DIET MOUNTAIN DEW • SCREAM 1996

0.4 : " LIAR, LIAR "

0.4 : " LIAR, LIAR "

SEPTEMBER 20TH, 1996

MORNING LIGHT peaked obnoxiously through Stu's thin curtains. The light met Benny's making the once dark room startlingly bright. The boy huffed as his consciousness began to wake up. He shoved his face into the nearest pillow and he hummed happily as his face melted into the warm object.

After a few moments of simply laying there, it became clear to Benny that he wasn't going to sleep any longer. Grumpily, he sat up and glanced around. It was then that he noticed it was no pillow he was cuddling. Instead the so-called pillow was actually Stu Macher's chest. Pink bloomed on his cheeks as he took note of both Billy and Stu on either side of him.

Benny quickly crawled out of bed and rushed into the bathroom to cool himself off. It was an odd reaction seeing as this was by no means the first time he had cuddled with his best friends. In fact he was quite used to waking up beside them. It was just that…something in their relationship had shifted in the last few days. Benny didn't know what but it kind of scared him.

The brunet shook the thoughts out of his head and shuffled out of the bathroom once he had washed his face and brushed his teeth. Who cares if their relationship had changed a bit? They were still best friends and that's all that matters.

Speaking of them, Benny giggled once he saw Stu's large body basically suffocating Billy's smaller figure under the mound of blankets. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw the time 1:00 p.m blinked on the bedside alarm clock. The boy's rushed down the stairs.

He scrambled for the phone and quickly looked in the phone book for a certain number. The teen smiled once his finger touched a certain name. Benny dialed the number and lent against the kitchen counter as the dial tone rang in his ear.

It was then that he heard footsteps coming through the hall. Benny glanced over and saw a tired Billy make his way to the kitchen door and lean on the frame. "Who ya' callin'?" He questioned, voice groggy and thick with sleep.

The flush found its way back to Benny's cheek and he looked away swiftly. Twisting around the phone wire as he lied, "M' mom."

Billy only nodded before walking back out of the door, presumably to go back to bed.

"Hello?" The familiar voice of Willow Pierson echoed through the speaker and Benny was back to grinning brightly.

"Hey Willow, uh it's Benny." Benny greeted, catching his reflection in a small mirror and gently tussling the  bird nest that was his hair so it looked somewhat presentable.

He could hear Willow gasp and a small shuffle sound before she responded. "Hey Ben! What's up?"

Benny's eyes sparkled at the new nickname, making them turn from a dark chocolate to warm toffee tone. He tried to keep the excitement out of his tone as he answered her. "Nothin' much. Uh, I was callin' to ask what time I should come over."

"Oh!" She started, and Benny could almost see the way her face flushed a bright red. "Is 4:00 good for you? My parents won't be home all night."

Benny bit his lip and nodded eagerly before realizing Willow couldn't actually see him. He scolded himself internally for his stupidity while he agreed.

They hung up the phone soon after and Benny walked out of the kitchen with a skip in his step, not knowing a certain boy was hiding down the hall. Billy's eyes were darker than normal and his brows furrowed aggressively. His face was filled with jealousy and betrayal.

"Benny boo~" A voice whined in his ears and arms looped heavily around his neck. Benny chuckled as looked back and saw Stu's face trying to nuzzle into his neck.

"Stuart." Benny returned teasingly, smiling mischievously as Stu scowled at the name and popped open his eyes.

"Call me anything but that, ugh." The blond groaned loudly before his lips hooked up. "You know for that you deserve to be punished."

The shorter teen eyed his friend up and startled when he felt fingers ghost against his sides. Benny's face grew fearful and he attempted to wiggle away. Stu's grip just grew firmer and suddenly boisterous laughter was filling up the entire room.

"St– stop Stu!" The boy yelled, writhing around, trying to get away from the tickling hands. Tears welled up in his eyes and his belly was almost sore from so much giggling.

It took two minutes of torture before Stu let him go and Benny struggled to catch his breath. He glared at the blond's cackling figure. "Je– huff Jesus. If- If I did– huff didn't need to– huff– leave, I'd fuck– you up."

"Leave?" Stu asked, wiping away his own tears that had leaked because of his laughing fit. "Why? It's still early."

Benny looked away once again and fidgeted with his earring. He felt guilty lying to his best friends but he knew there was no way they'd let him go if they knew the truth. The boy cleared his throat and moved his eyes back, focusing on Stu's chin rather than his eyes.

"Gotta go home. Mom, um, she came home early." The lie felt like tar slipping from his lips so Benny was quick to stand up and flee.

Benny wrapped his arms around Stu in a goodbye as well as a silent apology.  The other was too stunned to react and could only rub his head in confusion as Benny speed walked towards the door.

"Bye, Stu. Let Billy know, yeah?" The brunet teen didn't even look back as he spoke, only raising an arm in a dismissive wave before he left.

Stu slumped on the couch and questioned Benny's weird behavior. Why had he left so quickly? Like he was hiding something? He's never done that before.

"He's lying." Billy's deep and rough voice startled Stu out of his thoughts and he snapped his head to where his partner was standing.

Stu scoffed in disbelief. "What do you mean? Benny's never lied to us. Why would he even do that?"

"He doesn't trust us." The shorter teen grunted, coming over to sit beside Stu with a dark look heavy in his face.

"Don't say shit like that, babe. Of course Benny does. He's probably just–"

"He doesn't!" Billy yelled, standing up with hands in tight fists. "He's meeting some fucking bitch tonight! Benny fucking left us for some whore!"

Stu was suddenly glad his parents weren't home as Billy screamed, throwing things off the coffee table. But as the words sank in, Stu was quick to feet and grabbed his partner by the shoulders. "What the hell do you mean, a bitch?" He questioned, voice below freezing.

Billy snarled, but didn't throw his hands off as he glared at the ground. If looks could kill, the carpet would have been six feet under.

"Fucking Willow Pierson. Benny's classmate or some shit. I listened to their conversation. She was making Benny all fucking excited and shit, probably going to lure him into bed or something tonight." The teen growled lowly, crossing his arms.

Stu had a similar dark look on his face as he heard this. He spoke up, weirdly calm. "Calm down. Don't worry, Benny is just ours, yeah?"

Billy glanced up and met Stu's swirling blue eyes. He nodded as they shared the same message through their eyes. "Yeah."

Poor Benny's gonna wish he never lied to them.