Ben458Please respect copyright.PENANABqjaWj7SiH
458Please respect copyright.PENANAe1LjZDV9KU
January 1, 2005
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Same day
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Even though I was trying really hard not to listen to the girls through the wall, I could still make out bits and pieces of their conversation. 458Please respect copyright.PENANAJ1lc9nNoeX
Okay, maybe I didn't try that hard.458Please respect copyright.PENANAsrgXx2NSrX
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Okay, fine I didn't try at all. 458Please respect copyright.PENANAnIKHLQ7rEd
In fact, I might have tried really hard to listen. If only the guys would have shut their stupid mouths, maybe I could have at least heard the loud redhead.458Please respect copyright.PENANA3DDW4iiHaJ
I heard Vanessa yell something about good sex in Kat's life. Shit, were they talking about me? 458Please respect copyright.PENANAaTm9kh6eNe
I've never been so fucking insecure about a girl before. What the hell is wrong with me?458Please respect copyright.PENANAQ05cio3iut
I couldn't make out anything Kat said, but Vanessa's voice came through clearly. She practically yelled about Kats ex being unable to satisfy her.458Please respect copyright.PENANAw3navMrAKB
I tried to hide my snicker, but Kai stopped mid sentence to glare at me. "What the fuck is so funny? I haven't even got to the good part."458Please respect copyright.PENANAdek2QPCFQ6
I couldn't think up an excuse, so I went for an apology. "Sorry, bro."458Please respect copyright.PENANAtmpAxvtrIm
"Just ignore him, he's smitten with his new girl." Nate betrayed me.458Please respect copyright.PENANAZJDtwIPmLK
"What the fuck, man?" I tried to think of more, but I was in shock. Smitten? Who says that? 458Please respect copyright.PENANA7JJdNg6vOj
"Just telling it like it is, bro." Nate smirked. Asshole.458Please respect copyright.PENANAwXVsSu5f5j
"Whatever. She's definitely not my girl." I crossed my arms defensively, hoping he would take the hint and back the fuck off.458Please respect copyright.PENANAWuPvbRbCDn
As soon as we heard the girls screaming at each other, I was on my feet, ready for... what? 458Please respect copyright.PENANAsrnEct6ThL
Was I worried about Kat? What could I even do? She barely even liked me. She would probably just turn her wrath on me.458Please respect copyright.PENANADfg1CXIWWP
Nate stood up and clapped his hand down on my shoulder. "I got this." Thank fuck. I blew out the breath I didn't realize I was holding.458Please respect copyright.PENANAOR5WufB7xV
I tried to focus on Kai's story, but my mind kept drifting to Kat.458Please respect copyright.PENANAgSTOcFhfNk
Damn, Vanessa was the only one with Nate when he returned.458Please respect copyright.PENANAdhoTsHXATs
Where was my little hurricane?458Please respect copyright.PENANAZOexEpntVy
"Hey 'Ness! Good to see you again." Luke smiled from next to the stove, waving the spatula in greeting.458Please respect copyright.PENANAkp2xmprL31
Vanessa smiled and stepped up to the breakfast bar. "Hey Luke, where's Soph?" 458Please respect copyright.PENANAIRRX9qwcEq
"Your guess is as good as mine." Luke grimaces as he moves to the opposite side of the breakfast bar.458Please respect copyright.PENANAp8mu1GNKYf
"Uh oh... Trouble in paradise?" Vanessa pats his arm to console him.458Please respect copyright.PENANAjlJsOAurOc
Fuck this. I can't sit here and listen to this small talk. I need to find Kat. I need to apologize. 458Please respect copyright.PENANA6BExVq4RhL
I wasn't sure where Kat would be, but I saw the redhead drag her into the empty room next to mine, so I knock on that door. 458Please respect copyright.PENANAZJhVVzhtMx
Even though she tried to turn me away, I was determined. She accepted my apology, but she seemed to withdraw afterwards. What did I do wrong? 458Please respect copyright.PENANAJuSaupoNBR
I thought apologizing would make things better, give us a fresh start, but she said she didn't want to start over. 458Please respect copyright.PENANAudO1w2DvNy
And that made me fucking ecstatic. I wanted to remember everything, every little detail.458Please respect copyright.PENANAqJgrVRSp3c
As we walk into the kitchen, Kai stops shoving food in his mouth long enough to be obnoxious. "Daaamn bro, your girl is smokin'!"458Please respect copyright.PENANAgX2kGTaH5u
I smirk, giving a slight nod in acknowledgement, but I know better than to speak. 458Please respect copyright.PENANAAwjbAZ7EJm
"I'm not his girl." Kat sounds offended. Oh shit. Shut up, Kai.458Please respect copyright.PENANA8xS36rya6c
"So sorry, my lady." She is full on glaring at him by this point and I'm resisting the urge to grab an umbrella and wait out the storm that's brewing.458Please respect copyright.PENANAxR64L0uhuc
"I'm not your lady either." I fail at hiding the laugh that escapes out of me. Even though Kai had no idea what he was getting into, I could get used to her rage being aimed at someone other than me. 458Please respect copyright.PENANAE2bvOdaLtk
Shit. Now she's glaring at me again. "Something amusing?"458Please respect copyright.PENANAGU0royL3WW
I drop the smirk and shake my head, hoping I look innocent.458Please respect copyright.PENANAoXC5MfeQrU
Her eyebrows raise further, in question. "No, Kat." Feeling very much like the schoolboy who got caught. Guess I got detention.458Please respect copyright.PENANAEpm5X0wAfa
"Sorry, Kat, is it?" His stupid face continues taking. Fuck, he's gonna get this whole house burnt down. 458Please respect copyright.PENANAwUg8CWHsFD
Just shut up, Kai.458Please respect copyright.PENANAAI1JtOsKsz
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I'm sending a brain message to him.458Please respect copyright.PENANAOm5jdwEmxv
Stop talking. 458Please respect copyright.PENANA64Ww5gJfRV
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Stop talking.458Please respect copyright.PENANAcD7HQQPqL2
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Stop talking.458Please respect copyright.PENANAGz5kpucf7A
Of course, he doesn't hear me, so he continues digging his grave. "I just assumed since Vanessa is with Nate-dog, Soph is with Luke and I'm pretty sure you aren't with me... Benny here is the only option."458Please respect copyright.PENANAZ6juLBHbQd
"Oh." She... wait. What? That's it? What the fuck? She would have murdered me. 458Please respect copyright.PENANAKH1hWv1O2r
"Oh?" I say it before I can stop myself. What is wrong with me? She turns her little glare on me. 458Please respect copyright.PENANAdIipsFIXDV
God, could she be more breathtaking? I want to worship her... and run for shelter at the same time. What is she doing to me?458Please respect copyright.PENANAR7w1occJvj
"Sorry, just ignore me." I try to cut off her rage before it starts, but fail. 458Please respect copyright.PENANA9aAMldSrn7
"Will do." Her eyes avoid mine as she hurries out of the kitchen.458Please respect copyright.PENANAUf2ZvObasY
I follow after her. Of course I do. I am a glutton for punishment.458Please respect copyright.PENANAJihAUujCzl
But as I stand outside the door of my room, I'm at a complete loss. 458Please respect copyright.PENANAXLoqZLUFz4
I'm honestly not sure what I did wrong, other than piss her off... but I seem to do that simply by breathing. 458Please respect copyright.PENANAEknlyMzrXq
I just want to be near her.458Please respect copyright.PENANA2dZetr5VEs
Come on, Ben. Get a fucking hold of yourself. You are the man. You don't need another disaster. Remember what happened last time you - no, don't think about that. 458Please respect copyright.PENANAuCdn1rZaDO
Focus. 458Please respect copyright.PENANAzwv7GKUSSs
No relationships. 458Please respect copyright.PENANAdPHANXDYX5
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No dating.458Please respect copyright.PENANAOcYniAcoM1
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No long term. 458Please respect copyright.PENANAUNvaqnctxB
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No feelings.458Please respect copyright.PENANABp6FxUOzOd
That's the deal. Nate might have fallen off the wagon, but I know he will come back around. 458Please respect copyright.PENANAoZqIwlKddS
Time to reign this in. I turn the knob and walk in without looking at her. That will make this easier. 458Please respect copyright.PENANABSJ9zsiDYM
I sit on my bed, next to her and stare at the floor as I begin my half-assed blow-off attempt. 458Please respect copyright.PENANA3GL91jHath
"So, listen, Kat... This has been fun. But you know, I'm just like super busy right now and I just think maybe-" She cuts me off, which is good because I ran out of cliches to use.458Please respect copyright.PENANAMKVuqoIxtx
"Are you serious right now?" If her eyes could shoot lasers, I would be cut into tiny pieces... and she would probably enjoy it. A lot. "I can't even... I can't..."458Please respect copyright.PENANAXXFhuc0ZYu
She shakes her head and walks out the door. I swear I feel a piece of me follow her, but like the pussy I am, I stay behind. 458Please respect copyright.PENANArrKbaL2eF2
She chose to run away from the shell that's left of me.458Please respect copyright.PENANA8cOdrztNBE
So I let her.
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