New Girl on the Block

Chapter Eight: Benjamin

   Don't screw up don't screw up don't screw up don't screw up. Helena walks in front of me into the small shop, and I can't help but notice how her hips sway slightly as she walks. Helena "oooos" at the long line of fro-yo flavors and immediately runs over to the machines. She goes through the variety of flavors for the moment, and by the time I've chosen mine (a medium cup of pistachio), she's chosen vanilla.

Out of twenty-six flavors, she's chosen vanilla. Okay... She attempts to pay the cashier, but I quickly push her hand softly away and pay for both of our cups. She shifts, seemingly, uncomfortably. The cashier hands me the receipt, which tucks into my leather wallet and slide it into my gray sweatpants pocket, and I lead Helena to a tall table with orange chairs.

She looks around the room as she slowly eats her frozen yogurt. "Have you moved a lot?" I ask, pulling her attention back to me. "Sorry?" She says, but answers the question before I can repeat it. "Yeah," she says then looks down at her toppings" gummy bears, m'n'ms, and sour gummy worms. She fiddles with either one, then scoops it into her small mouth.

"Does it get tiring?"

"No, not really."

"What's the coolest place you've ever been to?" I ask, and she surprisingly looks up from the paper bowl. Her face seems to light up as she answers. "I don't think most people would say it's necessarily the coolest, but I think the northern part of Arkansas is beautiful! My dad's an architect, so we move around for his different projects. One of them was in Arkansas for a week, but since most schools were on fall break in Arkansas, we spent most of it camping in the Ozarks and we even went to this really pretty mill-run barn-like building and–" she stops herself from continuing.

She looks down again and says, "Sorry, I was rambling. What about you? Ever been anywhere cool?" I'm caught off guard by her sudden change in attitude. "You can keep talking about Arkansas if you wa-"

"No, it's okay. You should talk now," she insists, and her leg begins to bounce rapidly, yet quietly, under the table. "Uhm, okay," I should just go with this, "I've been to Disneyland!" I say, and her face seems to light up again. "Really?!" She says excitedly, causing me to smile.

"Mhm," I utter with a mouthful of fro-yo.. "Wow...how was it? Is it as amazing as everyone makes it out to be?" She asks excitedly, sitting on the edge of her seat with her arms holding her up on the table. "Eh...We went with my little cousin, Scarlet, so most of it was princesses and cupcakes. I'm not really into that kind of stuff, but seeing Scarlet's eyes light up at the sight of some of her favorite Disney princesses made the trip worth every second," I say, remembering with a smile how every day we went to see a new princess, Scarlet had to dress up as her.

"Awww, that's so sweet!" Helena says, reeling me back into reality. "Yeah, well Scarlet is a sweet little girl," I say. Helena opens her mouth to say something but is interrupted by the all too familiar sound of a high-pitched squeal followed by the sound of, "Benny Bear, is that you?!"

I close my eyes and inhale as the sound of her heels clicks up behind me. "O.M.G! It totally is you!" She says from behind me. I open my eyes and exhale, twisting around to face my ex-girlfriend. "Hey, Bethany!" I say, dragging out the sound of her name.

She's wearing a blue short-sleeved crop top, blue jeans with far too many large holes, a cropped black puffer jacket, and knee-high leather boots all despite it being nearly fifty degrees outside. "Oh my goodness! Long time–I mean short time no see!" Bethany says, and I know she's thinking about how two days ago she and her parents came over to my house for a small, and short, get-together.

Jessica, Bethany's sidekick or pet of the week, stands behind her. Jessica shifts uncomfortably in the six-inch heels Bethany forces her to wear because she's too short. I'm pretty sure the only reason Bethany is even "friends" with Jessica this week is because her usual apprentice is out sick. "Yeah...!" I say.

"What are you like doing here right now?" Bethany says, practically devouring every inch of me with her eyes. I clear my throat and say, "I'm here with a–" I glance to Helena who has pulled out her phone and seems to be pretending to do something important, "friend. What about you? Why are you here, Bethany." I desperately want this conversation to end in the next three seconds preferably, but I doubt she'll leave that soon.

"Pft! You silly goose!" She says, waving a perfectly manicured hand down in front of my face. "I come here all the time!" She places one hand on her hip and shifts her weight to that side; she lets her other arm hang at her side. "Right!" I say as if I should've known that.

"Ahem," Jessica says, tapping her wrist to signal they don't have much time. Bethany nods, her bleached blonde ponytail bobbing in the air. This seems to make Jessica self-conscious because she quickly smooths her already perfectly straight black hair as if it had any blemishes. "Well, I gotta go! It was nice talking to you!" Bethany says with a wink then she turns to Helena.

"It was nice meeting you..." Bethany says, implying for Helena to give her name. She looks up from her phone and says, "Helena. I wish I could say the same about you." This catches both me and Bethany off guard, but I see Jessica chuckle to herself, causing Bethany to send a glare in her friend's way. Jessica coughs the laugh off and tucks her head down, slightly smirking to herself.

"Uh huh..." Bethany mutters to Helena then walks out of the shop with an aggravated sass in her step. I turn to Helena to find her pulling her black sweater over her green long-sleeve shirt that makes her blue eyes pop. She grabs her small purse and slings the strap over her shoulder.