Ben643Please respect copyright.PENANAbtEjKOJJa6
643Please respect copyright.PENANAEtLMbcZD1p
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. 643Please respect copyright.PENANAkiP12rTDQ3
Okay, maybe I didn't try that hard.643Please respect copyright.PENANAGaciQe94mh
643Please respect copyright.PENANAyV8aoquCER
Okay, fine I didn't try at all. 643Please respect copyright.PENANAbJGEMUr5bS
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.643Please respect copyright.PENANAIsyoPcEmMm
I heard Vanessa yell something about good sex in Kat's life. Shit, were they talking about me? 643Please respect copyright.PENANAR6n9oBrl7S
I've never been so fucking insecure about a girl before. What the hell is wrong with me?643Please respect copyright.PENANA3MI9oS7Y8I
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.643Please respect copyright.PENANATS8js81E4m
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."643Please respect copyright.PENANA9eTuAUFTl9
I couldn't think up an excuse, so I went for an apology. "Sorry, bro."643Please respect copyright.PENANA10Tqp0kvXt
"Just ignore him, he's smitten with his new girl." Nate betrayed me.643Please respect copyright.PENANA1pcMeAfJQ2
"What the fuck, man?" I tried to think of more, but I was in shock. Smitten? Who says that? 643Please respect copyright.PENANAO8L2kfkamX
"Just telling it like it is, bro." Nate smirked. Asshole.643Please respect copyright.PENANA2AhnQpnKxH
"Whatever. She's definitely not my girl." I crossed my arms defensively, hoping he would take the hint and back the fuck off.643Please respect copyright.PENANAViUVXn3oFo
As soon as we heard the girls screaming at each other, I was on my feet, ready for... what? 643Please respect copyright.PENANAb3nsiLYCLH
Was I worried about Kat? What could I even do? She barely even liked me. She would probably just turn her wrath on me.643Please respect copyright.PENANAXXYao2qVPF
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.643Please respect copyright.PENANAu7WD3cX2Jm
I tried to focus on Kai's story, but my mind kept drifting to Kat.643Please respect copyright.PENANA0kXwG1bxiI
Damn, Vanessa was the only one with Nate when he returned.643Please respect copyright.PENANA3eSY0PpGVh
Where was my little hurricane?643Please respect copyright.PENANAxDpW1ZWDCE
"Hey 'Ness! Good to see you again." Luke smiled from next to the stove, waving the spatula in greeting.643Please respect copyright.PENANAhk3yyvvqfh
Vanessa smiled and stepped up to the breakfast bar. "Hey Luke, where's Soph?" 643Please respect copyright.PENANAx482CWf3Iu
"Your guess is as good as mine." Luke grimaces as he moves to the opposite side of the breakfast bar.643Please respect copyright.PENANAakNmm8VdRi
"Uh oh... Trouble in paradise?" Vanessa pats his arm to console him.643Please respect copyright.PENANAiA13txdxIO
Fuck this. I can't sit here and listen to this small talk. I need to find Kat. I need to apologize. 643Please respect copyright.PENANAyJMy1jcguq
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. 643Please respect copyright.PENANAMl6YkBMFMC
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? 643Please respect copyright.PENANAK7avrlgDys
I thought apologizing would make things better, give us a fresh start, but she said she didn't want to start over. 643Please respect copyright.PENANAEmP1gfb83b
And that made me fucking ecstatic. I wanted to remember everything, every little detail.643Please respect copyright.PENANAwQSCYpnDUg
As we walk into the kitchen, Kai stops shoving food in his mouth long enough to be obnoxious. "Daaamn bro, your girl is smokin'!"643Please respect copyright.PENANAibuudt8oPn
I smirk, giving a slight nod in acknowledgement, but I know better than to speak. 643Please respect copyright.PENANArd696CT7Iw
"I'm not his girl." Kat sounds offended. Oh shit. Shut up, Kai.643Please respect copyright.PENANAvaPJrYmqyn
"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.643Please respect copyright.PENANAqewRhFLL2l
"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. 643Please respect copyright.PENANALwbQZ5jTSx
Shit. Now she's glaring at me again. "Something amusing?"643Please respect copyright.PENANAEtz0UG5E6b
I drop the smirk and shake my head, hoping I look innocent.643Please respect copyright.PENANAAnUV3thcAz
Her eyebrows raise further, in question. "No, Kat." Feeling very much like the schoolboy who got caught. Guess I got detention.643Please respect copyright.PENANA3v59Obtix8
"Sorry, Kat, is it?" His stupid face continues taking. Fuck, he's gonna get this whole house burnt down. 643Please respect copyright.PENANAaubDVJv1bx
Just shut up, Kai.643Please respect copyright.PENANAd8IvV32glQ
643Please respect copyright.PENANAzqQPRxRVX7
I'm sending a brain message to him.643Please respect copyright.PENANAQgWq7qjnw8
Stop talking. 643Please respect copyright.PENANAZWz3tX9muW
643Please respect copyright.PENANAcRZdpu7MSq
Stop talking.643Please respect copyright.PENANAkBcZJ6w3nC
643Please respect copyright.PENANANz29VIZxwR
Stop talking.643Please respect copyright.PENANA1pTzJZMzGu
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."643Please respect copyright.PENANA1OqlIiN3OD
"Oh." She... wait. What? That's it? What the fuck? She would have murdered me. 643Please respect copyright.PENANA9iVxNIe2D5
"Oh?" I say it before I can stop myself. What is wrong with me? She turns her little glare on me. 643Please respect copyright.PENANAZxQP1BD1pp
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?643Please respect copyright.PENANA7KgzXjESvc
"Sorry, just ignore me." I try to cut off her rage before it starts, but fail. 643Please respect copyright.PENANAcpWa5vwSUN
"Will do." Her eyes avoid mine as she hurries out of the kitchen.643Please respect copyright.PENANAnLfmaNvJWh
I follow after her. Of course I do. I am a glutton for punishment.643Please respect copyright.PENANArWT4bvzPmT
But as I stand outside the door of my room, I'm at a complete loss. 643Please respect copyright.PENANAjEfroPPoQy
I'm honestly not sure what I did wrong, other than piss her off... but I seem to do that simply by breathing. 643Please respect copyright.PENANACpJ6akeT07
I just want to be near her.643Please respect copyright.PENANAKYxMenZaDp
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. 643Please respect copyright.PENANAjUP8jdGtGZ
Focus. 643Please respect copyright.PENANABbbOUaPZgj
No relationships. 643Please respect copyright.PENANA1vKRKBLT9T
643Please respect copyright.PENANAjJGcP2ZvSk
No dating.643Please respect copyright.PENANAaZOhIdO4Jg
643Please respect copyright.PENANAjBnduW5gdf
No long term. 643Please respect copyright.PENANADvfh4IJ4ft
643Please respect copyright.PENANA0JqLo2q7sG
No feelings.643Please respect copyright.PENANAmJ6ZpjZ7eX
That's the deal. Nate might have fallen off the wagon, but I know he will come back around. 643Please respect copyright.PENANAwohLcJ4Hzl
Time to reign this in. I turn the knob and walk in without looking at her. That will make this easier. 643Please respect copyright.PENANA7Gplpf2YCd
I sit on my bed, next to her and stare at the floor as I begin my half-assed blow-off attempt. 643Please respect copyright.PENANAK2NGvXJigs
"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.643Please respect copyright.PENANA5Qjdw5v86E
"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..."643Please respect copyright.PENANA5STu4qCH2A
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. 643Please respect copyright.PENANAXiGb0M20ON
She chose to run away from the shell that's left of me.643Please respect copyright.PENANAv9qbSMsysP
So I let her.
ns216.73.216.100da2