We Can See STARS

Chapter 25: Finding Home

Giddy with excitement at having an evening off to wander the streets of Boston with your amazing boyfriend, you almost completely forgot about the other bearded man you had made plans with.

"Wait!" you speak up as you come to a complete halt. Causing Benn to almost fall back as he was in mid stride.

"What's wrong? Did you forget something?" Confused at why the sudden halt.

A feeling of guilt overcomes you. You reprimanded yourself for making the same mistake again. For not giving Benn a heads up when it came to any plans with male friends or coworkers. If D was here she would tell you to find your "lady balls", to be honest with Benn and if need be, apologize.

"Not exactly, I did forget something...or more like someone." you confess. Benn's eyebrows furrow with incertitude at what you'd say next.

"Okay, please don't get mad." you added.

"Okaaay, I won't." he agrees but not without a confused and slightly more worried expression on his face.

"So Jared texted me earlier today saying he would be here at Fenway for the game and asked me to meet up with him afterwards." you begin to admit to him looking every which way except directly into Benn's eyes, for fear of seeing inside of them feelings of hurt and disappointment. "At first I said no, but he insisted. And you know what he's like, the guy won't take no for an answer." you nervously keep rambling trying to explain how your brain came to the decision of agreeing to meet up with him. " So I said, yes." you revealed in a high pitched voice as you scrunch your eyes and finally meet his eyes, bracing yourself for the worst.

However the look of disappointment and hurt you were expecting to see on Benn's face was non existent. Instead his lips quirked upward, his eyebrows slightly raised. Struggling to keep a serious face, the corner of his lips fight off a smile.

"Why are you grinning?" You cried out.

Benn's face was now sporting the grin of a cheshire cat.

"Why aren't you mad?or upset?!" you let out challenging him, throwing your arms up in exasperation and landing them on your hips. For reasons behind your comprehension, the fact that Benn wasn't showing any signs of being mad or hurt were causing you to be upset. If anything he was the one who had the right to be upset, not you.

"Uh, Do you want me to be mad?" he finally asks through the smirk on his lips. Clearly amused by your reaction.

"Well no," you momentarily stop and think about it, "But I am curious to know why you're smiling like an idiot? Usually you'd be a little upset." your eyebrows furrowed, the crease lines between your eyebrows present and deeper than ever at your exasperated state.

A warm, vivacious chuckle escaped his lips, the corners of his mouth lifted up into a now full smile. He wore what he clearly thought was a winning smile, but to you it was an irritating one. The more you were getting worked up and irritated about his lack of reaction the more Benn was amused and the least bit upset. If you were a kid you'd be having a full blown tantrum complete with stomping of the feet, pouty lip and crossed arms at the lack of not getting what you wanted. In this case, an explanation as to why Benn was so calm and chill about this news you had given him.

"So are you going to tell me or what?!"

Benn momentarily stays silent as he tries to compose himself and explain his reaction but you felt like it was taking an eternity. Before Benn can speak up you continue,

"Okay fine! Look, I'm sorry. I was going to text you after work what the plans were going to be once I talked to Jared in person. I know I should have told you or texted you about it earlier. It's not because I was trying to hide it from you, I just figured you'd be okay with it. I mean we've been through a lot and..."