𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳 • 𝘣𝘦𝘯 𝘣𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘴 [✔]

chapter twenty nine.

An: so this is a ben fic but y'all wanted a flashback chapter so here it is, hope you enjoy it :)

August 1985

Janis Donovan had enough. She had kicked Nate out once again, but he was still contacting her. Lara had even suggested to change her number, but Janis refused. She didn't want to change her number because what if Nate was in trouble or something bad happened to him. She didn't want to leave him alone either. He was nice to her, even bought her parents' house for her to live in.

It was a Saturday morning and Lara had just arrived to Janis' house. She had plastic bags filled with groceries. She planned to make Janis breakfast since she was feeling down because of Nate. Janis kept a spare key under a rock she painted with Nate. She refused to change it. After Lara unlocked the house, she saw several clothes and shoes that belonged to Nate scattered on the floor. They were next to cardboard boxes labeled 'trash'.

Lara walked to the kitchen and placed the bags on top of the counter. The kitchen was a mess. Empty cereal boxes and silverware were scattered across the counters and sink. "Janis!" Lara yelled.

Janis was in the room she shared with Nate. Most times when both of them were angry at each other, she would grab her blanket and pillow and sleep in the only old couch that was in the house. By the time Janis woke up, Nate was gone.

"Lara? I thought you would be here at nine." Janis saw Lara putting away the groceries that she had bought.

"It's nine thirty," Lara said as she put away a box of pancake mix away. "so, you done with him for real this time?"

Janis looked at the clothes and shoes on her floor. Her lips said yes, but her mind was telling her the opposite. "I think so. He said he'd come back for his stuff later."

Lara noticed how quiet Janis was. She put down the gallon of milk and brought her friend into a much needed hug. "Your life is going to be so much better without him. I promise you. You'll find a man worthy of your time that loves being around you, makes you laugh, gives you amazing hugs and tells you how much he loves loves you every night. If you don't, then I'm always here to fill that position." She laughed.

Janis chuckled lightly. "I know you would."

Lara let go of Janis and continued to place the groceries in their rightful place. "Do you want to go out tonight? We could go bowling."

Janis chuckled nervously. "I sorta . . . have plans."

"That's fine. We can go out another time. Tell me when because work is killing me," Lara finished putting away the groceries. "Call you later, stay out of trouble." She kissed Janis' cheek then walked out of the door before Janis could say goodbye.

Janis looked around the kitchen and figured it would be best if she cleaned up. So she did. Soon, the counters were clean, cereal boxes were thrown away and everything was back to its original place. But she didn't stop there. She cleaned the entire house. Each room was slowly getting cleaned. Her last stop was her shared room with Nate. She hesitated, but got everything that belonged to him out of the room.

She didn't realize so much time had passed. She looked at the clock then out the window. It was now seven in the afternoon. "Fuck," she muttered. Nate hadn't told her what time he was picking his stuff up, but she couldn't wait anymore. She grabbed one of the cardboard boxes from the living room and opened the front door, ready to dump all of his stuff on the sidewalk. But someone stood in her way, thay someone being Nate.

He hand his fist raised ready to knock on the wooden door. "Uh, hi?" He lowered his hand. "I'm here to get my stuff,"

Janis looked down at the box in her hands. "Yeah, I was just about to help. Here," she shoved the box into his chest.