Benefits

Ch. 46: I Can't Even

"Just got cheated on, no it's not my day
That's not my bitch, she's not my girl, she's not my babe."

#icanteven- The Neighbourhood feat: French Montana

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Since Jake was busy all day today, I knew I had to keep on sleuthing about JC. I was just too curious for my own good, day but I didn't care.

So when both my parents are out the house, I call JC on my phone. I didn't think of inviting him over, that would be such a stupid move. He answers on the second ring.

"Dawn!" He says excitedly through the receiver.

"Hey, Conrad."

"So." He pauses, "What's up?"

I didn't know what I'm going to do at this point, I just wanted to know why he was lying, but I didn't know what I was doing. "Nothing, it's just you kind of ghosted me. I thought we were friends." I try to play off playfulness.

"Yeah, sorry... um.... it's just it seemed like you and Jake were going to get together, and I knew it was best for me to step down, you know. Your happiness is my happiness."

Everything that he was saying would have been dandy, except one thing, "I never told you his name."

There's silence for a while. The pausing effect kept going, and a curse word is whispered on the other line. "No, you told me, remember." He tries to convince me.

"No I didn't." My voice slightly harsh. If he thinks he's that good of a liar, then fuck me backwards.

More silence comes afterwards, and my skin is chilling at the tone of his voice that drops. "I think you should hang up the phone now, Dawn."

"Why?" I whisper.

And instead of answering me, he hangs up the phone. I look at my phone is disbelief. What was that all about? Everything around Conrad was getting creepier and creepier, and I had to babysit his cousins this week too.

JC... Conrad?

My phone flashes again, making me jump for a second, but this time it's Alice. It must be urgent because she never calls me.

"Hey...?" I question, still having chills running down my back from JC's call.

"Dawn I don't know how to tell him, it's just so freaking hard and-" Alice rants about how she still can't tell Casper about her cheating.

I know we only just talked about this a few days ago, but she needs to tell Casper in some way soon, and this wasn't helping. Everyone's problems were getting mixed with mine. I close my eyes during her rant; trying to calm my nerves. "Chill Al. Remember breathe." I remind her, taking a seat on my couch but tapping my fingers steadying myself.

"Like how am I going to do it!" I hear her take a deep breath.

"You just need to let the words to roll out; there's nothing more to it. Secrets are bound to come out."

"Fuck."

"So you're going to do it today?"

"I was thinking about it, I just feel like if I don't do it now he'll find out another way."

"Does anyone know besides Jake and I?"

"No, but.... Lauren was trying to kiss me again today, and I didn't kiss her back, and now she's getting mad at me about it. I don't want her to tell him before I do."