Sweet as a Strawberry

29 ~ Sweet as a Puppy

A/N: here's the next chapter, not very exciting but the next chapters might be!

Chapter 29: Sweet as a Puppy

I turned on my phone and cringed. "Oh dear," I said, my hand going to my face. "Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear."

Ben poked his head out of his closet and raised his eyebrows. "What happened?"

The bright text scrolling across my phone's screen made me gulp. I was in deep trouble. "Seventeen missed calls and twelve texts," I whispered.

He rolled his eyes. "The brunette?"

I thought it was quite funny that he and Ginny didn't really like each other, but at the same time, it disappointed me. I wanted them to get along. "Yeah, it's Ginny," I said, feeling exceptionally guilty. I'd been here for the past, what, eight hours? Ginny thought she'd be covering for me for two to three hours at most.

Ben looked at me blankly. "Aren't you going to call her back?" he asked, his tone questioning my state of mind.

I laughed in embarrassment, covering my face with both hands. "That may be something I should do, huh?" Too bad that I didn't really want to.

"Probably," he agreed, emerging from the closet, a towel draped around his neck. "At least if you want to keep your life."

I plopped onto the bed and sighed. "You're remarkably sensitive to my well being, Benny. I think you're the one who should be the motivational speaker," I said with a grin.

"Tone down the sass, Lottie," he said, but I knew he was just teasing. It was a bit hard to tell, but he definitely was. "I'm going to take a shower, and you are going to call your friend."

I laughed. "Okay, Your Majesty," I said. Ben pulled an immature face that made me laugh again, and then he disappeared into the bathroom.

I looked at my phone again and lay down on my back. I should call Ginny and stop being a scaredy-cat, but on the other hand, do I really want to go home only for her to rip out my small intestine and choke me with it?

I giggled at myself and dialled her number. "Charlie!" a deep voice that certainly was not Ginny's exclaimed.

I frowned and rolled over so that I lay on my stomach. "Yes, who is speaking?"

"It's Zach."

I pursed my lips, my brow furrowing in confusion. "Zach, what're you doing answering Ginny's phone?"

There was a pause. "Oh. Well here's the thing, Charlie..."

"If it's dirty, I'd rather you not tell me," I said. Ginny thought I wanted to hear all the details of her adventures, and I didn't want Zach to think that as well.

I heard choking on the other end. "What - oh whatever, it doesn't matter. I just thought you should know that Ginny is currently passed out on my bed."

I let out a worried groan. This was why I couldn't leave her alone! "Are you serious?" I said. "God, does she have alcohol poisoning? I hope you made her drink water before she fell asleep! Did you check and see if she was breathing? Is she lying properly?"

"Calm down, Charlie, she's fine. She was just tired."

"Then what's she doing at your place?"

"I'm not exactly sure."

I raised my eyebrows. "What so you mean, you're not sure?"

I heard a knock on the door and turned to see Archer poking his head in. I motioned for him to come in but be quiet, and he walked over, sitting next to me on the bed.