09/29 Instance: What Were You Thinking?

[Starfish]

Timeline: Current.


Bman: Pushing the window open he checked once to the ground, once behind him, and then once more to the ground. He surveyed the school grounds, peering into the dark, until he felt finally it was safe. Slinging his banjo across his back, he crawled down the walls and carefully hopped over all the newly set alarms and booby traps that he had thoughtfully made a point of finding while killing time, trapped in school one day.

Bman: As he hopped over the large stone wall he looked again to the left and right, then straight ahead, and with quicker-than-bunny reflexes, leapt behind the bushes and burst back out of them on his scooter. Back to the HonkyTonk Bar he went.

Neena: Neena watched from her window, clutching the sleeves of Ben's sweatshirt around her hands for warmth. This was the third time this week she woke up alone, and now she knew why. Well, sort of. Damn it, where the fuck are you going? She thought angrily. Wherever it was, she was going to find out.

Neena: She went to her dresser and pulled out some jeans and a blouse, taking her navy wool trench instead of the white. It was stealthier. She grabbed her phone and her key, and headed out after him.

Ben: Ben pulled up to the back stage entrance and went in. The band was set and after about fifteen minutes of waiting, they were finally on. The new fiddler, Ronald Ortiz, told Ben about the song they wanted him to play that night.

Ben: "Luke!" Ron said, being this was the only name they knew him by, "We gots a new request, Sherry from the bar." Ben nodded and took the slip of paper that Ronald handed him. He smirked and nodded as he read the title. "We can do that if you guys are for it." "Been practicin' all day." "Then let's go!" With applause from the patrons of the bar, the band came out on stage.

Neena: It took her a while to track him down, since she had to go back to her room for her compact, and had to find Rogue's keys. Neena prayed her roommate wouldn't mind if she took the Harley. But it was for a good cause, so she was sure Rogue would understand. Neena spotted a very familiar scooter, parked outside a....oh no. That can't be right... she thought to herself. But she'd know Ben's bike anywhere. Parking the Harley, Neena gathered her courage and entered the country bar.

Benjamin: Ben and his band played merely thirty seconds of the song "Papa Loved Mama" and the whole bar was whooping, hollering, and line-dancing. The band jammed and wailed into three more songs before Ben was able to wave off stage and take a fifteen minute break. He walked down to the bar and tipped his hat to all the girls as the bartender threw him a glass of whiskey (which he passed along to a bandmate.)

Neena: She wanted to die. Seriously, just keel over and pass out. There he was, in ridiculously tight jeans, singing country music while people line dance in almost perfect unison. It was more honky tonk than a Toby Keith concert, and it was WAY more honky tonk than Neena could handle.

Neena: Neena couldn't hide the sigh of releif when they stopped playing, and she watched through narrowed eyes as Ben exited the stage. Her blood boiled as he flashed that charming smile at girls in cutoff jeans. He was a dead man. She gingerly made her way around too much cowhide and inappropriate uses of fringe, and headed for the bar.

Benjamin: Ben waved to the bartender as he downed the ginger ale and began his way back to the stage. As he made his way through the crowds, he actually walked right by Neena, who was in so much make up, he didn't even recognize her.

Benjamin: As he got back on the stage he introduced the next song and the band played again for another half hour.

Neena: She breathed another sigh of releif when he failed to recognize her...he was too eager to get back onstage.
Neena went up to the bartender and asked about the young man who was fronting the band, and learned that Ben was smart enough to use another name. Thanking the bartender, Neena decided enough was enough and that it was time for them to go home.

Neena: She was stopped at the stage entrance by a rather large man wearing an even larger belt buckle. He told her she wasn't allowed backstage while "Luke and the boys" were playing. "Family only, miss," he told her. Thinking quickly, Neena discreetly shifted her claddagh ring onto her ring finger. "I'm Luke's...missus," she said smartly, holding up her hand. "I've come to see my husband."

Neena: That worked like a charm. The man apologized, and with a tip of his hat, let her pass. Neena strode backstage, ready to strangle Ben.

Benjamin: As they finished the song Ben laughed and waved to the crowd. He turned around to face the rest of the band, checking to see they were going to be in count with him as he started up, but then someone caught his eye. "Oh, no." He said.

Benjamin: He spun around and tried to smile. Then he reached over to the microphone.

Benjamin: "Tonight... we're going to do a special finale, an instrumental, and I want the best karaoke singers here to come up and sing along! C'mon y'all! Gittup 'ere!" He gestured for them to come up and a dozen or so drunken men stormed the stage.

Benjamin: The band looked confused but he pointed to his girlfriend and said "Sorry." As he approached her, he saw, very clearly, she was not happy.

Neena: "Hi...Luke," Neena gritted through her teeth as Ben came over. "Good crowd tonight, right?" As he came up to her, she pulled him close in what appeared to be a show of affection. "Listen. I won't blow your cover. Pretend I'm your wife, it's the only thing that got me backstage." Pulling away, she kept up the facade, smiling brightly.

Benjamin: Ben bit his tongue and forced a grin. "Shore thing hunny.... right behind ya."

Neena: She grabbed his hand, digging her nails to show her displeasure, and dragged him out of the bar. Once they were outside, she pulled him in front of her. "What the hell were you doing in there?" she hissed. "And in...that, no less!" Neena pointed to his attire, fuming, when it hit her that those jeans looked familiar. "Oh my god, are those MY pms jeans??"

Benjamin: Ben looked down with a rather sad expression. "I worked hard to get this get-up. And no, they're not. Those are in the wash, you're welcome. And what I was doing in there was expressing myself musically. I can't stand being cooped up."

Neena: "You...took my...ok." Neena took a deep, calming breath. "This isn't the place to argue. We need to get back to the institute before someone recognizes you. And I'd start praying now, if I were you." With a huff, she turned from him and started the Harley. The drive home was long, and Neena tried to get her boiling blood to calm down. She arrived first, parking Rogue's bike and making a note to pay for the gas later.

Benjamin: Ben pulled the coughing scooter up beside the bike and flashed an apologetic grin to Neena. She didn't seem amused. Storming off she went inside, slamming the garage door in Ben's face. He opened it and followed her storming, stomping steps, up to his room. "Great...." he muttered to himself from behind her.

Neena: Neena shed her trench and tossed it on his bed...the bed she had fallen asleep in. "Do you know why I followed you?" she asked quietly.

Benjamin: "Because I took your bloaty-pants?" Ben asked. "Because honestly, that was only the first night-" He didn't even have time to finish his joke.

Neena: "I followed you becuase I woke up in my room tonight, when I know I fell asleep here!" She pointed to his bed. "This is the third time this week alone! And I wanted to know WHY...of course, I never expected that. What you've been doing is a NEW level of stupidity, Ben." Neena turned to face him, her voice never once rising.

Benjamin: "Really? I'm pretty sure the newest level of stupidity was going out to follow me! What were you thinking! i'm always back, if you wanted to know what was up, I would've told you!"

Neena: Her eyebrow went up, a sign that signaled she had reached her limit. The patience was gone. "I'm stupid for following you? Are you insane? My boyfriend who isn't supposed to be LEAVING the school is out in the middle of the night. And I'm the stupid one for following? Wow, nice one."

Benjamin: "I didn't realize we were in a competition for politeness!" Ben roared back. "How am I supposed to be staying in a house of people who don't want me and are furious with me for registering! You all hide it, but you're all angry."

Benjamin: "And I need a venue, I need to play. I have to Neena! I love you, and I love music too!"

Neena: "Bullshit!" she replied quietly, her hands on her hips. "And don't you dare raise your voice to me, Benjamin Reilly. I am not afraid of you. I'm not angry that you registered. I'm afraid for you, upset that you ignored my concerns. But I'm not angry. I've forgiven you that already. Now, stop trying to change the subject."

Benjamin: "How about how you've ignored me! Ever since I've registered, all we do is sleep in the same bed! Or kiss eachother on the cheek! I see it in your eyes Neena, I see how disappointed and angry you are with me. I'm sorry I'm not perfect, I'm sorry I don't do things right, but music is who I am!"

Neena: "We are not talking about perfection," Neena gritted her teeth. It was getting difficult to keep her voice audible. THe angrier she got, the quieter she became. "We are talking about you risking your life to go out and sing on a stage! In a country bar! With drunks and inappropriate uses of snakeskin! While I sit here and wonder why the hell I woke up alone."

Benjamin: "Hey country people are just like everyone else, don't you judge people for what they listen to, what they wear, or how they live their lives Neena! Don't be those people who made it so registration became a necessity. And it's not like I was off drinking! I wasn't out fighting crime or even committing it, so why the hostility! I was just. Playing. Music."

Neena: "Cowboy hats are not an appropriate use of snakeskin. It's not judgment, it's a fact. And don't start lecturing me on country people, like you know all about where I come from. I have every right to be hostile. Do you know what would happen to you if you got caught? If the Feds got a hold of..." The thought scared her speechless.

Benjamin: "What're they gonna do Neena? Punch me? Cut me? Throw a black bag over my head and drag me somewhere to dunk me in ice cold water? I'm not a terrorist! I'm just an extraordinary! A mutant! I'm no different, and that's what this is about, this registration!"

Benjamin: "I'm not going to be caught by Feds because they're not looking for me!"

Neena: Ok, what was he on? "How do you know? You said someone was looking for you. For all I know, it could be the FBI! What am I supposed to do if something happens to you? Don't you freaking get it? I worry about you! Like it or not! It's what people that love do! Maybe if you could stop for two seconds and realize what you're putting me through you wouldn't be so quick to come at me."

Benjamin: "You cared so much you had to go and ruin a gig?!" Ben nearly screeched. "You know that necklace I gave you last week! Country money bought that! Mac hasn't been able to send me my checks, he's had to bring it to me in cash, and it's barely enough, most of it going to my mother and aunt! Why can't you ever just appreciate me instead of assume I'm doing the worst thing? Why don't you trust me?!"

Neena: "Since when is this about trust? I'm not assuming you're doing the worst thing. I followed you because you specifically said you are NOT leaving the mansion. Why didn't you just TELL me that you were feeling this way, hm? Don't you think I wanted to know? Do I drive you nuts that much that you just had to get away from me, sneaking out in the middle of the night?"

Neena: She came up to him, taking his shirt in her hands. "I don't CARE about money. My god, I'd rather you be dirt poor and safe then be making thousands and putting your neck on the chopping block. And I never said I didn't appreciate you."

Benjamin: "Well that's how I feel! Like all my efforts don't matter! Like everytime I turn down a drink at that bar, I think of how proud you would be of me, but then I remember you don't know I'm there because if you did... well we're seeing the results right now!" he threw his hands in the air. "Why can't you just understand that every little thing I do, I do thinking of you!"

Neena: She caught his hands and brought them to her cheek. "If that's true, then stop. Ben, I've always supported your decision to go after music. But you can't do this! It's not safe! I'll never get a wink of sleep ever again, knowing you're out and about and god knows what brute is looking for your ass! And stop being so dramatic. You were wrong in keeping this from me and you know it!"

Benjamin: "You knew I was leaving. You could've asked. You didn't have to ruin a gig, you didn't have to risk yourself for me. I've never asked you to do anything for me, except maybe get the keys or something trivial. You shouldn't have felt obligated to go get me, I will always come to you. No matter where I am, what situation, I will come back to you."

Neena: She gave a bitter little laugh. "See, that's the thing. I fell asleep here, happy as can be, stupidly thinking I'd wake up to my favorite thing the next morning. Instead, I HAPPENED to wake up in my bed, not able to fall asleep again. I HAPPENED to look out the window and see my boyfriend sneaking off like some common cheating husband. What was I supposed to do? Assume it's perfectly normal? Spare me, please. And excuse me for ruining a gig. I'll make sure to blow your cover next time, too. Then maybe you'll be happy with me since you're finding so many faults with me now."

Benjamin: "I'm just saying that I don't want you out there looking for me! If I go missing, if I disappear, you call the Go-Team, you call Xavier, your brother whoever, but don't you ever go out by yourself looking for me with times as they are!" He said. "If I was just getting milk, or something like tonight, and I got back to you not here anymore!" He nearly cried at the thought. "I'd never be able to live with myself."

Neena: "Then. Don't. Leave. Me. Alone." Neena explained, like she was talking to a child. She released him and walked over to the window. "At least maybe you can learn your lesson. Now you know how I feel. Don't do it again. How many times do I have to tell you not to keep things from me? You're being completely unfair!"

Benjamin: "You want unfair! Unfair is hiding out in your room everytime I want to hang out! And I don't mean sex either! Damn it Neena, I'm alone in a house all day, all my homework for the rest of the fucking semester is done and you're pitching tent in your room and hiding from me!"

Benjamin: "I know your family is upset with me being registered, I just don't get why you won't talk about it! They mentioned you going home! Okay, great, so tell them no and hang up! Why are you blocking me out though!"

Neena: "Don't you dare!" she whirled on him. "Don't talk about my family like you know what's going on! You don't have the slightest idea of what I'm going through, you don't know what they're doing to me, so don't come to me with your holier than thou simplified answers! I am not hiding from you! I'm...oh!" she threw her hands up and faced away again.

Benjamin: "You know Neena, if I am upsetting you this much, and your family really wants you home that badly..." Ben tore his jacket off and threw it on the bed, finally realizing he was hot. "Why don't you just go back? If you can't deal with it, why are you here?"

Neena: That hurt more than anything else he could have said. Neena wanted to cry, but she'd die before he saw her shed a tear over something like that. "I'm here for you, idiot!" she cried instead. "I'm here because I love you and I wanted to be here for you! I'm risking everything for you, and this is what I get? Yelled at, lied to?"

Benjamin: "You know what, I don't need this." Ben said sternly. "I did everything for you. I could've fallen back to alcohol, but I stayed strong for you, I could have stayed un-registered, but I believe it will help us! And I thought if I made enough money by the end of the year, maybe, just maybe, we could do something crazy, like.."

Benjamin: "Oh I don't know.. marriage?!" Ben threw his hands around in circles, his exasperation getting the better of him. "All I want to do for the rest of my life is love you and play music, and you keep making a project out of it! I wasn't lying to you, I just didn't want you hurt!"

Neena: Neena was stunned. Marriage? What the fuck? "I'm not making a project out of anything!" she said, deciding to come back to the marriage thing later. Maybe. "You're the one who said you'd be hiding out here at the mansion! Not me! If it were up to me we'd...we'd be somewhere else!"

Benjamin: "Somewhere else?" Ben stammered. "Like... San Francisco? Is that what you want? You want us to leave the mansion? My East-Coast home? My parents? You want me to ditch everyone again? And once again, I'm not hiding here because I'm registered, I'm hiding here because I think someone is looking for me!"

Benjamin: "It's been weeks and Mac hasn't seen anything and I haven't heard anything! Whoever he is, or was, he's probably gone! I was being precautious for you! I was doing what I thought was best for you! And for them! Mom wanted me to come with her! My aunt offered her flat in Jersey!"

Neena: Neena rubbed her temples. "I never said San Fran...I'm not even from there! I'm not asking you to ditch anyone! And I don't need anyone being cautious for my sake. I already have five people breathing down my neck in Cali, I don't need number six! Don't you get it? I'm about to give up my inheritance for you, because I don't want you to have to leave!"

Benjamin: Ben froze. "You what?" He asked. "You are doing what now?" The expression on his face, one of confusion, anger, maybe guilt, became stone hard. "Why? Why would you do that?"

Benjamin: "I never asked you to give things up for me! If I have to leave Neena, that's what I have to do! Don't you ruin your life for me! Why would you consider such a thing!"

Neena: "Because I'm stupid!" she cried, near tears. "I'm stupid and I love you too damn much to have any common sense! And now I'm going to throw away my uncle's vineyard, because I didn't want to have to choose, but I'm being forced to!"

Benjamin: Ben could feel tears as well, but of guilt instead of anger. "Why!?" He asked. "Why would you do something like that! I don't understand why you would take something you wanted so badly!" He grabbed his hair out of frustration.

Benjamin: "Fine!" He said. "You know what, you shouldn't be the only one doing this!" Ben went over to his guitar and held it up. "I won't get what I want either." He dropped the guitar on his knee and broke it in half.

Benjamin: Then he moved to his eukelele and with one hand smashed it three times against the punching bag until it splintered off into bits of metal, wood, and string, cutting his face as it blew by. "Now neither of us are getting what we want!"

Neena: "Ben!" Neena cried, alarmed. She turned from the window to see him break his beloved instruments. She strode across the room in four steps and threw her palm across his face. She moved to quickly for him, and the sound of palm on cheek echoed through the room. They stood still for a pregnant moment, Neena shaking.

Neena: "If I gave up my inheritance, my chance at the vineyard, it's because I loved you. But none of it matters if you don't take it seriously, if you just take my sacrifice and throw it away. You meant more to me than a vineyard. But...but maybe...I made a mistake."

Benjamin: Ben dropped his eukelele remnants and felt a tear run down his face. "Maybe you did..." He said quietly. "Maybe you did."

Neena: Neena stepped back, her chest heaving. "Then...maybe I should just go," she replied. Her hand moved to her cherished claddagh ring. She never, ever took it off, and her hand felt instantly naked without it. "You'll probably want this back." she let the ring drop to the floor.

Benjamin: Ben felt his heart break as the ring hitting the floor echoed around him. He sat down on his bed, put his head in his hands, and covered his eyes as she walked out the door, shutting it quietly behind her.

Benjamin: Taking his wallet out he looked at the picture of himself, smiling stupidly with that big red M next to it. Roaring words with no meaning he tore it apart, stood up, and high-kicked the punching bag.

Benjamin: The bag swung backwards, tore off the chain, and fell with a loud whump to the floor. As it landed Ben fell to his knees and sobbed.

Neena: Neena closed the door to her room, mindful of Rogue, and put the bike keys back where she found it. She took her blackberry in her hand, weighing her options. No. It's best to just go. It is. It's what she really wants, right? The vineyard. Her dream. She dialed her Uncle's number, trying to ignore the ache in her chest.

Neena: "Uncle? Hi, sorry to call so late. I've made up my mind. I'm coming home."

[Edited on 29-9-08 by Starfish]

[Edited on 30/9/08 by fourpawsonthefloor]

[wingyding]

....... :shakes head: wtf?

[Esynthia]

Ducati ain't Rogue's..... it's Rahne's. Rogue parked it again when she bought her harley... like a looong time ago. ok, so like a month or two game time. but still. and yes, she will be uber upset if she finds out someone drove her baby. (yay vic echos. )

good instance yall. and Rogue will be damned before she lets Neena leave, yall realize