Pool Hunny // Benny Rodriguez

17.

Caroline.

I inspected myelf in the mirror, I had put on my favourite summer dress and some small white heels I'd dug out from the bottom drawer of my shoe box. "How do I look?" I asked twirling around to give Lil a better look. She grinned, "perfect."

Benedict had finally called me up to organise a proper time for us to meet up and suggested that we go on a double date with Lil and Mark. I honestly didn't mind because at least that meant things were less likely to go wrong. I was getting ready at Lil's house, she lived a couple blocks down from me so it hand't been a long walk.

I heard the doorbell ring and we made our way downstairs, we opened the door to see Mark standing there a grin on his face, "hey girls."

Lil kissed him on the cheek as his arm wound around her waist, "hey."

I grinned pulling him into a quick hug, "hi Mark. Where's Benedict?"

"Ben's keeping the car running or something." He shrugged, "I don't know."

We walked down the path and I could hear Rodirguez's voice ringin in my head, "if he were such a gentleman he would come to the door instead of just honking at you like a moron". I brushed it off getting into the backseat of his car with Lil. We were going to some bar thing that they all knew, I'd never been but Lil had good taste so I didn't doubt that I would like it.

There was a booth somewher near the middle of the restaurant that had been reserved for us. Lil and I slid in first so that we were opposite eachother and the boys next so that it was Lil and Mark on one side and Benedict and I on the other.

"How was your spring break?" I asked turning to Benedict so I could get a better look at him. He shrugged, "we went to the Bahamas, but my Dad wouldn't let us go out so it kind of sucked."

Lil rolled her eyes at the comment, " We had a great time, Ben can just be a bit of a sourpuss. How was yours Care?"

I grinned, "at first I thought it was going to b e a shitstorm because my Dad brought his girlfriend and Benny his friend but it actually turned out to be tons of fun."

Benedict scowled, "that idiot? You had a good time with him? Geez, did they drug your water or something. The worst part is he thinks he's so fucking good at baseball but it's all just bullshit."

I frowned, "take it easy. I might not be his biggest fan either but he is still my father's tribute and a good baseball player."

He scoffed, "no need to be so defensive Caroline."

"I'm not." I replied resisting the urge to scowl at him. I heard a thud under the table and saw benedict wince ever so slightly as he turned back to me a fresh smile on his face, "sorry. I just woke up in a bad mood today, I didn't mean that."

"Okay." I replied confused by the sudden switch up. We ordered our food and drinks quickly before falling back into easy conversation, although Benedict hadn't been doing much of the talking.

I could feel him rest his hand on my upper thigh, a wierd shudder ran through me, this hadn't at all felt like how I had expected it to. Even that weird moment I'd had with Benny in the basement had felt more comfortable than this. I pushed the image out of my mind instantly, I was not about to go down that road, no thank you. Maybe I was just misinterpreting my feelings now?

"Where did you just go?" Mark asked amused as I looked up finishing my train of thought.

I brushed it off, "nowhere, I was just thinking about something stupid I did on spring break."

Lil grinned, "I know the feeling, I've acted like such an idiot in the holidays, and this spring break was no exception. I almost got kidnapped by these random guys if it hadn't been for Mark." she told me smiling at her boyfriend fondly.