Dear Mr. Pessimist,

You asked me what my favorite song was, and in complete honesty, I don't really know. I guess. . . I Want To Know What Love is by Foreigner would be it. Don't judge me, you're the one that's obsessed with Tom Petty.

With love,

Syd

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

I watched as Bennett slapped the side of Tristan's head again, shocked that Tristan wasn't doing anything to stop it from happening.

"You're such an idiot." Bennett was saying through teeth, "What the hell is wrong with you?" It was then that I saw Tristan finally snap.

"Like you wouldn't have done it, Banks." He snapped, shoving Bennett away from him and back toward where I was standing in front of the open door.

"Before Sydney came along, you would have done it in a heartbeat. Anything to get poor little Bennett laid, right?" I stared at the two boys, my eyes wide.

The only other time I'd seen Tristan pissed was when he had fought with Bennett at the bakery a month ago. But this time there was something different, it was almost like he was trying to throw the blame on Bennett.

"Sure, maybe I'd have one night stands. Maybe I would sleep with a girl every night. But I would never, not even in my dreams, think about taking another guy's girl. Especially without using a con. . . protection." I crossed my arms over my chest, afraid I'd accidentally knock something over on the mantle.

"I didn't know she had a boyfriend." I could tell just by the way his voice wavered that Tristan had known.

"Why? Why her and not someone else? Why my best friend?" I spoke up for the first time all morning, my voice barely above a whisper.

"You sit here and act like it was all me. I didn't rape her! She wanted to do just as much as I did. Why aren't you talking to he-"

"We already did. And Tristan, she's the one that has to deal with the consequences, not you." I said, shaking my head at his pissed off look.

"Bullshit! I got her pregnant, that's my baby too. I have to help her raise it, give her child support and. . . and I'm not going to leave her all alone, Syd. I can't and I won't." For a moment I forgot about what we were talking about, my eyes burning into Tristan's.

He looked. . . scared.

"I want you to talk to her, face to face. No texts or calls, in person." He nodded as Bennett turned around and grabbed his keys from the mantle beside my head.

"Syd, please don't hate me for doin-"

"I don't hate you." I said, "Neither of you. I'm just. . . disappointed, hurt. I still care about you both, but she's a cheater and you're an idiot." I stepped out on to the porch and let out a shaky sigh.

"This isn't my mistake, Tristan. I can't hate someone for doing something stupid, I can only try and help them get through the consequences of it." After a second of silence, Tristan bowed his head and Bennett grabbed my hand, shutting the door behind us.

*

"Don't you dare change the station." Bennett said when I reached for the radio in the car. I sent him a quick look, stifling a laugh.

"Is somebody a Tom Petty fan?" I wouldn't have ever thought someone like Bennett Banks would like Tom Petty. He seemed more like a Metallica or Nirvana kind of guy.

"Why does that surprise you so much?" He replied, turning the radio up so Free Fallin' was blasting through the car.

"I don't know, you seem more like a metal or rock kind of guy." I said, cracking a smile. He shook his head, yawning.

"Oh, Sydney. I love how much you stereotype me." He said sarcastically, parking the car. I glanced out the window and made a strange sound.

"This isn't my house, Bennett." He nodded.

"I know. It's mine." He climbed out of the car without another word and walked around the car to let me out. I stared at him in confusion a I thanked him quietly.

"My parents probably won't be home for a few hours, so the place is ours." I gave him a skeptical look, ready to ask what we were going to do for hours, when we walked into the house and my mouth stayed open.

"This house is beautiful." I said, glancing at the staircase that twisted as it went up to the second floor, the carpeting on them a beautiful white that was somehow still clean.

"Come on, I'll show you my room." He led me up the stairs, his hand still wrapped around mine when we finally reached it. I made some sort of gasping sound when I walked into it.

"It's like the size of my house." I said, laughing. I walked toward the black comforter on his bed, sitting on it and staring around me.

He had so any posters on every wall that I could barely see the royal blue wallpaper behind them. His flat screen and computer desk sat side by side directly in front of me, some food show on. But my eyes lingered the most of the balcony and the black curtains that were ruffling with the light breeze that blew in.

"Oh my God." I said in an overly excited voice, "I'm in Bennett Banks' room!" He rolled his eyes and threw himself on to the bed behind me, staring up at the collage of pictures on the ceiling.

"I thought only girls did that." I whispered, laying beside him so we were both staring up at the pictures.

Most of them were of Hannah and Bennett, looking as if they had been taken selfie style. Some of them, though, I recognized a young looking Tristan with his arm thrown over Bennett's shoulder.

"Hannah made it." Bennett answered, draping a hand over his chest. "When I let her come over, she took all the pictures and glued them together. She was so happy, I think. . . I think she liked being a kid again for once." I frowned, turning my head to look at him. He stayed quiet for a couple minutes, staring above us, before standing up and walking toward the door like nothing had happened.

"Well come on, Sydney. I'm starving."

*

"I wanna know what love is! I want you to show me!" I belted out, handing Bennett the seasoning pack.

"God, Sydney. You're a terrible singer." Bennett said, "My ears are bleeding." I grabbed a handful of flour and let it fall over his head. He jumped back, his eyes widening.

"I have the voice of an angel!" I said, backing away.

"You know I'm going to be honest with you, Syd. And your voice is terrible." He grabbed the glass of water on the counter and splashed it in my face as he spoke, acting as if he didn't do anything.

"Bennett!" I gasped, wiping my wet cheeks. "You got me all wet!"

"I bet I did." I saw a mischievous look in his eyes as he stirred the sauce in the pan.

"Here, try one." He grabbed a strawberry from the open container on the counter and dipped it into the chocolate he'd poured into a small cup. I took it, bringing it to my mouth as if I were going to eat it but smashed it against Bennett's nose instead.

"Sydney." He said, a smile starting to stretch across his face, "You shouldn't have done that." I rested my hands on my hips, smirking.

"Why not?" I asked. He grabbed a spoon from the dish rack and dipped it into the chocolate before splattering it on me.

"Bennett! My hair." I gasped, pretending to mad. He took a step toward me, frowning.

"I didn't mean-" He shut up the second I grabbed the chocolate on my shirt and cheeks and smeared it on his face, laughing.

"There is something wrong with us." He said with a sigh, pulling me toward him. I ran my finger along his cheek and licked the chocolate from my finger.

"It's actually really good." I mumbled, smiling at him. He kissed me, pulling away after a few seconds, laughing.

"You taste amazing." He brushed his thumb against my chocolate covered lip and brought it to his own, about to say something when we heard the front door slam shut and his parents yelling coming from the living room.

***AN***

Hope you guys enjoyed! 

Let me know what you thought!

~ChasingMadness24