Page 1 of Because of You
Prologue
Ben
Eleven Years Ago
Istand by the front door, impatiently rocking back and forth on the heels of the Jordan 1s my parents got me as a high school graduation gift. My last final was yesterday, graduation is in two days, and we’re celebrating tonight at the party my friend Wes’ parents are throwing for the whole senior class.
That is, if we ever get there.
I pace at the bottom of the stairs and start yelling up at my twin sister and our shared best friend. “Jules, Hallie, move your asses! We’re already late. Your hair looks great! Your makeup is perfect! Now, can we please get the fuck out of here?”
“Benjamin Matthew Parker, you may be eighteen-years-old and an almost high school graduate, but you will not yellfuckup the stairs in my house.”
My mom walks into the foyer, and I give her a smirk. Rachel Parker has never met a well-placed swear word she didn’t like. “Fine, I’ll just go up and tell them in person we need to get the fuck out of this house. Then I won’t have to yell.”
“Smartass,” she mutters. Then she wraps her arms around me and holds tight, sniffling dramatically. “I can’t believe you guys are graduating in two days. It seems like five minutes ago that you and Jules were toddlers and so damn loud I thought this house would never be quiet again. But look at you now.”
“Mom, I’m going to college ten minutes from this house. Seven, if all the lights are green. It’s not like I’ll never see you again. If it makes you feel better, I’ll bring home my laundry for you to do on weekends.”
She lets go of me then and steps back. “I’ll miss you, but not that much. Do your own damn laundry.”
“That’s what I thought,” I mutter. And I start yelling again, because, honestly, how long does it take to put on clothes? I might have a twin sister, and my best friend might be a girl, but whatever they do up there before parties is a mystery to me. “Jules, Hal, if you’re not down here in thirty seconds I’m leaving without you.”
“Get a grip, Ben. We’re coming.” Julie and Hallie start making their way down the stairs.
“Fucking finally,” I say under my breath. “It took you guys long enou…” I trail off as they come into view, their heads close together, giggling over who even knows what.
Julie is shooting me dirty looks, but I barely notice. All I can see is Hallie. She is wearing tight jeans and a black shirt that shows off a couple inches of flat midriff. Her golden-brown hair is long and loose down her back, and a trio of gold chains circle her neck. We’ve been to a hundred parties together, and I’ve seen her dressed up like this more times than I can count. So why aren’t my lungs working?
She’s standing in front of me now, and her mouth is moving but I can’t focus on her words. All I can see is the grin lighting up her face, and her sparkling green eyes that are bolder than normal with whatever eye makeup magic she conjured upstairsin Jules’ bathroom. I’m frozen in place. My heart races, and electric tingles shoot through my limbs.
What the actual fuck is happening right now?
“Ben!”
Julie’s harsh tone snaps me out of whatever weirdness is going on in my head. She gives me a look, and I know this isn’t the first time she has called my name.
“What?”
“I said, are you ready to go? What is wrong with you? Hallie, come on. We can wait in the car until Ben comes back to earth.”
They both laugh and turn to leave.
I stand, still frozen, and watch Hallie saunter away and straight out the front door. My eyes are fixed on her ass swaying with every step, and why am I even thinking about Hallie’s ass? Never in our entire lifelong friendship have I ever looked at Hallie as anything more than a friend. But it seems like my brain wants to take that detour tonight, and what the fuck am I supposed to do with that?
“You should probably get out there.”
I jolt back to reality and turn to my mom. She smirks and gives me thatI know everything there is to know about youlook she’s so good at.
“Right. Yeah. Out there. Into the car. With Hallie. And Jules. I’m going. Okay, bye!”Smooth Ben. Very smooth.
I leave the house and slide into the car, hoping that whatever just happened was a weird fluke. But as I start the engine, I glance into the rearview mirror and my eyes meet Hallie’s. I feel her gaze like a punch to the heart, and in that moment, I know two things.
This isn’t a fluke, and nothing is ever going to be the same again.
Chapter One
Hallie
