Ten Minutes Ago // Ben Tyler Cook

Part Three / Chapter Seventeen

Ben's POV
After rehearsing our number for the Tonys, everyone decides to gather at Taylor's apartment and celebrate. Most of the cast is already gone as I grab my bag, but Marlee is still in the room, pulling on her jacket. I put my bag on my shoulder. "Can I walk with you?" I ask.
   
"Sure." She nods, picks up her bag, and walks with me outside. Luckily Taylor's apartment is within walking distance.

We're quiet most of the walk, which gives me time to get lost in my thoughts. I really enjoy the friendship Marlee and I have, but a part of me keeps longing for us to be something more.
The other part of me is afraid I'll go too quickly and face rejection again. Since the moment Marlee told me she couldn't marry me, I'd gone over that moment in my head countless times. Maybe I had asked too soon. Maybe she didn't want to marry me in the first place. If I had asked earlier, would she have said yes? If so, would she have gone to London? Would we be married now? Would we even be in Mean Girls if we had gotten married?

"What are you thinking about?" Marlee asks lightly, glancing at me as we walk.

"You," I answer truthfully. That causes her to look away, a light blush dusting her cheeks. I swear she grows more beautiful with every day that passes. It hurt me immensely to see her in pain like she was just a few months ago. I don't know what or who had finally gotten her back to New York, but I would eternally be grateful to them.

"Almost there," she mumbles, adjusting her duffel bag's strap on her shoulder. She's right. Within a few minutes, we arrive at Taylor's apartment building.

When we step inside her apartment, I can hear music and voices wafting from the living room. "Looks like everyone's here," I comment, closing the door behind us.

"Hey!" Taylor smiles when she sees us. "Glad you guys could make it. You can put your bags over here." She shows us where everyone else dropped their things. "Make yourselves at home," she says, going back to talk to someone.

"Let's go find some food," I say, heading to the kitchen. Marlee follows me. On the table are several boxes of pizza and a bunch of drinks.

Marlee sighs when she sees the pizza. "Oh, thank goodness. I'm starving." Smiling, she grabs a plate and a slice of pizza. "Here," she says, handing me a drink, a teasing smile playing on her lips. "Oh, wait. You're not twenty-one yet. I'll get you a soda."

I roll my eyes. "Ha ha. I get it, you're nine months older than me, you don't have to rub it in every time you get the chance." I take the soda from her as she still smiles. "You just wait until December." Marlee just laughs quietly as I take a slice of pizza.

"I'll see you around, Ben." She leaves me to go find someone to talk to. I watch her leave with a small smile.

"She's a catch." I turn around to see Erika watching me.

"What?"

Erika grins. "You're pretty smitten with her, aren't you?"

I tilt my head. "Erika, what are you talking about?"

She scoffs. "Oh, come on, Ben. Don't tell me you don't know what I'm talking about."
Even though I know exactly what she's talking about, I shrug.

"Seriously?" Erika grabs my arm and pulls me further into the kitchen. "Ben, you have got to be kidding me. Look, Marlee told us what happened before she left for London."

My eyebrows shoot up. "Sh-she did? Wait, who exactly did she tell? Everyone?"

"Not everyone," Erika says quickly. "Just me, Taylor, and Kate. But she told us, and I think you need to talk about it."

"I don't know, Erika." I shake my head. "We're friends. I don't want to risk losing her again."

"No, you need to talk about it. I think it's worth the risk," Erika says. "Ben, I'm going to ask you a question, and I need you to answer honestly. Can you do that?"
   
"Yeah, I guess so." I shrug and cross my arms.

"Are you still in love with Marlee?"

"What kind of question is that?" I throw my hands in the air in exasperation.

"It's an important one!" Erika protests. "Answer the question, Ben."

I shake my head. "No, I don't have to answer your question." I begin to leave the kitchen, but she grabs my arm.

"Ben. It's so obvious you still have feelings for each other. I need you to say it out loud," she says.

"Fine. I'm still in love with Marlee!"  I exclaim. "Is that what you wanted to hear?" As soon as it comes out of my mouth, it hits me. "Oh my gosh, I'm still in love with Marlee," I mumble, running my hands through my hair.

She smiles slowly. "Yeah, you are. And you need to go tell her."

I nod. "I need to go tell her," I repeat. "Where is she?" I look around, but I don't see her in the living room. "I'm going to go find her."

Erika grins. "Go find her, Ben!" She cheers as I leave the kitchen.

~~~~~
Erika's out here asking the real questions