𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳 • 𝘣𝘦𝘯 𝘣𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘴 [✔]

chapter seventy five.

"Hey, your lover boy is here."

Claudia heard Layna say as she passed her bedroom door. It was the day before finals and Claudia was getting everything ready for her kids. She was planning on giving them the usual juice boxes and a snack before they started their exams. She even sent out a text to them to get enough sleep.

"Thanks, Layna," Claudia chuckled. She put down her pen and started gathering some graded papers.

Seconds later, Ben lightly knocked on her door. He had a plastic cup of pink lemonade in his hand. "Stressed?" He wondered out loud, entering the room and placing the lemonade on Claudia's desk. He kissed the top of her head then sat on the edge of her bed.

"Fifty, yes. Well, maybe twenty five because I know my kids are going to pass all their finals. How was work?" She asked, putting away the grades papers.

"Good. I'm starting filming soon then I have a promotion tour for another show, so I might not be around much." He frowned.

"But you're doing what you love, it makes you happy and it makes me happy seeing you smile. You have a really nice smile," Claudia kept organizing her grades papers. She failed to notice that Ben was grinning.

"Stop it, you're making me blush, but keep going," he imitated Lucy everytime she would get a compliment from anyone.

"Do you want to stay for dinner? Mom made a shit ton of food." Claudia spun on her chair to face him.

"Sure. Edward told me Janis' food is to die for. Kept telling me something about the famous cheesecake she makes," Ben saw a piece of paper with two phone numbers written on it on Claudia's desk. "don't tell me Garrett gave you phone number options. Let me guess, home number and his parents' home number."

Claudia rolled her eyes. "No, Benjamin, Nate gave me his and Lara's numbers if I even need anything." She continued grading papers.

"Oh. Where are they?" He asked.

"Nage got up early to look at one bedroom apartments. He knows my mom won't let him stay here so he's dealing with that. Lara is . . . I'm not sure. She said something about visiting someone, didn't say who." She explained.

"Is Janis okay?"

Claudia smiled at the thought of the guy she liked asking about how her mom was doing. In reality, Janis Donovan was doing well. At least that's what she told everyone. She was good at pretending after years of heartbreak. Then Edward Reagan came into her life and she was at peace. Janis wasn't the only one with a broken heart. Edward had just divorced and had full custody of his daughter. Single mom and divorced dad get together was how Layna liked to call Janis' and Edward's relationship.

"She's already asking when do I get to meet your mom and dad. I told her to slow down. That woman is going to be the death of me one day." Claudia placed her pen down and collected the graded papers.

"Whenever you'd like, I'll take you to London. My mum also wants to meet you already." Ben spoke.

Claudia looked at him with a smile. "So you talk about me to your mom?" She teased.

"Maybe," Ben avoided eye contact with the woman. He pretended something taped to Claudia's wall was interesting so he got up and admired it. It was a teenage Claudia with Janis posing infront of a high school with their middle fingers raised up in the air. "Teenage rebellion."

"Teenage Claudia was such a mess. I was going through multiple phases, especially a Tim Burton phase."

"You really are Lucy's type. Twilight and Tim Burton movies, I swear she never shuts up about Winona Ryder, she stopped recently, but I had to put up with six months of nonstop Winona Ryder movies." Ben said.

"Isn't Winona Ryder starring in a new Netflix show coming out next year?"

"Fuck."

An: besties follow me on tiktok so i can be famous and quit my job 😩🤪✌🏼 it's witchcr6fts