Page 73 of Give My Everything
I follow, realizing he’s ready to leave.
Secretly, I’m bummed. I don’t know if I thought we’dhang outor something, but I didn’t expect him to leave so soon after he got here.
Suddenly, I realize I don’t want him to leave.
“Do you want to stay and watch a movie or something?” I ask as we head down the hallway. “We’re trying to be friends, right? We should hang out.”
I want to slap my palm against my face.
We should hang out.
How stupid do I sound?
Ben gives me a smile, but I know his response before he even says anything based on the tilt of his head.
“I have some work I still need to get done tonight, so I’ll have to pass,” he says as we continue down the stairs toward the front door. “But thanks for the invite. Maybe some other time.”
When we get to the door, I open it for him, leaning my body against the wood as he steps outside.
“I’ll see you tomorrow. Ready by seven, okay?”
My head bobs robotically. Now that I’ve made a fool of myself—again—I’m actually glad to see him go.
“See you tomorrow.”
I wave as he heads down the path toward his car in the circle drive, then close the door. When I turn, I see Dominic watching us.
I glare, saying nothing, and head back up the stairs to my room, to the space I can close everyone out of and just…be.
My brother’s sudden fascination with my relationship with Ben strikes me as odd, even if my mind isn’t currently in the right state to try to piece together why.
Plopping back into my comfy armchair, I click on Netflix and scroll through the movies until I find one I think will sufficiently distract me from life.
Then I settle in and try to keep my mind from thinking about Ben.
I fail.
I run my hands down my dress, smoothing out the fabric for what feels like the millionth time tonight.
I swear I can feel people watching me, like they know I’m hiding a baby inside of my body and they’re just trying to catch me at the right angle so they can leap forward and point it out.
Ben takes my nervous hands in his.
“You look beautiful,” he says, his voice low and meant only for me. “The more you fidget, the more people will think you’re uncomfortable being here with me, and we don’t want that.”
I grip his hand. “Don’t I look super fucking massive in this, though? I should have picked a different dress or—”
“Remmy,” he says, spinning me so I’m looking up at him, our faces close enough that I can smell the faint hint of whiskey on his breath from his earlier cocktail when we first arrived. “Take a deep breath in.”
I do.
“And let it out long and slow.”
I do.
“You’re fine. You’re perfect.” He shakes his head. “Don’t overthink it. We’re here together and we’re friends.”
I nod. “Okay. I’m ready.”
