UNTAME ♛ Benny Weir [2] EDITING

chapter 4 ➳ lawn of the dead

"This is stupid." I grumble, coming down the stairs after my mother insisted I wear something nice.

So I dug through her closet and found a casual looking black dress. I just threw on my sneakers with it.

"Oh. Hey, Sarah." I say.

She's wearing a waitress outfit and bustling around our kitchen.

"Your mom called me in a panic." She's telling Ethan. "And she offered double my babysitting rate."

She grins at me.

"You look great." She says.

I crinkle my nose.

"Totally rockin' the sweater vest, Mister. Stylish, yet stupid." She laughs.

"Fine, but there goes your tip." Ethan says.

I roll my eyes. He's even worse at flirting than I am.

She shoots him a look as Benny rushes in with a Nerf gun on his shoulder.

"Alright. We are locked and loaded with anti potion." He pants, out of breath.

I check my phone.

"And Rory's on his way." I add.

"Good." Ethan says. "When he leads the critters back, we'll take position in your backyard and let them have it."

"Alright, and Sweater Vest, can you tell the waitress I'll have a decaf triple mocha latte, no foam?" He says. "And who's she? I've never seen her around here before."

I tilt my head a little while Sarah draws back a frying pan to hit him.

"Come on." He grins. "I'd say it's Hayley, but I'm not sure she could pull a dress of like that."

I open my mouth to say something, but no words come out so I shut it.

"Ethan, Hayley, I need you to come and meet our guests." Mom says from behind me. "Hayley?"

"What?" I say.

"Nothing... You look... nice." She says, with an excited smile spread on her cheeks.

"Can everyone chill out a little?" I say, annoyed.

She turns to Sarah quickly.

"Sarah, could you bring out the hors d'oeuvres now, please?" She asks.

"Yes ma'am!" Sarah says, picking up a plate.

She pulls me and Ethan into the dining room.

"Everybody, this our son Ethan, and our daughter, Hayley." She presents us like some piece of art.

Should I bow?

"Hi. Della and I have met. Kinda." Ethan says.

How awkward.

I give her a sweet smile to break the tension.

"Yeah. We both understand the pain of Algebra 2." I say.

And Benny.