Insomniacs (#1)

67. determination

Aria.

"Try again." I bit back a smile, looking down to him stood on the small step stool besides me.

"Il-" He begun apprehensively, "Mu nome è Benji?"

"Better, darling. But it's mio. Il mio nome è Ria- my name's Ria." I corrected as I rolled out the cookie dough.

"Mio." He repeated with a nod, "How do I say I love you?"

"Ti amo." I smiled now and he sidles up to me, throwing his arms around me and almost making me stumble. He looked up at me with a wide, playful grin.

"Ti amo....for making me cookies. I dunno how to say that in Italian but you get what I mean." He waved off and I laugh now. I leaned down with my hands still on the rolling pin and kissed his head.

He smiled a little wider, turning to watch me as I stretched out the cookie dough, that we'd attempted three times now. Three.

I missed Lu and he wasn't back yet. I didn't want to tell him the news about Lana's scheme over the phone so I forced myself to wait until I could see his face in person.

To aid my restlessness, I took to making cookies for Benji.

Didn't take me long to figure out I'm dog shit at baking, apparently.

I ruined the batter, the first time. Dropped it the second, which was entirely amusing for Benj who had combusted into a laughing fit for the better half of an hour and the third time, I'd almost burnt down the house. To conclude, my skills do not lie in handling a stupid whisk and a stupid oven.

Val's the baker. Always whipping up some weird treats that were fucking divine. I had rung her in exasperation after the first time and she, blatantly, found great amusement in this also because she couldn't stop pissing herself with laughter.

If it was literally any other day, I'd have given up several hours earlier. But with often cigarette breaks, I kept going at it with Val's instructions because otherwise, I'm left to only miss Lu. And that sucks.

So I rolled out the dumb dough and handed Benji the cookie cutters for the fourth time today.

"Okay, so, was just wondering. How do I say my name is Benj and I am actually the most amazing person on this Earth?" He raised an eyebrow at me, pushing down on the cookie cutter and twisting it like I taught him.

"I wonder where that ego's come from." I shook my head and he laughed now, a bundle of joyous giggles that. Always just so adorable.

I loved that smiles come easy to him. That he's making cookies with me and is laughing when once, I'd only ever see him when I'd visit The Pits.

Speaking of The Pits, I'd been feeling awful that I hadn't been in such a long while. I wasn't sure if Benji wanted to go back there but I reminded myself to visit soon, wanting to catch up with Myra and Malcolm and all the others.

A loud knock pounded against the front door, making us jump. I dusted off my hands and looked to Benj, "You alright here?"

He nodded and continued using different cookie cutters to make different shapes. I ruffled his hair and walked out of the kitchen and towards the front door, which was being knocked again and ruthlessly at that.

"Jesus- I'm coming." I muttered and unlocked the door, swinging it open.

I froze.

Everest's eyes were absolutely bloodshot, brimmed with tears that he hadn't let out yet. When I looked down to his hands that were clutching a few things, they were trembling frantically. My concern reached about a million within the span of a second.