(18+) RED (Complete)

Ch. 27: Mini

The following week could only be summarized as awkward. I felt so bad about moaning Michael's name whilst giving myself to Benjamin, that I didn't know what to say. I apologized, of course, but it didn't change what had already happened. And even though Benjamin did his best to pretend like nothing, things weren't the same anymore.

Saturday he asked me on a date, which I accepted in a heartbeat. I wanted so badly to make up for hurting him the way I did, so we went to play mini-golf and grabbed a bite at a diner afterwards. Things finally started to fall back to normal. We teased each other and laughed until our stomachs hurt. Then we made out under a magnolia in the park nearby while the sun was setting, before he walked me home.

"I had a great time today," I smiled and dangled our hands a little more than the way they usually swing during walking. Our attention was drawn to our fingers. Four fingers that were hooked to each other like a tiny chain, and our thumbs as a solid lock.

"Me too."

We kept walking and spotted my aunt's house at the end of the street.

"You don't have to follow me home," I said, knowing that it would be a detour for him. And since we were right outside his house right then, it was just stupid for him walk back and forth. It really wasn't necessary anyway.

"What kind of man would I be if I didn't follow my girl home and made sure she was safe?"

I blushed and gave him a shy glance.

"You're annoyingly charming, do you know that?"

"Of course," he snickered cockily. "Besides, I won't miss out on a chance to kiss you goodnight."

I giggled and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek to tease him, before I let go of him and started running down the pavement. But I didn't get far until I felt his arms around my waist, and felt myself being lifted off the ground and pulled against his firm chest. I whined with joy.

"Don't you dare snitch me for that kiss, Mousie. Those gorgeous lips of yours are mine."

He tickled me and I screamed.

"Let go of me! Okay, I surrender!"

Both of us laughed until we came to our driveway. Then our eyes caught sight of something unexpected.

"Hey. You didn't tell me your aunt got a new car," Benjamin said, surprised. And he wasn't the only one.

"She..."

My words vanished when I saw the little car in the middle of our parking lot. It was a purple Mini Cooper with a ribbon on the hood, and I suddenly lost the ability to breathe. He remembered!

"Cool car," he complimented, and walked over to take a closer look. But when he started picking at the ribbon, I barged forward to stop him.

"Don't! It's... Uhm. My aunt hasn't seen it yet, because... Because it's her birthday and my parents bought her a car. This car. Because... Oh! Because my aunt lets me stay here."

I was pretty satisfied with my little lie. Hopefully he didn't know that my aunt's birthday wasn't until September. But it was too late.

"It has your name on it, Mia."

I was absolutely positive that all the blood in my veins was sucked out by gravity, and poured out through my feet and down into the ground. I felt dizzy. Speechless. Faint.

"It's him, isn't it?" he asked with a frown, and looked straight at me.

"No, Benjamin, I can..."