Pool Hunny // Benny Rodriguez

38.

Benny.

Things were different now between Caroline and I, it was hard to explain but the word friendly about summed it up. Which wasn't exactly what I was aiming for but I guess it was better than nothing. We hung out outside of school and tutoring, even when Emmy wasn't there, we had inside jokes now and Caroline didn't act like talking me was a chore her father had put her up to for the first time in ever.

She put the invitation down on my table, "the dinner is at my house, seven thirty, be there and don't be late. You know I hate that."

That much was true, Caroline, like her father, despised slackers. I nodded pocketing it, "I won't be late this time."

She smiled satisfied, "good. And tell Kenny if he ever hoses me down again I will have him banned from my house. He almost ruined one of my favourite dresses."

I laughed, "you have to admit it was very funny." She had been shouting at Will and Parker for pretending to thrown her into the pool and as a mock to calm her down Kenny sprayed her with the garden hose but it did not go in his favour.

A smile that I could tell she was trying to hide cracked on Caroline's face, "only a little. Pass this on to him for me would you?" She asked handing me another invite that had his name on it in cursive writing.

I nodded taking it and putting it in my bag, "hey what are you doing tonight?" I continued getting up as she started walking down the hall.

Caroline paused, "nothing actually, why?"

"Emmy, Kenny and I were going to go and watch a movie at the mall, do you want to come?" I asked falling in step beside her.

"What movie, because I don't like that horror gunk crap with zombies and axes." Caroline told me wrinkling her nose.

"Actually we're watching, 'Horror gunk crap zombies and axes extreme number seven'." I answered grinning at her.

She hit me in the arm, "asshole. What are you really watching?"

"I already told you,  'Horror gunk crap zombies and axes extreme number seven' it's supposed to be even better than number six." I continued.

"Ha ha, very funny, now tell me what we're really watching or I'm not coming." Caroline mock threatened.

"Drama Queen, we're watching some movie about spies or something I have no idea. I think it's called Defenders 2. They picked it not me." I replied.

She snorted, "you're not marketing this very well you know."

I sighed, "just stop being so stubborn ans come would you? If it's a shit film we can make fun of it together."

Caroline groaned, "fine, no need to twist my arm, what time should I be there?"

"Six, we're having dinner at mine first." I explained.

Her eyes lit up, "is your mother cooking?"

"No I am." I replied.

"Ew, do you even know how to cook?" Caroline asked me frowning.

"Did I not make you a killer soup when you were sick?" I asked her half fake offended half real.

She narrowed her eyes, "Benny it was a stock soup, all you had to do was heat it up on the stove. It wasn't even burnable."

I scoffed, "have a little faith would you, I'm a great cook."

Caroline started laughing and patted me on the back, "sure you are."

A couple hours later she showed up at my house, pink skirt and white too with a one boots. It suited her well. Although she could have been wearing a garbage bag and I still would've thought it suited her. She could pull anything off.

"So where is the seven course meal from the prestigious chef?" Caroline asked hugging Emmy before taking a seat.

I went to get the burgers out of the oven, "coming right up Princess."

I could see Kenny and Emmy exchange wary glances as I set their plates down. I rolled my eyes, "not you too."

They all took a bite of their burger and I could see Caroline screw up her face, "ohmygod."'she coughed, "what are you trying to do? Poison us? This is disgusting."

I scowled at her, "stop being so dramatic."

Kenny shook his head as Emmy chugged her water, "she's right this is child cruelty man."

"Seriously?" I asked crossing my arms.

"Try it yourself." Caroline replied, "you'll see we're not exaggerating."

I scowled at them and grabbed my burger, as soon as I bit into it I wanted to spit it back out again. They were right it was a hate crime to my mouth. I ran over to the bin and coughed it out, it had tasted acrid and way too salty. "Remind me never to try and get a job in the culinary industry, they might have me arrested for the murder of peoples taste buds." I muttered grabbing my glass of water.

"Told you so." Caroline replied pointedly. "We can grab dinner after the movie and get popcorn and milkshakes before to make up for this disaster. I'll drive."

We all got into her car and she brought us down to the mall parking her car in a spot relatively near to the front. We had about twenty minutes to kill before the movie started and we spent it getting milkshakes, popcorn and pick n' mix candy bags.

Once we were finished we walked into the cinema and took our seats. Caroline frowned when she saw my candy bag, "there were sour sweets? I thought there were only sweet ones!" She groaned, "the sour ones are my favourite."

"I'll switch with you." I told he.

Caroline beamed, "really?"

I nodded, "yeah come on give me yours, I like the sweet ones better anyways." That of course was not true, otherwise I would have gotten a bag of sweet candy I hated the sweet ones but I didn't mind if Caroline had mine.

"Thanks Benny." Caroline replied taking my paper bag.

"It's the least I can do for almost killing you twice." I told her laughing .

"Twice?"

"Yeah, First my unliscenced Dad on the boat and then the burger." I replied making her grin.

"I guess you're right." Caroline responded popping a sour candy in her mouth.

"Would you two stop yapping?" Emmy hissed, "the movie is about to start."

I turned to the screen an expectant look on my face, hopefully they hadn't picked anything too awful.

My hopes were crushed quickly.

Caroline and I exchanged half amused half horrified looks once the fist scene was over. "That might just be the worst thing I have ever seen in my life." She muttered to me.

"I couldn't stop looking at the woman with the buck teeth." I replied, "she was so strange."

"You mean the Peter Rabbit duplicate?" Caroline asked, "I know, it's so hard to look away when her teeth are basically the main character of the show."

We went on like that for the whole film, it was arguably worse torture than eating my burger. The film was total trash, although Emmy and Kenny seemed to eat it up.

"Wasn't that so good?" Emmy asked as we finally left.

Caroline shot her a shocked look, "do you not have eyes? It was awful."

Kenny scoffed, "you clearly don't understand film, that film was a masterpiece."

I almost burst out laughing, "it was total bullshit is what it was."

I caught Caroline's eye as the other two went off on their rant about how amazing the film was. I'm choosing the next one, she mouthed at me.

As long as it's not Defenders three I'm fine with it, I mouthed back.

Over my dead body.