UNGIFTED

CHAPTER 20

O utlining the edges of his tray with his thumbs, Ben walked in search of an empty table. It was still rather early when he walked into the cafeteria, not because he was particularly hungry but because he was desperate for a bit of normalcy. Some sort of distraction from the deafening silence of his room. And the silence in her room.

There, and that early, he hoped to get a moment by himself. Alone yes, but surrounded by other people's noise loud enough to cover that of his very own thoughts. Their chatter; their laughs; their obliviousness. He watched it all right from his spot at one of the many tables. Analizing them; silently studying how fast they had moved on with their lives like nothing had ever happened. But he found himself unable to do the same, for she refused to get out of his head. But neither did he want her to.

The rest of the group usually visited the cafeteria later in the morning, so Ben knew he still had a couple more minutes to be by himself. A moment to gather his every emotion, and get himself together before having to face his group of friends like nothing happened while everything inside him cried with desperation.

"Benny Boy." Taena said softly, sighing as she sat down beside her brother. Her head resting against his shoulder.

Taena's gaze had met her brother's figure the moment he had entered the cafeteria. And her eyes had followed it as he glumly picked something from the buffet table; watching as his feet dragged him to an empty table by inertia. While it was not rare to find Ben up that early, it was strange to see him looking so down and lifeless. Which is why she decided to seat with him even if only for a moment.

"Tae." He said leaning his head on top of hers. His arms on top of the table, fingers playing with the rim of the scarf wrapped around his wrist.

"Are you really letting her go?" She softly asked. Her hand reaching to caress the piece of cloth around her brother's wrist.

"What else can I do?" He asked back hopelessly. "I tried everything I could, and it wasn't enough." He told her with his voice barely above a whisper.

"You did?" Taena questioned. Her head turning from the scarf to her brother's face. Eyes scanning him with curiosity.

"Yeah." He clucked airily, his eyes never leaving the scarf. Fingers rubbing it like it were his life's source. "Crazy right? If only you'd seen it." He smiled fondly.

"Tell me about it." She asked truly intrigued. Her body now facing him as she gave him her full attention. Ben sighed.

"I told her I was only helping her because her stay would be my present to Rowan and Eroan on their wedding." He began.

"Very romantic." Taena stated with sarcasm.

"I wasn't really going for romantic." He told her.

"Even though you were -and dare I say still are- in fact head over heels for her." She commented with one of her eyebrows raised insinuating.

"Are you gonna let me tell you or...?"

"Fine." She said. "But you know I'm right." She added crossing her arms over her chest and resting her head on his shoulder once again.

"Anyway. We started meeting late at night-"

"Mhmm." She hummed as a cheeky smile appeared on her pink lips.

"To train, Taena. To train." He told her.

"Okay, but why late at night? Why not during the day?"

"Well, I told her it was so no one would see us together." He said.

"But..." His sister said. The cheeky smile dancing on her lips only growing wider as she waited for him to confess the truth.

"I didn't want any interruption." He mumbled like a child who did not want to answer a question.