Chapter 4

Benny received a package at her house three days later. It was the dress for Aiden’s birthday party. She put it on to see if it fit. She looked gorgeous in the short red dress. It was funny remembering how she’d been so ashamed of walking the hallways of High School, how she’d been so ashamed of her plain face and plump body. It took living a bad life to lose weight and look attractive every day.

She’d come to think little of looks and had come to despise looking good for men. She did it for herself. Back in High School, she’d disliked herself for not being cool. She hadn’t known that all she needed to be was herself and that people’s negative opinions about her didn’t matter. She would put up with Aiden Turner to give herself and her daughter a better life.

Two days later, Mrs. Delta sent a car to pick her up for Aiden’s birthday party. Greg had already come to pick Bella up. Benny tamed her temper as the car transported her to where Aiden lived, a high-priced neighborhood in Denver.

Aiden’s house was Beige and was preceded by a lion-shaped fountain. It was large as well. So many cars were parked outside.

Benny stepped out in the short red dress and headed to the entrance. She was ushered into a more beautiful environment, the house’s interior.

Magnificent, she thought. Aiden had always lived in wealth, though. And that was why he’d grown up to be insensitive and callous, Benny thought. She studied the guests around—a glitterati bantering here and there with each other.

Her eyes caught Aiden’s mother, Rita Turner, walking elegantly down the stairs. She was adorned in an electric blue gown and gold accessories. She had blue eyes, just like Aiden, and caramel-blonde hair.

Benny had always thought that Rita Turner was the most beautiful woman she’d ever seen. She’d revered her and had secretly used to wish that Rita would utter a word to her, even if it were an insult. And when Rita had finally spoken to her, Benny had broken down crying as she’d called her a slut and had accused her of framing her son for getting her pregnant. Even Aiden’s sister, Amber, had joined others in school to insult Benny. She wondered where Amber was—why she wasn’t in sight. She wanted Amber and Rita Turner to suffer as well.

Birthday boy! Someone cheered as Aiden showed up. He was suited up—looking as dashing as ever. There was a lady beside him, too. She was blonde and beautiful and dazzled in her silver dress. It reminded Benny of Minka Harris.

After the yogurt incident, Minka had said nothing else to her until one Tuesday when

Minka passed her a note reading, ‘meet me in the toilet.’

Benny was nervous. She didn’t want to be linked to any of Minka’s wicked jokes. Plus, they had a test in less than an hour.

“What do you want from me?” Benny said as she entered the toilet.

Minka smiled and turned one of the taps open.

“Now listen. Just before our test, you’ll lock someone inside this toilet to prevent her from writing it.”

“Minka, please,” she begged. “I couldn’t live with myself for doing that to anyone. This test can make or break our chances of going to college.”

“Then, I guess I’ll reveal to our entire class that you’ve been stalking Aiden Turner.”

Benny was close to tears. If the whole class, including Aiden, found out about her crush on him, she would become the object of their mean jokes. She would incur the wrath of other pretty girls, too, for daring to crush on Aiden. She couldn’t deal with more than she was already dealing with in school.

“I’ll do anything else you want, Minka. Please, don’t make me lock anyone in here.”

Benny began to cry.

“Well then, you must miss the test,” Minka said.

“But I can’t. My GPA will be affected, and my parents will be disappointed. All they talk about is me going to college.”

Minka wanted to leave.

“Where are you going?” Benny panicked.

“To expose your secret in class.”

“Please.”

Benny knelt.

“Get up,” Minka shouted. “I gave you options.”

“Please.”

“No.”

There was no way Benny could miss her test, no way she could allow Minka to expose her as a stalker.

“I’ll do it,” she agreed.

“Which one?”

“Lock someone inside here.”

Minka smiled mischievously while Benny stood up.

“Who am I locking in here?” she said. She wiped some of her tears away.

“The dwarf. Your friend, Molly.”

Benny shivered. There was no way she could betray Molly. Not Molly. Although she didn’t consider Molly her friend, she couldn’t betray her. How would she live with herself for doing so? She couldn’t miss the test either. What was she supposed to do? Her only other option was to let Minka tell everyone about her crush on Aiden.

“I can’t do that to Molly. I’d rather be mocked and called a stalker.”

“Awn! You have such a good heart, Benny Myles. But it’s too bad that you’re still going down.”

Benny walked out of the toilet, away from Minka. She had to focus on the upcoming test and nothing else. She would leave quickly after school was over. That way, she wouldn’t have to deal with all the teasing once Minka exposed her.

***

It was almost time for the quiz. The class was rowdy. Benny was sitting beside Charlotte, Molly, and freckled-faced Trent. She’d been watching Minka and waiting for her to expose the crush thing since she left the toilet. But everything seemed to be normal. Minka was chatting heartily with her friends. Had she changed her mind?

Molly’s phone rang.

“It’s my mom. I need to get this,” Molly said.

“Be quick about it,” Trent said.

Molly hurried out of the class, and Aiden left the class too. Minka, on the other hand, kept bantering with her friends.

In a few minutes, Aiden was back. The teacher was right behind him.

“Where’s Molly?” Charlotte said.

The teacher asked them to get their sheets ready for the test. In a few minutes, he asked that they start. Benny began.

She wondered why Molly hadn’t returned but couldn’t step out to find out why. The test had already begun.

Thirty minutes into the test, Molly had still not returned. Benny knew something was wrong but couldn’t leave to find out what. She was still writing.

Finally, the test was over, and Molly was still nowhere to be found.

“I can’t believe Molly missed the test,” Trent said.

“Let’s go find her,” Charlotte suggested.

They all left the class and spotted Molly walking toward them and crying.

“What happened, Molly?” Benny said.

“Don’t you ever speak to me in your life again, Benny Myles,” Molly yelled and ran past them.