Jerks will be Jerks
(Day 42: Saturday Night)
"Just ignore them," Ben whispers to Mal as they make their way to the dorms.
"That's easier said than done," Mal hisses back, as she sees Audrey spot them on their way past the girls' floor.
When they make it to the guys' floor Ben frowns at the number of stares they receive, "Maybe you're right." but that doesn't stop him from guiding her to his room.
Chad steps in front of his door, "Girls aren't allowed in the boys' dorms."
Mal scrunches her eyebrows at him, "I come up to visit Jay and Carlos all the time."
"That's different," he defends.
"How?" Mal questions.
"Because," he turns from her to Ben, "they haven't suddenly started to wear damned turtlenecks all the frickin' time." He reaches for Ben's neck, but Ben grabs his arm and pushes it back before he can. Chad yells, "You hate turtlenecks. I know you're hiding a hickey or something under there."
Ben glares at him, "Even if I were, it would be none of your business."
Chad shakes his head at him, "You're king of the whole damn country. You could have anyone you want, and you choose her?"
"What's wrong with her?" Ben defends.
He points at her, "She's a hybrid."
"A lot of people are hybrids," Ben bypasses.
"She's a criminal," Chad infuriates.
"She's innocent until proven guilty."
"She's— She's—"
"She's what?" he sternly interrupts.
"She's a bad influence," Chad unconvincingly answers.
Ben's mouth gapes open for a moment, before he lifts a closed hand up in stress, "I mean this in the best possible way, really Chad, but you have got to be thee most confusing person I know. Are you saying these things because you care or do you just like making me unhappy, because I thought we were getting along before but then you had my girlfriend cheat on me with you? And now that I've found a girl that makes me happier than I have been in a long while, you're trying to discredit her? Just tell me, what exactly are you trying to do here?"
It takes a second for Chad to firmly respond, "You deserve better than her."
Ben yells, "Well, that's not your decision, is it?" and when Chad falls silent Ben pushes past him and opens the door to his room.
Chad slowly moves over to the other wall, but when he sees Mal enter Ben's room he furrows his brows as he says, "Whore." under his breath.
Ben turns back around, "What did you just say?"
He takes a step forward, "I called your girlfriend a whore."
Ben grits his teeth and runs towards Chad, pushing him hard against the other wall, "Take that back."
"Why?" Chad questions. "It's true, isn't it? That's why she's going into your room. She's convinced you to have sex with her, hasn't she?"
Ben lets go of Chad, his mouth gaped for a moment, "We're literally just going to watch a movie. That's it. We have no plans to do anything else." He shakes his head and puts his hands in the air, "Seriously, I don't get it. What is it with you? Why are you trying to ruin everything for me? It's like you've made it your life's goal to make me unhappy."
"It's not like that," Chad insists.
"Then explain yourself." Ben questions, "Why?" Chad merely eyes the ground for a second and doesn't speak. "That's what I thought."
He looks back up at him, "Ben. I—"
"You what?" he interrupts.
Chad quiets, "Nothing."
Ben glares at him, "Don't you have better things to do, perhaps your own girlfriend to attend to?"
"Yeah," Chad softly answers. "I do."
"My advice," Ben offers. "Audrey likes to have a lot of attention… at least from her boyfriend." He widens his eyes at him, "So, I suggest that you get on with your relationship and stay out of mine, because if you don't she may very well just break up with you." Chad stays silent and doesn't move. "Do you need an invitation? Go. Take care of her." When he still doesn't move Ben turns back around and strides into his own room, slamming the door behind himself. "He is just so infuriating."
Mal comments, "Yeah. I can tell." She watches as he paces back-and-forth. "But it's okay now. He's not here to bother you anymore."
"You know," Ben begins. "He's always had it out for me, but that was just politics. Even when we were friends I knew that he never actually meant any of it. But this?"
"You were friends with him?" Mal disbelieves.
Ben lets out a stressed breath, "It's complicated."
She walks up to him, "Then let me uncomplicate it for you." before she moves her hand to the top of his neck and kisses him; however, it's then that she can smell it, and when she kisses him again she thinks she can actually taste it. The wine. She presses her lips against his a third time, but this time the taste is limited and she's able to push herself off from him.
Ben smiles as he slightly shakes his head, "You're right. This is supposed to be our nice, quiet night together. I shouldn't be ruining it by getting frustrated with Chad." He sees her contemplative expression. "What is it?"
"Nothing," Mal tries to smile. "It's just that I can smell the alcohol on your breath, and I'm wondering whether I should ask you to brush your teeth or not."
"Oh!" Ben quickly places a hand up to his mouth, "I'll go do that right now."
"Okay," Mal evenly responds, before she watches him head off into the bathroom.
She hears him comment, "You should turn on the TV and look through the movie descriptions to see if you can find something that interests you."
Mal looks over the semi-messy room, "Where's the remote?"
"Try the table."
Mal sees the circular table and walks up to it, before she searches through the textbooks and empty Diet Coke cans. The soda flavors include lime and cherry, and there's also wrappers from protein bars and mamba fruit chews, "Study much?" She receives no response, only able to hear the running water, before she lifts up the Communications textbook and finds the remote.
Afterwards, she sits down on the edge of Ben's bed and looks through the movies. Some of them are cartoons, others are live action dramas, and after reading the description of a few science fiction and fantasy ones she sees the documentary. It's described as a study on hybrids, their behavior, and their overall impact on society, something that seems very relevant to her; however, when she presses play and it begins she watches as Ben hurries back into the room and snatches the remote out from her hand to stop it. "You don't want to watch that."
"Why not?"
"Because," Ben explains, "the documentary was made by humans and is extremely biased. If you pay close enough attention you can tell that they actually provoked the hybrids and only left their responses. It's specifically designed to make hybrids look bad. It's propaganda. I don't want you to have to watch it."
"But it's a documentary," Mal fails to understand. "It's supposed to be true. If it isn't, then why's it on here for everyone to see?"
Ben shakes his head as he takes a stressed breath, "Free speech… or something stupid like that." He sees her expression. "When people believe something to be true, they have the right to make that idea public… which is why I'm also going to ask you not to watch any documentaries on my parents. The stories they came up with— they're insane."
Mal slightly nods, "Okay."
Ben sits down next to her, "Now. Let's find something a little more appropriate."
By the time their second movie is halfway done, Ben and Mal find themselves lying down on the bed snuggled up against each other; however, Mal lets out an annoyed breath when Ben's phone chimes again. "You should get that."
"But I'm watching a movie with you," he disagrees.
"Well, unlike you, I can't pay attention to a movie when there's stuff happening in real life." She sits up, "Please. Just take care of it so that we can finish this thing in peace."
Ben shakes his head, "Alright." before he sits up as well and grabs his phone.
Mal watches him place a hand to his head, "What is it?"
"Chad," Ben tiredly comments. "He wants to hang out sometime."
"Seriously?" Mal questions.
"Seriously," Ben confirms. "He also said his girlfriend doesn't have to know about it."
"That's something someone says when they're cheating," Mal suspiciously replies.
Ben lets out a breath, "Well, in a way he would be, what with us supporting opposing sides to a court case and all."
Mal nods, "Right." and after a moment of quiet she questions him. "So, are you going to be hanging out with him sometime, then?"
"Well, that depends." He looks at her, "You're the one Chad was being mean to. How would you feel about me spending some time with him?"
She shakes her head, "Honestly, I don't know." and then she watches Ben look down as he slowly nods. "I guess it would have to depend…"
He looks back up at her, "Depend on what?"
"What exactly is it with you and Chad? Are you just acquaintances, friends, enemies… political allies?" She gives him a questioning look, "Or something else?"
"Like I've said before," Ben tries to explain, "it's complicated… I suppose, the best way to describe it would be like a kind of on again, off again kind of friendship."
Mal half laughs, "Which is why he thinks he can just text you to hang out after what he just pulled."
Ben wets his lips, "I told you, I won't hang out with him if you don't want me to."
Mal shuts her eyes and releases a frustrated breath, before she shakes her head, "It's fine. I'm not going to make you stop hanging out with your friends."
"Are you sure?" he questions.
"Yeah." Mal attempts a smile, "Jerks will be jerks, and if you want to be friends with one, then that's just fine with me."
"Mal." He grabs her hand, "Chad and I have been friends for a very long time, and if you're saying I can spend time with him again, then I need you to mean it. I don't want to hang out with him if it means you comparing me to him and all of the stupid stuff he does."
"For the record," Mal looks up at him, "you are the nicest guy I have ever met, and I could never forget that… If you really want to be friends with Chad again, then I won't stop you. You deserve to be happy in every aspect of your life, not just with me."
Ben smiles, "Thank you."
Mal rolls her eyes, "Yeah. Whatever." and then she smiles back. "Can we just get back to the movie, already?"
"Yeah," Ben answers, but he doesn't press play. "Just let me go brush my teeth."
Mal laughs, "But you just did that earlier."
"Did I not have any soda since then?" he excuses.
She shakes her head, "You are too good for your own good."
"Yeah," Ben slowly answers. "It's a curse." He laughs, "Come on. I'll only be a minute." before he makes his way to the bathroom.
"Sure. Whatever," Mal comments as she lies back down and stares at the frozen frame of the movie.
Ben shuts the door and locks it, before he fills the plastic cup with water and takes the items from the medicine cabinet. He takes the cap off of the liquid flu medicine, pours it to the thirty milliliter line, and then drinks it, before he cleans it and downs the melatonin with the water. He puts the items away and almost leaves, but then he checks his breath. It reeks of the cold medicine. He lets out a long breath, as he goes to reach for his toothbrush and toothpaste. It's probably a bad idea to lie anyway.
- So many of you want Malvie to be endgame. I don't know if it's my writing or just the ship in general, but whatever it is, it's amazing! Don't worry. The next set of chapters should have some Malvie content.