Ben453Please respect copyright.PENANAOEDoWCaiss
453Please respect copyright.PENANAZsIiMbYAcD
January 1, 2005
*
Same day
*
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. 453Please respect copyright.PENANAZN1YGKNqEr
Okay, maybe I didn't try that hard.453Please respect copyright.PENANAlwRPpL9z74
453Please respect copyright.PENANA2E4wDcw1uL
Okay, fine I didn't try at all. 453Please respect copyright.PENANAkjD3pS4fAQ
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.453Please respect copyright.PENANAguAYjFxVDb
I heard Vanessa yell something about good sex in Kat's life. Shit, were they talking about me? 453Please respect copyright.PENANAJHdRRF11V7
I've never been so fucking insecure about a girl before. What the hell is wrong with me?453Please respect copyright.PENANA775jpfkk4P
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.453Please respect copyright.PENANA460GylKTcj
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."453Please respect copyright.PENANAPJ8QBikPxe
I couldn't think up an excuse, so I went for an apology. "Sorry, bro."453Please respect copyright.PENANAPFjRGxhbdB
"Just ignore him, he's smitten with his new girl." Nate betrayed me.453Please respect copyright.PENANAdNSJuFMSgO
"What the fuck, man?" I tried to think of more, but I was in shock. Smitten? Who says that? 453Please respect copyright.PENANAIFBAxlkLKt
"Just telling it like it is, bro." Nate smirked. Asshole.453Please respect copyright.PENANAJzO9Fdqg8f
"Whatever. She's definitely not my girl." I crossed my arms defensively, hoping he would take the hint and back the fuck off.453Please respect copyright.PENANAhFT96Z2ysM
As soon as we heard the girls screaming at each other, I was on my feet, ready for... what? 453Please respect copyright.PENANABXOfQmJK5V
Was I worried about Kat? What could I even do? She barely even liked me. She would probably just turn her wrath on me.453Please respect copyright.PENANAHUnrqvOLSc
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.453Please respect copyright.PENANATxT8YUnima
I tried to focus on Kai's story, but my mind kept drifting to Kat.453Please respect copyright.PENANAJWqf1aL4Yr
Damn, Vanessa was the only one with Nate when he returned.453Please respect copyright.PENANA3NgglQgEsR
Where was my little hurricane?453Please respect copyright.PENANAQGQvdWjlOb
"Hey 'Ness! Good to see you again." Luke smiled from next to the stove, waving the spatula in greeting.453Please respect copyright.PENANAOwY3y9kdCb
Vanessa smiled and stepped up to the breakfast bar. "Hey Luke, where's Soph?" 453Please respect copyright.PENANAL1kyYqJi4d
"Your guess is as good as mine." Luke grimaces as he moves to the opposite side of the breakfast bar.453Please respect copyright.PENANAR7HQV5ZJJk
"Uh oh... Trouble in paradise?" Vanessa pats his arm to console him.453Please respect copyright.PENANAqGpbhl30a5
Fuck this. I can't sit here and listen to this small talk. I need to find Kat. I need to apologize. 453Please respect copyright.PENANAbCSzHev069
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. 453Please respect copyright.PENANAXXVxmMzkY0
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? 453Please respect copyright.PENANAyDHSjXvBAb
I thought apologizing would make things better, give us a fresh start, but she said she didn't want to start over. 453Please respect copyright.PENANAUw1DYK993e
And that made me fucking ecstatic. I wanted to remember everything, every little detail.453Please respect copyright.PENANAShEA1TQxMW
As we walk into the kitchen, Kai stops shoving food in his mouth long enough to be obnoxious. "Daaamn bro, your girl is smokin'!"453Please respect copyright.PENANA6Ikw5jm7t1
I smirk, giving a slight nod in acknowledgement, but I know better than to speak. 453Please respect copyright.PENANAeW2VLPpREh
"I'm not his girl." Kat sounds offended. Oh shit. Shut up, Kai.453Please respect copyright.PENANASkinCOUrhv
"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.453Please respect copyright.PENANAVALMOSoRAN
"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. 453Please respect copyright.PENANAZ98W6ZZx1W
Shit. Now she's glaring at me again. "Something amusing?"453Please respect copyright.PENANA0TbyR7NmrK
I drop the smirk and shake my head, hoping I look innocent.453Please respect copyright.PENANAhoT8zzxggK
Her eyebrows raise further, in question. "No, Kat." Feeling very much like the schoolboy who got caught. Guess I got detention.453Please respect copyright.PENANA3EZHay8io0
"Sorry, Kat, is it?" His stupid face continues taking. Fuck, he's gonna get this whole house burnt down. 453Please respect copyright.PENANAuKpeu4Es7z
Just shut up, Kai.453Please respect copyright.PENANAh1mmPOA8ZP
453Please respect copyright.PENANAi2H9CYuOrA
I'm sending a brain message to him.453Please respect copyright.PENANAURq2meDSm6
Stop talking. 453Please respect copyright.PENANApcjOqB4Yiy
453Please respect copyright.PENANAQXTslbc1by
Stop talking.453Please respect copyright.PENANAB217GQlpPg
453Please respect copyright.PENANAlhn2p6BMP3
Stop talking.453Please respect copyright.PENANAVeXH0Ll2YV
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."453Please respect copyright.PENANAeV5XMVj5NR
"Oh." She... wait. What? That's it? What the fuck? She would have murdered me. 453Please respect copyright.PENANAP9ekXPqeHv
"Oh?" I say it before I can stop myself. What is wrong with me? She turns her little glare on me. 453Please respect copyright.PENANAJwX6t6uLD7
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?453Please respect copyright.PENANA5UFBy749jD
"Sorry, just ignore me." I try to cut off her rage before it starts, but fail. 453Please respect copyright.PENANAqSR88oR2M8
"Will do." Her eyes avoid mine as she hurries out of the kitchen.453Please respect copyright.PENANAB7lPAAaGJ9
I follow after her. Of course I do. I am a glutton for punishment.453Please respect copyright.PENANAXdKdOKEX4Q
But as I stand outside the door of my room, I'm at a complete loss. 453Please respect copyright.PENANAX3f8sLdNdi
I'm honestly not sure what I did wrong, other than piss her off... but I seem to do that simply by breathing. 453Please respect copyright.PENANAlFACp9WwVf
I just want to be near her.453Please respect copyright.PENANAHRIQmN09sa
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. 453Please respect copyright.PENANALX3aSQpZ8B
Focus. 453Please respect copyright.PENANA1fFhNd4pLv
No relationships. 453Please respect copyright.PENANAurpN28PJy9
453Please respect copyright.PENANAYg3myouqV4
No dating.453Please respect copyright.PENANApneEEv8pQA
453Please respect copyright.PENANA2lBYpyaPzn
No long term. 453Please respect copyright.PENANArUbxE7N91p
453Please respect copyright.PENANAPjuvcCQ7c4
No feelings.453Please respect copyright.PENANAo81ZlJjxO9
That's the deal. Nate might have fallen off the wagon, but I know he will come back around. 453Please respect copyright.PENANAz8IrnFjdEr
Time to reign this in. I turn the knob and walk in without looking at her. That will make this easier. 453Please respect copyright.PENANAwi4YXZLLKu
I sit on my bed, next to her and stare at the floor as I begin my half-assed blow-off attempt. 453Please respect copyright.PENANAPUziQOENn7
"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.453Please respect copyright.PENANAXn4AY5Z0dh
"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..."453Please respect copyright.PENANAvmSekxmdmJ
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. 453Please respect copyright.PENANAKRNhpOonHi
She chose to run away from the shell that's left of me.453Please respect copyright.PENANAxFLmJnakjj
So I let her.
ns 172.69.58.111da2