My Next Door Bully

Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8 - CLOSER TO THAT FAR AWAY FRIENDS STAGE

"YOU SEE," BEN STARTS, "I'm not only the student body president but I'm also captain of the debate team and..." I drown out the rest of his bragging speech to sweeten my mom's ears and eat my salad.

It's a week after Ashton and I FaceTimed overnight and have done it every night since, which led to my phone dying and me oversleeping and being late to class almost every day.

Ben was supposed to have dinner with just my mom and me on her night off, which is on Mondays, but mom somehow managed to invite Ashton. He keeps glancing at Ben and then me, smirking his face off as he shoves food into his mouth and shaking his head, knowing that my mom hates bragging. I subtly kick his feet and widen my eyes which hopefully sends the message to-pay-attention-and-be-polite. Ashton just shrugs in answer.

"... Right, Tess?" Ben says.

I can feel everyone's eyes on me, waiting for my response. "W-what?" I ask, I somehow completely ignored him.

"I was just asking if—" he starts but is cut off by Ashton.

"Tess?" Ashton chuckles lightly, "Benjamin you do know she hates that nickname, right?" He looks from Ben to me, his eyebrows raised.

I kick him harder again, "I don't know what you're talking about, Ash," I tell him harshly.

"Yeah, don't you remember in elementary when I started calling you that? You said you hated it and it thought it sounded kind of bratty—"

"I don't remember that at all," I take the last of the chicken on my plate and chew it, "why don't you eat your food instead," I say in between bites. He eyes me, chuckles and shakes his head as I glare at him.

"Well," my mom sighs, "as cute as this is, I'm going to bring the dessert. Ashton, care to help me?" She asks Ash.

"Sure," he answers, not leaving eye contact as he stands up and leaves for the kitchen.

Ben pokes my side and frowns, "can you stop flirting with Ashton?"

I nearly choke on my water, "what?" I laugh. "I wasn't flirting with him? What are you even talking about? We're just friends," I add.

"Right," he states. Is this Ben's jealous side? "Just don't." He breaks my gaze and drinks his water, I just stare at him with my mouth wide open. What is wrong with him tonight? He talks about himself a lot but not this much, and he's acting weird.

I gather myself and reach to kiss him on the cheek, "I won't," is all I say before Ashton and my mom come back in with a Nothing Bundt Cake replica and utensils.

"I tried to recreate the ones from the actual store, I think this will definitely be on the menu."

"Menu?" Ben questions.

"Beth is hoping to open her own bakery someday, she's planning ahead," Ashton fills Ben in, I guess my mom lectured him about being nice or something.

"That's so cool, Ms. Bell—" Ben starts but his phone starts ringing, he declines it but a second later it rings again. "Excuse me, I should take this." He stands up, exits, and lowers his voice, I can see his lanky figure in the dark moving around.

I frown, thinking how he could have easily ignored the call and ate some cake with my family. Yes, I guess Ashton is kind of my family and we just had a feud that lasted three years. I forgave him, so it's okay.

Someone taps my shoulder, and I turn around to find Ashton unnaturally close to me, our faces inches apart even though he's about a foot taller than me. "Let's eat the cake, he'll come back," he smiles in sympathy.