"I'm fucked," Benny announces storming into Ethan's dorm room and flopping onto the bed in one blur of motion. He has his messenger bag, but Ethan doubts he intends to do homework.
Like most students on this floor, Ethan keeps his door open to invite socialization. The easy acquaintanceship of dorm life was easily in Ethan's top ten amazing things about college. Even at ten at night there was a pleasant rumble of conversation drifting through the hall.
Ethan looks up from his notebook, where he had been trying to work through a difficult problem. It's Tuesday. He actually does need to finish this problem set tonight. But he's been stuck on this particular problem for twenty minutes and Benny is melodramatically lamenting how his life is over.
"Okay I'll bite. What happened?" Ethan sets his pencil down, swiveling his chair around.
Benny runs his fingers through his hair, gripping it in a mock-yanking gesture, "Elise got an invite to Mary's wedding." Mary was Benny's oldest cousin on his mother's side. The wedding was local so Ethan had agreed to be Benny's plus one—as his best friend found himself between girlfriends. And, hey, it was free food.
"Your evil ex-girlfriend Elise?" Ethan asks honestly shocked. He thought Elise hadn't met Benny's family.
"Yeah," Benny whined. "And Grandma maintains her iron-resolve about me going!" Grandma Weir did encourage Benny to stay involved with his mother's family, perhaps as a way of remembering her.
"Wow that sucks," Ethan tries to muster up all of his sympathy.
In reality, Elise was blatantly manipulative and demanding from the get-go. And despite knowing that, Benny had pursued her like a dog because she was hot. When Benny finally realized Elise was too much for him to handle, he dumped her. This was an unforgivable offense that Benny was currently paying for.
Benny pulls out his cell, apparently composing a text, "Let's see what pretty lady will pretend to be my girlfriend for an evening."
"Benny, you cannot do that." Ethan imagines at least a hundred way that would go wrong. "You can't let Elise win like this. Just go with me, like we originally planned, and we'll ignore her. Problem solved."
"Yeah," Benny falls backwards onto the bed, his whole body completely giving in to gravity. "And she'll make all these mean comments about how I couldn't get a date. That I'm a hopeless loser. That I'll never do better than her."
Ethan grimaces. That was worse than what he had personally heard Elise say. "You know none of that is true. Ignoring her is still the smartest move, and you know I'm right."
"I dun wanna take the high road," Benny complains. "I want to show up with a hot girlfriend and rub it in her face. Who do you think I'd have a better chance with: Jenny or Monica?" He's messing with his phone again—likely to send off previously composed text.
"Ugh," Ethan rubs his face. He can't see Benny's expression when he's lying on his back like this, but Ethan would bet he has that stupid blank stare he uses to mask his stubborn determination. If he can't talk Benny out of this, he has to help him, "Neither."
"What come on. They're great." Benny argues.
"Well for one, Elise met Jenny and Monica. It'll be harder to convince her you're dating either of them," Ethan explains.
Benny sits up for his counter-argument, his hands gesturing in emphasis, "That doesn't mean anything. Lots of couples start out as friends."
"Maybe. But Jenny is way too nice. She couldn't lie to save her life. And," Ethan holds up a hand to ward off Benny's protest. "And even if she could, she'd be quiet, polite, and well-behaved. The girl you take has to be able to hold her own against Elise."
"Yeah that makes sense," Benny agrees morosely. He softly tosses his phone onto the bed next to him. "What's wrong with Monica?"
"Monica is super sweet but also super flirty." Ethan points out, "Like she flirts without realizing that she's doing it. You don't want to look like you're competing for her time. Your 'girlfriend' has to be really into you. You know, prove Elise wrong." Ethan is half thinking out loud, his eyes drift to the dark window behind Benny.
"Great that should be easy," Benny says sarcastically. "I don't suppose you have an idea of who I could ask."
Someone Elise hasn't met, but who knew Benny well enough to comfortable with him physically. Someone who wouldn't be cowed by Elise's aggressive barbs, and wasn't afraid to be a little slutty while still being totally focused on Benny.
Ethan's eyes focus onto Benny again, "Uh... there is someone actually." He scrunches up his face in dread, "but I'm not sure she'd be willing?"
"Who? Tell me!" Benny prods. You would think his life depended on this.
Ethan briskly rubs his palms over his thighs, working himself up to what he's about to do. Getting up, Ethan closes his door before sitting next to Benny on the bed. Benny's curious green eyes are following him, waiting for Ethan to reveal his intent.
This was so much more embarrassing than any previous physical contact he'd had with Benny. He'd even sat in Benny's lap at a party once because there weren't enough chairs!
He shakes the nervous energy out of his hands before scooting up against Benny's side. Benny allows the contact without any real reaction. Ethan smiles as girlily as he can manage, rounding his shoulders and folding his hands in his lap. He tries a giggle. Benny's eyes narrow in confusion.
Clutching Benny's arm and leaning into him, Ethan strains his voice higher to say, "I think Veronica could pull it off."
Benny jumps violently off the bed, suddenly uncomfortable with the contact, causing Ethan to lurch nearly off the bed.
"Or not," Ethan stiffly relocates to his computer chair. Very intentionally not looking at Benny, Ethan retrieves his pencil and straightens out his homework. That was mortifying.
Ethan can hear Benny's feet shuffling behind him. Finally Benny breaks the silence, "Would you really do that for me?" Perhaps he realizes how few options he has.
"Not if you freak out like that!" Ethan responds defensively.
"How far would you be willing to take it." Benny asks, his voice thick with insidious purpose.
Ethan turns his chair back around slowly, his expression incredulous, "I don't know. I was thinking like hanging on your arm, maybe maybe sitting in your lap. What are you thinking?" Ethan's face feels hot; he hates how easily he blushes.
Benny laughs, "Not like that. Like this." He turns his grimoire towards Ethan so he can read the page. Ethan doesn't remember Benny having his grimoire before—that's magic for you.
Ethan looks down at the page and frowns, "Remember when you said 'hey I'm going to translate all these spells?' And I was like 'Yeah that's a great idea. I won't bother learning latin then.'"
"Oh right," Benny turns the book back around. "This spell would let me turn you into a girl for the day." Benny smiles hopefully.
Ethan's knee-jerk reaction is 'no you aren't taking my manhood away from me,' but honestly Benny getting caught with a guy in a wig would be the ultimate disaster scenario. "No, yeah. That's a smart idea," Ethan agrees, still feeling uneasy.
Benny starts texting again.
"Who are you texting now? I said I'll do it!" Ethan exclaims.
"I'm texting both Jenny and Monica because you're gonna need help looking pretty," Benny smirks, briefly glancing up from his phone.
"Hey!" Ethan protests. He was kind of pretty.
