Page 34 of Every Broken Thing

He reached out and squeezed my elbow in reassurance before hightailing it toward the gym. He would be parked back there, his car a couple spots away from mine. I watched him walk away until he disappeared from sight, my worry deepening with every step he took.

11

Lady Boner

I shouldn’t have comehere, but my body wouldn’t obey my commands to shift gears and drive away. So here I sat, parked outside Ben’s house like a creepy stalker. I stared at the brick building, debating whether I should drive away and forget about this stupid plan. My foot refused to push the pedal down.

After rehearsal, I’d sat in the parking lot, staring at my phone where my texts to Ben had gone unanswered. I didn’t want to be a bother, and he clearly didn’t want to talk to me. Yet I was unable to resist the urge to make sure he was okay. He would do the same if the circumstances were reversed, but I still felt like a psycho as I stared at my steering wheel, unable to leave but not willing to approach the front door.

I was pathetic and, apparently, a sucker for torment as I shut off my truck and climbed out of the cab. Stopping at the front door, I didn’t even have a chance to ring the bell before it swung open to reveal Aunt June’s smiling face.

“I was wondering how long you were going to sit in that truck before you came in to say hello.”

I swallowed noisily, searching for some type of excuse. Usually I was pretty quick on my feet, but today must have been an off day for me because I simply stuttered out nonsense. “Oh, well, erm, I, uh…”

Giving me a knowing smile, she pulled me into the house with surprising strength and enveloped me in a motherly hug. “It’s good to see you, honey,” she said, and I patted her back awkwardly. “Ben didn’t tell me you were coming, but I’m glad you’re here.”

“He, um, doesn’t know,” I admitted as I pulled away from her affectionate embrace. “I texted him, but he, uh, ignored me.”

Yet here I was. It seemed even more pathetic now admitting it out loud.

“Don’t take it personally.” She patted my arm as she ushered me into the house. “I was called back in for tests today, and it worried him sick. It’s all routine, so he has nothing to get tied up about, but you know how he is.”

I had no idea what she meant, but I nodded, hoping I wouldn’t be quizzed on this later. “Uh-huh.”

“He’s downstairs pouting, but it’ll be good for him to have some company.” She shoved me enthusiastically through the kitchen like she feared I would change my mind and leave. “Go on down.”

I didn’t have the option of refusing as she manhandled me down the first few steps, and I didn’t hesitate for fear of tripping and tumbling down the stairs to my death. She watched me descend until I landed at the bottom, and I gave her a wave before shaking off my puzzlement over her overbearing actions.

Stopping in front of Ben’s closed door, I leaned in to press my ear against the wood. All was quiet on the other side of the door save for a rhythmic tapping. After waiting a moment for any signof life from within, I knocked. The worst thing to happen would be Ben throwing me out and ending our friendship, which didn’t sound too terrible since our friendship was hazardous to begin with.

There was no response to my knock, and I repeated my action, rapping my knuckles against the wood harder. Still nothing. Was he actively ignoring anyone coming to the door? I hadn’t expected such childishness from him.

I jiggled the doorknob gently, finding it unlocked, and slowly cracked the door open. The last thing I wanted was to interrupt something I shouldn’t, but other than the tapping of a keyboard, the room was innocently silent.

Pushing the door open completely, I called out Ben’s name to ensure I wouldn’t startle him, but he didn’t hear me. He was completely unaware of my presence as he sat on his bed, his back to the headboard and earphones covering his ears. Eyes glued to his computer screen, he typed away, oblivious to me standing in his doorway.

I took the opportunity to enjoy the view before me, and what a view it was.

Ben wore a pair of dark gray sweatpants and, thank the sweet baby Jesus, nothing else. His bare torso gleamed under the warm glow of the ceiling light, and I swallowed thickly as I ran my gaze over his lean chest. He had the beginnings of chest hair on his pecs, and I was tempted to swipe my tongue along the dark blond trail of hair traveling from his belly button to the band of his sweats.

Damn these skinny jeans! I really needed to stop wearing tight pants around Ben because now that I’d witnessed him shirtless, I would forever be at half-mast in his presence. He was too attractive for his own good and the good of my mental health.

Irritated at my traitorous body’s reaction, I slammed his door with a forceful bang, and he jumped from the bed. His laptop fellto its side on the mattress as he landed on his feet in a defensive position. The earphones’ cord jerked from the computer, and the room immediately filled with loud, heavy metal music.

The blaring noise cut out when he twisted around and clicked the Space bar on his laptop. I ogled the muscles of his back as they shifted beneath his skin, and as he straightened to refocus on me, I tore my gaze from his naked torso.

“What are you listening to?” I demanded.

“Spotify,” he said, gesturing to his laptop. “I mean, that specifically was Black Sabbath.”

“You…” I rested my hands on my hips. “You are an enigma.”

The annoyance tightening his mouth loosened marginally. “Thanks?”

“I’m surprised you’re not deaf, though. My God,” I said.

“What are you doing?” He yanked his now-useless earphones off his head and dropped them on the mattress behind him.

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