The Infection

Chapter 9

2 Years Earlier

Ben stormed into tent and kicked the dirt up from the floor. He started one of the many men he was sharing the tent with, who asked, "What happened? Did she not feel the same or something like that?" Ben heavily sighed and shouted, "Yeah, something like that!"

He ran his fingers through his hair and closed his eyes. He could see them perfectly and it made him sick. "She...she's with Hiddleston," he painfully said. "I saw them fucking behind a damn humvee." He opened his eyes, tears threatening to spill. 

His heart was broken. Shattered. She was the only one he loved. He loved her more than anything in this world. She was all he had. Without his parents, she was the closest family he had. Now, who does he have? Nobody. 

Trapped in Afghanistan seemed bad enough, but being there with his two best friends who are sleeping with each other, one of them being the love of his life, was unbearable. He can't ever be close to her again. 

He has to make her hate him. Maybe if she hates me...it'll be easier to let go.

**

Present Day

"Okay, I think we've formed every plan imaginable," Ben whispered to Cassie as they sat in the darkened cell. They had their backs against the wall, sitting on the cold ground next to each other. They had been up all night, trying to brainstorm everything they could. 

They have officially run out of ideas. 

Cassie sighed and leaned her head back against the wall. "Think you can run?" She asked. He nodded and told her, "For a little while, yeah. To that boat? Definitely. You said Sean has the keys?" She looked at him and said, "Yeah, I'm absolutely sure he does."

Ben rested his hand on her knee. "I trust you," he said. Cassie smiled and put her hand on top of his. His thumb stroked across her fingertips as they sat there in complete silence. "We might die out there," she said. 

He sighed, "I know. And if we don't die out there, they'll kill us in here. What's your point?" She licked her lips, her mouth getting dry from talking all night. "My point," she said, "is that I want to clear the air before we do anything." 

There weren't any sounds of grunting or groaning coming from him, but instead she felt him squeeze her hand a little harder. "Alright," he said. "What do you want to clear up?" She didn't waist a beat before saying, "Us. I want to know why you are acting the way you are acting towards me. We were best friends until...until..."

She struggled to find the reason, but then he suddenly said, "Until I caught you and Tom fucking behind a humvee." She gave him a double take. "Wha-what?" She asked in shock. He quickly took his hand out of hers and said, "Two years ago, our third tour in Afghanistan. I went to go find you and you were up against the truck, your legs around him...moaning his name. That's why." 

This was confusing to her. Of course she remembers that day, it was the first time her and Tom had sex. She thought it was a mistake, he didn't. 

"Ben...I'm not sure what that has to do with you..." She stopped when he looked down at the floor and closed his eyes. 

Then it hit her. 

Everything hit her like a freight train. 

"Oh my God," she breathed. "You...no. Really? You...you...loved me?" He suddenly started laughing. Cassie felt rather insulted embarrassed. Okay, so that wasn't the reason, but what reason did she give him to hate her? She just couldn't figure it out. 

And she couldn't figure out why he wouldn't stop laughing!

"Okay, I get it," she said, red-faced. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to assume something stupid. Just tell me why you hate me, Ben!" She was getting frustrated now. He looked at her with tears in his eyes from laughing so hard.