3 undesirable ben and.., p.31
3 - Undesirable: Ben & Libby, page 31
part #3 of Ben & Libby Series
“Nice to meet you,” I whispered.
She averted her eyes.
“Are you looking forward to starting at Rapetti?” Hope asked.
Millie laughed, snorting like her older sister.
“Don’t be such a cunt. The only thing Dumps looks forward to is eating. Run along fatty,” Millie snarled at her and Daniella disappeared again.
I wanted to chase after her, but first, I yanked on Hope’s sleeve and pulled her aside.
“Hope, what the fuck was that?”
“Dumps? I know she’s seriously fucking ugly.”
“No. That’s not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about how you and your sister treated that new girl. I don’t care if you think she’s ugly, she’s a person and her name isn’t Dumps, it’s Daniella.”
“What do you care? The new Year 12s have a bonding prank they’ll play on her. It’ll be so funny. Now stop being a twat.”
“I’m not being a twat. You can’t just stand back and let everyone bully her.”
“Well it’s my party, and I can do what I want.”
“Why are you being such a bitch?”
“If I’m such a bitch, why don’t you get the fuck out of my house you slag.”
“There’s no need to insult me, Hope.”
“You’d better watch it, Liberty.”
“Whatever. I’m getting some air.”
“Learn how to be respectful!” Hope called after me as I stormed off.
I found one bathroom upstairs and opened the door.
“Oh, sorry!” I squeaked. But then I noticed that the person in there wasn’t taking a dump. It was Daniella, sitting on the toilet and crying.
You Are Getting Sleepy
“Leave me alone! I don’t want you to bully me!” Daniella cried up at me.
Her pitiful expression tugged at my heart-strings. I knew what it was like to be bullied.
I stepped forward cautiously and said, “I won’t bully you. I’m sorry for what she said.”
She sniffled and buried her head in her hands, muttering a strange word under her breath in German. All German words sounded strange to me.
“What’s your name?” I asked, hoping I could at least lure her out of there.
She stammered, “D-Dumps.”
“No. I mean, tell me your actual name. Don’t let them get to you.”
“It’s Dumps!” she cried out. “They said I have to go by Dumps all night or… or…”
“Or what?”
“They’ll hurt me.”
I tried to comfort her, even if I didn’t think it was working the way I’d hoped.
“They’re bullies. They’re too pussy to hurt you.”
“You don’t know who I’m dealing with. They’re horrible.”
I leaned against the door and shrugged. I didn’t know what she was dealing with. That much was true. I offered her a sip of my drink.
“Want some of my cider?”
“I don’t drink,” she said.
“It’s nonalcoholic.”
She took the cup hesitantly, returning my gaze with a skeptical look before asking, “Is this drugged?”
“No! See.”
I took a sip and handed it back to her. Daniella reluctantly sipped, her expression softening. There. No one should have to cry alone at a party. I smiled at her and Daniella’s throat quaked as she sipped another bit of cider and prepared herself to speak. Speaking up appeared to consume an enormous amount of energy from her. Her shoulders slumped and her deep voice began, “I used to be Danny at my old school. My sister, Yasmin... she uh, she used to bully me there, too. I begged mum and dad to let me go to another school but they said…”
I knew Kerri didn’t have her shit together but how many parents were like this? How many would sit back and let their kid get bullied to the point where they had to cry in a bathroom with a stranger? Daniella’s story saddened me.
I pressed her, “What did they say? Why did they let you get bullied like this?”
“They said Yasmin needed a slave to do her homework.”
I nearly spat my cider but opted to choke it down. That took several uncomfortable seconds before I could blurt out, “Your parents said that?”
Okay, Kerri apparently had competition for the worst parent ever.
“Yes. I mean... they adopted me. I know I should be grateful, but... they took me. No one believes me, but they took me from my mum back in Uganda.”
“Is that what Millie said when she said you had another name?”
“I used to be called Miremba. But I’m used to going by Danny now.”
“This is awful. People shouldn’t treat you like this.”
“You’re nice. How do you hang around such bloody racist people?” she snarled. “They don’t like me. They wouldn’t want to hang around me.”
There was anger in her voice. I understood wanting to fit in, but wanting to fit in with girls who treat you like that wasn’t any good either. And anyway, I didn’t fit in with them either. I shrugged and tried to make it sound positive. I didn’t want to discourage Danny from feeling better about school. Despite my tough times, I had a good run, hadn’t I?
I shrugged and explained, “Hope’s not that bad. She just likes gossip and boys more than school. Plus, there’s no one else at Rapetti, anyway. Except… my boyfriend, I guess.”
“You have a boyfriend?” Daniella said, like it was the greatest achievement in the world.
I loved Ben, but he wasn’t an achievement. We’d just been lucky enough to fit together.
“Yeah,” I said, staring into my drink awkwardly. I wasn’t normally the girl who had a boyfriend.
Danny’s excitement continued when she asked, “Is he white?”
“Yeah.”
“Is he an arsehole like the rest of them?”
I bit my lip. I didn’t think Ben would be racist towards her. Or cruel, like the others. But he had a strong vein of cruelty running through him. I changed the subject.
“We need to figure out a way to get them to stop bullying you. Stand up to them.”
I thought about it and realized that Ben would probably help me. He’d been a lot more caring recently and if Danny needed a friend, I could be that for her.
I said excitedly, “I’ll talk to my boyfriend and see what he can do.”
“Huh? Do you want me to have sex with him?”
“Huh?! No!”
“Oh. Sorry.”
My heart fluttered nervously. Daniella made me uncomfortable, despite my desire to help her.
“Why would you say that?”
“I dunno. Sorry.”
“Stop apologizing,” I said, still wanting an explanation, but realizing that I wouldn’t get one.
A loud pounding came around the corner as shoes pounded against the floor like hooves. A recognizable man’s voice followed the stomping.
“DUMPS! STOP FUCKING CRYING OR I’LL GIVE YOU SOMETHING TO CRY ABOUT!”
I flinched at the sound of his horrible voice and stepped out into the hallway with my drink, scowling furiously. Barnaby. He smiled wickedly once he saw me and his expression changed. I realized he was trying to look more like Ben, as if he could do that with thick black liner and never going out into the sun.
“Oh, Libs, my sweet girlfriend. How art thou?” he said mockingly.
“I know you’re not Ben, so stop the games.”
“Damn it. Thought that might work.”
“I’m not stupid.”
Barnaby grinned and said, “If you’re dating my brother, I doubt that you’ve got a speck of intelligence. I mean… I’m clearly hotter.”
“Get out of here, right now.”
“Why? My slave’s sitting on the toilet behind you. I want to use her.”
The cruel edge to his voice churned my stomach. I glanced over my shoulder protectively. Danny was shaking like a leaf. I had to get her out of here and stop Barnaby from whatever sick plan he had in mind. It was probably Hope and her friends trying to scare Danny for a laugh.
“Danny, get out of here, run and find Ben.”
“Who’s Ben!?”
“This one’s identical twin. You can’t miss him. If you can’t find him, go outside the house and wait for me.”
I was firm and pretending to be confident. I could read Barnaby’s expressions, but I had to remember that he wasn’t Ben, and he couldn’t read mine. He didn’t know how he terrified me. I hadn’t forgotten his snide comments. He’d possibly been poisoning me too. Danny slipped past us, but Barnaby didn’t appear concerned. He leaned against the door and winked.
“I get it. You finally want to be alone with me,” he breathed. “You look good tonight. I’d shag you.”
I scowled.
“That’s the last thing I want,” I snapped. “Why the hell are you bullying that girl?”
“I’m a sociopath. I don’t have feelings.”
What a liar. I folded my arms and got ready to argue with another stubborn Fox.
“You have feelings all right, you’re just a twisted bastard who doesn’t care about anyone else’s.”
“Powerful words. Are we fighting? I don’t remember a fight.”
“Why am I fainting, Barnaby? Why did you make those comments?”
He smirked and answered with another question.
“Why do you think I know that?”
“Because you do. It’s instinct. I know your twin brother like the back of my hand. Every micro-expression, every flinch, every time he smiles. I can read him like an open book and even if you’re the demon version of Benjamin Fox, I know you.”
“Will you let me fuck you if I say?”
“Take one step closer to me and I will twist and rip your nuts off.”
“Damn. Kinky.”
“Arnie, I’m serious. What’s happening to me, and what do you know about it?”
“This is getting boring, Liberty. You let my slave girl run off and the half-breed isn’t nearly as fun. Maybe it’s time to fuck the sister, Millie, start a little drama. She has the tiniest tits, though. Disgusting.”
“Arnie! Stop it!” I snapped. “That’s horribly racist and sexist and everything wrong with society.”
“Hm?” he answered, sounding bored. “I know. I wanted to upset you. It’s funny when you’re mad.”
“Don’t play games with me. Tell me what you know. Now.”
“But this is a game. And I’ve been playing with you for a long time. I’m good at my game, so good that you don’t even remember…”
He lunged forward and grabbed the sides of my head.
“Liberty Jones, obey all my commands.”
“N-no.”
He pressed his forehead to mine, and a heavy sleep came over me.
“Liberty Jones, your mind belongs to me. As you enter this hypnotic state, you will obey my every command and when you wake up, you will forget everything I’ve said, forget what I’ve told you to do. And you will faint on my command when I give the signal. Do you understand?”
No... This wasn’t possible. Barnaby Fox was hypnotizing me? How long had this been happening, and what the hell was he making me do?
“Y-yes, I understand.”
He pulled away, laughing.
“I’m only joking.”
I pushed him. Hard.
“That’s not funny!”
“It is to me,” Barnaby said.
Ben came bounding up the stairs, furious.
“What are you doing to her?”
“Nothing,” Barnaby said. “But she asked me to shag her properly.”
“I didn’t!”
Ben pushed him.
“Get out,” he snarled.
“Don’t you want to know what’s happening to her?”
“He doesn’t know,” I snapped. “He’s just messing with me.”
Ben snarled at his brother again, “I said get out.”
Barnaby ambled off, whistling to annoy Ben. My boyfriend pulled me close to him, a serious expression on his face. He wrapped his arms around me tightly.
“It’s going to be hard to be in school with him.”
“I know,” Ben whispered. “I can’t control the bastard. But maybe he’ll settle down.”
“If he wanted to hurt me, he’d have done it by now,” I said. “That’s a relief.”
“Don’t be so certain,” Ben said bitterly. “He might be joking, but I think he knows more than he’s letting on.”
“Maybe he doesn’t,” I suggested, even if Barnaby still upset me deeply.
“Maybe he truly wants to do better.”
Ben scoffed rudely, “Don’t be naive.”
I folded my arms again and said, “I believe in the good of people. Is that so wrong?”
Ben kissed me and shook his head. No, it wasn’t so wrong. But there was something sad about his kiss, like he didn’t want to pull away from me.
“I don’t like what happened here,” Ben whispered, “I don’t like it at all.”
“Let’s go downstairs and forget about it. I was making a new friend.”
“Who, Dumps?” Ben said, disbelieving.
I pushed his shoulder.
“Don’t call her that.”
“Sorry. She was this girl who came to talk to me, and then Millie got between us and started babbling on about her name.”
“Millie’s bullying her. It’s wrong and her name is Danny. Her life sounds really fucked up.”
Ben sighed.
“Go on. I’ll follow you downstairs soon.”
I glanced back at him as I went to find Daniella. The sad expression on his face hadn’t left.
What was it all about?
I’m The Danger
I rushed downstairs, but I couldn’t find Danny for a while. Arnie and Hope were in the corner, arguing with each other in hushed tones. Charlie was dancing on a table and leading some kind of chant, enjoying the center of attention. Theo was at the snacks table.
He brightened up significantly when he saw me and offered, “Libby, want to go outside for a spliff?”
“You know I don’t smoke that stuff.”
“Be my company, then!”
“Fine. I’m coming.”
I followed Theo outside.
“Want to go toward the cliffs?”
“Why not?”
Theo pulled me toward the cliffs. Going to the edge of the cliffs didn’t scare me and it didn’t scare Theo either, who leaned over the edge, his blond hair whipping in the wind. Theo pulled his spliff out of his pocket and flicked the light on.
“How are things going with you and Ben?”
“Good. It’s nice to be in love.”
“Cheers. Charlie’s settled down a bit. He’s stopped drinking as much. I know it hurt like hell when Arabella died but… since Arnie’s back, he knows he has to be his best self.”
“Won’t you miss him when we’re at Rapetti?”
Theo half-smiled.
“We’ve been through worse.”
“But your parents? And Charlie’s?”
Theo shrugged.
“Whatever. I’m done being ashamed. They’ve got to grow up and get over themselves.”
“I’m glad you can be so chill about it.”
Theo puffed for a couple moments and then coughed.
“Rapetti will be a laugh next year. I don’t worry about stuff, you know. Just light up and… forget it all.”
He winced as he turned slightly to face me better.
“Do you think you’ll play?”
“I might be down a few weeks but I’ll be back on my feet in no time. I may get another tattoo while I’m down. Can you get tattoos? Do they show up on your skin or anything?”
I rolled my eyes.
“Theo? I swear, you’ve got to read a book or something. Learn how to be sensitive!”
“You’re already black! Maybe they could do it in white ink.”
“Thanks for the suggestion,” I muttered.
Theo shrugged.
“You’re welcome,” Theo said, “It’s a bloody brilliant idea.”
He missed my sarcasm, apparently. British people could be like that sometimes. We heard a scream coming back from the house. Not from the house, exactly, but in that direction. Theo groaned.
“What drama’s going on back there…”
“I dunno,” I muttered, attempting to ignore the sound. I was happy to be away from any drama and hanging with a friend who’d been there for me even before Ben and I got together.
We both glanced toward the house, knowing we’d have to head back in moments.
“Hope’s mad at me,” I blurted out as Theo started walking back from the edge of the cliffs.
Theo was horrible on racial issues, but he could be a good friend if I gave him a chance. He rolled his eyes and scoffed at my revelation.
“Hope’s a bloody mess,” he offered. Theo never had an unkind word to say about anyone. This was the first hint he’d ever given me that he didn’t like Hope.
“I told her to stop bullying Danny.”
“Who the fuck’s Danny?”
I rolled my eyes.
“They have a mean name for her.”
“Oh.” Theo grinned.
So he knew the cruel name.
“It’s not funny,” I chastised, “I was bullied when I got to Rapetti. It’s no joke.”
“She’s a Year 12. Not your problem.”
I folded my arms and yanked Theo’s spliff out of his mouth, holding it hostage until he agreed that he was being a dick. That was when we heard the scream again.
“You heard that?” I whispered.
“Let’s check it out.”
We wandered toward the house. The screams got louder.
“It’s coming from behind the house.”
“Let’s go.”
Theo strode ahead confidently, and I followed. When we turned the corner, I screamed.
“Danny!”
“Help me!”
She raced out of the tall bush, her pants halfway off as she ran toward me, too scared to care that she was half dressed.
“What happened?”
“I was taking a whiz outdoors and there was this animal!”
“What kind of animal?”
“It was a wolf.”
“There are no wolves up here,” Theo said, “We’re on a beach.”
