Shades Of Blue

57. Snap

*WARNING FOR PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL ABUSE*

Benjie

December

Age 20

He followed the path back through the woods, over the bridge and to the front entrance of the main building. In the parking lot, Jake sat waiting in his car.

Benjie opened the door and got into the passenger's seat, slamming the door shut once he was inside. Although he stared down at his hands, he could feel Jake smirking at him like a Chucky doll. "What the hell happened to you? I'm gone for five minutes, I come back and you're leaving with some old guy. I had to get a room last night. Fuckin' waste of money."

"Why didn't you just go home?" Benjie wondered, already knowing the real answer. Infuriated yet curious, he was curious to hear how Jake would try to talk himself out of this situation. Maybe Benjie hadn't caught on as soon as he should have, but he knew better now.

"Next time, I will. Sorry for caring and not abandoning you with your new daddy," he grumbled, wounded by Benjie's lack of appreciation.

"Oh. Am I being ungrateful?"

"You're mouthy this morning. What's wrong?" Jake observed as he examined Benjie's torn jacket. Dismissing the ruined garment, he jabbed, "what's the matter? He didn't take his Viagra or something?"

As Jake started the car for the trek home, Benjie fetched his phone from his pocket and stared at the screen. He would have bet all he had that Jake had a burner phone in the glove box. He also knew that burner phone would vibrate if he decided to call the number from the ad, which waited patiently in his contact list as X.

"Did he give you anything?" Jake wondered as they drove out of the parking lot and started back to the city.

Feigning ignorance, Benjie asked, "like what? Drugs?"

With a chuckle, Jake tapped his finger on the steering wheel. "Like money. These old guys can get generous with a young thing like you."

"He's not old," Benjie corrected before poising an important question. "Are you speaking from personal experience?"

"No," he said assertively as he focused on the road. "I've heard stories, though."

"From who?"

"You don't know him," Jake claimed. "Dude, you don't know anyone. Why even ask me that question?"

Benjie eyed the glove box. "Just making conversation."

"You're being weird," Jake muttered. "So?"

"So?"

"Did he give you anything?"

"I dunno," Benjie replied in a yawn, knowing it would drive Jake insane to be so vague. "Why do you care?"

"Like you said, just making conversation."

Without realizing he was doing it, Benjie snapped at the rubber band around his wrist. It had been ages since he snapped it to feel the sting on his skin, releasing a flow of endorphins.

The car was too silent as they drove onto the highway.

Benjie's bright blue eyes were fixed on the mountains in the distance as he gave the band another snap.

"Stop," Jake requested.

Snap.

Refusing to look at Benjie, Jake's body tensed with discomfort. "So, he didn't give you anything? Nothing at all?"