Bennie Will has to open up to the world to control her Androphobia. She is the daughter of a multi-billionaire and needs to talk to the people around her. She hasn't talked to anyone in the neighborhood since that incident took place 5 years ago. so...
Is she really that Bennie? She is 5"8' and that is something shocking because she was so short 5 years ago.
My mind is still absorbing all the information and suddenly Bennie fell.
I rushed to her and tried to wake her up
"Bennie, wake up" I am still trying to wake her up.
"What happened to Bennie?" it was my sister's voice.
"I think she passed out" I looked at my sister, wondering how does she know Bennie.
"Let's take her to the infirmary,"
"no, I am taking her home," I picked her up in bridal style.
"Why are you taking her to our home?"
Why does she ask me thousands of questions every time something happens?
"I am taking her to her home,"
I kept Bennie in the back seat of her car and got in the car. I searched for 'home' in the GPS and entered it as 'destination'. I was starting the engine and suddenly the passenger seat door opened.
"I will also come with you. I don't trust you leaving Bennie in this state" Emma said looking towards Bennie who was still unconscious.
"Why don't you trust me NOW" I started driving and was focused on the road.
"Because Bennie ran away from me when she knew you are my brother. Why are you like this? I don't have any friends because you are my brother. I thought Bennie would be my friend as she is new at school, but it seems like you both have a dark past. WHY?" she was furious because she screamed.
She is right, I always put Emma in danger.
"You remember why I cannot buy my favourite car?" I asked her.
"Yeah because you bullied a child in middle school so mom and dad gave you the punishment that you will not get your favourite things for 9 years," she said that so easily, but I only know how it is to live without favourite things for WHOLE 9 YEARS!!!
"She is that child" I only said those words and the whole drive went silent.
I parked the car in the driveway.
Her parents are rich. Their house is so huge.
"Emma, ring the doorbell, "I said, picking up Bennie from the back seat.
A lady in her 40s opened the door.
"Ma'am, there is an emergency. Something happened to Bennie" She shouted.
They were so calm as if it is nothing. It seemed like they have witnessed this before. What made Bennie pass out while we were in the parking lot? What made Bennie pass out more than one time? Am I the reason for making her like this?
"Please take her to the room. I will take you." She said and walked inside. I followed her inside. We entered a room that would probably be Bennie's and I placed her on the bed and straightened up.
"Yeah....she fainted when she was at school... Yeah, okay." A woman in her 40s came in talking on the phone. She is probably Bennie's mom. I remember her from the principal's office.
Suddenly, her eyes widened and started running towards me. I think she recognized me.
Wait!! It is something else.......... My eyes followed her walking towards Bennie.
"Ben... Ben... Ben!!!" Bennie was breathing heavily. I rushed and started rubbing her feet. She finally calmed down. Emma went towards her and checked her pulse.
Suddenly, she started chest compressions. Why is she following the CPR procedure? I realized what is wrong. I rushed to her and checked her pulse. It is not working.
"Emma!! Move!!" I shouted. She moved and I followed the CPR procedure.
"Do you have the AED at home? " Emma asked.
"Yes." Someone said.
Why do they have AED at home? It is normally found in the hospital's first aid kit. Did this thing also happen normally with Bennie? Does she have a heart problem?
"Bring it," Emma said.
She brought AED. It is the latest model of AED, which haven't even been launched here. I took it, followed the procedure I was taught, and placed it on Bennie's chest.
"Clear" I shouted.
Nothing happened.
"Clear"
Nothing.
Bennie, please respond!!!
"Clear"
Finally, her heartbeat was back. My knees buckled and I fell with a thud. I am exhausted.
"Good work brother" Emma patted my back.
Bennie's mother rushed by her daughter's side. A doctor arrived 5 minutes later, and she checked up on Bennie.
"Thanks to this man, otherwise Ben's life would be hard to get back." The doctor said her mother giving her a medicine prescription.
"What is your name, boy?" The doctor asked.
"Umm....." Should I say my real name? I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned my neck and saw Emma. She nodded slowly, saying it's okay.
"My name is Darin. Darin Flores" I said.
"How do you know about AED?" the doctor asked.
"I and my sisters work at an animal hospital part-time. So they taught us during the basic training." I said, shrugging my shoulder.
"Darin? I have heard this name before" It was a masculine voice. I turned around and saw a man. Not only that, but I recalled him from the principal's office too.
Bennie's dad.
"Wait, you are the boy from middle school." Her father's eye widened.
"Yeah," I said, looking down.
"He is the reason for Bennie's present condition, Dr Richardson." He pointed towards me.
"What?" The doctor was also shocked.
Of course Darin, what do you expect that they will treat you well and make you sit and cherish you? Of course not. Impossible.
"Are you here to bully my daughter again, then I would like you to know that you are bulling her since that day because she got Androphobia. She is scared of her father. She packs herself before her father comes home, and she steps outside before I wake up. Do you know what have you have done to my family?" He tried to hit me, but his wife stopped him.
"I am sorry, I will not bother you and your family again," I said and walked outside.
I knew it was because of me. I knew that prank will lead to something which I will regret my whole life, and what is Androphobia!!?? Why does she avoid her father? From what I remember, she used to be Daddy's girl in middle school.
I knew Emma was following, so I didn't see if she was or not.
"Do you even know what Androphobia means, you bastard?" Emma shouted.
Thank god we are outside the house.
" I don't know, but I think it is very dangerous," I said turning around
"It is a phobia of men, you douche lord. What did you do that she is suffering from that?" She was shocked.
Anyone would be, I am also shocked.
I didn't know that that prank could lead to this serious thing.
I turned around and started walking.
"Are you going to say something?" Emma shouted.
"I need some time to process all things. Please give me some time. I will tell you when reaching home." I said and continued walking.
"I see it is a shock for you," she said, and the rest of the walk was silent.
We reached home and I dialled Julia's number.
"Hey, Darin" she answered on the third ring.
"Hi, Juls, can you bring mine and Emma's bag from school?" I asked her.
"Why?" she asked.
"We had an emergency, so we had to leave in a hurry. Please?" I requested.
"Okay, but what about your car?"
"I will bring it tomorrow"
"Okay, gotta go" and the line went dead
I walked straight to my bedroom.
I can't handle this much shock. How come me and Bennie ended up in the same school. There are plenty of goddamn high schools in this city, so how did we end up in the same school?!!
"God Emma!! You scared the shit out of me" Emma was standing near my bed with hands folded.
"Tell me what happened back then? Why did you not tell me first?" she almost screamed.
"Let's sit down first"
Emma sat on my bed and I went to my study table's chair.
"When we were in 6th grade......."
#######
*6 years ago*
"Dude, just look at her. How can I like her?" said one of my friends.
"Oh come on! She isn't that bad. She looks good, it is just that she is short," I said
I was really stupid because I just defended the girl whom my friends hate the most just because she is short.
"Do you like her, dude?" my friend asked me with a smirk.
"No way" I lied, but I get butterflies when she is around.
"Then prove it," Martin said, crossing his arms around his chest.
"How?"
"Lock her up in the school for the whole night"
"What? How?"
How can I do this to her? But then my life will be hell for the rest of the school years if I don't do this. I have to do this.
"That's up to you. You have to manage, I just want you to prove that you don't like her"
"okay"
"That's like my buddy" he swung his arm around my shoulder. I smiled back as if it was nothing to me.
And the next day I went to her.
"Hey, Bennie" I called, standing in front of her desk.
She looked up, and I noticed a shock on her face.
"Hey, Darin," she said in a low voice.
"Can you teach me the maths problem that Mrs Greene taught us yesterday? I don't understand that" I asked her
"sure," she said, giving me a small smile
"So, can you stay back after school? We can study in the library?" I asked her
"why?" she gave me a confused look
"My parents are out of town and I don't feel comfortable at anyone's place, not even at my cousin's house" I shrugged my shoulder.
"Oh. When?"
"Today?"
"I am sorry, actually today I have to go out for family dinner with dad's business partners. Is tomorrow okay?"
"Yeah sure, then see you tomorrow" I waved and walked away.
What am I going to do? Why did I decide to be friends with Martin? HE IS MAKING MY LIFE HELL!!! URGHH!!
"Dude, when are you going to do that?" martin asked as soon as I reached our desk
"Everything. Trust me, I wouldn't have understood from the starting of the year but thanks to my sisters that they made me understand, but they are not here for a week, so I need your help" I said all this in one breath, and she giggled shyly.
"Shhh," the librarian shushed, doing her daily job.
"Okay, you are going to try solving these problems yourself and then ask me what you don't understand. Okay?" she said.
"Okay, ma'am" I gave her a goofy smile.
"Good, now focus" she pointed towards the books, and then she continued doing her work.
It was around 6 when the librarian came to us. "Kids, it's time to close, you should go home now" she said in a sweet voice.
"Okay, let's go" I looked towards Bennie, and she nodded and started packing her bag.
We were walking through the corridor and I prayed that no teacher was around.
"It was fun today to teach you. You are smarter than your dumb friend Martin" she said.
"Do you want to have more fun?" I asked her, showing fake excitement, but I was really scared.
"Who wouldn't like to? But how?" she asked me.
"Just come with me" I grabbed her hand and pulled her with me to the music room.
"What are we going to do here?" she said, directly looking at me.
"I will play for you. What do you want me to play?" I asked.
"Aww, so sweet of you, but let's play together. I love to play that"
"Okay then. Come" we both sat on the piano bench.
"What do you want to play?" she asked me.
"Do you know 'IN DREAMS' from 'LORD OF THE RINGS'?" I asked her.
"That's my favourite piece in instrumentals" she beamed.
She looks so cute. Am I going to lock this girl? But I need to do it, otherwise, my life is hell for sure.
"Wait, I will be back in 2 minutes. I need to go to the washroom."
"Okay"
"I would be locking the door from outside so that if anyone comes to check, they would think that anyone is not in the room. Okay?" I said standing up.
"Okay but come fast and don't get caught" she smiled at me.
I walked outside and locked the door from outside. Thank god the music room is soundproof, no one will be able to hear her.
I ran outside and went home.
*END OF THE FLASHBACK*
#######
"The next day, when I went to school, her parents, she, the principal and the councillor were waiting for me in the office. I told them the whole truth, and they called Martin, his parents, and my parents. I was restricted from the school and then mom and dad enrolled me into a private school. This is the story and the rest you know what happened" I was tired now from all this mess.
My life is a mess, even after I did what Martin told me.
"F*ck bro, is he that Martin whom I broke up a month ago?" she asked in a high-pitched voice.
"Yeah, he is the same guy," I said.
I am feeling more guilty now. Why did I do that?
"Do you still like her?" she asked me in a low voice.
"No, I don't, but I didn't know that she owned that car. You know how much I like Tesla cars" I said running my hands through my hair.
"You need to calm down. She will be okay" Emma patted on my back.
"Can I get alone time, Em?" I asked her
"Sure," she said and left my room
How am I going to face her this year?!!
-------------
"Darin, what happened?" Juls peeped through the door.
I didn't reply to her. I had no energy to talk to anyone.
"Come on, tell me. Em is downstairs, but she was so shocked that she told me to ask you, and now you are sitting like a depressed person with lights off and not speaking anything"
I could sense her coming closer to me as she spoke to me.
"What happened? Tell me" she said in a low voice and hugged me.
Juls has always been the one who is closer to me than Em. she knows about the sixth-grade incident,, and she cried in front of my parents so that we both can go to the same private school.
While I and Juls went to private school, Em went to public school, which made Em's life worse. Martin would always tease Em about me being suspended from school and Em would always blame me for that, but I got to know that she was dating Martin, I was so angry with her that she broke up with him. I knew that Em didn't feel anything for him. She was just so humiliated because of me. I feel so sorry for Em.
"It's okay if you don't want to tell me. You can share when you are fine with it" Juls said, still hugging me.
"I met Bennie at the school" These were the only words that came out of my mouth.
"I would leave you for the time being" she got up and walked out of the room.
-----------------------------
"Darin, dinner is ready. Come down" mom called out.
"Yeah, coming" I replied.
During the dinner, we three were unusually quiet, so mom would have guessed.
"Darin, where is your car?" mom asked.
"Something is wrong with the engine. It was not starting when school got over, so Em and I came in Juls' cars. I would get it fixed tomorrow" I replied
"What happened to you three? And how was your first day at high school?" dad asked
"It was good, dad" Em replied
"what's wrong?" mom said frowning
"Nothing, I am just tired," I said
"Julia, tell me what happened" mom looked towards Juls.
"Darin and Em met Bennie," she said in a low voice.
"Who is Bennie?" dad asked,
"wait, she is the girl from middle school, right?" I could hear the shock in dad's voice.
"Yeah," Em replied.
I sighed and stood up when Em's phone rang.
She picked up the call and said hello.
"Did you need something?...... No, it's okay. It's understandable for you to react like this because of what my brother did.........yeah, I know. Darin told me what happened after coming from your house............actually, Darin is also in shock after he got to know what his prank did to you. Do you want to talk to him?....... Why but? You deserve to be free....... Oh, someone's daddy's girl over here....... Okay, if you come to school then promise me you will be my friend, I will keep you safe no matter what. Okay?..........okay bye, good night" She kept her phone on the table.
"Brother, I think if you want to know who it was and why did we talk about you, then you should sit down at the table because once mom and dad know, you are in trouble," she said crossing her arms around her chest.
I knew it was Bennie. But why did she call Em? And what was she talking about, she deserved to be free? To know what they talked about, I need to sit.
Bennie's house
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Bennie's room
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Darin's house
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