Chapter 13. Human beings.

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We were driving to the beach, which was an hour and a half journey, with the terrible music provided by the local radio station. We had been in the car half and hour and today just happened to be the day they look back on every pop boy band ever. The one thing I hate most. It was the last straw when they played Justin Bieber, he isn't even a band!!
"Oh my god! You have an AUX cable right" I said to Bennet he nodded and pulled it out of the side compartment by his chair. He handed it to me and I plugged my phone in.
"Right, let's play good music now." I said. Bennet let out a low chuckle.
"I only kept this on because I thought you were into that shit." He said laughing, I laughed back.
"Ew, god no, this is real music!" I said as I pressed play and Imagine Dragons song destination started to play. I looked over to see Bennet's reaction and he smiled excitedly. He took his eyes of the road and looked at me.
"You like Imagine Dragons?" He shouted before looking back at the road.
"Are you kidding? They are my favourite!! Like seriously all I want in life is to meet them and go to one of their concerts!" Bennet smiled at my fan girling.
"Maybe one day you will." He said to me. I smiled and shook my head.
"I doubt it." I said as I readjusted myself in my seat. He looked at me but then focuses back on the road. We were driving along the motor way when we got stuck in traffic. I saw an electronic update sign that said it was 50 minutes until the traffic would be cleared. We were on the top of a hill and I could see hundreds of the metal boxes all lined up. I sighed deeply as I realised we would be stuck here for a while. It didn't help that it was actually quite a hot day for early September. It was around 24 degrees which is hot for England. Slowly, I sat up higher and readjusted my shirt. I fiddled with my fingers and drew little patterns on my left hand with my right.

Bennet's POV.

I watched her draw patterns on her hands. I don't think she noticed I have been watching her since she sighed about a minute ago, it sounds creepy but I guess there's something about Ell. I wasn't expecting last night to happen. I wasn't expecting today to happen. But what I did expect that did happen was I woke up this morning and once again I had so many missed calls from my aunt probably about to ask why I'm not at my house and why the carers phoned her saying I didn't come home. I rang her before I began cooking and all she said was why aren't you at the house? I just told her I was at a mates. She doesn't deserve to know. I know she tried her best and that she has other kids, but she could at least try to care. That's when I heard a car horn beep. I hadn't realised but I was so caught up in my thoughts I hadn't realised the traffic had moved forward about 10 meters.
"Want to play a game?" I asked her. She looked to me.
"Yeah, okay, which one?" She said as she turned to face me. It was obvious this would turn out to be truth or dare, she didn't even have to say it.
"Truth or dare?" I asked her. She smirked at me. She clearly has no idea how extreme I am willing to take this. She flicked her hair backwards and pretended to think about it.
"Hmmm... Dare." She said, I smiled. I had the best idea ever.
"Where we are going, there is a tattoo parlour. I get to pick one, you have to have it." Her eyes widened at my words. I guess she didn't know how far I could go with this. She nodded her head and smiled.
"Deal. My go, do you have any tattoos? I decided you're doing a truth by the way." I laughed and ran a hand through my hair. I smiled and took in some air through gritted teeth.
"You do don't you!!!" She shouted as I drove forward. "Let me see!" She squealed. I lifted up my shirt and took it off and I placed it in my lap. It revealed the small tattoo on my left rib.
"You have the date." I nodded. Not many people know about the tattoo and, and if they do, they don't know what it means. Ell knew, she remembered. I don't know why though, she wasn't there and she didn't properly know me then.
"Bennet?" I switched my head in her direction. "Are you okay? That's a stupid question of course you aren't okay. Um... Did I cross the line, I'm sorry, I just wanted to-"
"Ell stop. It's not your fault. Don't even start about it. I can't change things okay. I'm messed up because of it and I have scars to prove it, but don't sit there and give me pity, I don't need it." We sat there in silence. Was I too harsh? I was only stopping her because I didn't want today to be like this. I wanted it to be just me and her making memories that won't scar me. It's like no one takes me as a human being anymore, they all think I'm some sort of alien because I'm not like them, because I'm not like them because I have no parents, I'm alien. So some treat me like I'm some deep inspirational figure and others treat me like I'm a fragile doll that needs to be watched carefully. I just need that one person who treats me like a...
A person really. I shouldn't have to feel like I am.
I looked over to Ell, she was looking down. I suddenly felt a ditch within me, twirling and twisting as it enlarged through out my stomach. The traffic moved forward so I moved the car. When I stopped it once more I put my hand on her thigh. She looked up at me with those blue eyes that are like ice but melt whenever she speaks to someone she loves. The eyes that aren't melting at me right now, they're unreadable but they swallow you whole and drown you. She observed me closely as I examined her every breath in order to read her. But her cover was shut and her pages were hidden. I could no longer read the open book that is Ell.
"I'm... Im sorry I snapped, it's just, it's a tough subject and well, I just want to make memories. Memories that aren't all bad, I want, no, I need you to treat me like a normal person. The same way you would to anyone who's parents aren't dead, who lives the normal life." She processed my words and I saw her eyes slowly start soften.
"It's okay Bennet, it's my fault. I brought it up. I'm not going to treat you like I would anyone else, because I treat everyone differently. But I will treat you with respect and I won't be like everyone else and give you sympathy. If that's what you want."
"That's what I want."
"Okay." She said I smiled at her and continued driving, my hand still on her thigh. That's when I felt her hand slip under mine. She linked her fingers with mine.
"Forever and ever." I whispered, I saw her smile in the corner of my eye. That's when I knew, she wasn't like everyone else. She was able to treat me like a human being, and that's what made her special to me.

We pulled over because Ell had to pee and wanted a bottle of water, so I stopped at a gas station and she went off. I decided to fill up my tank so I stepped out of the car. My phone vibrated in my pocket.
"Jason?"
"Listen to me Ben, I know you were with Ell last night and that you're with her today. I also know it was you who answered the phone this morning. I'm warning you Ben, she is my girl."
"No offence Jason, but have you ever considered that she doesn't want to be your girl?"
"Of course she does. After today, you never speak to her."
"And why would I listen to you?"
"Because I'll hurt you if you don't."
"I'm sure your mother wouldn't be happy if she heard you right now."
"I would say the same Ben, but I can't, your mothers dead." I ended the call. What a dick. I know he loves Ell, but she doesn't love him. It still creeps me out how he wants that sketch.
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Hi, I don't usually write notes but this is kind of important. I have a new phone so updates are going to be kind of slow, also having a little bit of a rough time so that's also going to cause delays. Very sorry about that and for any inconvenience, have a great day, week, month, year, decade and life basically❤️.

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