Young Love Was Such Dumb Love

John O'Callaghan approached the Nickelsen house tentatively, knowing full well the girl's hand he was clutching was nervous due to the fact it was shaking a little. He looked up at Benny and bit his lip feeling terrible for pressuring her into going to the party with him, she was still nervous about drinking and being in a party environment especially since this was her first party since the incident. They walked into the house after weaving through the cars overflowing from the drive way. He gave her hand a quick squeeze as they entered the house and the smell of booze, cigarettes and sweat hit them. She gave him a smile and a small nod for assurance but that didn't make John feel any better.

"Benny! I am so, so sorry. I shouldn't have even gone to talk to Marco or whatever the fuck his name was! Ah can you ever forgive me?" A slightly drunk Melissa clutched onto Benny. Benny laughed and hugged back not feeling uncomfortable, enough time had passed that she made her peace. As long as she would never see the asshole again, she had come to terms with it.

"'Liss, I will forgive you if you show me where I can get a drink," She smiled back waving to John who was standing awkwardly in the doorway, looking for his own friends as his girlfriend trekked off. Initially, Benny was nervous, but upon seeing that it was all people she knew at the party there really couldn't be any harm in drinking. Especially since John was here with her, and she couldn't help but feel safe with him no matter what.

John finally spotted his friends in the living room taking shots next to the liquor cabinet. Jared gave him a high-five as they all cheered slightly drunkenly. John laughed before hugging Tim and getting handed a big shot of tequila. Jared tried to pour one for himself too, but Tim slapped his hand away. "No! You brought your annoying ass sister to the party, major party foul!" Tim slurred with a chuckle and John couldn't help but laugh in agreement.

"Dude! It's not my fault she said she was gonna narc to my parents if I didn't bring her, how many times do I have to apologize! Besides you should really feel bad for the poor kid how else is she gonna get invited to parties?" He laughed shaking his head before all boys turned their direction to the blonde with a red push-up bra sticking out of her white tank top as she twisted her hair around her finger talking to a tall brown-haired boy John had never seen before.

"Who is she talking to?" John asked after seeing Trey Nickelsen hand him a red cup. Of course he had never met Trey who was a year older than him, but he'd seen him enough times to recognize him. Megan let out a disgustingly loud laugh and everyone in the room seemed disturbed. Tim tilted his head in wonder and Jared answered after knocking back a shot he snuck while Tim and John were looking away.

"Ugh, ach, that's Cody, Trey's friend. The one who went to Mexico with your girl friend and all of them. I heard he was the one who charged in after he saw Benny getting dragged to the bathroom by some sketchy ass guy," Jared said matter-of-factly. John and Tim, both raised their eyebrows in a judging way, wondering when their best friend had become such a gossip girl. Jared read their looks and explained, "Megan feels it necessary to tell me everything she learns from being a little snoop." John couldn't help but laugh at the fact he could see Jared looking miserable on the drive home while Megan gabbed about gossip.

"Dude, speaking of your girlfriend where is she? She promised to find me a fine looking woman to tango with," Tim laughed with a drunken sway. John looked up trying to spot the brunette in the now packed living room and began to wonder the same thing.

"Wait tango?" John asked wondering after what Tim had just said processed through his mind. John took another shot before feeling the liquor burning down his throat and turned to see Tim giggling to himself, clearly very drunk.

"Tongue tango," Tim laughed flicking his tongue out, and bringing a rock sign up. He poured a fair amount of rum into his red cup in search of coke to complete it. John did the same thing and followed Tim into the kitchen where he spotted Benny and Melissa knocking back shots and chasing them with Juicy Juice boxes. John shook his head and chuckled. "Benny! Where's my woman out!" Tim yelled probably louder than he intended, Benny looked up and laughed, her cheeks rosy from the alcohol.

"What Timmy, can't get your own girls?" She teased lightly before taking another shot of Jager and wincing, chasing it with her apple juice again. She felt the familiar lightness in her head and smiled, until she started feeling bad after she saw Tim's disappointed face. "Tim, you remember Melissa, she is very single, very attractive and one of the best girls I know. You took her to homecoming and ditched her for Anna O'Grady because you thought she was too young? Break her heart and I'll break your face!" Benny said quietly to Tim leaving Melissa to her shot before she looked up curiously.

John watched on, fully entertained by the whole moment, as Benny brought Melissa over to Tim by the hand and re-introduced to two. Both seemed to be in awe of each other with a strange connection they never had before, no one could tell if it was because the alcohol or the time passed. Benny knew that Tim and Melissa had only gone with each other because neither of them had dates and it was nearing and dreading going stag. Benny left them to talk to each other before walking over to John and shrugged, "Well, that was easy," she grinned.

"What are you some sort of match-maker now?" John asked wrapping his hand around her waist to dive in for a kiss, only to realize she had stopped walking and was staring at the brunette Jared had identified as Cody before and he felt a pang of jealous. Benny kept walking over to talk to him as John moved his mouth to protest. He finally stopped moving his mouth vacantly before catching up with her.

"Hey, I just wanted to say thank you because I never really had the chance to earlier. I really do appreciate it more than I could ever say," Benny smiled with tears pooling up in her eyes feeling guilty for not thanking him before this. She hugged him, but he didn't seem shocked or taken back, although John was. He glared bitterly feeling the feelings he had before, hating himself for not being there for here and hating Cody for being there.

"No problem, it's the least I could do for a pretty girl like you. Besides I'd like to think you'd do the same for me," Cody chuckled slightly hugging her back. John watched as his hand rubbed back and forth on her back and his glare turned into a death glare. Cody finally noticed the death stare and released Benny before sticking out his hand. "What's up man, I'm Cody," He smiled. He was nice and that just made John angrier.

"John," He grumbled not trying to conceal his mood at all, keeping his hands buried in his pockets. They're safer in there than around Cody's neck, John thought still fuming. Benny shot John a glare and Cody smiled before putting the hand formerly extended back into his pants pockets too. Soon Megan was back holding a new cup for Cody and squealing upon seeing John and Benny giving them an excited wave.

"Oh my god! I haven't seen you guys in forever! Did Cody tell you the story about how he totally saved Benny? He's SUCH a gentleman, and he's done so many things. Did you know he's in a band? They've even played a show!" Megan ranted excitedly before John rolled his eyes and muttered 'so friggen what' under his breath so no one else besides Benny heard it and that was the final straw. She was trying to have a good time and all she could concentrate on was John being a complete asshole.

"Can I talk to you for a second," She spoke under her breath with a stern look. "Excuse us," she smiled turning over her shoulder to see Megan still ranting and Cody seeming content with it. She grabbed John's hand and briskly pulled him into the front yard before he could even ask where they were going. "What is your problem?!" She asked harshly, frustration evident in her voice.

"What? My problem?! My problem is that fucking douchebag in there," He growled feeling the same frustration for a different reason. Why was she mad at him? He did nothing at all to her, his beef was with Cody who seemed all too pleased with himself for John's liking. Both of their pulses were racing and adrenaline rushing through their veins along with the anger.

"Are you serious?! The only fucking douchebag is you! What did Cody ever do to you besides save your girlfriend from ending up in a ditch somewhere?!" Benny raised her voice, a slight crack hit her voice came along with a shiver down her spine when she talked about the ditch knowing it was true. Benny honestly didn't see what John was being such a dick about, it never occurred to her that he would feel jealous. This only inflamed the jealousy more in John, maybe it was the alcohol keeping him from thinking clear, but he spoke without thinking at all.

"Because he had his hands all fucking over you! What like I didn't see it, what do you wanna fuck him now because he saved you? I was there more for you than he has been or ever will be!" John yelled, letting his voice grow hoarse and the alcohol influencing his words slurring them. He swayed a little not thinking much of what he had just said as the brunette stood there, a tear or two falling gently from her eye. He had never yelled at her before, never, at least not like this. Not with this sort of fire burning in his eyes. She felt scared of him for the first time in their relationship which only made her heart break more.

"I cannot believe you, what is this about justifying yourself? Do you feel incompetent or threatened, because I never once for a second thought that Cody was there for me more than you were. He was saved me from something really bad, from getting killed maybe, and you're thinking about how this makes you look? John you know I love you, but this thing, I don't even know- I can't do it," Benny said scoffing before turning to walk away. Tears falling more steadily from her eyes now. John rubbed his eyes realizing what he had just done.

"Bennett! Benny! I'm sorry, come on!" John called after her, increasing his pace to catch up with her while some people going to the party gawked as if their fight was a television show. He wanted to tell them all to fuck off, but his mind was catching up with his girlfriend if she was even that anymore. John finally caught up to her and grabbed her wrist, "Benny! I'm sorry! I didn't mean any of that," John spoke trying to kiss her before she yanked away from him.

"John please don't! Just don't! I'm done, I'm so done!" She sobbed so hard, nothing else could come out. She gave him one last look filled with sadness before she turned running towards her house. She felt her chest collapse wondering what the words she said really meant. Trying to figure out whether she really meant them, she wiped her eyes not caring about the makeup smearing or people thinking she was crazy. None of this seemed real and as John watched her walk away those last three words sinking in and burn into his skin.

"God fucking damnit!" John whispered as he plopped down onto the curb before rubbing his hands on his face. Then he began to laugh, despite how completely inappropriate it was, because he had no idea how he could ruin the best thing going for him right now. He thought about his laptop in his room and how the internet was still open to a diamond store, one page had been saved of a modest engagement ring. He knew he had to make this right, no matter what. John O'Callaghan was a man on a mission, determined when he walked into his sleeping house he stayed wide awake in his room. Careful not to make a sound while he planned.

"You fucking asshole! What the fuck did you do to my sister?" Max came in yelling in his room, John groaned just waking up despite the fact it was almost one o'clock. John muttered something before flipping over and hugging his pillow. Max took a deep breath before landing a punch on John's arm. "I'm talking to you! What'd you do to my baby sister?!" Max yelled with a fury John had only seen beaten by his contempt for Jack Meyers.

"Dude I was drunk! She broke up with me, God, what did I do?" John rubbed his throbbing forehead and groaned collapsing back onto the pillow clasping his soon-to-be bruised arm. "Max, I came up with this idea, and I need your help," John asked in his own way.

"And why would I wanna help you, asshole?" Max asked sternly crossing his arms, fairly stubborn about playing the overprotective brother. John let a sly smile cross his lips which only seemed to make Max seem more cautious. Max raised an eyebrow remained unconvinced until John spoke again.

"Because you're my best friend and Benny's older brother and my plan will hopefully involve her being happy again. I know you hate the fact we're together, but I love her and I'll do anything for her, please?" John asked, throwing his legs over the side of the his bed and standing to look Max eye to eye. A smirk grew on Max's smile before he nodded and gave John a quick handshake-hug. "Sweet, dude I need all the guys to help me. I need 20 bucks from each of y'all," John spoke before he felt his heart racing hoping the plan would work out in the end. Nothing had made him so sure of wanting her in his life than losing Benny, even for an hour, and realizing what life would be like without her.