Good Morning

(Day 63: Saturday Morning)

"Audrey?" Doug questions as he opens the door, before she walks in.

She sings, "Good morning." in a high pitch, causing Ben roll onto his side and groan. "Come on. It's time to wake up."

"I just got to bed at four," Ben complains.

"And it's ten now," she smiles, before she places the cold drink to his forehead.

He opens his eyes, "What's that?" before he sits up and takes it. "Wait. Is this—"

Audrey sees him nearly smile, "Your green tea lemonade with half ice and double jell cubes? Yes. I got it for you on my way out of the café."

"Why?" Ben asks, before he takes a drink, smiling as he bites into the squishy cubes.

"Because, I know it makes you happy."

Ben gives her a look, "Audrey. You know you're not my girlfriend anymore, right? You don't need to try to make me happy."

"I may be your ex," she answers as she makes her way to the closet, "but I would still like to think we're friends." She finds an outfit on a hanger, before she opens a drawer to pick out a pair of socks and boxers. "Besides. My church is going to the homeless shelter today to donate items and volunteer, and I've decided you're coming with me. She goes and sets the pile on the end of his bed, "So, get up and get dressed. We leave in thirty."

Ben sighs, "Audrey, I really appreciate what you're trying to do here, but I really don't feel like volunteering at the shelter today."

"Well, that's why you should go," Audrey persists. "Nothing makes someone feel happier than knowing they've done good by giving back to the community."

"They're going to hate me," Ben denies.

"Why? Because of little ole me?"

Ben frowns, "It's not just the case." as he sets the drink down on the side table. "I was supposed to implement low income housing when I became king, but I didn't. And I'm not even going to be able to. My father already hates that I'm planning to give the dwarves a raise. He would never let me make plans to build apartments for the homeless."

"Why not?" Audrey questions. "If it's going to be a government owned building, then that would mean any rent money would go to the government. You would be getting returns on it. In the long run it could even be considered an investment."

"God," Ben laughs as he flops back onto his back and raises his arms into the air. "Finally. Someone gets it."

"Well, I am taking Advanced Economics," she reminds him. "A class I'm pretty sure you are supposed to be taking."

His grin turns back into a frown, "I know. I have to take it next year."

"Right," Audrey skeptically comments.

"I will," Ben reassures. "It can replace the Communications class I took this year."

She looks at him in worry, "You can't honestly be saying you plan on taking ten classes again next year."

He's quiet for a moment, "I will be. Unless my parents say it's okay that I don't." and with a prying glance from Doug he explains. "I've been doing it since middle school, and my parents only just now noticed. As though they didn't think I had any requirements at all this entire time when they were suggesting which classes I take."

Audrey frowns, "They're just old fashioned. Most things were learned by trade when they were our age. You can't blame them for that."

"I'm not," Ben almost yells in stress, before he shakes his head. "It's just… this entire time… they didn't even know. They saw my report cards, and somehow they didn't know what they were asking me to do." He lets out a sad breath, "My father still doesn't know… or maybe he does. I don't know. All I know is that I'm not allowed to not do well." He stares down at the dark blue blanket, "At all."

Audrey takes a step forward to grab the drink from the bedside table, before she hovers it in front of Ben's face, "Come on. Finish it. We need to leave soon."

Ben takes it and mumbles, "Thanks."

Audrey watches him drink it, "No problem."

"What's he doing here?"

Ben hears the aggravated voice, as the blond girl steps in front of him and Audrey; however, Audrey politely responds with a smile, "He's here to volunteer with us."

"He's an atheist," she disapproves.

"He's not an atheist," Audrey refutes, "and even if he were, what then? Does that mean he can't care about people— his country?"

"You can't be moral without God."

"Maybe not if you're a psychopath," Ben inserts.

Audrey stretches an arm out between the girl and him, "Ben is a good guy."

"His girlfriend assaulted you," she disbelieves.

"Yeah," Audrey states. "Not him. He saved me. Ben's not his girlfriend. He's good."

"His mother's a witch," she accuses.

Ben lets out a long breath, before Audrey denies, "His mother's not a witch."

"Then how did she turn that beast into a human?" the girl asserts.

Ben shakes his head, "I'm sick of hearing this." before he speaks up. "My mother didn't turn a beast into a man. She broke a curse that was placed onto a human."

She laughs it off, "With love, right?" as she smiles. "Whatever your parents have, it's not true love. Anyone can see that."

"It doesn't matter that it's not or that they're not absolutely perfect for each other," Ben defends. "For the curse to break, all that had to happen is for my father to love someone and earn her love in return. True love was never a requirement."

"Right," she shows her teeth. "Because your parents don't have true love; they have fake love. Because, their love is fake, and their entire relationship in built on a lie."

He takes a step forward with furrowed eyebrows, but Audrey pushes a hand against his chest, "Ben. Please."

"You don't know anything about my family," he grits his teeth.

"I know that your parents are lying about their story, that they've changed it over the years," she counters. "The story used to be that she took her father's place as a prisoner and eventually got to know the beast as a person, but now the story is that the beast let her roam free as though she wasn't a prisoner at all and that she fell in love with his so-called sweet and kind nature. Like anyone believes that." She grins, "No. I bet that sweet kindness she referred to was that even as a prisoner your father didn't have her locked in a cell the entire time and that her 'love' for him is nothing but a side effect of her Stockholm Syndrome." A noise escapes Ben's throat as he lurches forward, but Audrey tugs on the back of his shirt's collar and he begins to cough. "Did you just growl?" The blond laughs before giving Audrey a look, "Next time you decide to bring your dog, make sure he's on a leash."

Audrey watches the girl leave, "Don't mind her. She doesn't know what she's talking about." before she smiles at Ben with raised eyebrows. "You growl now?"

"Kind of. Yeah." He brings a hand to his throat, as he clears it. "Sorry. I shouldn't have lost my temper."

"Don't worry. You're completely forgiven," Audrey says as she crosses her arms. "Lauren can even get under my skin sometimes."

"She did have one thing right," Ben slowly comments, but when he faces Audrey he hesitates. "I am kind of an atheist."

It takes a moment for Audrey to confusedly state, "But you told me you were just agnostic, that you were waiting for proof that God exists."

"I did," Ben evenly responds, "but now I realize that it doesn't matter if God exists. I'm still not going to believe in the things He teaches."

"He teaches people to be good," Audrey defends.

Ben opens his mouth before saying, "His teachings led to my mother nearly being burned at the stake and states that hybrids are impure, demonic beings."

Audrey attempts to smile, "I don't think it actually says that last part."

"No," Ben accepts, "but it's how many Christians interpret it." He pauses. "It's how your family interprets it." He sees her about to speak, "Your mother called my girlfriend an it, just because she's a hybrid. Would that make me an it too?"

She sighs, "If they knew about you, they would have never said that." She glances down for a second. "At least, not in front of you."

"Great. So, they can just think I'm a monster behind my back."

"No. That's not what I'm saying," Audrey denies.

Ben shakes his head, "Never mind." before he looks over the room. "What can I do?"

She partly smiles, "Come with me. You can help me hand out orange juice and sandwiches."

Ben nods, "Okay." before he follows her to the long stretch of white, plastic tables.

- That's it for tonight. I hope you enjoyed.