Lost in Translation

Chapter 13: Sparks

———Anthony———

Tuesday, May 7th, 2019

I headed towards the serving line, picking up two trays automatically since there was zero chance James would get his own food. I felt guilty that Ben seemed so nervous, and I am sure my attitude now wasn't helping, but I really didn't want to be dealing with this shit right now. Or at all, really. I had hoped it wouldn't be that bad, but even through the smells of all the shifters in the cafeteria and the food smells, he almost smelled just as potent as he did in his truck the other day.

Val came up behind me in line. She grabbed a tray and fell in beside me as we made our way horizontally across the line. I gave her a sideways glance, but she was staring straight ahead.

"I love Ben," she said calmly, gaze still locked ahead. I stiffened up immediately. Of course, Ben has other options, I thought to myself. There's no way he would—

"Relax, dude, not like that," Val said with an eye roll. "Ben and I go way back, but he's like a brother to me. I'm not your competition."

I coughed awkwardly. I was angry with the small part of me that relaxed in relief. Things would be a lot simpler if there was a way out that wouldn't hurt him as much, or at least not leave him alone and rejected.

"I'm not your competition... but I might be your enemy," Val continued with a pointed look as a cafeteria worker plopped down some mushed-up vegetable on Val's plate. I raised an eyebrow at her in response.

"Look, I know you obviously have some kind of shit going on, but... Ben's a catch. He's like the nicest, most wholesome person I know, and he's got a big heart. This is just your official warning that if you hurt him, I'll hurt you," she said with a shrug.

"I'm not trying to hurt him," I mumbled.

"Trying isn't the same as doing. Just don't fuck this up, ok?" Val replied. I was thankfully spared from further response as she picked up her tray from the line and went around me to go to the grab-and-go station.

I spent the rest of the lunch trying to force down an acceptable amount of food. My stomach rolled in protest, and it didn't look like Ben was faring much better. James and Val made plans for them to join us for training tomorrow. After my initial protest, I let it drop since I wasn't really interested in fighting both of them at the same time.

We dropped our trays off in the cleaning area and made our way outside. I pulled out my phone and mindlessly scrolled through a few apps. I didn't really want to head back, but staying here was also unsettling, and I was starting to feel pretty frustrated with the sensation.

"Ready to head back, Ben?" Val said. Her voice pulled me back to the present.

"Uh, yeah... yeah," Ben said with a jump.

"Bye, guys, it was nice to meet you. We should get together again soon," James said. I shoved my phone back into my pocket with a frown. Val waved at us and said goodbye while Ben shifted nervously from foot to foot. I mumbled something close to goodbye and turned to start heading back to the house, eager at least to be in my own space again.

But before I even got halfway turned, I felt a hand grab mine, and without even looking, I knew it was Ben. Waves of shocks went through me from where his skin was touching mine. The buzz in the back of my head that had been there all lunch was now a loud roar. I might have squeezed back. Hell, I might have even said something, but afterward, all I could remember from that moment was the electric sensation of his hand in mine.