“It’s really important to me that Benny likes you Nick” I said to him as I laid on the sofa waiting for the time to pass by.
I decided that today I wanted the two to meet before my event tonight which Ben would be driving me too. Nick didn’t want to come to this one since its one of these influencer events that they do.
Lucky for him, I would rather not go but my boss seems to think I need the exposure and said I should leave my boyfriend’s bed for once.
He also happened to say of this in front of the whole office which started a whole wave of whispers between everyone.
“why wouldn’t he like me”
“Don’t try and laugh about this I’m not joking Ben is so important to me” I told him. I didn’t want to put too much pressure on him, but this means a lot to me.
Nick saw the look on my face, he walked over to me pushing hair away from my face and kissing em softly. “don’t worry baby ”
I nodded. Nick left to the kitchen to grab some food as I finished getting ready. We had agreed to meet Ben at a restaurant that was near the city.
I decided on wearing a simple pair of black jeans paired with a white crop top and my blazer jacket.
Nick grabbed his keys and met me outside. On our way there we had the music playing in the car and Nick held my hand tightly as he drove. I knew that he was trying to ease my worry and I respected that.
I searched the restaurant looking for him. I found him quickly. I wanted to make the tension less, so I suggested that he bring his girlfriend Abigail, probably for my own selfish reasons.
Abigail saw us before Ben did, she tapped Ben on the shoulder letting him know that we arrived. I think I held my breath as the two locked eyes.
But before I could even understand the look on their faces, I felt Nick tense beside me.
“I didn’t want to fucking believe it” was the first words to come out of Ben’s mouth.
Both me and Abigal looked at each other each mirroring the same expression, fear.
“I thought I recognised your name, but I didn’t want to believe it” Ben shook his head. My eyes widened as they looked between the two men.
Abi placed her hand on his arm” baby, what’s going on” Ben looked scary as he scoffed.
“What’s going on is this guy fucked over my little sister and now wants to do the same to Selene who basically is that, my little sister”
Nick didn’t say a word and that made me not come to his defence.
“Ben” my voice seemed to break him out of his little moment. “I won’t watch you get hurt by this asshole Selly, he broke my little sister’s heart and I can’t bear it if he did the same to you”
I felt Nick tighten his hold on my hand.
“Can you please explain this all to me,” I said completely confused. This was probably my worst nightmare and I was living it right now.
Surprisingly Nick spoke up “I dated his little sister years back, we ended on bad terms and their family never really forgave me for it,” he said. Nick seemed to carry grief with his words making me realise that Ben was telling the truth and not making some excuse for not liking Nick.
“forgive you? You didn’t even care for her after you ended it and I was the one who had to deal with a whole year of crying and depression” Ben said standing up.
This was going terribly wrong.
“Honey I’m sure that you didn’t know the full story” I was surprised that Abi was coming to Nick’s defence, but she always tried to be fair and that’s what I admired about her.
Even I haven’t defended Nick and I’m his girlfriend
“I won’t get into that, that is history, but I won’t stand here and say I’m okay with you dating my Selene, not on my fucking watch” I don’t think I’ve ever seen Ben this angry.
He was always a friendly face. Ever since we were young and he started this job in taking care of me, driving me everywhere I needed to go. Picking me up from random buildings where I would be partying. My father wanted someone that I would like that I would feel comfortable with and for him that was Ben’s father.
“she’s not yours you don’t get to say what she does and who she does it with” Nick snarled clearly getting as angry. I tried not to think about the sexual innuendo.
“The same thing I said to you when it was your sister, you controlled her and that ruined our relationship” I should feel jealousy, but I didn’t, not this time.
Ben leant over grabbing the collar of Nick. People had started to look over whispering once recognising Nick and then me. Abi managed to grab hold of Ben and bring him back. She barely had time to react as Ben stormed out of the restaurant leaving me to stare at him.
“I’m sorry Selene,” she said rushing out to follow him. I knew that I should probably follow him, but I think Abi had a better chance at calming down. Maybe he just needed some time to think this through.
“You better start talking Nick,” I said as I crossed my arms. He sighed “I know, just let me get a fucking drink first” he raised his hand up to the waiter who was instantly by the table.
“A beer”
“Yes sir” he looked over at me, but I shook my head” just water please”
I needed to be in the right mindset for this conversation.
Once Nick had his beer and he managed to drink a quarter of it he started speaking.
“I was an asshole let us start there. I already had my first business in high school selling sneakers to the rich kids” why doesn’t that surprise me.
“I made the mistake of getting into a relationship with Bens sister not knowing the underlining issues she had with herself. I was concentrating on making sales that I completely disregarded Justine as a girlfriend or even a friend in general”
How is this the first time I’m hearing of that name, yes, I knew Ben had a younger sister, but we were never introduced? Only now am I realising how odd that is.
“What kind of issues,” I asked.
“At the time I thought it was just her being shy, but it actually was so much more and if I had known that I would never have brought her into my life because unlike her I was ready for it”
It makes me wonder what kind of issues she was dealing with. Being shy is one thing but depression is so much more.
“When we were left school, she had gone on a family vacation, she actually ended it with me the night she left, over text”
Why did people have to do it over text, if anyone dumped me that way, I would go over there and set it straight, it’s just weak.
“her family didn’t know that though, right?” I asked him to which he nodded.
” I was shocked but I think we both knew it was coming and just like every guy at that age wanting some fun and freedom I moved on pretty quickly” from his voice I could tell that it hurt him to say that.
There must be some serious regret with how everything happened back then. I can sympathise with Bens sister but at the same time I understand Nick just as much.
“when they came back off the trip Ben was furious with me, I think his words were something around, you’re lucky my father isn’t here”
I winced. Not only was Ben’s father a good driver but he used to fight in his day and generally had a big build.
“Justine had issues she never told her family and I would assume put all the blame of our breakup on me”
All this information was a little too intense. I never imagined this meeting to go this badly, but I am glad I made it happen before it was too late.
“it isn’t too bad though, surely you can just explain that to Ben”
Nick actually laughed “where were you for the last 10 minutes, me explaining this to Ben is like talking to a brick wall”
I guess he was right. Ben didn’t look like he was prepared to listen to whatever Nick had to say at all.
Ben has that protective blood running through his bones so I can see why he’s so angry at Nick.
“Justine got so bad she started to self-harm, well that’s what I heard from her friends”
I just stared at him, how can he just leave that out like that and at the last minute too.
“you idiot why are you just saying it now” I practically whisper yelled at him.
“It just came to mind. Selene i didn’t love her, yes I cared for her but not in the way I feel about you, that was high school love something I don’t count as love”
Now is not the time to swoon and blush Selene. I tried to keep my focus, but Nick was looking at me intensely.
“This isn’t going to be easy Nick; I won’t have you two hating each other on my watch” I wasn’t going to let this slide. Both Ben and Nick mean the world to me and I need them both in my life which means they are going to have to man up and talk this out.
“I know, I’m willing to try if that’s what you want” he said reaching over the table to hold my hand. I slapped his away” oh baby you’re going to do more than try” I snapped at him before reaching over and taking his warm hands.
Even though we finished it off in a light note there was still some tension with nick. As he drove me home, he seemed to be deep in thought, no doubt thinking about Justine. Weirdly I still wasn’t jealous.
Maybe there is something wrong with me today.
Nick dropped me off and headed home so that I could get ready for the event. Now it wasn’t the event I was nervous or dreading it was the fact that I had to face Ben again.
I even thought about getting an uber instead-but Ben messaged me before I could think about it thoroughly.
Your bastard of a boyfriend better not be riding with us tonight
Those were the exact words he texted me 30 minutes ago.
Pleasant I know.
I found myself ready for this event with plenty of time, my mind was focused on Ben, nick and Justine that I got ready quickly not even thinking about it as much. Normally I would think about my makeup and what I would wear but I was too distracted.
My fingers found Instagram quickly and I was searching for her name in Ben’s followers. It didn’t take a long time for me to find her since Ben had posted about her for their mothers’ birthday.
Damn it I forgot her birthday was this month. There goes my Christmas present, straight into the bin. She’s not an evil woman but she sure does hate it when you forget her birthday. I thought my own mother was bad.
I scrolled through her posts. Weirdly enough she didn’t come across as shy through her posts but then again you really can’t tell by just some images.
What I did notice that she seemed to have a boyfriend or just a close friend but by their positions in the photos there was something more. If I was pictured like this with other men that weren’t Nick, I would probably find myself spread out on Nick’s desk again.
I have to blush thinking about what happened in his office later than night. Apparently, I was too irresistible, and Nick needed to get it out of his system to do some real work.
Whatever makes him sleep at night.
Of course, my daydreaming of Nick and his sexual escapades with me wasted enough time for Ben to arrive.
The moody man didn’t even bother to get out of the car just honked his horn like he was Regina from mean girls.
“what bullshit has he fed you then” were the first words to come out of his mouth.
I glared at him and wasted no extra time as I slapped his arm hard enough to leave a mark.
“you’re a fucking tanga did you know that,” I said to him with m Filipino tongue.
He rolled his eyes at me and stared the car. I wasn’t used to this Ben, but I also knew that whatever he went through with his sister was hard and I needed to respect that. Even though was being an idiot.