The original bad boy . . . can't save everybody."

18| Friends Forever

That fine Halloween night (yes, the same one Arsen lost his memory of me), Arsen ditched me in the middle of the night.

He just left me stranded.

It was as if he had never seen me before. Whether he was acting or not, I couldn't tell. Consequently, I had to hitch a ride in a cab.

Usually, when someone stops being friends with someone, both parties still have a vague idea of where each other lives.

In my case, I couldn't even guess the street--wait, I couldn't even guess the general area Arsen and his uncle live in. Therefore, checking up on the "amnesic" arse was a hopeless case.

Talk about the turn of events.

What if a ghost got into him? It was Halloween, after all.

I'm just being paranoid.

Maybe Arsen wanted to erase me out of his life.

Once again.

Now, two days later, I still have no idea if Arsen's okay or not.

I show up for school on Monday, searching around for the ruthless rebels, which is a short-lived task. My eyes land on a familiar person who's back on his feet! Students eye him as if they hadn't seen someone return after a battle before.

It's okay, guys, my best friend just happened to break his leg for his lady love.

"Ben!" Words can't express my excitement.

I tackle him into a long bear hug until he protests. "Ow! You stepped on my foot!"

"Sorry." I step back immediately.

"Apology not accepted," he says, but I know he's playing. As I open my mouth to retort, his eyebrows furrow. "What happened to your elbows?" I glance at the bandages I had wrapped around the aforementioned body part. The bike accident caused a few scratches on my elbows and knees. Nothing fatal, though.

"Klutz Syndrome kicked in," I joke. "I fell down on the sidewalk. Did you know that concrete causes a lot more damage than given credit to?" Like eradication of Arsen's memory.

"Everything causes damage," he says and scoffs. From the pitiful glance he gives to his leg, I'm sure he's recalling his own accident. "At least, you're not hurt too badly," he remarks.

"True true." I nod. "How's your leg?"

"All good except for one sore spot." He informs. Before I can say anything, Isa and Danie approach us. Neither one of them bother exchanging a glance with me. All I want to do is walk away. For Ben's sake, I don't. He isn't aware of anything.

"Benny! You're back!" Isa says excitedly. Like me, she tackles him in a hug and moves when he starts complaining. Ben's eyes move from her to his crush aka Danie.

"Hey," Danie says quietly.

He nods in acknowledgement.

Since the girls and I are not on a talking basis, an awkward silence looms over our heads. Ben seems to notice the problem and looks confused. Not wanting a fight so early in the morning, I excuse myself. This continues all day long. Me trying to disappear whenever Ben forces us all to be together. Unluckily, I can't escape from lunch. Sensing everyone's discomfort, Ben finally mentions the issue at hand.

"Are you all PMSing together or something?" He asks jokingly.

"No!" Danie, Isa, and I say simultaneously.

"Then, why are y'all so stingy around each other?"

No one wanted to explain the Diner problems during his absence. Slowly, Isa accuses, "Val chose new friends."

"I did not!" I deny in disbelief.

"Oh please, ever since we went after Arsen for revenge, you started hanging out with him more, putting us all in danger," Danie says, her voice rising. "We all know him and his friends! They're terrible people, especially Arsen."

"You're judging him without even knowing anything about him!" I argue. Maybe because we used to be friends or because I'm a nice person, I'm defending the arse.

"He set our school on fire once, ran his bike over Ben's leg, and even threatened us at the race. What more do we need to know about him?" Isa retorts in disbelief.

"Why don't you share your adventures with him?" Danie taunts. "Maybe then we'll understand."

No, they won't. We all know that.

No one understands other people's stories until they read the entire book.

"You're hanging out with Arsen?" Ben mutters almost hurt.

I sigh at my lunch before turning to them. To be fair, my friends have only seen Arsen's monstrous side. They have no reason to like any part of him. I shouldn't either. All Arsen's done is smash my head, use me for his homework, hurt and threaten my friends, and try to sabotage my family's' new diner.

But he's also taken me to the parade.

One good deed against multiple wrong ones.

"Look, I didn't choose to hang out with him. He just barged into our lives the day you decided dirt bike, Ben," I explain. I have my fair share of the blame but not all of it. From the guilty looks I receive, I get a boost to continue. "I never said, 'Hey Arsen, you know what? You and your friends should come to this diner my dad just bought and start a drug dealing business. Maybe we'll split the profits? As the owner's daughter, I deserve a fifty percent share.'"

Danie and Ben scoff whereas Isa chuckles.

"I doubt they'd give you a fifty percent share," Ben says thoughtfully.

"Maybe twenty-five?" I say a little more playfully.

"They might kill you for trying to ask for a share," Danie says as a matter-of-fact. She did have a point.

"Can't we all be friends again and forget the ruthless rebels?" Isa asks hopefully. "I hate having no one to text to."

"Same," Danie says, looking at me.

"Me two," Ben agrees.

They all look at me for the game changer answer. I exhale loudly. "Me three." What can I say? Friends forever. We only have each other and no one else to talk to or text to. Pathetic, but that's how we roll.

"Yay!" Isa says cheerfully. "Now, can you tell me if Arsen has six packs or not?"

She wants me to answer that question. Even Danie seems interested, now.

"How would I know?" I inquire.

"Surely, he gave you a sneak peek--" Danie starts.

"I thought we were over the ruthless rebels," Ben intervenes sharply. We drop the topic, knowing we are hitting a soft spot.

Still, I lean next to Isa and whisper, "I think he's having an inferiority complex. Ya know, Ben doesn't have any abs." Or does he? Who knows?

"Poor boy can't impress her at all," she replies in a whisper.

"We should help him," I suggest. Isa gives me a small nod.

"Hey, what are you whispering about?" Ben asks, scrutinizing at us.

"Oh, nothing important." Isa waves her hand dismissively. I follow along, mirroring her action and earning more suspicious looks from our friends. "Just that we have gym class today, and Danie has the best partner. He's always treating her like a queen during self defense lessons." Isa's doing anything but helping Ben.

I suppress a laugh.

She'd be the one to bring that up. Every single gym class, Danie complains how her partner tries to touch her body parts and she kicks his butt in return. Although it's not a big issue at all because the teachers are good at keeping the boys in their limits, but for Ben, the woman protector, it will be huge. Isa had to lie to get something going on.

While Ben turns to Danie for some elaboration, she replies, "Not true! Sean's terrible. He tried to touch my butt last class and I kicked him in the--" She pauses when she realizes what she's saying.

The little episode she mentioned was supposed to stay in class. If the Principal heard about it, both her and her partner would earn suspensions. Yes, our teachers are overwhelmingly kind. Technically, the regular teacher wasn't there when it happened. That's why Danie and Sean didn't get in trouble.

"He did what?" Ben's nose flares. My eyes flicker to his hands, which tighten around the milk carton on his lunch plate.

Man, Isa's a drama instigator, I swear.

"Remember that time he almost gave you bruise when we were learning how to get out of wrist locks?" I remind Danie. She shoots me a death glare and I refrain from smiling. I'm a great friend, aren't I? From the rage in his eyes, I can already tell Ben's beyond pissed off. He cannot tolerate someone hurting Danie. Ever. Or any of us, in general. However, right now, Danie's thrown under the spotlight.

"A bruise?" Ben says incredulously.

"It was ugly." Isa puts the cherry on top of the cake. "You even cried, Danie."

"His ugly nail scratched me--" Danie tries to refute, but we're too quick.

"Ben, she's been through a lot," I say, pretending to be upset.

"I'm fine," Danie insists.

"No honey," Isa puts a hand on Danie's forearm comfortingly, "you're not. Stop being in denial. We know you didn't want Ben to know."

"But--" Danie protests. But Ben isn't even listening to her.

"It's okay. Ssh," I say calmly, even though I'm dying on the inside.

Ben, who's sitting across the lunch table with Danie, glares at his food. Before we know it, the milk carton swipes off the table in one go. Ben's lunch tray follows right behind. My eyes pop wide at his behavior and I'm not the only one. Pushing his buttons to this point wasn't what I had in mind.

"Where is he?!" Ben says through clenched teeth.

"Who?" Isa asks in a timid voice.

"Sean!"

He leaves the table without hearing an answer or an explanation. I turn to my best friends. They're both searching for some sort of help.

"Someone stop him!" I urge.

All of us rush after our friend who's headed towards the shady side of the cafeteria.

"Ben, stop." Danie runs behind him.

"Not until I talk to that Sean kid," he says sternly.

He's totally going to regret this later. Though Danie tries to assure him she's fine and we were simply pulling his leg, he pays her no heed.

"It's nothing serious, Benny," I say softly. "We were just messing with you. Chill. Let's finish our lunch."

"No," he replies. "Stay back. All of you. Let the men handle this." Ben is Ben. Once he makes up his mind about something, nothing can stop him. Isa, Danie, and I stay put in our spot. We watch him stride over to the delinquents. Ben queries about who Sean is and where he can find him. Meanwhile, Isa and I start the predictions.

"Ten bucks Sean's gonna break his other leg," Isa whispers.

"Twenty, he'll break both of Ben's legs." I bet.

"Shut up!" Danie cries. "You two are gonna get him killed."

Honestly, it really is. But we admitted we were playing around. If only Ben decided to listen to us.

We wait and cringe when our friend loudly states, "Is little Sean too scared to face someone his own side?" Isa and I hit our foreheads with our palms. Ben didn't know who Sean was. "I'm gonna crush his bones faster than a level of candy crush."

Why must he be so stupid?!

It's too late, now.

A heavy figure sauntered past me, his bulky arm brushing against my shoulder. I caught a whiff of his sweat and deodorant combination, which made me want to throw up. The back of his blond head's visible to me as the three hundred and fifty pound (159 kg) wrestler taps Ben's shoulder.

Ben turns around confidently.

When he sees the six foot six monster towering over him, his face pales.

"Candy Crush, huh?" Sean's deep and raspy voice make my skin crawl. Isa clutches my elbow and watched our friend with worry.

"That's Sean?" Ben mouths to us.

We nod anxiously.

Even though I'm standing six feet away from the drama scene, I can see the fear radiating off Ben. My friend smiles uneasily and rakes his hair with his fingers. He doesn't know what to do next. He openly challenged a future WWE wrestler. He best hope his first day doesn't turn out to be the last day back to school this year.

"What were you saying about crushing my bones?" Sean asks and steps closer to Ben. The students are watching the intense scene as Sean grabs Ben by the collar and lifts him up. My friend struggles in vain, because Sean's grip is way too tight.

"Where's the lunch duty teacher?" I ask, glancing around.

There's no teacher in here. They chose the wrong time to leave the students alone.

"Oh no, Ben's gonna die," Isa says horrified.

"I wish I had contacts with the mafia," Danie mumbles. She groans and runs to help Ben. Isa follows behind. They struggle to have him freed from the demon. Sam, Dean, where are you? Where are the Supernatural hunters when we need them?

Glancing around, I spot the ruthless rebels. Since Halloween, today's the first day I've seen Arsen in school.

He's shaking his head as his group watches Sean hurt Ben.

How can he let his friend kill my friend?

I don't know why, but I run to his table and plead for help. "Please stop your friend." Arsen and his buddies scoff and shake their friends. "He's gonna kill Ben!" I say outraged.

"Doesn't matter to us," Arsen comments. He picks up a fry on his lunch tray and dips it in ketchup.

"Of course it doesn't," I say through clenched teeth. "Killing Lionell wasn't enough, was it? Now, Ben's turn?!"

The fry drops in the pool of ketchup.

I shouldn't have said that.

My future appears as bright as the crimson sauce.

Arsen's face reveals nothing. The four guys eye me like a lion planning to jump its prey any moment. They rise from their seats at the same time. That's evidence enough I should run for my life.

I breathe in and out, and bolt.

¤》¤《¤

A/N

Oh look who decided to update. A bit late, I know.

Here's the thing, university just started and I'm busy with that. Also, paying tuition isn't easy. My mom's the sole income provider and a teacher's salary doesn't pay for a full time student. I need an effing job. Due to a lack of experience no application of mine has been approved. Even McDonalds didn't hire me...I'm a bit too sad about that one. Anywho, schedules don't work for me. If you guys remember, I updated this book twice a week when I had no set days.

Let me do that. Updates will be faster if I write and update sporadically.

Also, if you've noticed, I've got the annoying ads in my work. I thought it was gonna be just for Hate vs. Love, but apparently not. Nevertheless, this money's gonna help pay for my education. So please please please please help support me. Just keep doing what you are doing and that's more than enough for me <3<3<3 love ya lots <3<3<3

Anyone got the Supernatural reference?
I'm binge watching that show during free time. On S1E17. Yeah, I'm so late. Sam and Dean are so cuuuuute!

Whatya think is gonna happen to Val?

She spurted out the secret.

Will Ben live?

Please Vote · Comment · Share