Special Handling (manxman)

Chapter 25

(Pictured above is Benji and his friend Rob)

Chapter 25

"Hey guys," I said as I hopped in the back of Stu's old Toyota.

"Hey Benj," he replied, but Tyler slumped in the front passenger seat staring out the window, said nothing.

"What's up with him?"

"Annette broke up with him," he whispered loud enough for me to hear. That got Tyler's attention and he turned to him and huffed.

"We're taking a time-out," he corrected.

"Sorry man." I sighed as I leaned back in the seat. First my parents, now Tyler and Annette. They've been together since 8th grade! "Did she say why?"

"Apparently having a long distance relationship is too hard for her and she just wants to focus on school," he replied. "She probably met someone at Northwestern."

"Did you ask her?"

"Yeah, she denied it, but I don't know..." 

Tyler was going to the University of Colorado, so they'd only seen each other once since September. "When school started we were Skyping like every day, then sometimes we'd skip a day, either she was too busy or I had a game or something. I flew there for a long weekend in October and we stayed in a hotel, she didn't introduce me to any of her friends...but I just thought she wanted to have me all to herself for the weekend. Then, in the last month, we've only been skyping like once a week...I should have figured something was up. And I just got her all those birthday presents!"

"That sucks..."

"Well now you can date some of those hot girls you're always telling me about in Colorado," Stu offered.

"Damn straight," he groused, "it was crazy to be with the same person for so long anyway. It's my first year in college, I shouldn't be tied down to a chick who's a thousand miles away!" He tried to put enthusiasm into his voice, but it came out sounding hollow.

"You look about as miserable as Tyler," Stu observed. "You okay?"

"Not really...my parents just told me they're getting a divorce...and now Tyler and Annette."

"Aww, man no way. I thought Ted and Julie were the real deal."

"Apparently they have no common interests," I grumbled, making air quotes with my hands as I said 'common interests'.

"Let's just get drunk tonight and forget them all," Tyler said, back to staring out the window.

A few minutes later we pulled into Rob's driveway. His Dad and Stepmom had flown east to spend Thanksgiving at Rob's sister's house with her husband and two kids, but Rob, who went to school only a couple hours drive away, convinced them to let him stay home and housesit.

"Wow, there are a lot of cars here, I thought it was just us hanging out?" I asked.

"Huh," Stu replied, "he said he invited a few other people, but..."

"Maybe there'll be some hot chicks," Tyler said, perking up.

Before we even got to the front door, two more cars pulled up and we recognized a few guys we went to High School with. The house was filled with at least 20 more people and music was blaring; it was a full-fledged party. As we walked through looking for Rob we saw that there were more people on the back deck along with a keg.

"Small get together?" I questioned, raising a brow at Stu before we stepped outside.

"I had no clue, promise."