Catch Me

Chapter 12

I am pacing around in my room panicking. I don't know what to do and like the last three weeks, my mind is a mess. In the morning, I told my parents that I had to go home to do some sort of school project and would come back later. They didn't ask other questions about it, only if I could bring something to eat with me when coming back. The food there is really bad, so I understand them not wanting to eat there and prepared them some rice with chicken right after I came home and placed it in two plastic boxes. And now I pace around my room with clothes laying all over the floor and realize that I need help. I take my phone, make the call and sink onto my bed.

About twenty minutes later I open the front door after hearing the bell ring and let in my savior.
"Hey Olivia. Are you okay? I came as soon as I could." Ben follows me into the kitchen and sits down on the other side of the table. "You said you needed my help with something?", he asks me carefully and I sight.

"I'm sorry that I bother you but I really need your advise. And I can't talk to anyone else because it is all so complicated and everyone is so occupied with Isabella and I just don't know what to do and today I have a date with a girl I really like - for real and I think she likes me too and I have never felt that way before and it is all so confusing and new and I have no idea what I should do now", I ramble and have to pause to catch my breath. My heart is racing. "Can you help me? Please?" I look at him and shock is written all over his face. Then a smille appears on his face and he shakes his head. "Wow. That'something. Olivia McKinney actually crushing on someone. Never would have thought this would happen but I guess it just did." Ben laughs and shakes his head again like he can't belive what he just heard.
"No offence, of course I will try to help you but why didn't you ask Chiara for help. She is your best friend and would surely know what to do". His voice isn't judging, only curious. I look down at my folded hands at the table.
"She doesn't know."

"Oh. You haven't told her anything yet?"
"I didn't know how. It's all so confusing and weird. I don't know how she will react when I tell her and I'm scared of loosing her. Maybe she doesn't want to be my friend anymore or she will think differen't about me." That is the truth. The reason why I called Ben and not Chiara is simple: Ben and I are friends but we never were really close. So as much as it would hurt loosing him as a friend, I would get over it. But I wouldn't get over the loss of my best friend and Ben seems to understand.
"Okay, so my first advice for the day, without knowing the full story, would be to talk to Chiara. She is your best friend and do you really think, she would care about you liking a girl?" I shake my head.
"And before I can say anything else, you have to tell me everything so I have all the information to give you good advice and try to help you." So I start telling him everything that happend.

"Okay wow. So you don't know her name? Or why she was at the hospital?" Ben asks perplex. While I told him the whole story, he got more and more excited.
"No. Nothing", I whine and rest my head on the table.
"So when is your date?"
"At eight." I look at my phone and jump up quickly.
"Oh my good, I have less than three hours left and I still have to drive to the hospital and pay Isabella and my parents a visit before I can meet her." I begin to pace around the room again but stop, looking at Ben, who watches me trying to surpress his laughter.
"That's not funny Ben. What do I do now? I have no Idea what to wear, I don't know what she likes." I start to panic again. Ben gets up and grabbs me by my shoulders. "Olivia, calm down. I will help you okay, you are not alone. Just breath. Good and now you are going to take a shower while I will think about the right outfit for your date."

I nod and he shoos me up the stairs. Before I am able to close the bathroom door I hear him laughing again and stick my head out. "So a girl hmhh?" He asks with a playful smirk. I feel my lips curling into a grin. "Yeah....I guess I like girls."

While taking a shower I can't get the smile out of my face and think about my talk with Ben. He took everything so well and I can't really understand now, why I was so nervous about it. Telling it, actually saying things out loud felt so releaving. Like some of the things fell into their place and that took at least some of the confusion away.