Communication is Key

(Day 144: Wednesday Night)

"That's like the thousandth time," Chad complains as he lays the blue sheet over the stone ruins.

"It's Doug," Ben frowns, before he watches Chad lay the blue sleeping bag out over the sheet. "Can you do me a favor?"

He looks up, "What is it?"

Ben steps over to him, and Chad stands up. "I need you to post that we're hanging out tonight, camping or stargazing or something."

He raises his eyebrows, "Seriously?"

"I really don't want to talk to him," Ben mumbles. "Please. Just do it."

"Sure," Chad accepts, before he takes out his phone, "but you're going to have to tell me what happened." He places his arm on his shoulder to take the picture.

Ben watches as he starts to type, "He just made me do something I didn't want to do"

Chad halts, meeting Ben's eyes for a moment, before he questions, "What you mean?"

"It's nothing," Ben bypasses, before he takes a deep breath and wets his lips. "He just made me eat something I didn't want to eat."

"And what's that?"

Ben's eyes shift, and it takes him a minute to face him, "A pound of flesh."

Chad smiles, "Good one." as he laughs.

"Yeah," Ben continues to frown, and he watches as Chad tosses the black sleeping bag onto the blue one.

Chad sits down and pulls the black bag over his legs, "So, what did you eat?"

Ben moves to sit down next to him, "You know that I haven't really been eating meat."

He faces him, "Yeah."

Ben scratches the back of his head, "Well, you see, it's been sort of a psychological problem I've been dealing with." before he glances down. "It just feels wrong to eat it." He takes a breath before facing him again, "But I still find meat pretty irresistible, so… when Doug—" Ben pauses in thought, "He placed this meat right in front of me and coaxed me into eating it."

"And why did he do that, exactly?"

"Thought I wasn't getting enough protein or some shit," Ben quietly says, before he shakes his head and feels the catch in his throat. "It was so bad. There it was; the red, the smell, and it was just there for the taking." He gulps as he feels the tears intrude his eyes, "And I lost it. I just completely lost all control, all along just telling myself that I can't… but it took forever for me to actually just stop." Ben looks into Chad's blue eyes, "I— I thought I wasn't going to be able to stop. I thought that I was going to have it all. And no one was there to stop me."

"Sounds tough," Chad breathes, before he opens the wicker basket and pulls out a red wine bottle, smiling. "Good thing I brought this."

Ben narrows his eyes at him, "You keep trying to liquor me up."

"I'm not trying to do anything," Chad points a finger to his chest, "but make you funner."

"Funner?"

"Yeah," he gives him a look. "Because, you keep turning our dates into some apocalyptic horror movie."

Ben smiles, "Really? It's that bad?"

"Getting there," Chad answers, before he uncorks the bottle. "So, drink up."

He looks around, "Where's the cups?"

"Who said anything about cups?" Chad comments, before he takes a swig from the bottle and offers it to Ben. "Your turn."

Ben takes the bottle and meets his eyes, "To not turning tonight into an apocalyptic disaster." before Chad's smile widens and he takes a drink.

"There's no one here," Ben notices, as the car pulls in to the front of the school.

"Duh," Chad moves toward him to look out the window. "Everyone's in class."

After the driver opens the door Ben exits and Chad follows him through the courtyard, until they reach the double doors and Ben halts, "We need to do this quietly." He motions a finger for Chad to stay silent, before he lightly presses on the door to slowly open it; however, when a full view of the ground floor can be seen his smile instantly drops at the sight of Fairy Godmother with crossed arms. He awkwardly smiles, "Well, uh, it's a beautiful day to catch a minute of fresh air, isn't it?"

She looks between the two, "Have fun, did we, out by the old Zeus temple?"

"I told you we should've gone in the back," Chad mutters.

"Ah, yes," Ben furrows his eyebrows at him. "Because, cutting through the field during some gym class we have no part in wouldn't be suspicious at all."

"To my office. Now," the headmistress grabs their attention, before she struts off and Ben and Chad give each other an annoyed look before following.

"Flaming pumpkins," Fairy Godmother breathes. "Why people like doing the dirty in a house of worship is beyond me."

"But it's not a house of worship anymore," Chad inputs. "It's just a bunch of broken rock pillar things."

"And just to be clear," Ben interrupts, "we weren't doing the— We didn't do sex." He glances down in thought, "Or anything."

"Perhaps not," Fairy Godmother accepts, "but the aftermath is still the same." She sighs, "Ben, honestly, at this point I'm starting to wonder if you want me to contact your parents."

"No," he quickly responds with wide eyes.

"You say that," she frowns, "and, yet, I keep seeing you here."

Ben eyes down before huffing, "Most of those aren't even my fault."

"You chose to show here late, didn't you?" she counters.

"I was asleep," Ben disbelieves, before he gives Chad a look. "And this idiot thought that it would be a good idea to let me." Chad grins. "What? Something funny?"

"No," Chad tries not to laugh. "It's just, you should see yourself sleep."

Ben's expression falls, "Why?"

Chad shrugs, "No reason. There's just these little things you do."

"What things?"

He laughs, "It's nothing. Don't worry about it."

"No," Ben asserts. "I want to know."

"Boys," the headmistress interrupts, and they face her. "May we discuss your punishments?"

"Punishments?" Ben frowns.

"For making people worry about you relentlessly," she sternly reminds him, before she looks to Chad, "and for skipping class when you know very well that your grades aren't up to par and you should be studying for exam week."

"That's what make up week is for," Chad excuses.

"No," Fairy Godmother counters. "Make up week is to finish unfinished assignments, which I know you have a fair amount of too."

"That's not my fault," he loudly says.

"Oh? Then whose is it?"

"Carlos," Chad yells. "I've been paying him to help me, but he's been such a sad sap since that breakup or whatever of his. And now it's like when he's there he's not there. And, you know?" Chad breathes, "I had a breakup too— and a shit ton of hell worse too— but do you see me slacking off? No."

The headmistress is quiet for a minute, "I suggest that if you wouldn't like to slack off, that you get some help from your teachers."

"But it's easier to get help from friends," he mumbles. "You can, like, look at each other's notes and things."

"Either find someone else you help you," the headmistress instructs, "or I will ask your teachers how you've been doing." He silences, and she clasps her hands together, letting out a stressed breath.

Ben quietly questions, "Fairy Godmother?"

"Just," she holds up a hand, halting her breath before slowing releasing it. "I need to think." She places her clasped hands beneath her chin, as she rests her elbows on her desk, "Recent injuries mean I cannot offer a physical labor option to either of you. What Ben's doing is practically already in-school-suspension."

"Suspension?" Chad worries. "I thought you were just going to call our parents."

"Just?" Fairy Godmother widens her eyes.

"Well," Chad's eyes shift, "yeah. I'd rather get a talk from my parents than have to like never see my friends for the rest of the year."

"Would you like that to be your punishment?"

"Yes," Chad immediately answers.

She nods, "You may go."

He looks over at him, "What about Ben?"

"I'd like to discuss his options alone, if you please."

Ben watches Chad nod, and he watches him leave out the door before Fairy Godmother begins, "Ben."

He swiftly turns to her, "I don't want you to call my parents."

She slightly nods, "I figured that."

"It's just," Ben excuses, "they wouldn't understand."

"Ben," she slowly questions, "why were you at the ruins with Chad last night?"

He looks down, as he folds his hands, "I had to get away."

"Away from what?" He looks up at her, his eyes shifting in thought, but he fails to speak. "Ben. I know I've said a lot of things over these many weeks, not all of which extremely pleasant, but you must know you can tell me anything."

Ben hesitates, "It's Doug. He's just been too nice, and… he doesn't recognize the danger he's in. He just keeps getting close and wanting to help in any way he can, but—" He takes a long, shaky breath as he feels his eyes become warm. "I don't want him to, and I— I, h-um, am afraid that I could hurt him again."

"But that incident that transpired between you two," she reminds him, "that was an accident, wasn't it?"

"Yes," Ben breathes.

"And do you have any reason to believe it would happen again?" she questions.

"I—" He glances down, "I want to." before facing her. "I don't feel like doing it, but there's this, this urge." Ben shakes his head, "And I don't know how to control it."

Fairy Godmother takes a moment, "I know this isn't quite the same thing, but when you see an attractive lady what do you do?"

Ben shakes his head, "When guys like a girl they go chat them up, try to get into their lives." before he looks off. "If I were to do that with Doug, he would be all too willing to give himself up." He thinks, "It's easier to just avoid him and any potential problems with him."

"So, you're not avoiding him because of the incident?"

He's quiet for a minute, shaking his head, "Why would I?"

"Maybe you feel guilty or uncomfortable," Fairy Godmother suggests, before she notices him look away. "It's a significant thing that happened."

Ben frowns at her, "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Have you talked to him about it?" she inquires. "Thoroughly."

He shakes his head, "Not really."

Fairy Godmother nods, "Well, I would start there." before she pauses. "I want you to sit down with him, talk this through, share your feelings and concerns, and make sure he understands. Set rules and boundaries, and stick to them."

"And you really think that would work?" Ben doubts.

"As with any relationship," the headmistress answers, "communication is key."

- Date: 01/05/2019

-Tzei Thanks for the comments. They were amazing, and I'm very glad to hear you hate me. Lol. Although, I do hope my response to your private message didn't make you uncomfortable or anything. I did share a couple stories that I haven't really before, at least willingly. I thought it was just relevant to what we were talking about, I guess, and this being anonymous makes it easier to say things I probably wouldn't otherwise.