One Game | Benny Watts

004

-ONE MONTH LATER-
Jennifer arrived in her house just after the show, beer bottle in hand that she drank on the way. She dropped her bags down by the door and headed to her oak kitchen. She opened her fridge and stared, before grabbing an apple and burying her teeth it in.

"Meow," she felt her cat push against her leg, she looked down with a solemn expression.

"Come on," she walked to the cupboard and grabbed some cat food and placing it in the bowl for Zelda. "Where's Merlin?" She asked her cat. She was answered by a loud barking from the yard "What are you doing our there?" She asked as she opened the door letting him in. She fed her pets and leant against the kitchen counter finishing off her apple. She decided she should probably walk Merlin. But she wasn't going to do that while she was high, that was completely and utterly ridiculous. She chugged some cold water wincing as she did. 

"Come on, Merlin," she spoke as she grabbed the lead from the side and tried to clip it on his collar. She had large furry boots that reached her knees that he did not like... he began to bark crazily at her feet, occasionally jumping forward to attack or pull. "Merlin!" She shouted as she dodged his bites and lunges. This was the one problem with owning such a big dog... when they lashed out they were feral. "Merlin get a god damn grip!" She yelled  at the dog.

Her chaotic evening was interrupted by the ringing of her telephone. She grabbed it quickly leaning against the wall flicking her legs around enough to keep Merlin away. "What?" She asked harshly. Her dog barking in the background

"I just- are you okay?" Benny asked

"Benny? I- yeah," she breathed, her voice softening yet the barking only growing louder. She gave up, she started to pull the boots off, while she spoke to Benny.

"You have a dog?"

"Yeah, hey I'm really busy right now so if you could-"

"Yeah so, some of my friends are coming over tonight and I was wondering if you wanted to come?" He asked slowly. Jennifer was very unsure

"I don't think-"

"Please, only for a few hours," she could hear the smile in his voice

"I don't even know where you live and either way-"

"108 Somerset Lane, New York, NY 10002," he said quickly. Jennifer went quiet as the idea played on her mind, she had time she could... if she wanted.

"Wait," she said. "Merlin!" She shouted opening the door to her backyard, Merlin ran out happily. She then headed to her drawer pulling out a pen and a little piece of paper "Okay, say that again," she ordered

"108 Somerset Lane," he spoke slowly as she copied down quickly. This was a maybe. Not a definite. "NY 10002. So you'll come?"

"Maybe," she said quickly

"Alright come over at 8:00," he smiled

"I said may-" he hung up "be," she finished as she put the phone back on the side "Well Merlin, aren't you a lucky dog. You get to stay out there," she smiled through the glass window looking at Merlin who looked back at her with big eyes.

It was 6:30 now to get to Somerset she would have to leave at 7:30 so she had an hour. A fucking hour she repeated. She opened her wardrobe and looked at her cloths. She didn't want to wear a dress. Not anymore today. She pulled out a stone-washed pair of flared jeans, they had a low set waist and gripped to her thighs well but re opened up past her knees.

She then spotted a black tightly pulled shirt that stopped at her wrists and belly button. She wore silver hoops, stomach chain, bracelets and necklaces. Her hair sat in her original curls, her makeup the same but she whipped off the red lip and red eyeshadow. Leaving her face mostly bare, she didn't mind how she looked... it was only Benny.

But it wasn't only Jennifer. Benny repeated to himself as he cleaned up his apartment. He didn't know Jennifer very well, partly why he invited her round, but he did know from what he's seen that she was a very... organised and put together woman who would not appreciate a messy apartment. He shoved some cloths into his wardrobe and placed piles of chess books all in one corner trying to free up the place.

He did the best he could before 8:00. He heard a knock at his door, he opened it to be met by Cleo, Hilton and Walter. Cleo half hugged Benny before letting herself in. "Benny," she smiled as she looked around his apartment "You cleaned up," she was shocked. They gathered around in the living room and Benny explained what was to happen next.

"Okay, I have a friend, called Jennifer all right. Walter and Hilton have already-" Benny began

"Jennifer Martinez?" Hilton asked quickly

"Sorry? Jennifer Martinez?" Cleo repeated

"Yes, I know okay. That's exactly why I need you all to... not freak her out all right?"

"Your friends with Jennifer Martinez," asked Cleo

"Well uh- yeah pretty much," He shrugged. Now where actually was she? Is she even coming? Benny's mind ran.

Jennifer was driving over. Checking herself out in the wind mirror every time the car stopped checking there was nothing in her teeth and her hair sat correctly. The roads were busy, busier than she expected. She took a swig of her beer that was in the cup holder before she remembered her pills were in the glove box. She leant over, one hand on the wheel the other reaching for the box. She couldn't find it. She allowed her eyes to skim away from the road for half a second before her hands griped onto the glove box opening it. "Ah ha," she smiled

She grabbed the bottle of pills, until a loud honking of a car horn bought her eyes back to the road. "Fuck!" She yelled as her car twisted sideways, her body falling to the left.