. Josie noticed, giving me a dirty look at the end of class.

   By Friday, that was it. The decision was made, and not by me. Anna Clark grabbed my hand before lunch and pulled me across the cafeteria, to sit with her and Kelly, Alex and a handful of others. I did, but wasn't exactly feeling totally comfortable. These girls had been directly rude to me just a month or so ago.

   Bennett strolled in a few minutes later, his eyes scanning the large room, for me. He must have blinked five times before he believed where I was sitting.

   "Hey..." he said, coming up to the table.

   I gave him an unsure look. Every other day that week we had met at his locker and ate there, just talking, being together. I assumed since I didn't show up, he came to look for me.

   "Bennett, hey!" Alex said loudly. "Where have you been?"

   "I was going to ask Iris the same thing," he said, then grinned at me.

   "Sorry, we stole her," Anna laughed. She was Kelly's sidekick.

   I smiled at Anna, then glanced at Kelly, who was slowly eating some cut up carrots. I knew that Bennett wouldn't want to sit with them, so I stood up.

   "I'm actually going to go to the washroom," I said, collecting my lunch. I hadn't started eating yet.

   "See you in fourth!" Kelly called after me, but I was already leading Bennett out of the cafeteria.

   "What was that about?" he wanted to know, as we walked down the hall.

   "I told you, Kelly has been being nice to me," I answered.

   "It might be a trap," he laughed, slipping his hand into mine.

   "Well, good thing you saved me then," I replied.

   We eventually got back to his locker and sat down, but now it was only ten minutes until lunch was over. I wasn't even hungry. I really liked being with Bennett. I didn't know where I expected to be, a few months into my Senior year of high school, but it wasn't here, with a guy. I guess I thought I'd be alone, working hard, praying for the end to come.

   I'd been thinking about my Mom a lot the last few days. She wanted to see me. Now she was ready. But I wasn't, was I? When I was in San Diego, I didn't think about her at all. And, obviously, she wasn't thinking about me, either. Maybe it was better that way.

   "You okay?" Bennett asked, finishing his sandwich. "You're really quiet."

   I nodded. "Yeah."

  "So, why are you in your own world over there?"

   "My... Mom. She called my uncle this week. She wants to see me, I guess," I admitted.

   "Oh, damn. And what do you think?"

   "I think she sent me away when I was fifteen and now she has her new husband and babies and I don't need her," I said, too quickly.

   "Okay."

   "But she's my Mom," I added.

   "True."

   I shook my head. "I don't know what to do."

   He smiled, leaning into me a bit. "Party tonight?"

   "Well, Kelly did personally invite me," I said, then let out a laugh.

   "Oh, fancy," he teased.

   "I know, right? Where's the party?"

   "Our place." Bennett watched for my reaction.

   "Oh. Okay."

   "You've never been to my place," he went on.

   "I know."

   "You've never been to my bedroom, either," he added.

   I smiled. "Right."

   "My parents will be gone until tomorrow."

   I bit my bottom lip, not knowing how to answer. "Oh."

   "I'm just saying..." he grinned, as the bell rang. "See you tonight."

   "Okay, tonight," I nodded, then jumped up and walked away before he could do anything else.

   I was nervous - so nervous - as I waited in my bedroom after school. The minutes felt like hours. I wondered how many people would be there, or if Bennett and I would even "party" with them. Maybe he had other ideas. I put on my nice underwear, just in case, and my leggings and favourite dress - a light blue v-neck that was a bit loose fitting. I added some mascara and brushed my hair, leaving it down.

   I'd been to many, many parties. Mostly in California, with Lily and Sheldon. A lot of them were on the beach, but we went to house parties, too. But I'd never felt nervous before a party, not like this. Back then, I didn't care what anyone thought of me. Lily was loud, popular and everyone loved her. And I was her best friend. Sheldon would hold my hand, keeping me close. Or we would spent entire parties making out. But I was sixteen then, and practically care-free.

   Now, I knew it was all different. I wasn't the same person. I wanted to impress Kelly and her friends, I wanted them to like me. Also, I just wanted to be with Bennett.

   "You look nice," Fox noted, as I walked past the living room after I got ready.

   I grabbed my small purse off the couch beside Caleb.

   "Heading out?" he asked, curious.

   "Yeah, just Bennett's," I said.

   "Okay, have fun," he finished.

   I smiled, heading for the door. I slipped into my flats and then left, closing the door slowly behind me. I checked my phone before going anywhere. Eight forty-five. I took the elevator down the fourth floor and stopped in front of his apartment. The hallway was empty, and quiet. I was early, but not by much.

   Instead of knocking, I texted Bennett.

   IM HERE.

   ITS NOT EVEN 9. He sent back a moment later. GO DOWN TO THE LOBBY. I'LL BE BACK SOON.

   YOU'RE NOT HOME?

   ON MY WAY.

   Confused, I took the elevator down to the lobby and waited by the main door. He came in ten minutes later, his eyes red. He grinned at me, too big, and then wrapped himself around me.

   "You look good," he whispered in my ear.

   "Where were you?" I asked without thinking.

   "I just had to... meet someone," he told me, shaking his head. "You ready?"

   I smiled. "Yeah, sure."

   "What's wrong?" he asked, slipping his hand into mine. Now that we were so close, I smelled pot on him. He blinked hard, as if he knew I was was figuring out where he had been.

   "Nothing," I said.

   "You sure?"

   "Yeah, let's go."