I thank her and hang up. I gaze out into the darkness of night before I turn back to Benji. It jars me a little when I find him much closer to me, only a few steps behind.
“So,” I begin.
“Nobody's coming,” he concludes without me having to explain which feels like a grace I don't deserve.
“No, not right now.”
“Not tonight?”
I let my shoulders sink. “No, not tonight.”
He rushes to the door and starts jiggling the Yale lock and sticking his fingers in the keyhole.
“What are you?—”
“There's got to be a way out!” he shouts at the door.
“There really isn't.”
He doesn't reply and he also doesn’t stop his manic fiddling.
“Do you have somewhere you need to be?”
“No, it's not that,” he says in a rush. “It's just...I just need to leave.”
“You and me both, mate.” I fold my arms. “I don't exactly want to spend the night here.”
He pivots to face me. “Spend the night here?” His voice is almost an octave higher.
“I don't see how we have any other choice,” I point out.
“Oh God.” His hand lands on his chest and his eyes start roaming around the room restlessly. “I can't stay here all night, I can't...I need. I need to go home. I need to be close to a…”
Benji’s breaths get shallower, his hand fists in the material of his sweatshirt and what limitedcolour he had in his face drains away. He's panicking. Like really panicking. I have to do something.
“It’s okay,” I say as soothingly as I can. “Just take some Deep breaths.”
“I … don’t … want … to … take … Deep … breaths!” He pants.
Oh, God, he’s starting to hyperventilate.
“Please, don’t…” I take a step closer. “You’re making yourself sick. Just?—”
“You don’t understand!” he shouts. “I can’t get stuck here!”
I move before second guessing it. I grab both his upper arms and shake him. “Calm down!” I bark. “You need to calm down.”
It's completely ineffective. He looks at me but his eyes aren't still and his breaths come quicker. I can feel him shaking under my grip.
“Seriously,” I shake him again. “Take a Deep breath. Please just calm the fuck down, Benji!”
That does it. He stops mumbling panicked half-sentences. Focus returns to his gaze and his frown morphs from lost to one of curiosity. Silence returns between us as his breaths gradually slow down and Deepen.
Then he levels me a very steady look and asks, “What did you just call me?”
TEN
DION
