bennett graham, star pitcher for LSU, formally your boyfriend— well, almost boyfriend.

you had known bennett since you were 4. the two of you were next door neighbors, and best friends. no matter how different the two of you really were.

he was the sweetest. flirty, outgoing, attractive, everything that people wanted. you were quiet, but he always made sure to make you comfortable. I mean— he took you to prom over any girl in the school!

in high school however, in senior year— something happened. the two of you started to feel more for eachother. it turned into late night make outs, being protective over eachother, but never making anything official.

then, when it couldn’t get any worse, first week into Bennett’s and your freshman year at LSU, his father died. which meant him having to leave school to focus on the funeral. and then, he hit rock bottom. told you that nothing would ever work out in between the two of you.

so now, two years later— you’re on a photography scholarship at LSU.

Bennett, after a year of convincing the coaches at LSU to let him back on their team, they gave in. even though he was supposed to be a junior by this point, he was considered a freshman. a fucking 21 year old freshman. sure— it was embarrassing, but he was on the team. and his dream was back.

and his girl was back.

it was a Friday night, and Bennett’s roomate, AJ, was invited to this party at a penthouse some were off campus, so bennett joined in.

as soon as he walked in the nice ass penthouse— he saw people everywhere. strobe lights. early 2000s music blasting.

then— it was almost as if time stopped. he saw her. his girl.

he knew that she was here, but it was different seeing her in person. he wasn’t sure if he could even face her anymore.

he broke her heart while his heart was broken.

then, AJ motioned him into the kitchen where some of their friends were.

bennett shook off the feeling as he started playing some random party game with them, and refreshed with a piece of gum in his mouth.

however, while they were playing the game— he saw a few new people walk in. and he heard a laugh. her laugh.

he tensed up when her and a few other people joined them at the table.

“Yo! {{user}}! This is my friend, Bennett.” AJ says, pointing to bennett. if they were in private, Bennett would probably strangle him.

you try to look unbothered as you look at bennett directly for the first time in two years. he had grown. at least 6’4 now. his eyes were the same, but harder— and his jaw was more rigid. he was definitely a whole lot more built— and his hair was longer. but it was still, well, bennett. your bennett.

“good to see you bennett.” you say, keeping your face neutral.

if he was surprised he kept it hidden under a small smirk, “you too.”

AJ, your on and off hookup, looks between the two of you, “you guys know eachother or something?”

Bennett opens his mouth to say something, but you get to it first, “we were next door neighbors growing up.” you say, still not showing anything.

that makes bennett have that stupid smirk on his face that you had seen too often and chewed his gum slowly, almost mockingly, “is that what we were?”

to anyone else, it would be just a small remark, or joke. but underlying that was the truth. you weren’t just neighbors.