Ruin Me

5. Show me

I'd expected the news of my arrival to spread fast but what I hadn't expected was to be pounced on the second I stepped out my bedroom door the next morning.

"Hey it's Cara right?" A cheery voice, far too excited for nine o'clock on a Sunday morning cut through my half asleep state as I surfaced sleepily from my lair.

"Who's asking?" I studied the boy in front of me cautiously, he was wearing black skinny jeans and a baggy navy jumper both of which looked designer and worth more than my whole wardrobe put together.

"Sorry I'm Ben," he stuck out his hand sharply and gave my hand a firm fast pump.

"Morning Ben," I sighed rubbing a fist in my bleary eye.

"The rumours were right, you are really pretty," Ben grinned at me, his tone warm and friendly.

"Seriously," I regarded him with a sceptical raised eyebrow, "probably because half the boys here haven't seen a girl in years," I exaggerated for effect.

"Or because you're pretty," Ben suggested simply. I stared back stumped by his sudden kindness, I wasn't used to people complimenting me.

"Thanks," I shrugged trying to wrap my head around what motive Ben would have to be nice to me. I'd learnt from many experiences that motives drove people to do everything and usually their actions weren't genuine, just part of a bigger picture.

"Don't worry I'm not hitting on you, I'm probably the only person who won't," Ben laughed easily as we made our way together down the stairs, "you're not exactly my type."

I nearly laughed then too, how could I have not seen it. I was trained to always create a picture of people, to get an idea of them after one glance. Ben was gay, I should've noticed sooner.

"Why, do you prefer blondes?" I teased back and Ben threw his head back in laughter as he chuckled.

From then the conversation flowed easily between Ben and I as he led me from the west wing with the dorms to the food hall or as they called it here, the dining room. I paid attention to the direction we were going this time as I needed to be able to find my own way there tomorrow. But I also focused on what Ben was saying, I learnt that Bens dad was an IT consultant and his mom was a fashion designer, he also had two younger siblings who he hated passionately. He was from San Francisco and hated rap music.

"What about you Cara, what's your story?" I froze, I was enjoying Ben doing all the talking for the two of us. I'd only known Ben for the short walk from my room to the dining hall and he may have been ready to share his life so easily but I wasn't quite ready to divulge mine. Luckily we reached the dining hall as I opened my mouth to speak.

"Is this it?" I instantly snatched up the opportunity to change the subject as I gripped the huge brass door knob to the wooden double doors that looked like something straight of a Harry Potter movie.

"Yeah, you ready?" for a moment I was confused as to why Ben would ask that but as he shoved open the door with a groan I was faced with the entire student body of Kings Bridge. Who were all staring straight at me.

The entire room fell silent as one by one each pair of eyes swivelled to watch me step into the room. I certainly wasn't ready. But they didn't need to know that.

I tossed my shoulders back and headed straight for the self service food station feeling the eyes of over a hundred boys on me.

"Wow, you certainly know how to silence a room," I hadn't even noticed anyone had entered the room behind us until Nico's voice sliced through the eerily quiet room, "you're full of surprising talents Vegas."