Thanks to MaddieluvsChrisSabin09, BournePriceless54 & Sinfully Delicious who reviewed the last chapter. You guys are awesome. Like before, I own nothing except Benny and Katie. The song lyrics used in this chapter are from the songs I hate this part by The Pussycat Dolls and Broken by Seether.
Chapter 3 – Radio abuse
Benny nervously opened the door. As she expected, Katie and Chris were waiting outside for her, Katie with an angry expression on her face.
"Why didn't you tell me where you were?" she almost screamed at Benny. Benny winced, hearing the tone of her voice. She had forgotten how overprotective Katie was of her.
"I thought you would be distracted with getting Chris sorted so I came to see Alex."
"Benny, you could have told me you were going. I was so worried when I turned around and you weren't there. I thought something had happened to you!" Katie said, tears springing to her eyes.
"I'm sorry Katie, you're right. It was irresponsible. I'm glad I came to see Alex though," she said, stopping when she saw the confused look on Katie and Chris's faces. "Alex woke up." She finished, a wide smile on her face. Katie and Chris stared at Benny, eyes wide.
"He, he woke up?" Katie asked. Benny nodded her head and shifted so Katie and Chris could see Alex.
"Oi, Shelley, you can wake up now. Katie's stopped telling me off." Benny said loudly. At hearing those words Alex's eyes shot open and he lifted his head to look at his friends.
"Alright guys", he said cheerfully.
"Alex, you're alright!" Katie said, running over to Alex. He laughed at her enthusiasm.
"Yeah I'm fine, but you might want to go and help your boyfriend. I don't think he's used to using his crutches yet." He said, looking over at Chris who was still stood in the doorway, leaning on his crutches, not daring to move. Benny laughed and moved so that she was stood next to Katie at Alex's bedside. Alex grasped hold of Benny's hand, and laced her fingers with his own. Benny jumped at his touch and looked down at him, her face surprised. She certainly wasn't expecting him to do that. Alex laughed at her, applying more pressure to her hand. Katie saw this mainly silent exchange between the two and winked at Chris.
"Come on Chris, let's go home. Leave the lovebirds to catch up." She said, a sly smile on her face. With that she walked away from Benny and Alex and towards Chris, giving him a helping hand with his crutches before shutting the door behind them. Benny could hear her and Chris quietly giggling outside but chose to ignore it. She sank back down into the seat at Alex's bedside and looked him straight in the eye. Alex returned her gaze, his brown eyes burning a hole into her own.
"What you looking at?" he asked her cheekily. She blushed slightly and tore her eyes away from his face.
"Nothing" she said sheepishly, keeping her face hidden from his view. She heard him laugh at her.
"Benny, I know you. Something's not right. Is it?" Benny cursed under her breath. He did know her. Too well. She sighed loudly before answering his question.
"I'm alright. Just a bit tired. It's not easy sleeping in an uncomfortable chair, with those bloody machines beeping all night."
"Benji, you can sleep anywhere. Seriously, I reckon you could probably sleep if there was an earthquake and a tornado all at the same time. You may be tired, but that's not the problem is it?" Benny paused before answering.
"Ok, ok you got me. I was just … I mean … I." She stuttered, trying to rephrase what she wanted to say.
"Benny, spit it out. Come on, it cant be that bad." Alex said. Benny raised an eyebrow at him.
"Ok, well I was worried about you. I… I thought that we were going to lose you and I …" she trailed off again.
"And you were worried that you were going to have to live without my sexy body and personality." He said, a mischievous smile on his face. Benny glared at him.
"Alex, I'm trying to have a serious conversation here. Do you have to be so childish all the time?" she asked. Alex immediately turned the grin on his face into a serious look. He knew better than to annoy Benny even more.
"I'm sorry." He said quietly, looking her right in the eye. Benny felt all her anger at him evaporate on the spot. It was clear in his eyes that he was sorry for annoying her. She cleared her throat and continued with what she was saying before Alex irritated her.
"Well, I thought that we were going to lose you and I … I said some things, and I … I wondered …"
"If I heard them." Alex finished the sentence for her. Benny nodded and ducked her head down, avoiding Alex's gaze. Alex squeezed Benny's hand.
"I didn't hear anything. I was completely out. All I remember is the crash happening and then it's all blank until I woke up and saw you sleeping in that chair. Are you going to tell me what you said?" he asked, already knowing what the answer was going to be. Benny shook her head.
"Not now," she said, "maybe later, I don't know. You will know, just not yet. Ok?" Alex nodded and disentangled his hand from Benny's. He heard Benny sigh when their body contact ended and had to fight back a smile. Benny rested her head on the cold metal bars of Alex's bed and looked at the floor. Alex pulled himself up slightly and leaned towards where Benny was sat. He gently pulled his fingers through her long brown hair, from the roots to the ends, just below her shoulders. Next he brushed her pale cheek softly, making Benny look up at him, surprise written all over her face. Alex smiled at her, not a cheeky smile like normal, but a smile that made Benny's heart melt completely. As Alex stroked her cheek she could feel her cheeks burning. Alex noticed the colour in Benny's face changing and couldn't help but laugh.
"Didn't know I had that effect on you." He said, between chuckles. Benny pulled herself away from his hand and looked away from him, pulling her hair over her shoulder so that her face was totally invisible to Alex.
"Awww, Benny I was only joking. Don't hide. Come on Benny, I'm sorry ok?" he asked, worried that he had annoyed her again. Benny lifted herself from the seat and looked quickly at Alex.
"I'm going to go now. I've got to help Katie sort Chris out." she said, pulling her eyes away from him again and heading towards the door.
"You'll be back later though won't you?" Alex asked, just as she placed her hand on the door handle. She looked at him and Alex could see tears glistening in her eyes.
"I… I don't know, maybe. Bye Alex." She said quietly before opening the door and exiting the room quickly, letting the door shut behind her. Alex stared at the door in the moments after she left. What was wrong with her? Why was she acting so strange? Was it something he did? He sighed loudly and relaxed in the bed closing his eyes in frustration. He was going to find out what was wrong with Benny, even if it took him the rest of his life.
Benny walked through the quiet streets, wiping the tears out of her eyes. She really didn't want to leave Alex, but she couldn't deal with it all right now. Her feelings for him were getting in the way. She desperately wanted to tell him how she felt, but she couldn't. She didn't want to risk their close friendship with her announcement. She reached the front door of the house and went in. Katie and Chris were sat on the sofa watching TV. Benny tried to walk up the stairs unnoticed but completely forgot about the creaky stair. As soon as her foot touched it it let out a loud creak, which made Chris and Katie turn around to see what had made the noise.
"Oh, hey Benny. Didn't hear you come in," Katie started, "thought you would still be with Alex."
"I came home to help you with Chris." She said quietly, avoiding Katie's sharp eyes. If Katie saw the tears still floating in Benny's eyes she would know that something was wrong and not leave Benny alone until she found out what. That was one of Katie's flaws. She was incredibly overprotective of anyone close to her, especially Benny.
"Ok. Um, I don't need any help at the moment, but if I do I'll shout you. You must be starving. I'll go and make some lunch." Katie said, starting to get up from the sofa.
"No, no. I'm not hungry. I'll be upstairs if you need me." Benny said, still avoiding Katie's gaze. She made her way up the stairs and into her room. She walked over to her radio and turned it on, listening to the lyrics of the song playing.
I can't take it any longer, thought that we were stronger All we do is linger, slipping through our fingersI don't wanna try now, all that's left, goodbye
To find a way that I can tell you
Benny hastily changed the radio station, hoping to find a happy cheerful song instead of another soppy ballad about being in love. Unfortunately, the radio wasn't on her side.
The worst is over nowAnd we can breathe again
I wanna hold you high and steal my pain away
There's so much left to learn
And no one left to fight
I wanna hold you high and steal your pain
Cause I'm broken
When I'm open
And I don't feel like I am strong enough
Cause I'm broken
When I'm lonesome
And I don't feel right when you've gone away
Getting annoyed, Benny hit the radio hard and sent it flying off the desk and onto the floor, making it land with a loud crash. She fell back onto her bed and let the tears flow, eventually crying herself to sleep, even though it was only early afternoon. She slept peacefully, dreamlessly, and unaware that Katie had witnessed everything; the radio abusing and the crying. Katie made her way silently down the stairs and walked over to Chris who was still sat on the sofa.
"Everything alright?" he asked, "I heard a loud bang, but obviously I couldn't exactly come up and check that you were all ok." He said, motioning to his broken leg. Katie sighed and sat down next to him.
"It's Benny." She said, "There's something wrong, and I don't know what it is." She said, before explaining to Chris everything that had happened with the radio.
"Maybe she just didn't like the song." He said as an explanation to Benny's strange behaviour. Katie responded by raising her eyebrows at him.
"Chris, start thinking seriously. I've never seen Benny like this, not for a few years anyway." She said, shuddering when the memory came back into her head. "I don't know what to do." She said quietly. Chris put an arm around her and pulled her as close as his injuries allowed.
"Katie, it's alright. You'll figure out something. It's probably just all the stress of the last couple of days. You know she worries about everything. All that worrying about Alex is bound to have an effect on her." she nodded in agreement just as a brainwave arrived in her head.
"Alex." She said, ignoring Chris's confused expression; "He'll know what's wrong with her. I mean she was fine this morning, but it was when she came home that she started acting strangely. I've got to go and talk to him. You'll be alright on your own for a bit won't you?" she asked Chris. He nodded and Katie jumped up from the sofa, grabbed her coat, and ran out of the door. She was going to get to the bottom of this mystery.
So what do you think? Please read and review and tell me if you want me to carry on with this story. I really appreciate all reviews and constructive criticism is always very useful.
CrazyLilRedheadGirl