Benji

It is amazing how one person can make me feel happier than I’ve ever felt before.

It’s not that I’m usually really depressed or anything, and it’s not that my family and friends (well, friend, singular) are completely horrible. I guess, before I met Benji I never really cared. Before, I didn’t bother with anything and I just let things happen, went with the flow, whatever.

But now… Now I have a job, and a boyfriend. And he’s fucking amazing.

Although, technically, I’ve not actually asked him to be my boyfriend. I guess I just kind of assumed that we’re together. I mean, it’s been about a week since Benji and I kissed, and ever since then we’ve been hanging out a lot – just sitting around, watching movies and listening to music – but we haven’t actually made anything official.

As the thought crossed my mind, I realised that I probably should have done that when we first kissed.

Fuck.

*

Friday afternoon and I was waiting to pick up Benji and Kyle. I was really fucking nervous because I knew I had to speak to Benji about our current ‘relationship’, but I had no idea what to say to him. It only made it worse that Kyle would be there, because even though he really didn’t care that we were quasi-together he was still my brother and he was still a jerk and he would still be really fucking immature about it because he knew it pissed me off.

The passenger side door was suddenly pulled open and Benji slid in, a shy smile on his lips. His hair was mussed and messy, as though he’d been running a lot or something, and he looked especially cute today, dressed in a plain white tee, a black cardigan and his usual blue skinny jeans.

“Hey,” I greeted him and leant over the middle console to peck his cheek. And even though I’d already told him that morning, I let him know what I thought of his appearance today. “You look incredibly adorable today.”

He blushed and shook his head. “You already said that this morning.”

“I know,” I grinned, “but it’s the truth.”

“You’re such a dork,” he muttered under his breath.

I laughed, leaning forward to look up towards the school. “Is Kyle coming or what?”

“Oh!” Benji said, as though he’d just remembered something. “No, he’s going to the movies with Melissa.”

I nodded and quickly put the car in drive. “Is this that same Melissa girl that he asked out?”

“Yeah, the one that rejected him,” Benji giggled, and I swear I fall for him a little more every time he does that.

“So, are they together now or what?” I enquired.

“No, they’re just friends,” he clarified. “I mean, I know Kyle really likes her, but she wants to get to know him as a friend first, y’know.”

“Makes sense, though why anyone would want to get to know my brother is beyond me.”

“He’s not that bad,” Benji laughed.

“You don’t have to live with him,” I pointed out.

“But I am at your house almost every day.”

“Good point,” I chuckled, glancing over only to catch him staring at me. I winked and he looked away, blushing.

“So, with Kyle at the movies and Mum working late tonight…” I grinned. “What are we going to do in an empty house all alone for the afternoon?”

Benji didn’t reply, only pulled his lower lip into his mouth and started gnawing on it relentlessly. His cheeks were possibly the pinkest I’d ever seen them and he refused to meet my eyes.

“I don’t know what you’re thinking,” I laughed, “but I was thinking we could just watch The Lion King again.”

He turned to me with a glare and slapped my arm. “You’re such a douche sometimes.”

I just grinned. We soon reached my house and I parked before getting out and hurrying around to Benji’s side. I took his backpack in one hand and laced our fingers together with the other, pulling him along behind me.

When we entered the kitchen, I put Benji’s backpack down and began loading his arms with snacks and drinks.

“Now go through to the living room and get the DVD set up, I’m just going to go and change. I reek of fucking coffee,” I told him, unbuttoning my shirt as I started up the stairs.

“But I like the smell of coffee,” he mumbled quietly, to which I just chuckled.

Finally changed and no longer completely drenched in the stench of a café, though the smell still lingered, I thundered downstairs to join the adorable boy in front of the television. He smiled shyly when I sat next to him, and he blushed when I threw my arm around his shoulders.

“I love your blush,” I whispered in his ear as I pressed play on the remote.

“Don’t,” he whined, hiding no doubt another blush by pressing his face into my shoulder.

I laughed and hugged him tighter. He smelt like strawberries and body spray, and the way that he curled into my side was just so fucking… endearing.

“Sorry, love,” I murmured, and as soon as the pet name left my mouth I wondered if it was okay for me to call him that. I mean, officially, we weren’t anything and yet I knew that I wanted him to be my everything.

I guess I just had to gather the courage to ask him. I could do it now, I mused, watching him as he quietly watched the movie, but I wanted it to be special. I wanted him to know that he was special.

“Hey, Benji, what are you doing tomorrow?”

I felt him shrug. “Dunno. Nothing planned.”

“Good,” I grinned. “Because we’re going on a date.”

He looked up at me, his sapphire orbs bright with excitement. “Like, a real date?”

I laughed and kissed his forehead. “Yes, Benji, a real date.”