One Game | Benny Watts

030

Benny twisted his ring around his index finger as he glanced up at the clock. She wasn't coming, he sighed before leaning back. He was half expecting her not to come anyways but he had an ounce of hope that had now been stepped on. "Disappointed she isn't here?"  Cleo asked from beside him, making him jump.

"What? No," He replied "I was jump thinking about the tournaments,"

"That you lost to her? It's clear there's some... unresolved things between the two of you," And like clockwork, his door was knocked on. He stood up quickly turning to Cleo with a smirk.

"Maybe," He shrugged as he opened the door.

"I got lost," She breathed as she walked in.

"I thought you wasn't going to come," He said as he watched her walk past him.

"Friends go to each others houses don't they?" She smiled, he turned his head slightly to the side as he looked back at her. The two stayed like that for a second or so before Jennifer was swallowed into a hug from Cleo.

"Hello," She smiled,

"Hi," Jennifer replied with a laugh. The group sat around Benny's small table, Benny and Arthur played a game of chess while Hilton watched. Jennifer and Cleo opposed each other as they talked quietly.

"You should speak to him, one on one," Cleo advised, keeping her voice low from the others.

"I don't know if I can do that," Jennifer replied.

"Why?"

"Things will happen, things that have already happened,"

"And so what? You two both have the same friends, you won't be able to avoid each other forever,"

"I can try,"

"You have tried. All I'm saying is, you two are different now, the both of you. I think if you tried things would be diffrent aswell," Cleo said as she stood up, leaving Jennifer to think. Cleo was right, they had changed, a lot. If they did try things again, they're bound to be different... right?

The sound of a chess piece dropping onto a board made her turn her head. Arthur had lost, and Benny had won. "Care for a game, Jennifer?" He asked, she glanced up at him with a bewildered gaze before speaking.

"I don't see why not," She shrugged as she began to rearrange the board.

"Now I have none to talk to," Cleo moaned from the chair.

"How about the version we played a while back?" Benny offered

"With the questions,"

"Mhm," He replied.

"....Sure," She nodded as the game began. She captured first. "How are you?" That was her first question.

"Boring," Chriped Arthur.

"I'm all right..." He answered. Then he captured, "Favourite song?"

"Stepping Stone," She replied 

"This is boring," Whispered Hilton to Cleo and Arthur.

"Just wait..." Cleo answered as she watched the two carefully, something was going to happen. Whether that be good or bad who knows...

"Favourite ring?" He asked, holding the two of his hands up, she thought for a second before looking away from his eyes and at his hands with a smile.

"That one," She pointed to the ring on his little finger.

"Really?" He looked at it himself.

"Yes, its different from the rest," Jennifer said making him pause for a second while he looked at her. "Favourite necklace?" She said, motioning to the array of necklaces that strung around her neck.

"That one," He said as he ran his finger underneath one of the necklaces and held the charm up.

"Why?" She looked down at the silver necklace with a small Eiffel Tower hanging off it.

"I don't know," He shrugged. The room was quiet for a bit before Beny captured her Pawn "...What did you do yesterday?"

"Uh..." She trailed as she thought "Went on a date," She shrugged and moved her piece. Benny looked at her sharply.

"What?" He asked.

"I went on a date," She repeated "Come on, its your go,"

"Why the hell did you go on a date?"

"What? Why do you care?"

"Why do I care?" He scoffed.

"This is our queue," Cleo whispered as she stood up to leave, taking Hilton and Arthur with her.

"Yes, why do you care?"

"Because, I- You cant just go on a date,"

"Why cant I?"

"Because of me... we still..." He trailed

"What the hell are you going on about, Benny?" She asked, silence "What is it to you anyways? We broke up, we arent together anymore. I'm single, you are single, and nothing is going on anymore. So why do you care?"

"Why do I care?" He repeated "I care because I still love you, Jennifer. When you left you didn't take my feelings towards you with you," He said as he stood up. There was silence for a minute or so before Jennifer spoke.

"...What?" She whispered as she looked up at him.

"Dont act as if I didn't make it obvious," He sighed as he went to walk.

"How was I meant to know?" She asked as she stood up.

"How did you not know, Jennifer day and night I think about every stupid thing that happened between us. I would go to hell and back just to kiss you again," 

"...I... I didn't know," She whispered.

"Wouldnt of changed anything anyways, would it? You still went on a date with someone didn't you?"

"I'm sorry," She whispered,

"I've heard you say that so many times,"

"Well, I've also done this so many times," She said as she stepped forwards and kissed him. He broke away from her quickly, looking down at her.

"What the hell was that?"

"I can't just be friends with you, Benny. That's not something I can do, seams as though that something you cant do either,"

"So what do we try now?"

"Nothing," She replied "Things happen then so be it," She shrugged, and there was another silence as he looked down at her. She then stepped forwards, things had changed between the two. Being strangers didn't work, being enemies didn't either, nor did being just friends. Nothing could keep them away from each other.

No matter what they did they were drawn next to each other. They had to accept that, they had to accept them. Had to accept the fact that they weren't their own people anymore. The two had built themselves into each other and there was nothing they could do to change that.

Turns out Benny didn't have to go to hell and back just to kiss her again, he just had to stand still.