Page 48 of Loved By The Bad Boy

Maybe we can try to be friends when he gets over this phase. “Still appreciated.”

Twenty

Nobody remembered my birthday.I know I have been acting like I don’t care about it, but it’s not enough reason to forget it. Mom didn’t remember. Dad too. We left for school extra early today. Throughout the ride, I kept expecting him to pull up on me with a surprise, but nothing. Even Benny forgot about it. Now I wish I’m still grounded so I have an excuse to ignore him.

I don’t like Ben so much right now. I don’t like how he’s staring at me. During lunch break at school, I was barely chatty. Ben either didn’t notice or didn’t care. I couldn’t be mad at the band because they didn’t know, but my supposedly perfect boyfriend didn’t remember. He pinches the tip of my nose to elicit a reaction from me, but all I give is a sneer. Even that doesn’t bother him.

Ben’s arm hangs outside the car, and his head pokes outside so the sun shines down on his face. He showed up at the house with a car. I don’t know when he and Mom made up, but she was happy to let him take me out. I slap his leg for no reason, and he lets out an exaggerated groan.

“What is it?” he asks.

Everything.

“Nothing.” Under his gaze, I am so tempted to spit the words out, but nothing happens. Deep lines appear on his forehead, and he purses his lips. “Do… do you have something to tell me?”

“Nope.” My heart breaks again. I can easily tell him it’s my birthday, but it’s no fun. I would be mad at him if he forgot. Ben inserts the key into the ignition without starting the car. “Do you?”

There’s nothing to say to him. We have been outside our house since he came half an hour ago, and we have only exchanged a few words. He eventually starts the car but keeps to a slow lane.

“Let’s go out,” he says.

A small smile lifts my lips. Maybe he has a surprise for me. “Okay. Where to, Benny?”

The car picks up speed, and we switch lanes. “I was thinking… an ice-cream shop like the one back in San Francisco.” Not bad. I love ice-cream. We can try new flavors today. “You like?”

I clap like an overexcited schoolgirl on her last day of school. “I love. Let’s go get ice-cream.”

On hitting the radio, a familiar song comes on, and we sing along, making up the lyrics for parts we miss. Ben stretches his hand on the console, and I interlock our fingers. We drive up the highway in silence. I perk up when he slows down in front of an ice-cream parlor. It’s different from what I am used to. We notice the short line of people waiting to get their ice-cream on entering.

After receiving our orders, Ben suggests we eat in the car. I agree. His phone rings as we are about to step out of the ice-cream parlor. He gives me his cup and excuses himself. Alarms go off in my head. I try not to overthink it, but it’s the only thing on my mind when he returns.

“Your ice-cream is melting,” Ben says to the untouched cups of ice-cream on the console. Picking up a cup, he scoops a spoonful and brings it to my mouth, but I refuse to open. “Gracie.”

Because Ben looks so cute with that grin, my mouth opens. Halfway into feeding me, I stop him.

“Who was that? The person who called.” His shoulders rotate casually, and my heart clenches. He is hiding something. Something I guess starts with an ‘o’ and ends with an ‘a’. We haven’t talked about her besides me telling him he can stand in as a witness or whatever. “Benny.”

“It was no one. I am serious.” Liar. No one, and he spent four minutes on the call. Maybe I was keeping count. Ben scoops more ice-cream into his mouth, then attempts to feed me. I turn my face to the window. There’s a couple by the window of the ice-cream parlor feeding each other. “Gracie, come on. What did I do? Tell me. I know it’s not just about the phone call.”

Sparing him a look, I say, “I’m tired, that’s all. School was kinda tough today.”

A ringtone blasts through the air before Ben replies, and he steps out to receive the call. The ice-cream loses its sweetness in my mouth. I cap the bowl and push it under my seat. Ben is a few yards away from the car, too far for me to hear what he’s telling the caller. I might be paranoid, but that is the behavior of a cheating partner. My phone rings before I can dwell too much on it.

Maria. I half-smile.

“Hey,” I scream into the phone, and she bursts into a birthday chorus.Mending Heartswould have been a good choice if she were a team player. My lips twitch in a smile, and my eyes follow Ben walking toward the car. He stops behind the car in front of his and massages his forehead. Maria’s chorus ends, and the ensuing silence reminds me I have to speak. “Thank you, bestie.”

“Whatever. What’s the plan?”

“Benny took me to get ice-cream.”

“Ouu, nice. Where is he now?”

Ben waves at me, and I roll my eyes. The award of the worse boyfriend of the year effortlessly goes to him. I bring my legs to my chest and pretend he’s right here with me. “He’s on a phone call.”

The rest of our conversation is a blur. She ends it with a promise to buy me a gift. Her laughter hints at the naughty present that will come my way, but the thought dies down once Ben returns.

Stretching across the seat, he palms my face and presses his lips on mine. I’m angry, but my lips part for his tongue to slide inside. Ben pulls away from the kiss and murmurs, “Let’s make out.”

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