Here's Ben's trip to the gym! Hope it's okay cuz I'm writing this at study table before practice.

Erica's House
Living Room
7:30 AM
Tuesday
June 16th

Ben's POV:
I was so tired but I knew I had to go to the gym to work out. I looked up and saw Erica pacing in front of the couch. 

What the heck? 

She looked so nervous and worried. 

"Hey, are you okay? You seem really upset." I whispered while rubbing her back. "Just tell me and I'll do anything you need." 

"About that, I um... need a little space." She winced. I looked up into her eyes and started crying. 

Is she... breaking up with me? But, she can't, I love her! 

"Did.. did... did I do something wrong? I... I... I can... I'll change. I promise. Erica please..." I said, pleading, as tears streamed down my face. "Erica... please... don't do this... I love you... please...Don't..."My voice cracked a lot as I broke down in tears. I was shaking as the tears kept falling. "Why... I should have known..." 

"Ben, it's not you, it's me. You deserve better. Please, don't make this any harder than it has to be." 

"Were... you just... manipulating me... like you... used to... when... when... we were... younger. Was... it ever... real?" I said, tears falling between every few words, hoping it wasn't true. 

She can't break up with me! 

"Ben, of course it was. It always was." 

"Sure." He said with a huff. "I should... should have known... you never... never really liked me... did you?" My face growing red with anger. "Fine. I'll get my stuff and stay out of your face." I grumbled. 

"Ben," I kept walking, "Ben! Listen to me! It's not your fault! Okay?" "Sure." I said as I kept packing up my stuff. 

"Great. Just great." She griped. "I'm so glad you're taking it like an adult." 

"What!" I screamed. "I'm 18 and the girl I always wanted to be with just broke up with me and won't tell me why! Put yourself in my place! How would you feel if I randomly broke up with you and wouldn't tell you why! Oh wait, that's right! You probably wouldn't care since you don't seem to care about me! Then you get upset at me because I'm angry and sad and hurt that someone I always loved broke up with me for no apparent reason! So you shouldn't tell me I'm not taking it well! Because I have every right to feel angry and sad and hurt because I love you and you won't tell me why you're ending the relationship I've worked toward for 5 years! And no matter how poorly you treated me or how much you used me and pushed me away, I stood up for you and kept trying to spend time with you." 

"Listen, Ben..." 

"NO! I don't want to listen unless you're gonna tell me what's wrong. Because if you won't, I'm gonna pack my stuff up, sell my car, and move on. I need to head to the gym if you won't tell me, but if you will, I'll understand because no matter what, I'm drawn to you! I promise I won't be mad, I just wanna know what's going on! Please, Erica... Please..." 

"Ben, I can't right now, but I'll tell you one thing, I love you, but I just need you to trust me. Leave your stuff here and go to the gym. Afterwards, once you've blown off some steam, I'll explain at your parent's house. Around 11:00 Sound good? It's 8:15 now."I was super confused but she said to go to the gym and she'd explain after, at my house for some reason. 

"Okay. But I gotta go now." 

"Sounds good."

I left after I set my stuff down. I got to the gym 15 minutes later. I ran, swam, shot hoops, practiced soccer and football, and I, of course, found my way to the punching bag. I spent 48 minutes just taking my anger out on the bag. 

Why was she acting so weird? Her phone has buzzed more recently than ever before, though that's not saying much. And why did Mike leave without explaining it to me? We're practically brothers! And why was she trying to get me upset enough to go to the gym and stay at my parents' house? What is she up to? It's June... wait, what day is it? I looked at my phone, only to find that it wouldn't tell me. Huh, that's weird. My phone and girlfriend and best friend are broken. But the big question is why. You know what? I'm not gonna worry about it. They're planning something and if they want it to be secret, so be it. I think I know what's going on, but they clearly want it to be a surprise, so I'll keep it that way. Though I've been pretty sure for a while they're planning a birthday party for me, I keep finding more and more reasons to feel that way. Which is why I was kind of a jerk this morning, when Erica tried to "break up" with me. I figured it was a way to get me out of their way, so I gave her an over the top reaction. She'll probably beat me up, but I figure if I didn't get super upset, she'd think I didn't care, which I do. In fact, I care a lot!

My hair was mostly dry, but it was still pretty wet. 

Shit, it's 10:48! I'm supposed to be back at 11:00! I'm late! I quickly grabbed my stuff and left. I got there at 11:07. Oh no! It didn't occur to me that she might actually be breaking up with me! NO! Just go in and she said she'd tell you what's going on. 

I walked in after unlocking the door. It was completely dark. I almost turned on the light when I was attacked. 

What the...? I immediately fought back, and I almost won, when two more people attacked. Just my luck! 

I almost won when I smelled my favorite scent. Lilacs and gunpowder. I instantly froze while raising my hands, showing that I surrendered. "Hey Erica. So, can I have that explanation now?" I looked over at her and she smiled under her mask. 

"Yeah, but I can tell you've improved a lot. You almost beat me, and you almost won even with Mike and Zoe helping me. Now, let's go to your room and I'll explain everything." 

We walked there in an awkward silence. I opened the door for her and climbed up the ladder to the top of my loft bed, while Erica followed me. I sat by the edge, leaning against the wall. 

"So..." "So... Ben, in case you haven't figured it out, I work for SPYDER now. We knew that you wouldn't willingly join us so, I inserted a sedation dart into your arm. This is why you're feeling woozy. Now, we're gonna blindfold you and... persuade you to join us. If you still decide not to, we kill you. Understand?" She asked, an evil look in her eyes. 

"Erica... how could you?" was all I could get out before I passed out. I can't believe her! What I thought was a simple party turned out to a betrayal that can get me killed.

Cliff-hanger! LOL! Sorry, not sorry.

LOL! I'm serious! You'll have to wait. Sorry!

You got me! I'm kidding, but I felt like I should bully you guys just a little. Here's the rest.

I woke up sore all over and soaking wet. I looked around and saw Erica in front of me with a bucket, which probably had water in it before she dumped it on me. "Good morning sleepyhead. Time to start persuading. Sound fun?" "Not really. But I'm gonna call your bluff. It's my birthday, isn't it. You planned a big surprise party for me and wanted to make sure I didn't figure it out, but I did. You put a little bit of weak sedation in my arm to knock me out so you could drive me home, I mean, to your house. It would knock me out, but I wouldn't know for how long. Except for the fact that I didn't help you calculate the right amount, so I woke up in the car and saw a clock, your house, and of course, I already know where we are. The room under your basement. Yes, I do know about it. I started to get suspicious when no one texted me, while your phone was blowing up, so I investigated when you thought I was in the shower. Your house isn't huge because it's not meant for a giant family, just you and maybe a few guests. So, thanks for the party, but was the shower wake up necessary?" She looked stunned, but said, "That's not right and you know it. Why didn't you know the date?" "You hid anything that would tell me what day it was and hacked all my electronics so they wouldn't tell me. Also, it wasn't the original plan, but my over the top performance this morning tipped you off, so you decided to change the plan a little. Instead of me being sad we broke up and going home, you pretended to work for Spyder, to throw me off. But I figured it out like I always do. So, can we go upstairs now?" I asked as I took of my soaking wet shirt, showing my big muscles and 8-pack. I saw her smile and stare at them, before she realized I knew what she as doing, to which she blushed. "And that's how I know I'm right. Before, you would have threatened me or made no reaction, but you did because I've thawed the Ice Queen. You wouldn't betray me and still show emotions so I'm heading up to the party with everyone else, are you coming?" She just nodded and helped me up. As we walked she said, "Yeah, you're right. I don't know, sometimes you're too smart for your own good." I put my arm on her shoulder and smiled as we went and joined the others. She told them I figured it out and we all started laughing.

Okay that really is it cuz I'm tired. Hope you liked the plot twist!