today, 3:49 pm
With nothing much to do, and a head full of sorrows, Benjamin strolled down to the common area to buy a soda and some chips with the little money that he could scrounge. He felt sore and hollow, used up like a chew toy.
At least I’m clothed
, he thought.
Seated at one of the tables was Callie, laughing and drinking out of cups with a girl he didn’t know. He felt his heart quicken at the sight of her.
What the hell
, he thought.
No guts, no glory.
“Hey there,” he began. The two young women looked up at him, and the laughter stopped.
“Hi-i-i,” said Callie slowly. The other girl – jet black complexion with a white bikini top; red gym shorts, thin arms around her knees, that were pulled up to her impressive chest; a pretty nose and a mean-looking mouth beneath big, dark sunglasses – checked him out, pursed her lips, and nodded silently.
“Mind if I sit with y’all?” he asked.
The girls looked at each other, awkwardly smiling, and then broke the tension with a lighthearted laugh. Callie’s friend kicked a chair toward him. Callie looked up at him and smiled.
“I’m Benjamin,” he said, extending his hand. She went for a fist bump instead.
“I see that,” she replied. “Alyxe.”
“Okay,” he said, clunkily bumping her fist. He was feeling a strange vibe that he couldn’t place, but he sat down anyway and took a sip of his Coke.
“You wanna shot?” Alyxe asked, lifting up a half-empty fifth of vodka.
“Um, sure,” he said with a grin. Callie was mindlessly gazing at the ground. Alyxe reached over and poured some of the bottle into his can, spilling a little. He put his thumb over the hole and shook it up some, taking a sip.
“Too strong?” Alyxe asked.
“Fine,” he replied. “So, what are you all up to?”
Callie turned to him with a frozen smile, opened her mouth, and then closed her teeth in another frozen smile. Her brow furrowed sympathetically, asking him: “How are you doin’, Ben?”
“I’m... good,” he said back, and took another sip of the drink nervously.
What was going on?
“Just thought I’d say hi, y’know.” He was feeling gloomy.
Callie touched his arm. “Yeah... of course,” she smiled, warmly this time. “I’m glad.”
He smiled back. “So... Alyxe? You live around here too?”
“Not really,” she said. “Was jus’ visiting a friend, and started hangin’ with this girly.”
“Oh, nice,” he nodded, not knowing what to say.
“Yeah,” said Alyxe coolly, leaning a bit his way. “You know Selena, right?” Callie inhaled, looked at Ben, and looked away again uncomfortably.
He blinked. “My sister Selena?”
“Yeah, that one,” she smiled like a cat. “We used to chill down in Lakeland.”
“Oh, huh,” he said. “And you all... chilled here?”
“That girl crazy,” Alyxe laughed. “You know what she was doin’? She was tellin’
stories.
”
“Alyxe,” Callie tittered. She looked to be blushing. A lump formed in Ben’s throat.
“Uh-huh,” he said.
“Stories about her brother
Benjamin
.”
“Oh.” He darkened, taking a big slug of the Coke and vodka. “Well, I’ll leave you to them.”
“Wait, wait, wait,” said Alyxe, reaching over her chair to grab his arm. “I’m jus’ fucking with you, bruh... stay! ‘Sides, my girl here likes you.”
“
Alyxe,
” Callie said through her teeth. She made eye contact with Ben and then looked away.
“I get it,” added Alyxe. “You cute, for real.” She was still holding onto his arm. He couldn’t read her smile. “Have another shot a’ this,” she insisted, sloppily pouring the vodka in.
He took another sip. Callie was giving him a funny eye – he couldn’t tell if it was flirtatiousness or pity. “What kind of shit is Selena talking now,” he finally had to ask.
Alyxe’s smile got wider till her teeth shone. She tilted her head and lowered her sunglasses so that he could finally see her bloodshot, almond-shaped eyes. “Twisted tales.” At this Callie chuckled. Alyxe continued: “So, how long before everything is...” She made a circular motion with her hand over her lap.