𝐑𝐄𝐏𝐔𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍, benj nielsen x reader

2 | closet conversations

Y/N

-

The droning monotone of the teacher's voice was like background static, blending into the suffocating stillness of the classroom. I sat slumped in the back row, my mind wandering far from the lesson at hand. My gaze lazily drifted over to Benj, a few seats ahead of me. For some reason, even in the dullness of the room, he had this weirdly captivating presence. His hunched posture, the way his hair kept falling into his eyes as he scribbled notes—it was like watching someone on a loop, something oddly fascinating in all that ordinary.

The bell rang, a sharp, jolting sound that ripped through the haze of boredom. Instantly, the room erupted into chaos as students surged toward the door, desperate to escape. I was about to join them, already halfway out of my seat when I heard a hesitant voice behind me.

"Hey."

It was barely a whisper, thick with hesitation. I turned and found Benj standing there, his expression uneasy, like there was something heavy he needed to say but couldn't quite bring himself to.

"Hi?" My greeting came out more like a question, and I found myself tilting my head, silently urging him to get to the point. The air between us was awkward, a tension I couldn't quite put my finger on.

Before Benj could open his mouth again, Alexia swooped in out of nowhere, her arm draped casually over my shoulders as her eyes locked onto him. She didn't even bother hiding the judgment in her gaze, like she was dissecting him piece by piece.

"Hey," she said, her voice a sugary mix of politeness and pure venom. Her eyes trailed over Benj with a quick once-over, as if he were some annoying fly that had landed too close to her.

"What's going on here?" Alexia's tone had this nasty edge, like Benj had no business being anywhere near me. I felt a sudden rush of panic, the lie forming on my tongue before I could stop it.

"I'm not talking to him. He just came up to me," I said, forcing out a laugh that felt more like a cough. My stomach churned as the words left my mouth, and I shot Benj an apologetic glance, hoping he'd understand. I could see the confusion flash across his face before his expression hardened, shutting down whatever he'd been about to say.

"What do you want?" I asked, trying to sound dismissive, but the harshness in my voice surprised even me.

Benj's mouth twitched, like he wanted to argue, but instead, he just sighed, his shoulders sagging. "Never mind." His voice was barely audible, the defeat in his tone unmistakable as he turned to leave. Guilt gnawed at my chest, but I couldn't afford to stop him—not with Alexia watching me like a hawk.

"That was weird," Alexia remarked, her arm sliding off my shoulders as she leaned against the nearest locker. Her interest in Benj quickly faded as she shifted topics without missing a beat. "Anyway, Josh and Laura are going to the park later. You coming?"

I shook my head, plastering on a fake smile. "No, I can't."

"Why not?" Alexia narrowed her eyes at me, her curiosity piqued. I knew she could sense something was off.

The truth was sitting heavy on my tongue, but there was no way I could tell her about Benj tutoring me. The idea of anyone knowing I needed help with English felt like admitting my life wasn't as perfect as I pretended.

"Laundry day," I lied, shifting awkwardly. "My mom's on my case to get it done."

"On a Wednesday?" Alexia's eyebrows shot up, clearly not buying it.

"Yeah," I said, scrambling for a better excuse. "She's been working crazy hours, so it has to get done today."

Alexia gave me a long, skeptical look before shrugging. "Whatever," she said, though her tone suggested she wasn't entirely convinced. "I'll catch you later."

As she walked away, the relief I felt was short-lived. I still had to find Benj, but now I was running out of time. The thought of what he must've been thinking gnawed at me, especially after the way I'd blown him off. I needed to fix things.

Spotting Koosh and his friend Connor lounging near their lockers, I weaved through the crowd and headed their way. "Koosh!" I called, trying to catch his attention before he disappeared down the hall. He turned, flashing me an amused grin, just as his brother harshly punched him in the arm unexpectedly.

"What's up?" Koosh asked, his voice dripping with that typical laid-back swagger, attempting to mask the previous pain. I shoot him a concerned stare, quickly wiping it off my complexion.

"Have you seen Benj? I need to talk to him," I said, trying to keep the impatience out of my voice.

Koosh's smirk widened, his eyes glinting with mischief. "Why, looking for your boyfriend?"

I rolled my eyes, already regretting asking him for help. "I'm serious, Koosh. Just tell me where he is."

He exchanged a knowing glance with Connor, both of them clearly enjoying this more than they should. "What, are you guys hooking up now?" Connor chimed in, his eyebrows wiggling in exaggerated curiosity. "Has Benj moved on from Bailey?"

"No! The fuck? it's not like that," I snapped, feeling my face heat up. "I just need to talk to him, okay?"

Koosh shrugged, his amusement still evident. "Don't know where he is. Sorry," he said, though his tone suggested he wasn't sorry at all.

"Great, thanks for nothing," I muttered, flipping them off as I turned to leave. And just as I was about to give up, fate decided to throw me a bone. I nearly crashed into Benj, who had appeared from around the corner, his expression equal parts confused and surprised.

"[Y/N]?" he asked, eyebrows furrowing.

"Benj!" I practically shouted, relief washing over me. I didn't even give him a chance to react before grabbing his wrist and dragging him down the hall, heading for the nearest janitor's closet. He barely had time to protest before I shoved us both inside and slammed the door behind us, the dim light casting weird shadows over his face.

"What the hell—" Benj started, but I cut him off.

"The library's closed," I blurted out, realizing how ridiculous it sounded now that we were standing in a janitor's closet. "We need to figure out where we're going to study later."

Benj blinked at me, his confusion only growing. "You dragged me in here just to tell me that?"

I nodded, feeling the flush of embarrassment creeping up my neck. "I didn't want anyone to hear."

He raised an eyebrow. "Why not just tell me in the hall?"

I hesitated, swallowing hard. "Because I'd rather kill myself than let anyone know you're tutoring me," I said quickly, then added, "No offense."

Benj stared at me for a beat before breaking into a grin. "None taken. Makes total sense."

"It's not you, it's just..." I trailed off, feeling the words stumble in my throat. "I don't want people thinking I'm dumb."

He tilted his head, eyeing me thoughtfully. "So it's not entirely about me?"

I groaned. "Okay, maybe a little."

Before we could get any further, the door creaked open, revealing a very unimpressed janitor staring at the two of us crammed in the closet.

Benj and I exchanged a wide-eyed look, then bolted out of the room before the janitor could say a word. We didn't speak as we hurried down the hall, but the awkward tension between us felt strangely lighter.

As we rounded the corner, I couldn't help but glance at Benj, the knot of guilt in my stomach loosening ever so slightly.