- Serena -

Roxy was super excited that the guys agreed to our little outing. Ben didn't look over at me anymore though, which made me wonder if he didn't like the idea of Austin and Roxy joining us.

But I brushed it off because Roxanne was finally being her normal self and the atmosphere in the cafe was much better.

"Serena, we'll watch out for one another alright? We can't drink too much because when we get drunk we're basically mad women," she scurried about clearing up the last of the dishes while I kept the remaining ice cream in the freezer.

"Oh being mad women were just our part-time jobs?" I giggled and she rolled her eyes.

"Haha really funny. Anyway, about Ben," she brought the pile of dishes to the sink and I came out from where the freezer was.

"What about Ben?" I folded my arms and looked across the street out of habit.

"He didn't look happy when I asked if we could join you guys, but Austin was up for it so Ben kind of just went along with it."

"Hmm, I shouldn't be surprised. He's always weird," I glanced out the glass wall and he turned to look straight at me at that moment.

His eyes were gorgeous. They were really dark but it looked more of a dark red than brown.

Austin came up behind him and dragged him off the start closing the restaurant.

"Well I feel kinda bad about it. I feel like I'm ruining your date with him," Roxanne looked at me with solemn eyes and I've never seen her this weak in front of me before.

Does love do this to people? Make them look so incredibly vulnerable? Make them lose themselves?

I put an arm around her shoulders and squeezed her gently, "Hey, I'm fine with it don't worry. Plus it's not really a date it's just having a drink with a new neighbour."

She rolled her eyes, "Yeah sure whatever you say ice hands." 

The guys came over to get us once they were done closing and Austin was being so awkward it hurt.

"So uh, how are you girls today?" Austin started off as we were walking down to the bar.

He was literally breaking out in cold sweat and I wondered what was running through his mind. Roxanne didn't notice his nervousness at all though.

"Oh we're great! The customers were really nice today which is awesome because some are really grumpy but hey who gets grumpy when they're getting ice cream," Roxy chattered.

"That sounds nice, I guess. Um how do you girls normally go to the bar?"

Roxy giggled and shoved his arm playfully, "We walk of course! It's just a short distance from here!"

I zoned out from there.

Ben somehow managed to separate us from the chatty two and we ended up strolling a distance behind them.

I smiled to myself, seeing Roxy and Austin getting along. Roxy has dived into crazy and bizarre relationships but she's never been this serious about any of them before. 

"Are you really that happy?" A deep manly voice resounded from next to me and I looked up into Ben's soulful eyes.

"Of course I'm happy, I've never seen Roxy like this. It's refreshing and nice to see that she has a softer side," I giggled when she punched Austin's arm playfully again but it seemed painful.

"Austin has never been this awkward with anyone either. He can talk anyone's head off, most of the time."

I laughed and Ben smiled sweetly. 

"I really hope things work out for them, they're really cute together," I mumbled and Ben nodded, his eyes sparkling under the moonlight.

"I hope so too."

We arrived at the bar and settled down for dinner and drinks. Though Ben refused to drink any alcohol. I sat next to Ben, Roxy was in front of me and Austin was next to her. Again, Ben kept staring at me but I decided to let it slide this time. From what I've learnt, he was weird like that.

"So, how long have you girls been here? The cafe I mean," Austin took a sip of his alcohol and I could tell he was starting to get a little tipsy. Ben seemed to sense that too, and kept giving him warning glances as if it will snap him back to his senses.

"We've been here for three years actually. After Serena's accide-" Roxy slapped her hand over her mouth as I shot a death glare at her. God was she drunk too?

I couldn't even use my powers to stop her from spilling everything. That itself will spill the truth. 

"After Serena's what?" Ben leaned across the table, curious. Dangerously curious.

I eyed Roxy and she cleared her throat, "After Serena graduated from college. Yeah, I skipped the college bullshit and followed her out here to open our own cafe. It was a, what do you call it? Chasing the dream?" 

She laughed it off and I smiled awkwardly. Ben watched the both of us before leaning back in his seat. Austin just grinned and chuckled along as if he knew what was going on.

He was a hundred per cent drunk.

"Well we moved here after Ben caused a lot of problems back where we came from-" Austin couldn't even finish because Ben was already wrestling him and dragging him to the washroom.

Roxy and I stared after them and I raised an eyebrow, "What was that about?"

"They're so weird," Roxanne giggled and hiccupped while taking another sip of her drink.

I glared at her, "Roxy stop. You're going to get drunk. You nearly spilled everything to them."

She held her cup to eye level, "Nope! I didn't spill anything here!"

She laughed and I sighed, I need to get her away from here. She's going to be the death of me. Austin and Roxanne could barely drink. I should have thought of it before inviting them.

I settled the bill and we waited for the guys to come back out so we could send the tipsy ones home. 

Roxanne gulped down the last of her drink and I saw a gang of guys come into the small bar.

Loud, obnoxious and rowdy, but some of them were quite good-looking. All the sirens in my head were ringing, my core was churning, everything was telling me they were trouble.

Especially with their toned bodies, chiselled facial features and charming smile. They'll kill and their prey will willingly let them.

I nudged Roxanne, "Hey, we gotta get out of here."

She mumbled a bunch of stuff and I groaned, "Roxy help me please. Come with me."

I grabbed her arm and supported her out, until someone stopped us in our tracks. 

"Need some help there?" The grinning, quite good-looking guy stood in front of us.

If I've never met Ben before then these guys would be crazy handsome to me. But ever since Ben, somehow no guy can compare to his silent charisma.

"No thank you, we'll be fine, our ride is here," I pointed towards the door and held Roxanne freakishly tight to me. She owes me one.

"Oh no worries I can help you with her," the sneaky guy wrapped an arm around her waist and Roxanne looked up at him with glassy eyes.

"Hey! Get your hands off me! You're not Austin!" She waved crazily in the guy's face and I wanted to laugh my ass off but it really wasn't the time.

Different emotions flickered across the guy's face. Shock. Anger. Curiosity. Rage. Pissed off. But it settled at amused. Not good. Nothing good comes from a guy who can smile things off like that.

"Well she's a fighter. I won't mind having this bitch for myself," he eyed her with greedy eyes and my core stirred up like a storm threatening to come upon this devil.

Before I could do anything, Roxanne looked up at the guy, her eyes were wild and crazy. Oh no no no...

"What did you say?" She straightened herself and I swear the gates of hell were shaking.

The clueless pretty boy decided to wrap his arm around her shoulder and-

I lost it.

I swung a huge blow to his jaw and I bet I heard a crack but I wasn't sure because I heard another sound when Roxy kicked him in the balls.

The scream of pure agony.

Pretty boy knelt on the floor, his group of morons finally coming over to see their gang leader crouching on the ground.

I guessed he was the leader what with them calling him 'Big Brother' and whatnot.

Roxanne and I sprinted out of there but a burly guy caught my top and pulled me back so abruptly I heard the fabric rip.

I swung a back kick at him but he dodged and he held me tighter, one arm holding my arms and body to him. The other hand pulling my hair back so he can breathe his disgusting musky breath on my face, "Stop squirming babe, it'll hurt you a lot less." 

That was it.

The cold rushed down my arm and I froze his balls through his pants. I swear his face flared different shades of red. I clenched my fist and hammered straight at his family jewels and the ice shattered. He yelled and a fist flew across his face knocking him out cold as he flopped to the ground.

Ben stared straight at me, his hand was shaking from hitting the sketchy guy.

Ben grabbed my arm and pulled me out of there, Austin stumbling out on his other side.

I had no idea what to do. We couldn't run. There wasn't a cab in sight. The gang of weirdos were starting to look for whoever did the damage to their mates.

Ben was staring at me like I was some crazy freak. I snapped at him, "Stop staring at me like that! What do we do?"

He pulled himself together. "Get Roxanne," he ordered and I quickly picked her up from where she was leaning against the wall.

He led us down the dark alley to the back of the bar where he parked his car and I could have stood there staring at his sexy red Ferrari but he was already loading Austin into the back passenger seat of his car.

I quickly strapped Roxanne in with Austin at the back while I rode shotgun.

The car roared to life and he drove out of the cramped parking lot but three members of the gang stopped in front of our car. One of them slammed the hood of the Ferrari with his fist and pointed straight at Ben, "BENJAMIN BURNES!"

I stared at Ben, his knuckles turning white from gripping the steering wheel too hard. He glared straight at the one guy and revved the engine so loudly all of them jumped out of the way. We sped out of there the moment we had the chance.

Ben zoomed down the empty street, quiet as per usual but the air around him seemed incredibly tense. Plus I had no idea where he was going. Plus how did those guys know him?

"I didn't know you had a car parked behind the bar. No wonder you didn't want to drink anything."

Ben's eyes were on the road, he looked like he didn't even hear me.

I cleared my throat after another ten minutes of silence from him, "So, your last name is Burnes?"

He breathed out really loudly and I saw the tension in his shoulders loosen slightly, "Yes."

I nodded, "How did those guys know your name?" I asked, trying to sound as light as possible.

His shoulders tensed again and I regretted even asking, "Okay you know what, it's okay if you don't tell me. I understand."

"No you don't! You never will!" He snapped, his tone sharp and harsh.

I looked away from him and stared out the window, blinking back tears, what was wrong with him? What was wrong with me?

The rest of the ride was silent, it was horrible. Ben was clearly out of it, he seemed lost in his thoughts.

He tapped his card to enter the car park and the rumbling of the engine finally quietened down as he parked in his lot. He got Austin while I got Roxanne and he led us to the elevators.

We arrived at some floor and I looked around. It was an apartment building. Sleek, modern and beautiful from the inside. Monochrome colours with metal and glass everywhere.

It reminded me of my own home.

Ben tapped his card on the door and he kicked it open, leading us into what I suppose was his home.

I stopped short and stood at the door, not sure what to do. Why did he bring us here? He threw Austin on the sofa and turned to look at me, "Come in."

I stepped inside, it was really warm. Not the hot kind of warm. The colours.

Almost everything was made of lacquered wood. The cushions on the sofa were made of dark brown synthetic leather. The curtains were a lighter shade of brown. His refrigerator was beige. The colours in the house meshed together beautifully.

Ben closed the front door and stood in front of me, eyes wandering everywhere but on me.

"I- Uh- You can stay here with Roxanne for tonight," he whispered and I held Roxy tighter to me, she was flopping around and it was annoying me.

"Is this your home?" I asked him and he nodded. "Why would you bring us here? You can just send us straight home."

He sighed and ran his hand through his beautiful hair, "I don't know where Roxanne lives."

"Well you could have asked me instead of just shutting up throughout the whole drive here," I spit out at him and he tensed.

I hauled Roxy back to the front door, "You know what, I'll just take her home by myself-"

Ben lifted both me and Roxanne up and carried us to the guest room.

"What the- Put me down!" I yelled and hit his back but he didn't flinch one bit. I grumbled and he plopped both of us down on the king-sized bed.

Roxanne groaned and passed out in a rather ugly manner. I stared at Ben, my face pissed as hell but he didn't even care.

"Have a good rest," he mumbled and turned to leave the room. I glared at the back of his head, aggravated with how the night ended.

Ben stopped and turned back to me, his face bright red, "And uh... I'll get a new set of clothes for you. Your shirt is um..."

His mumbling was annoying the hell out of me but the moment I looked down at my top I realised why he was stammering.

The guy pulled my shirt so hard causing the neckline to stretch and now it was a huge ugly hole hanging down my front. Most of my bra and left shoulder was exposed and I didn't even feel it because I was holding Roxy to me earlier.

My arms flew up to cover my upper body, the cold rushing up to my flustered face. I could feel Ben's gaze on me and I glared up at him. 

"Stop staring at me!" I yelled in exasperation and he looked away. His face getting redder by the second.

"I'll just-" He looked back at me, his eyes wide as if he was drinking in this sight of me.

I grabbed the pillows from the bed and threw it at him, "GET OUT!"

He quickly opened the door to leave but turned back to look at me for the last time just as the pillow I threw smacked him in the face. He backed out of the room and closed the door behind him.

I breathed heavily, cheeks flushed with embarrassment. I groaned and buried my face in my hands, Roxanne mumbling incoherent words next to me.

How am I going to face Ben tomorrow?