Chapter 0239


    “How do you know this shit,” Jackson mutters, shaking his head, letting himself be led.


    “You handle kicking the shit out of the bad guys,” Jesse says, giving Jackson a broad grin. “I’ll


    handle the girls. Besides, Rafe and I reserve the right to yell at Ariel tonight. We’ve known her


    longer, we get first dibs. Youe to breakfast at our ce tomorrow before the train leaves –


    really give her a piece of your mind then.”


    “If you say so,” Jackson sighs, his eyes moving upwards to the window he knows is hers – or, at


    least, the one closest to the nook in which she sleeps. There’s still a light on, which means she’s still


    up.


    “Trust me, Jacks,” Jesse says, giving him a little squeeze, “I wouldn’t do you dirty. We’re friends


    now, after all. Best friends.”


    “Don’t push it,” Jackson grumbles. But as the pair walk back into the castle Jackson has to admit…


    the whole friendship thing, it does have its perks. Even if it involves a lot more talking than he’d


    prefer.


    “So, how’d you know?” Ben murmurs, sitting at the other end of the couch while I stretch my legs


    between us. He digs into his half-eaten third slice of cake with abandon.


    “Benny, my love,” I sigh, lifting another forkful of chocte icing to my mouth –


    “You’d better be careful with that word –“ Ben says, pointing his fork at me with a wink. “Men have


    been beaten tonight for expressing lesser sentiments –“


    “Oh, shut up,” I murmur, rolling my eyes and kicking him, which just makes himugh. Ben - he’s


    really been an angel over the past hour or so, cajoling and teasing and being sweet to me by turns,


    all in the effort to get me back to myself, to make me realize that no permanent damage has been


    done. After all, all I did was tell the truth.


    In…absolutely the most disastrous way possible.


    Because I didn’t even tell the truth – I was so much of a coward that I couldn’t even tell my mates


    the reality of our situation – I had to wait for them to just stumble upon it. God, what the hell is


    wrong with me –


    “Don’t go there,” Ben murmurs, leaning back against the arm of the couch now, as Luca so often


    does, and tapping my foot with his fork. “You’re betraying the cake, and the insane piece of gossip I


    just handed you, if you just…ignore it and delve into your despair. Honestly, Ariel, I gave you my


    best distraction. Sooo? How’d you know?”


    “Because,” I sigh. “Youugh at all of Rafe’s jokes, Ben, and he’s not that funny.”


    Ben goes still and then bursts outughing. “Yes, he is!”


    “No,” I say, smiling and shaking my head at him. “You’re just listening to him with your love earmuffs


    on. My mom does it to my dad, from whom Rafe gets his sense of humor.”


    “Man,” Ben says, hanging his head back, shaking it. “Both of our greatest secrets, which we thought


    we were doing such a good job of keeping to ourselves, revealed by ourughter…what are the


    chances of that.”


    I grin at him, but then I lean forward and cock my head. “Benny,” I say, and he lifts his head to smile


    at me. “Why did you keep it a secret? I mean, you know that I’d never judge you for it, right? And I


    have no idea if Rafe or Jesse knows, but I know they wouldn’t care –“


    “Even if they wouldn’t care, Ari,” Ben murmurs, smirking a little as he pushes his cake around with a


    fork, “it would…change things, between us.”


    “Do you think so?” I murmur, curious, and pleased to be distracted from my own drama, even if just


    for a minute.


    “Yeah, I think it would be different,” Ben says, definite. “I mean…Rafe. He’s not interested in…”


    “I don’t know,” I say honestly, raising my eyes to Ben’s face even though he doesn’t look up. “We’ve


    never talked about whether or not he swings both ways. Though, Ben, I…I don’t think so. Of course,


    I could be wrong, but…”


    “Nah,” Ben says, flicking his eyes up to mine with a little smile. “That’s my impression too. Looks like


    you got all the luck, huh? Two gorgeous men for you, me…nothing.”


    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    “Benny,” I murmur, leaning forward and rubbing a hand across his knee. “If you…try to pretend


    you’re jealous of me right now…I’m going to kill you.”


    Ben’s face just lights up with a smirk.