Twist of Fate (3 page)

Back then he was the cutest thing I'd ever laid my eyes on, with his longboard, his stupid beanie he wore with his brown locks sticking out, and the little tricks he'd do on the boardwalk. I knew he was showing off, but I didn't mind. I'd never forget that day on the beach. It was chilly, way too many jellyfish in the water to swim. All his friends were digging an enormous hole in the sand. He could have easily walked past me to join them, but he didn't. He placed his towel down beside mine, and plopped down next to me. We talked for almost two hours that day about anything and everything. So, whenever Ben started acting like an asshole, I remembered that day. Part of me missed him for those years that we stopped speaking, but he and I were never going to work, so I put him on the back burner and moved on. By the look that he was giving me from across the room, I was pretty sure he remembered that final night we spent alone by the bonfire on the beach.

It had been three summers of seeing each other on vacation, and it took those three summers for him to finally kiss me. I knew long ago that night would forever stay engrained in my memory. If only we could turn back time and be fourteen again.

BEN

Chapter 3

It was three weeks into the fall semester, and already I was losing my game. Every time I turned around, Tommy had Paige by his side. And, since, Tommy and I hung out all the time, Paige was now included in our nightly adventures. After one too many arguments on why she needed to keep coming around, I gave up. Tommy insisted that we help her adjust to her new school, which meant spending unwanted time with Paige. I was positive he knew why I was so hesitant, probably before I even figured out.
 

One night last week, after having one too many, we dressed her up in Tommy's army fatigue pants and black shirt to go mess with one of the sorority house's lawn furniture. It was that night she easily made it back into my heart.
 

It was hysterical watching her fumble around in the dark, all nervous that we were gonna get caught. Not to mention she looked cute as hell as doing it. The pants were huge on her, the shirt enormous, but the black face paint we streaked all over her face totally did me in. We put an baseball cap on her, pulling it down just far enough. I had to take several steps back when we were all finished getting her ready, just to stop from throwing myself at her. She looked so damn cute, it took everything in me not to lock lips with her. The only thing you could see were these two huge emerald green eyes, and the sweetest cherry mouth that I'd ever seen sticking out from under a hat. That mouth was the only thing I could think of for the rest of the night.

It was like I was fifteen all over again; an instant lost cause with a raging hard on.

So, when I walked in an hour late for a house party, because my date was running behind, I was a little shocked to see her in the corner with Matt's damn arm around her, again, since I thought she wasn't seeing anyone. I knew he was interested in her since the last few parties he had made it obvious to everyone that he wanted to stake claim.
 
I pulled Michele along with me, and walked toward the pair of them. Without thinking, I grabbed Matt's shoulder, because no well, no hell, was I about to let that happen. "Oh, hell no, Matt." Even though I hadn't made my move yet, I was in no way ready to lose her.

He brushed me aside, glaring at me. "What's your problem, Benny boy?" I knew I was sort of out of line since I was a Junior, and he had one year on me. Personally, I couldn't wait for some of the seniors to graduate and get the hell out of there. He was one of them. I hadn't been a pledge for two years, but sometimes they made you feel like you were back to freshman year, and doing all their shit for them. From the get go, I never thought he liked me.

I looked at Paige, who seemed confused the way her nose was crinkling up, then back to Matt. "You know the rules," I said through clenched teeth.

"Yeah, I do. I didn't sign it. Do you remember the rules?" What the fuck was that supposed to mean?

I pulled Michele up next to me, angling her under my arm. "Of course, I do."

It's not that Matt was a horrible guy, but I didn't want to see Paige get used, then dumped the next day. If he was still sniffing around after a few weeks, that could only mean one thing-she hadn't given it up yet. Thank God! I felt sort of responsible for her when Tommy was otherwise preoccupied. I let go of my date's hand, and yanked Paige out of the corner he had her wedged in. "Can I talk to you for a sec?"

She flicked my hand off, rolled her eyes, then whispered something in Matt's ear. "What, Ben?"

"Let me take you back to your dorm?"

She scoffed at me, "I'm not leaving. I just got here half hour ago."
We stared each other down for a few seconds, before I said, "Fine, but don't do anything stupid."

She laughed out loud. "You're unbelievable." She looked over to my date, rolling her eyes. "You sleep with anyone who'll open their legs for you, but I can't even hold a guy's hand. Back off, Ben. You're not my father, my brother, or my cousin."

I must have seemed stunned or something because she gave me a strange look.
 
I couldn't believe she just said that shit. My date was the exact opposite of Paige, which was part of the point. I gave Michele a once over, trying to see her through Paige's eyes. Her skirt was so shirt, I wouldn't even need to lift it for access, her shirt was so tight, and see through that there was no need to wonder what was underneath.

My eyes found Paige's again. "I may not be any of those people, but at least I'm watching out for you. It's more than I can say for Tommy." I cranked my neck around looking for any sign of him. "Speaking of...do you know where he is?"
 
I needed to talk to him. This was getting out of control, because I didn't want to play the big brother role, but felt like I was left with no choice.
 

Paige peeked over my shoulder, so I turned to see a very annoyed Matt glaring at me. "Look, Ben, I appreciate it. I do. But, I'm fine." She started to go around me, but I grabbed her wrist, stopping her. "Give me your cell?"

"Why?"

"Just give it to me," I demanded.

She took it out of her handbag, then gave it to me. I programmed my number in.

"If you need anything, you call me. I'll come no matter what, and be careful. I know Matt a lot better than you." She cocked her head to the side, eyeing me.

Then she did the unexpected. She moved so close, I almost stopped breathing.
 
Her lips pressed softly against my cheek, whispering, "Thanks, Ben."

She walked back over to Matt, grabbing his hand in hers, while I stood there like some fool, frozen, unable to move from just the touch of her lips.

Michele came back to join me with a shot and a beer. I allowed myself one more quick look toward Paige. Matt had her hoisted by her waist, her legs wrapped around him, spinning her around to the music.
 
I wanted to look away, but I couldn't. I also couldn't believe that Paige, my Paige was acting like a slut in front of everyone. I slammed the shot back, then followed with the beer in my hand. Paige jumped down, tugging at her dress, then playfully slapped Matt, laughing.
 

"Let's go. I think I need another shot." I grabbed Michele by the hand, and strolled upstairs to the makeshift bar we used for parties. "You want one?" I asked her. She nodded. I grabbed the Vodka, poured two shots, and quickly threw it back, then did another.
 

Michele's hands slipped into my back pockets, pulling me closer to her. I stared down at her for several seconds debating what I should do. I could go back downstairs, grab Paige, and haul her ass out of here, or I could do another shot, take Michele upstairs and forget Paige existed. Michele's hand ran slowly up the back of my shirt pretty much answering my own question.
 
"You want to go somewhere more quiet?" I asked her. Michele nodded, walking toward the upstairs. I grabbed the bottle of Vodka, then her hand, leading her to my room.
 

Paige who?

PAIGE

Chapter 4

After Ben, Tommy, and I grabbed lunch in the Union, Tommy skirted off to chase some girl he'd been trying to ask out, and Ben insisted on walking me back to my dorm. "I don't need a chaperone. Don't you have something better to do?"

His hand flew to his chest. "I'm hurt, P. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you didn't want me to see your room."

I glanced sideways to look at him, and noticed he was staring down at me. "I don't care if you see my room. It's just..."
"It's just what?"

Nervously, I began to twirl my hair around my finger. "Well, my...I don't know if Ellie is there, and she kind of thinks you're cute."

He stopped dead in his tracks, grinning from ear to ear, then studied my features. His hand reached up to twist me around just as I took a step. "Wait! That chick I met at your first party at the house?"

I sighed. "Yes, do you want to meet her again?" Even as I asked him, I could hear the disappointment in my own voice to be pushing someone else on him.

He jogged next to me, turning to run backwards. "What's wrong? Are you jealous?"

He came to another stop, so I walked around him. "Why would I be jealous?"

He shrugged. "Never mind."
Once at Pima hall, I assumed he was going to go his way, and I'd go mine. I had at least three hours of studying to do if I wanted to ace my test in Population Geography.

So, I turned to say good-bye, but he was leaning up against the building with his arms crossed, waiting for me to swipe my CAT card to open the door. "You're really want to come up?"

"Sure. I'm dying to see what's covering those bedroom walls."

We walked in and stopped at the front desk to check for mail. Gina, the DA, handed me a small package with an Ohio return address on it, immediately bringing a smile to my face.

Ben peeked down. "Who's in Ohio?"

"My best friend from high school. We're still really close. She's goes to Ohio State. So, anyway I hate to disappoint you, but no weird pictures, or posters yet. I haven't really settled in all the way."

He followed me up the steps until we get to the second floor. "It's been a few weeks. Why not?" Nervously, I fumbled with my keys and the box. Just knowing Ben was next to me, which seemed to be happening a lot lately, made me nervous. And, I didn't know why.
 

He'd always been nothing but a good friend, and friends hung out, but still, I couldn't shake this feeling that he wanted something from me. I shrugged. "I don't know."

He grabbed for the box when we approached my door. "Here, give it to me," I slowly slipped the key in, praying Ellie was at class, or worming her way into another guy's life. I stuck my head in to find an empty room, and relaxed. But Ben looked around shamelessly, touching a few things as he entered. "Damn, I was hoping to get a little flirting in." I couldn't tell if he was serious, or yanking my chain, so I ignored his comment.

Ben dropped the package on my bed, sitting next to it. He looked around taking everything in, making himself at home. "How did you know that was my bed?" He looked down like he was
 
searching for something, then back up to me, shrugging his shoulders. "This blanket's purple."

I scrunched up my nose, trying to make sense of his remark. I looked over at Ellie's side, and everything was just as pretty in black and white polka dots. "So?"

"Is purple not your favorite color anymore?"

"What?" I asked, completely thrown off guard that he knew.

He stood, grabbing my shoulders. "I have a great memory. You told me when we used to go to Cali together." And, I knew he was right. I could remember telling him when we played one hundred questions at the top of the Ferris wheel that year. I had been thirteen.

He walked back over, flopping back onto my bed, holding the package up, reading the front. "So, are we going to see what a Mackenzie Haines sent you, or what?" He shook it several times, holding it up to his ear.
 

"Give me that." I grabbed it away from him, peeling the masking tape down the side.
Something hard fell to the floor, and a piece of paper slipped down with it. Ben scooped it up, going into hysterics as he peeled the bubble wrap off. "Holy shit! What is this for? Damn, P, why is she sending you this?"

My eyes hadn't blinked once from sheer mortification. It was just like Mackenzie to send me something like this as a joke, and now I'd never hear the end of it. I read her letter, while Ben still examined it, and hadn't seemed to get a hold of his laughing. "I'm going to kill her."

Ben handed the vibrator to me. "I can run to the store and get batteries if you're out." I'm surprised he was even able to get the whole sentence out in between laughing. I threw it back at him. "You take it. I don't want it."

He sat up, surprised, "Why the hell would I want it? If you're that lonely, P. I could always help you out. Just say the word, and I'm your guy."

"HaHa," I smiled because the whole thing was kind of funny. I placed it back into his hand. "It would be a great party favor at one of your frat parties. Think about it?"

He could't seem to take his eyes off of my new little toy. "It would. I know a lot of girls who would put it to good use," he stopped momentarily to read the box. " The All American whopper." He stuffed it in my top drawer, winking. "Nah, you keep it. You never know, might come in handy," he said, wiggling his eyebrows at me.