Be With Me

Chapter Eleven

Rey wore her white fishnet tights underneath her pink pleaded skirt. She paired it with a white oversized crop top and silver metallic boots. She pulled her brown curls into space buns and added pink hair clips. As she finished her eyeliner, she caught a glimpse of the white lily on her windowsill that Ben had given her. She sighed and returned to drawing on her wing. A notification popped up on her phone from Rose telling her she was ready. Rey opened the message and opened the photo Rose sent. It was a mirror selfie of Rose sporting a baby blue sweater with lantern sleeves and black leather pants. She texted her a thumbs up back and rushed out the door.

After she picked up Rose, Rey parked down a few houses from Astraal-Talik's home. They walked to the front porch and rang the doorbell. Rey heard muffled music coming from inside the house and it grew louder and clearer as Mrs. Gleeson opened the door. "Hi, girls. Come on in," she smiled warmly.

"Hey, Mrs. Gleeson," Rose said. They entered and walked through the hall and turned right into the kitchen. Rey saw people outside drinking, eating and dancing. The same party lights were hung up but the music was louder and much less classical than from the night of Mrs. Gleeson's party, and with a lot more people in the backyard. She scanned the crowd to see if Ben was anywhere to be seen but she saw nobody she knew. Mrs. Gleeson filled up some large bowls with chips and smaller bowls with various dips. "Girls, could you take these outside and just set them right over there on that table?" She pointed out of the kitchen window at a round table next to where large black speakers were blasting El Que Espera by Anitta. They took the bowls and made their way around the dancing guests. Some children ran past them with balloons while their parents stood around with drinks yelling at them to stop running. Rey looked over to the yelling parents and saw Tali in a black crop hoodie and ripped black denim jeans walking towards them with two cans of beer in her hand.

"Thank you guys for coming," she opened her arms to them.

"Of course," Rose said. "I always come when there's free food," she winked.

"Happy Birthday, Tali!" Rey hugged her. Tali handed them the cans but Rey turned it down, "I have to drive."

"School night," Rose shook her head.

"Oh, yeah no problem. There's soda over there," she pointed at a large stack of soda cans across from them. "Pizza's over there, too. Just get a napkin or a paper plate and dig in."

Rey grew nervous and felt her palms turning sweaty. She continuously scanned her surroundings but couldn't find him. After a while, Rey and Rose decided to join some kids they recognized from school that were playing beer pong. As they didn't know anyone else they decided to stay and watch them. The two girls laughed and joked with the others and Rey became more relaxed. She took a sip from her Sprite and caught a glimpse of someone on the dance floor hunched over, holding the hands of a toddler and swaying to the rhythm of the music. She recognized the child when the man threw him up into the air, catching him then continuing to sway with the laughing child in his arms. Her eyes were glued to the pair and it was almost cute the way he danced with the toddler but she was too hurt and mad at him to admit that. Aridema was sitting on a lawn chair near the two, eating a slice of pizza. She smiled watching her boys laugh and have fun. Her long black hair was braided to the side in a fishtail style and she wore a plain white shirt tucked in her high-waisted blue jeans. Ben walked towards Aridema with the child and held him towards her as she gave the giggly child a kiss. He threw the child up into the air once more and as he caught Kenton he noticed Rey. He looked at Kenton and then back at Rey. Rey stiffened not knowing how to react. Ben whispered something to Ari whose eyes slightly widened and her eyes met with Rey's. She quickly looked away but Ben and Ari walked across the yard and approached them.

"Heeey," his deep voice rumbled with the slightest note of nervousness.

"Hello," Rey said cool. He bent down and hugged her with the child still on his hip. Rey was surprised at how unworried he was with Aridema right next to them. He squeezed Rose's shoulder and greeted her as well but she stayed silent and just nodded. Ben carefully smiled at Rey but looked confused when he noticed her cool attitude.