The Boy in the Lake (BEN Drowned x Female Reader)

Chapter 12- Plan in action

"Thanks for being available so last second."

"No problem!" Belle smiled. "Ooh, I didn't realize how chilly it was today."

I shivered as she said that. It was mid October, and the weather had decided it was time to drop. I was only wearing jeans and a hoodie, so there wasn't much to protect me from the cold.

"Jeez (Y/N), you're shaking," Bella said. "Do you want to come inside for a cup of cocoa? I can also look for an extra sweater if you need one."

I nodded. "That would be nice, haha."

Belle opened her front door and let me inside. The smell of cedarwood and cinnamon hit me like a wall. The interior of the house had a very cozy look. It also felt really cozy, but there was a lingering mellowness in the air.

"The kitchen is just on the right," Belle told me. "There's a hot chocolate bar with paper cups, so go ahead and help yourself! I'm going to go look for that extra sweater for you."

I watched as Belle ran up the stairs and disappear around the corner. I hesitantly made my way to the kitchen.

Why was it so awkward to be given some free range in another person's house?

I walked in the kitchen and just as Belle said, there was indeed a hot chocolate bar.

It was very aesthetic, in fact.

After I got myself some cocoa, Belle came into the kitchen and held up a sweater. It was a white sweater with the triforce from the Legend of Zelda on it.

"Here we go!" Belle smiled. "This should fit you, I think."

"Is that yours?" I asked

"No, it was my brother's," Belle handed me the sweater which I gladly put on. "It's not like he'd fit into it now. Besides, he's not here right now."

"I saw the missing posters," I confessed.

Belle sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. "I guess you were bound to see them sooner or later."

"What happened?"

"Honestly," Belle began, "I have no idea. My family is pretty set on him just running away. It doesn't really make sense to me why he would, though."

"Oh," I looked down at my hot cocoa. There was no way I could tell Belle what happened to her brother.

Assuming Ben was BEN, which I was 98.2% sure about.

I couldn't just say to Belle 'Hey, I'm pretty sure your brother is dead and has been haunting me since last week. Crazy, right?'

If things were going the way I thought they were, things were going to get a hell of a lot more complicated. Meaning if Belle and BEN were family, which they probably are, then none of them know he's dead. They all just think he ran away.

But I know he's dead.

Oh gosh.

"Sorry for dumping this on you," Belle apologized. "My mom doesn't like talking about it, so we try our best not to bring it up."

"It's alright," I assured her.

We sat in silence for a few seconds. I chugged my hot cocoa, burning my throat in the process. None of this was meant to be stressful. I had to keep Ben Lawman's death under wraps all while figuring out where he died. Wouldn't I have to tell the police if I found a body?

Oh no, what if I found his body?

I shook the thought from my head. I was getting way too ahead of myself. There was always a chance I was off.