fake (b.t.c.)

seventeen

"you wouldn't believe how much she talks about him."
"that much?"
•••
"are you on tonight, too?" ben asked as we laid on the grass in the park.
"i think so. might be a different track, though. they're thinking of having someone else do karen."
"so," ben propped himself up on his elbow and looked at me, "how does it feel to be on broadway?"
"tiring." i laughed. "but amazing."
"it is." he nodded.
"julia!" a voice startled me from across the park. i sat up to see erika and kyle coming towards us, and i waved to them.
"what are you two doing here alone?" erika wiggled her eyebrows, and ben laughed. "just hanging out." he said. "you two?"
erika looked at kyle for a minute, holding back a smile, and he broke the silence. "we're dating. we've been dating for a little bit."
i gasped. "aw, really? that's so cute!"
"yeah, thanks." he smiled. "what about you guys? you've been hanging out a lot..."
"oh, um..." i looked down at my feet. "we're just friends." i glanced at ben, and i saw the slightest change in his face. after a bit of an awkward pause, he shook his head. "yeah, no, we're...yeah. just friends."
erika raised an eyebrow. "mmhmm. well, i think we'll leave you to your not-date."
"and you have fun on your date-date." ben half-smiled, and ran a hand through his hair. they kept walking through the park, and ben looked at me. "didn't expect that, huh?"
"i think they're cute." i smiled. "you wouldn't believe how much she talks about him."
"that much?" ben swirled his coffee around with the straw. "kind of a subject change, but do you have any friends here in new york other than the cast?"
i thought for a minute. "the prom's cast, because a few of them were in atlanta, but most of my friends are back home in maryland."
ben looked at me for a moment, and i could almost see the gears turning in his head.
"what?" i looked at him skeptically.
"i'm just thinking."
"oh no." i deadpanned.
"i'm gonna introduce you to my friends. there's a newsies reunion soon, and i think you'd really like some of them."
"when is that?" i asked.
"i think next sunday. i'll have to check to be sure, though." he said. "if you want to, i mean."
"i'd love to. with how much you and d talk about them, it'll be nice to meet them."
"good, 'cause i already said you were coming."
"idiot." i shook my head and smacked him.