Messy Ending

Dai

I’d just pulled cookies out of the oven the moment a knock sounded at the door. “Sam! Could you get that?!” I called, wiping my hands on the black apron covered in designs of skulls.

“Um, Dai?!” Sammi’s voice carried through the house. “The door is for you!”

My brow creased and I stopped dead in my tracks upon seeing who stood at the door. My heartbeat quickened ridiculously.

I pulled my apron, caked with flour, over my head, revealing myself to be wearing yet another pair of shorts and a black T-shirt designed to look as multi colored X-ray, my feet only clad in a pair of black ankle socks.

Sammi stood there, awkwardly rocking back and forth on her heels. “I’ll, uh, just leave you guys to yourselves.” Sammi slowly backed out of the room, closing the door to her room softly behind her.

My brown eyes scanned over Ben. His hair was again straightened, his bangs falling over his face. His plaid button down shirt unbuttoned a couple of buttons, and a ripped pair of black skinny jeans were clinging to his thin legs.

“Can we talk?” Ben inquired, taking a small, cautious step toward me.

I ignored the question instead asking one of my own. “How did you get my address?”

“Steph.” Ben shrugged, taking another step closer to me.

“Why?” I questioned simply, crossing my arms over my chest.

“Because I want to talk to you,” he answered, taking yet another step closer to me.

I glanced around, searching for and excuse, but I eventually sighed and dropped my arms, motioning him out the apartment door.

I bit my lip, ushering him to the end of the hall to avoid anybody who might eavesdrop on our conversation.

“You’re different,” he started, using his hands to emphasize that with small motions.

I cocked an eyebrow, leaning closer to the man, unsure I’d heard him correctly. “What?”

“You’re different than any other hookup I’ve had,” he clarified, carefully, his face thoughtful.

“Really? How so?” I tilted my head to the side and crossed my arms over myself as if protecting myself against Ben’s words.

“Well, I asked your name for starters,” he stated in that ridiculously irresistible accent of his.

I scoffed, tightening my arms over my chest. “That doesn't make me different,” I mumbled, "Just makes you seem like an asshole.

He continued, ignoring the insult, “I haven’t been able to keep you off my mind.” Ben edged closer to me.

I frowned, holding my breath before I stated, “Doesn't that make you different? Not me?” I straightened up my posture, realizing I still leaned close to him, but he still stood closer than I felt comfortable with.

Once again Ben edged closer to me, his hot breath hitting against the flesh of my cheeks. The cigarette scent had been disguised by mint toothpaste, but either way the scent lured me in.

“I think you should go,” I blurted, reluctantly, chewing my bottom lip.

Ben pulled back incredulously. “Why? You can’t tell me you haven’t been thinking of me, Dai.” Ben pushed a lock of hair out of my face and while his statement was cocky it was true. I couldn’t truthfully tell him he hadn’t been on my mind.

“You’re right, I can’t,” I whispered. “But I still think you should go.” My teeth dug into my bottom lip, drawing blood.

Ben scoffed and took a step back.. “This isn’t the last time you’ll be hearing from me, Dai,” he whispered, directly in my ear.

“I know,” I murmured, gazing into the light green eyes I’d become so accustomed to seeing as the days had passed.

Ben nodded, pressing his lips to my forehead in a sweet, gentle, kiss one wouldn’t expect from a man such as Ben Bruce.

I stared after the twenty-three year old, utterly shocked that his lips had made contact with my skin in any sort.

~~~

Ben

Dai had asked me to leave, but I knew I wouldn’t give up quite that easily. When had I ever given up that easily. Everything else had been completely erased from my brain, including Ali. I pushed into the front door of my apartment, feeling the loneliness, which usually hid itself away, more than I ever had before.

~~~

Dai

Fat raindrops smashed against the window. I flinched for every strike of lightning or crack of thunder. Okay, I was afraid of storms and I’d be the first to admit that to anyone.

I jumped once more at a knock sounding on the door , slowly traipsing over to the door and I pulled it open.

I sighed heavily, “Hey, Ben.” I took in the man who’d left his unruly hair as it usually stayed. A jacket zipped over another V-neck, his shorts riding incredibly low on his hips. “You’re seriously wearing shorts during a storm?” I laughed in spite of myself.

Ben gave his shoulders a light raise, mussing his light hair with his long fingers, before shoving his hands deep into the pockets of the Asking Alexandria jacket he wore.

“You wanted to talk?” I finally broke the silence that had settled over the two of us.

He nodded. “We can go somewhere…” Ben trailed off, unsure of himself.

I nodded, grabbing my phone off the coffee table situated in front of the couch I’d been sitting on before Ben had come. “I’ll be back later, Sammi!” I called, closing the door loudly behind me before she had the chance to respond. “Let’s go,” I spoke softly to Ben.

He pressed the elevator button and ushered me in once the doors slid apart. The doors snapped shut and I pressed the lobby button. All was silent, green digital numbers ticking down above the doors. It was unexpected that
darkness engulfed the elevator and it jolted to a stop.

“What happened?” I questioned, my breathing labored.

“The power must’ve gone out,” Ben said, resting a hand on the small of my back, soothingly. “Calm down, Dai.”

“I’m claustrophobic, extremely claustrophobic,” I croaked, backing up to the wall and sinking down to the cold, marble tiled floor.

Ben sank down against the wall next to me.

I dug my fingers into my pocket grabbing for my iPhone. I dialed Sammi’s number,
attempting to control my breathing, but failing.

”Dai?” Sammi inquired through the line. ”Are you okay?”

I shook my head furiously, not even caring she couldn’t physically see me. “Ben and I are stuck in the elevator.” I breathed in sharply through my nose. “Call Landon, Sam.” I was referring to the owner of the building.

”I will, but I doubt there’s anything we can do until the power comes back on,” she told me, on the edge of sympathy about her voice.

I sighed. “Okay.” I hung up. “Fuck!” I launched my phone against the floor, the white and black OtterBox protecting it.

A loud boom of thunder made me flinch and Ben tilted his head at me. “You’re scared of storms.”

It wasn’t a question, but I nodded my head vigorously. I knew I was shaking in my skin even with my legs bent up to my chest., arms wrapped around them.

Ben took hold of my phone and messed with it before a light I recognized as the flashlight lit
up the dark elevator. He motioned me over to him, unzipping his jacket.

I regarded him for a short period of time, shifting to sit beside him. I felt the soft black jacket he’d been wearing rest on my shoulders and I, greedily, shoved my arms through the warm sleeves.

Another loud thunder clap sounded and I hid myself against Ben’s scrawny body, despite the fact I had told myself not to get close to him.

“Dai, it’s just thunder,” Ben murmured, somewhat soothingly, snaking his arm around my waist and pulling me closer into his side.

“You wanted to talk,” I pointed out as a change of subject.

“Right…” He paused a moment. “Why did you run, Dai?”

I sighed, not at all ready to explain my actions to him and actually regretting said actions. “I never thought I would see you again, Ben. I’m not the type of girl that just fucks band guys in their bus. I don’t even have one night stands. I-“

“I didn’t think you were that type of girl. In fact I was pretty confident you weren’t that type of girl and that’s different for me. You aren’t obsessive or crazy. You’re not a whore…” he trailed off, examining my facial expression.

“We know nothing about each other,” I stated, averting my gaze to the floor.

“That can change,” he pointed out. I felt his green eyes bore into my skin.

I let my dark hair fall into a curtain around my face, hiding myself. I waited several long moments before I spoke. “Do you really want to change that, Ben?” I distanced myself several inches from him. “Or would you rather I just be another girl you can mess with?”

Ben was silent a few moments. “I’d like to get to know, Dai.”

I allowed myself to push my hair aside and glance at Ben, whose gaze hadn’t wavered away from me from me. “I don’t know, Ben…”

“Just give me a chance.” He looked down at me, hopeful in a way that I hadn't expected to see in him.

I nodded, slightly. “Okay, what do you want to know?” I sighed, caving easily for the man in front of me.

Ben grinned. “Anything you’re willing to tell me.”