Chapter 41
Benji Lies
Benji is on the run, and Dani is in the hospital. Will the chaos never end?
After a fun-filled day on the water with Jake's family, the memory of that skank Jenna is long forgotten.
His father grills hamburgers after the boat ride, and we laugh and eat well into the night.
Waking early the following day, with barely any sleep, we regrettably have to leave and return to school.
It was such a short visit but a good one.
I hug his family goodbye, with promises to come and visit again soon. They are so lovely and seem to like me.
We return our car rental and jump on the plane with minutes to spare. Once home, we pass out without showers completely jetlagged.
I wake up beyond stressed. Jaxon has a physical scheduled and isn't going to be in Biology today, and Benji more than likely will be.
Just my freaking luck. I begged Jaxon not to let Jake know.
He promised me he would only confess his absence after class started, but Jaxon said he has to tell him at some point, or he'll break the sacred bro code.
Don't make me puke. Boys can be worse than girls about rules and regulations.
I understand, but I need things to go back to a certain level of normalcy.
Jake tends to overreact when it concerns those he loves, and while he has a valid excuse to be worried, Benji can't do anything to me in a room full of students. I say that trying to convince myself because I’m nervous.
I refuse to show Benji just how much I fear him.
As I said, I'm scared, but I will not turn tail and run.
That's not how my DNA was programmed. I may be quiet and shy, but my family didn't raise a coward. I have to believe that after a time, Benji will suffer the consequences of his actions against me and anyone else he’s wronged.
I hope I get a front-row seat at his trial.
I hope I get to testify against him, and I hope he rots in jail forever.
That's a lot of "hopes," but I pray that those wants don't die in vain.
I get ready for class and throw on one of Jake's football t-shirts and some skinny black jeans. I wear the shirt to remind him that I'll never be his. I don't consider myself a passive-aggressive person, but I want to make sure Benji does not doubt who I belong. I am Jakes, and Jake is mine.
I wear minimal makeup and pull my hair up in a messy bun.
I don't want to wear anything else that will draw attention.
I need to get through this class with zero collateral damage.
I plan to blend into the background. I do wish Benji didn't sit behind me, but there is nothing I can do about that now.
Head held high, I grab my bag, take a deep breath, and start my walk toward my next challenge.
If I look at this as a battle, I can focus on beating Benji one skirmish at a time.
He may win some of these, but I will win the war he created.
I have to. My inner peace will not return until Benji suffers for what he’s done.
My heart starts beating erratically as I near the Science buildings.
I duck into the bathroom and make my way into a stall, as a solitary tear slips down my cheek.
This is harder than I imagined. The thought of skipping today's class becomes more appealing, but my pride won't let me.
I have to see this through. I do the breathing exercises that Jake's dad taught me. Fake it until you make it.
Walking into class may be the hardest thing I've ever had to do. I slide into my seat, smiling because I only have two minutes to spare, and Benji isn't here yet. He's always here by now. He must not be coming to class, thank GOD.
My breath hitches when I realize he’s here after all.
I look directly ahead and stare at him through my peripheral vision.
He has that signature creepy smirk of his plastered all over his face and it makes my blood boil.
I can hear the roar of it in my ears, and the bile is rising in my throat.
I cannot throw up. I will not throw up. I say those sentences over and over in my mind and it helps settle my stomach.
I look around for help, but no support is here. I can handle this.
To my absolute horror, instead of going to his usual seat, he sits down beside me.
It's like he knows Jaxon is not coming today, but how? My anxiety is building, and I start feeling jittery on the inside. I refuse to let him bully me. With every shred of courage I can find, I look him in the eye. I can see in his eyes that he’s surprised I'm not cowering in fear.
I raise my eyebrow at him but don't utter a single word.
His expression goes from jackass douche canoe to a look of pure malice.
He's pissed that I'm not terrified. All the people around us are staring, and if he wants, we can give them a show.
I challenge him with my eyes, and he bows his head in defeat, making me turn my head back to the professor in frustration.
I want him to make a move. It would help to have so many witnesses be able to testify to his madness. Unfortunately, he's too smart for that.
I'm not too fond of this game that he's created—this game of cat and mouse.
When I feel like I'm on the verge of making a breakthrough, he’s always one step ahead of me.
I've got to be more innovative. I've got to start thinking as he does, but how am I supposed to know what a cold, brutal criminal thinks like?
The professor is going on about photosynthesis, and I've barely heard a word. I'll have to reread this chapter tonight because I'm not sure I'll be able to remember anything he says. Suddenly, Benji slips me a piece of paper.
I need to talk to you after class.
I roll my eyes and jot down a reply.
Not going to happen. You're crazier than I thought if you think my boyfriend won’t be waiting for me after this class.
He is seething now which makes me smile. I can't help myself.
You always do what he tells you to do?
Not wanting to talk to you is wholeheartedly my decision. Why would I want to? No thanks. You orchestrated my kidnapping. I want NOTHING to do with you.
Watch yourself. You know nothing about me. I didn't do anything. I would never hurt you. You're everything to me.
I know enough about you to make my insides crawl. You don't know me either. I'm not the quiet girl you met that night. Just leave me alone, and leave Jeffery alone, too. Let me reiterate...I want NOTHING to do with you.
He looks at me, stunned, and makes a play to take back the piece of paper.
For once in my life, I’m faster than someone else.
I place it in my notebook and quietly leave the classroom.
The professor stares at me so I give him a sheepish smile and mouth, "Female problems." He gives me a horrified look and shoos me out of class with his hand. A girls gotta do what a girls gotta do.
As soon as I'm out the door, I pray Jake is waiting for me.
I make a run for it but nothing is stopping Benji from following me.
I make it to the double doors leading outside of the building when two arms grab me from behind.
I start kicking and screaming, throwing all my weight into elbowing my attacker.
They let me go with a loud yelp and a screaming, "FUCKING WHORE! !!"
I know that voice. Benji did follow me, and I lose it.
He's bent over. I knocked the wind out of him when my elbow collided with his upper stomach.
I kick him in the nuts, and when he falls, I jump on him with all the nervous energy that has been in me since the kidnapping.
I start wailing on his face, chest, anywhere that I can hit.
I didn't ask to be his victim. I want him to leave me alone.
He turns me over and slaps me twice, trying to get me to stop.
Being the idiot that I am, I don't stop.
I can't stop. Blood slides out of my nose and into my mouth.
My fight or flight response kicks in. I hit him repeatedly with all the strength that I have left.
He looks down at me with that crazy look he gave me in Biology on that first day and then rears back his fist and punches me twice.
I see stars, and my renewed strength is waning, but I still don't stop.
I can't. What if he kills me? He comes back at me again with a one-two punch. One landing on my chest knocking the wind out of me, while the other lands at my temple. I start to fall but Benji pulls me up by my throat and squeezes it while wailing on my face. My professor violently pulls him off me. I feel cold, and my vision is blurred. I hear Jake scream, as he comes running toward me and grabs me in his arms, holding me tightly. I let out a scream of my own as I collapse into Jake’s chest and before I can hug him back, the darkness I've been fighting so hard against consumes me and I fall into nothingness.