All in Benji's POV.

Chapter 3- Plight

I mean, it's not that I don't like Chloe... it's that I'm almost 99.9999% positive that she doesn't like me. And those are very high statistical odds. And to be quite honest, this night had an overwhelmingly high chance of ending in embarrassment, rejection, awkwardness, or things going horribly awry...

I sighed wondering why I agreed to do this again in the first place. Just do things according to your plan, Benji. I reassured myself.

Approaching the porch of the Alpha Chi Alpha house, I paused momentarily at the bottom step and took a large gulp. Well, here goes nothing.

One step. Two steps. Three steps.

I trudged to the front door as the wooden porch creaked tauntingly at me from below. And then I paused at the front door.

Just before I could summon any inkling of courage, a wave of nausea and anxiety swept over me as I was drained of my last bit of placidity. And glancing down at my sweaty palms, I'm quite sure all blood was draining from me as well.

And now my body began trembling violently. Was it hot out here, or was it just me? I loosened my tie and glanced around, panicking. If nobody saw me, maybe I could just leave and say I got sick? But no wait, I have a solo in the performance tonight. What if I left a note saying my tux was torn to shreds by a vicious dog, and I wouldnt be able to escort her? But there were no dogs on campus. Or maybe I fractured my leg practicing my new Houdini magic trick and couldn't fit my cast into my tuxedo pants...

The door swung open and a surprised-looking Chloe stood behind it, staring directly face-to-face with me. The remaining blood in my face had most definitely drained from me at that moment.

Note to self. Stop standing directly behind closed doors. They made for too many awkward moments.

In a moment of self-preservation, I opened my mouth to say something to make the moment less awkward. But instead I now stood with my mouth gaping and unable to blink or formulate words.

Chloe raised an eyebrow in confusion, and then two, before both brows settled in a furrowed expression on her face. "Umm, Benji?" She questioned worryingly. "You do know it's okay to knock doors, right?"

"Oh!" I stumbled, laughing. "Yes, yes of course." I shook my head and cursed at myself for letting my nerves get the better of me. "I was just preparing myself for how I was going to greet you..." I explained unnecessarily.

"Aww." The corner of her lip turned upwards slightly.

"...with my magic."

"Oh..." I pulled a rose from my sleeve, but quickly fumbled it to the floor as the petals twirled in the air in a floral explosion.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry." I scrambled to the ground to pick up the flower pieces. Some rose petals clung to her dress as they descended towards the ground. "That wasn't supposed to happen like that..."

"It's ok, Benji..."

"I was supposed to pull it out and present it to you so you could wear it as your corsage..." I quickly swept the petals from the ground into my hands.

"Benji, it's ok."

"And now you don't even have anything to wear... Maybe I can glue it back together..."

"Benji." She placed her hands over mine as they cupped the broken flower petals. She was now stooping over me, and I was staring up at her in uncomfortably close proximity.

She looked kind of pretty from down here actually. Her eyes twinkled in a worried yet bemused way.

"Seriously, it's ok. You didn't even have to take me, so you showing up is enough." She smiled honestly. And then the blood returned back to my face.

"O-Okay..." I looked down as soon as I realized I was staring. "Maybe I'll just throw these away then..." I delicately pulled the petals from her dress as I stood, careful not to touch anywhere I wasn't supposed to.

As I stood fully, I realized one innocent petal lay in the long curls of her hair. Without realizing the possible awkwardness of the situation, I brushed the curl behind her shoulder and picked it off delicately like the others.

And then my eyes met hers.

Except she didn't look so much love struck as she did uncomfortable. Actually, she looked like she wanted to run away from me as fast as she could because I accidentally grazed her breast. "Benji?"

"Yes..."

"Can we just go."

"Yes." I turned on my heels and walked briskly away, Chloe trailing a good distant behind me. This was going to be a long night.