DIET MOUNTAIN DEW • SCREAM 1996

0.1 : " BIG NO NO "

0.1: " BIG NO NO "

SEPTEMBER 16TH, 1996

IF BENNY counted the amount of times he blushes in a day, the number would be insurmountable. One would think after spending years beside two of the most attention grabbing people in town, the boy would at least be a little desensitized to odd stares and whispered comments, and to a certain extent he was. Benny hardly cared about what others thought about him, it was the eyes he hated the most.

He hated every second of an unknown person watching him, judging him. While he didn't particularly care to know their thoughts, it was the action itself that disturbed him and caused him to cower into a little hole of self depreciation.

It was only really Billy or Stu that could pull him out from one of these moments.

Such as being late to class and having everyone including your teacher stare you down as you step into class.

Benny shrunk into himself, feeling the burning gazes of his peers. A flush bloomed on his gently tanned cheeks and his fingers twitched oddly. Benny was a pretty well liked guy so while he knew most of the girls were staring at him in adoration, the guys watching in respect, and his teacher smiling at him kindly, their gazes creeped him out.

The boy quickly shoved the tardy slip to his teacher and strode briskly to his desk near the back. Some watched while most became disinterested, those few gazes caused Benny to curl into himself.

"Hey…are you alright?" The soft feminine voice rang quietly by his ear.

Benny glanced over a bit startled because while he was quite popular, no one really took the chance to speak to him. Rather they took him as someone that should be admired from afar. To his left he saw Willow Pierson, a pretty girl with a short brown blowout. Benny actually found her really attractive and couldn't help but give her a cute smile.

"Yeah, um, I just don' like people starin' at me." Benny's lazy drawl met Willow's ears causing her to blush, already smitten with the boy beside her.

Willow offered her own shy smile and brought her head a bit closer to whisper. "Me too. I get red like a tomato."

Benny chuckled and propped up his textbook to block his head, the girl following closely behind. They turned to look at each other and Benny teased lightly, lips hooking up charmingly. "I bet it's more of a strawberry color, that's cuter."

"No way!" Willow shook her head as vehemently as she could while still hiding her big hair behind her book. "I look like a fire engine when I'm embarrassed. You were the cute one, your nose was all pink when you were in front of the class."

The boy scrunched up his nose at the thought, but couldn't help but laugh quietly at Willow's serious expression. It seems she was really desperate to prove that he was the cute one out of the two of them.

"Mr. Mercer, Ms. Pierson. Are you two alright back there?" The sound of their teacher made the two quickly push down their books and stare at her in fear.

They could feel the eyes of all their classmates pin them down at the disruption. Both brunettes grew a startling shade of red. Benny, more so around his nose and cheeks while Willow's took up her entire face.

It seems she wasn't lying about hating attention like him.

—

" JESUS BENNY… I told you to wait for me." Willow and Benny's conversation was interrupted by Billy's deep voice.

The pair had just stepped through the door chatting excitedly to each other about their favorite movies. Benny was intense about his love for horror movies while Willow was just as eager to share about her wide collection of rom-coms. The boy was so into it he didn't notice that they were half way down the hall when he had already promised to wait for Billy to pick him up for their shared next period.

Willow watched as an arm hooked around her new crush's neck and startled once her eyes met Billy Loomis's dark ones. She had never spoken to the guy before but she always found him intimidating. The girl was actually a bit worried as Billy's growling voice scolded her new friend.

She could only stare in concern as Billy whisked Benny away. She had a weird feeling about the guy and it felt like every one of her instincts were telling her to get herself and Benny away from the guy. Which is crazy because she knew they had been best friends forever, but Willow could tell something was…off.

Willow shook it off and laughed at herself. She was acting paranoid, everyone knew that Billy, Benny, and their other friend Stu were inseparable. Benny would be fine. She headed to her next class missing the side eye Billy dealt her as she walked away.

"Who was that, Benny? Hm?" Billy asked, leaning his head to rest on Benny's chocolate curls and watching the girl leave out of the corner of his eye.

The shorter boy huffed at the action, he hated how Billy and Stu would tease him about his height, he's literally 5'10.

"Jus' a classmate." Benny answered, a small smile hooking on his lips as he thought about his and Willow's conversations.

The boy was unaware of Billy's disgruntled frown as he caught the dazed look in his eyes and reminiscent smile.

"You got a crush or something?" Billy questioned and Benny could feel his grip tighten around his neck.

Benny shook his head vigorously, nervously. "No, no. 'Course not, Bill."

If there was one 'big no no' in the so-called holy trinity it was Benny having a crush. If Benny even mentioned an interest in a girl once, Billy and Stu would get so worked up they'd scare the poor girl away. Benny didn't know why seeing as both Billy and Stu were in long-term relationships, but he assumed they were just protective.

It was annoying, but the boy had long since gotten used to it. It just sucked that he actually found Willow pretty and nice. There was just no way Billy or Stu would like that.

The assholes.

Billy relaxed after he said this and they were back to joking around. Benny went on to talk about the new thriller that just came out in theaters and Billy said they could watch it for his birthday this coming Thursday. Benny agreed excitedly and eagerly discussed what candies he was going to sneak in. Billy nodded along and watched the glowing smile on his best friend's face.

Just like that Billy and Benny forgot all about the whole Willow ordeal.