Sweet as a Strawberry

45 ~ Sweet as a Happy Ending

a/n: i honestly didn't plan it this way, but i guess this is the last chapter, lol. i believe i tied up most of the loose ends, most things you wanted to hear the last of. but there is that mystery factor that always exists in stories, where you can imagine what exactly happens after everything i've written. there will be an epilogue, however, so watch out for that.

i adore each and every one of you readers, and i'm glad you all stuck with me this long, even though i've been so erratic with updates over the past year and a half. seriously, you don't know how much y'all mean to me. love you :)

also, will be posting up a new story, called "His Honeybee." please look out for it, i'm very excited to write it, and i hope you guys like it as much as i'm starting to!!

Chapter 45: Sweet as a Happy Ending 

Ben wouldn't tell me where he was taking me for our first date, but I expected as much. He wouldn't even meet up with me beforehand because he wanted to build the suspense, and something about not being able to keep a secret when I stared at him like he was a murderer. I didn't know what he meant by that, but then again Ben said a lot of things that took me a while to comprehend.

I didn't really know what to do throughout the day, though. I was so used to hanging out with somebody, like Ben or Ginny or even Zach that being alone was the epitome of boring. I thumped my head against my bed for a minute before I realised that wasn't taking up as much time as I hoped.

I picked up my phone and called Clark, because I was running out of options. "Hey, Charlie!" he greeted. "What's up?"

"I'm bored and Benny won't hang out with me," I said.

"Aw, is Benny being a real meaner?" he teased, and I heard a thump on the other end, followed by Clark's rather high-pitched cry.

"Don't fucking call me Benny, jackass," Ben growled, his voice muffled through the phone. I smiled at the sound of his characteristic violence. One day, he'd try and beat up someone who'd turn out to be a black belt in karate and would then beat him up, and I wouldn't do anything but laugh. Maybe cry a little if he got hurt, but mostly laugh.

"How come she can call you Benny and I can't?" Clark whined. I giggled, because he sounded rather out of breath, as if Ben was sitting on his poor chest.

"She just can, okay?" Ben muttered. My smile widened at that, and I had to bury my face in my pillow to keep from squealing like a high school girl. To be fair, that had never stopped me before, but at this particular moment, I didn't want to embarrass Ben.

"Sorry, Charlie-poo, but Benny-boy over here is threatening to eviscerate me, and I do rather like my nether region, so I gotta blast!"

"Do. Not. Call. Me-" The call ended before I could hear the rest of Ben's fury-filled sentence, and I shook my head, laughing.

But now what to do? I didn't know where Ginny was. As per usual. Maybe I could call Zach? I haven't heard from him in a while.

I felt guilt crawl up my chest. Okay, maybe that was my fault for neglecting him. I rolled over onto my side and dialed his number, but it took a while for someone to pick up. "Hey, Zach," I said softly. "How are you?"

"Er...sorry, who is this?"

I blinked, perplexed to her this confused feminine voice on the other end. She sounded American, actually. That was cool. "Sorry," I apologised quickly. "Is Zach there?"

"Yeah...but still. Who is this?"

"Carie, who is that?" I heard Zach's familiar grumble and I sighed in relief.