Tuesday

Ben had grown a strong disliking towards Milan Lohmann after being simply ignored for days on end. As if he was blind and didn’t see the guy actively replying to other—positive—comments on the two video’s that he uploaded. As if Ben hadn’t noticed his Instagram post the day before.

The least Milan could do was publicly admit he wasn’t taking up his challenge. At least people would get off his back to rub in the fact that Milan was probably going to beat his ass again.

At least his parents would stop telling him to give up already.

But if Milan wasn’t planning on taking his challenge, then why was he in the fun park with his best friend, jumping small ramps? Ben knew he was capable of skiing; he saw it with his own eyes. Milan Lohmann had recovered enough to be out there again.

He didn’t have to ignore him.

But maybe he was simply too busy entertaining himself by hanging out with the wrong people. Maybe he was simply too busy having ice cream with little rats who would only use Milan for his popularity.

Ben watched in silence how Jacob descended alone, probably for a different angle in a video they obviously were recording. Well, maybe it would be the best publicity to call Milan out, on tape, face to face.

Ben got up, activated his go pro, and quickly caught up with the one guy he had been dying to talk to for three years already, cutting him off before he could take off.

Milan was visibly shocked when he halted, nearly colliding with him, causing Ben to extend an arm and grab hold of Milan’s arm. He did catch the guy off guard, and he wasn’t trying to have him fall and injure himself again in any way.

“What the fuck, dude?” Milan called out, pushing him in anger, “what the fuck are you doing?”

“Calling you out,” Ben grumbled, pulling off his goggle and scarf to show his face. “you’ve been ignoring me online. Figured you can’t ignore me if I’m right in front of you.”

Ben didn’t know what he had expected of seeing the guy from up close for the first time. It wasn’t anything like he expected. For starters, he had a hard time remembering he had developed a strong dislike as soon as Milan pulled his goggles off as well. His brown eyes deep and angry, his lips a thin line. He was even hotter in real life than he was on camera.

Focus.

“What the hell do you expect me to reply? I nearly lost my life, or have you not watched the video?” Milan snapped at him, waving an arm around. “I could’ve died, I could’ve been permanently paralyzed—”

“Yet you’re here, in the fun park,” Ben pointed out the obvious, “you recovered. So why don’t you?”

“I… you know…” Milan’s eyes flickered down for just a second, and his face flushed. Something had thrown him off guard for a few seconds, but then he regained his posture. “I don’t owe you an explanation.”

“Just say you don’t want to.”

Milan let out a sarcastic laugh, shaking his head in reply, before he actually started laughing, covering his face with both his hands. Ben simply frowned as he watched, trying to ignore the butterflies in his stomach as he listened to Milan’s laughter.

“Don’t want  to?” Milan said when he managed to regain control over himself, “dude, I’m telling you, if things were that simply, I’d be in that fucking half pipe ever second of every day. But believe me when I say, it’s not  that simple.”

“Then why aren’t you?” Ben cried out, frustrated because Milan was right; he didn’t owe him an explanation. But Ben was equally frustrated because someone as talented as Milan was just giving up on something that had been his dream since he was able to ski—Ben had seen old interviews with little Milan. So, why was he not chasing his dreams?

Milan cleared his throat, staring sideways and away from Ben, muttering something incomprehensible.

“Don’t get me wrong,” Ben apologized, “You don’t owe me anything. But it’s your dream, you’re the best in the area, you can do so much more and be so much better if you keep pushing. Why would you give all that up? You recovered—”

“I recovered physically! Ben!” Milan snapped, sending him a cold look, “but I shit my pants at the mere thought of going back there and I’m sorry if you want a fair shot to prove you’re capable of defeating me, but I can’t. Okay? Is that satisfying enough as an answer?” Milan stepped around him and hurried away before Ben could reply.

Ben turned around to see him ski towards Jacob, feeling shit as ever since he never considered the mental effect the accident could’ve had on Milan. He was thinking about his own gain, not about Milan. Putting him on the spot the way he had, had been a bad idea.

“Wait!” he called out after Milan, and was actually surprised when Milan didn’t hurry away when he descended towards him and his best friend.

“Just leave him alone,” Jacob said, stepping in between them protectively.

“No, seriously,” Ben pushed him aside, pulling Milan closer to look him in his eyes. “Why don’t you let me help you?”

“Wh-what?” Milan sputtered surprised.

“Let’s be real, there’re not a lot of people who can help you overcome your fear. I can. I know every inch of that half pipe—”

“Why?” Milan asked, confused more than anything, right before anger took over again, “just so you can have your way and have me compete? Because, seriously, I haven’t trained in months. I’m not gonna compete even if with some miracle I overcome my fear.”

“Not to compete,” Ben replied, shaking his head, suddenly pretty enthusiastic about the idea. He could spend time with Milan, get to know him on a different level, and actually help him out in the same time.

Win-win, right?

“Then why?”

“I have no fucking clue,” Ben admitted with a shrug, “I guess because I want to help you.”

“Lan, he’s toxic. Let’s just go, alright?”

“I’m not toxic,” Ben snapped at Jacob in anger, wondering why he was meddling in something that wasn’t his business. “Did McAllister tell you that?”

“Who?” Jacob frowned, as did Milan.

“Lennox.”

“Nah, dude,” Jacob said with a laugh, “but we know the stories. No need to completely destroy the guy just because he doesn’t want to be with you any longer.”

This time it was Ben’s time to frown, and he felt his shoulders slump as surprise washed over him. “What stories?” he asked, genuinely confused, “what do you mean by destroying him?”

“You set everyone up against him, and you let him heartbroken and alone,” Milan said, “You could’ve just broken up with him and leave it at that.”

“That’s… exactly what I did,” Ben replied, shaking his head to try and shake off the confusion. “I just broke up. Why would I create drama about him if all I want is for him to stay out of my life? A lot happened; I’ll admit that. But I never tried to destroy him or his life.”

Jacob was still staring at him in anger, but Milan seemed to soften. It remained silent for about a minute, before Milan sighed, and shrugged a shoulder.

“Your break-up with him isn’t our business. But everyone is bullying him on your behalf and I do think that is your responsibility. I have to watch everything I do as well, if I don’t want to set a bad example.”

How did a conversation in which he just wanted Milan to accept his challenge, end up going about him helping Milan, to Lennox McAllister?

“I never even publicly spoke about the break up.”

“But you did,” Jacob pointed out. “In a blog that everyone read.”

“What blog?” Ben cried out, placing his hands on his head, staring at Jacob with confusion probably seeping from his pores. “Dude, I’m telling you, I never said anything about it!”

“Whatever,” Jacob mumbled, but Ben was forced to turn towards Milan by the boy himself.

“It doesn’t matter what happened in the past. It’s how you deal with it today. Fix that shit, and I will consider your offer.”

“If you’re asking me to talk to Lennox, or apologize, you might need to see a doctor again, because you’re delusional if you think I’ll ever go anywhere near him again.” Ben shook his head. “My offer stands, let me know if you need me.”