Platinum Rings, Picture Frames and Red Duvet Covers


Ch. 23 Paint Drips

Two days later Benji was sitting in the living room with Billy watching Spongebob Squarepants as Joel talked to Julie on the phone. They were talking about her new classes and Joel saw Benji go into the bathroom.

Joel laughed, “Did I tell you that Benji has gained 7 pounds?”

Julie laughed, “In two days?”

“Yeah, he’s been eating everything in the house. But I guess it’s sort of good- at least he’s eating again.”

Julie agreed, “Yeah, well tell him somehow I said hi.”

Benji came back out and into the kitchen. He stood in front of Joel giving him a look that asked ‘is that Julie’? Joel nodded and Benji nodded back then went to the fridge. He turned back around and asked, “Hey Joel?”

Joel held up his hand, “Jules, I’ll call you back in a minute. Bye.”

Benji continued, “You know what I want to do?”

Joel shook his head, “What?”

Benji smiled, “Paint our room!”

Joel shook his head, “Okay… why?”

Benji stated matter-of-factly, “Because all that time I spent in the room- I got really tired of those blue walls.”

Joel laughed, “Sounded like you said blue balls.”

Benji laughed too, “So can we?”

“I guess we can Benj. Why not?”

Benji smiled then got serious, “Do you think Julie would help us?

Joel shrugged, “I don’t know- why don’t you ask her?” he handed the phone to Benji.

Benji paused then timidly started to dial then hung up on the 5th number. “I can’t do it. Joel, ask her.”

Joel nodded and asked her to join them in painting. She said she’d be here after her classes at about 1.

Benji bounded into the living room, “Billy, Paul will you help us paint our room?” They laughed at Benji and agreed.

The four went to wal-mart to get paint and decided to paint it white and have Billy paint a mural on the wall. While they were in wal-mart Benji was running around and playing with all the toys. He and Billy disappeared from Joel and Paul then reappeared on pink bicycles. They rode around the store until somebody stopped them. Joel smiled, “I think we’re getting our old Benji back.” They went home and moved everything out of Joel and Benji’s room then went down and ate lunch waiting for Julie. She smiled as she walked in the door and went into the kitchen where the boys were. They had just finished and went to go change into painting clothes. Julie, Joel and Benji went up to the room and Benji changed into an old pair of shorts and a ripped shirt and Joel put an old shirt on but couldn’t find an old pair of pants to put on. He shrugged, “Jules, do you mind if I just wear boxers?” Julie laughed, “No- as long as nothing pops up to say hello!” They all laughed and Joel thought, “Hey do we have any safety pins?” Benji pulled three off a shirt of his and handed them to Joel, “Just don’t poke yourself- when you hurt them you hurt mine too.” Joel questioned, “Huh?” Benji laughed, “Twin thing. Ah, never mind.” (A/n: I had this happen to a friend so I had to put it in- sounded better in my head though.) Joel turned away from Julie and towards the door. As he go the last pin in Billy walked in, “Joel what are you doing?” Joel laughed, “Pinning my boxers shut.” Billy shook his head, “Okay… then.”

They put the music up and everyone took a wall. As the room was getting near done, Julie smiled at Billy. “Hey, let’s put paint on Joel,” she whispered. Billy giggled and stuck his hand in the paint, as did Julie. They nonchalantly slipped closer to Joel and Paul turned noticing what they were about to do. Julie poised her hands to make two white handprints on Joel’s butt on the navy blue material. Billy and Julie pressed their hands to Joel’s body, Billy’s large handprint on Joel’s shoulder blade. Joel jumped and turned, “Hey! What was that for?” They just laughed and as Billy had his eyes closed Joel took the roller and marked on his forehead. Billy screamed and wiped his hand on Joel’s shirt. They stood there wiping paint on each other as the other three laughed their head off. By the time they were done Joel had paint in his hair and all over his arms and Billy’s front was covered. Benji laughed, “Joel you have handprints on your ass.” Julie smiled, “You want some?” She lunged at him with the paint then stopped, “Better yet.” She turned Benji around so he was facing her fully and said, “Close your eyes.” Paul, Billy and Joel came over and watched as she wrote, “Horny.” She then drew an oval giving it a nose, two eyes and mouth. She drew on a labret and two other lip piercings then an eyebrow, nose and two ears. She drew crazy hair that looked like snakes and then drew two devil horns. They all laughed as Benji opened his eyes and grinned at her drawing. They all turned to Paul with evil grins. “Paul has no paint on him,” Benji smirked. They attacked Paul then got involved in a little paint fight- but making sure it didn’t get everywhere. They all clutched their stomachs and laughed. Joel shook his head, “Let’s finish this y’all.” They went back to painting and the music stopped. Paul suggested, “Somebody fix the cd player.” “We’re all painty,” Joel laughed. Benji suggested, “Let’s sing then. I wrote a song.” Billy laughed, “What’s this song about?” Benji grinned, “Paint Fumes!” “Paint fumes?” they said simultaneously. “Yep!” Benji yelled. He started singing, “I love paint fumes, and paint fumes love me. I love paint fumes they make me so happy! Paaaaint fumes. Paaaint fumes. Paaaiaaaiiaaiint fumes!” Benji belted out the words, singing for the first time in almost a month. They all laughed and finished painting the room.

Billy painted a giant Good Charlotte logo on the wall and Benji and Joel and Julie took showers (separately) while Billy and Paul painted. They had to scrub and scrub to get the dried paint off them. The three came out and finished painting as Billy and Paul showered. They all then went downstairs and ordered pizza and watched some TV as they ate it. Billy and Paul said goodnight and went up to their room. Joel asked, “Jules, stay down here with us. We aren’t going to sleep yet.” Julie agreed and they pushed Joel and Benji’s full sized mattresses together on the floor of the living room. They lay down on their stomachs, Julie in the middle, and watched TV. They laughed watching “whose line is it anyway?” Joel got up to go to the bathroom and Benji secretly looked over at Julie.

She was still watching the TV and he said, “Julie, you still got some paint on your ear.” She smiled at him as he rubbed it off lightly. He smiled when he was done but left his hand on her cheek. She smiled at him and put her hand over his. She slowly moved it off her face but kept his hand in hers. His smile faded a little and she nodded, “Not yet Benji.” He nodded then looked down. She sat up and touched his hair. He pulled away lightly and she frowned. “Benji, sit up. Come here,” she pleaded. He looked back up at her and sat up next to her. She flipped her damp hair up and sighed, “Okay Hun, I don’t have classes or work tomorrow so what do ya say we go out somewhere, just you and me?” Benji’s face lightened a little, “Just me and you?” She nodded, “Yep. To a movie or something. Okay?” Benji smiled and nodded. He lay back down and she patted his back. He smiled at her and she laughed, “Your hair is so long. What are you going to do with it next?” He laughed, “Yeah, it’s getting too long to spike. I think I might go get it cut tomorrow.” She laughed, “Can I give you cornrows?” Benji laughed, “Yeah sure.” She sat closer to him and gave him cornrows in his hair. Joel came back in and sat on the couch. She looked up at him and he smiled. She smiled back then shrugged. Joel nodded and watched the TV again. The three of them fell asleep- all together Julie next to Benji and under that red comforter. Joel noticed Benji was at peace for the first time in a while and was once again thankful for Julie being there.


Ch. 24 Like The First Time

The next morning Benji woke up first. When he opened his eyes, all he saw was Julie. He studied her sleeping face. He could smell her shampoo and longed to touch her arms, cheeks and to kiss her soft lips. He slipped out of the bed as gently as he could and sat on the couch. He watched her until he saw Joel stir. Joel looked up at Benji and saw him looking at Julie. He slid out of the bed also and patted Benji on the shoulder as he passed him. Benji looked back at her and smiled to himself remembering that they were going out that night. Benji got up and poured himself a bowl of cereal and sat at the table. Julie walked in a minute after he sat down and grabbed a bowl too. “I got cold- there was no body heat in the bed.” Benji smiled and Joel came back and sat down too. They chatted for a while and Julie said she had to go. Benji said he would pick her up at seven and she said goodbye.

When she left Benji sighed then jumped up and danced around the kitchen. Joel just smiled at his twin- happy to see him happy. Benji laughed, “I'm going out tonight! Ohh, take me to get my hair cut!” Joel agreed and they went and Benji got his hair shortened and so did Joel. He even did his laundry that had been accumulating over the past three weeks. Even though he wasn’t expected until seven Benji was ready by five. He had done his hair to perfection, put his favorite piercings in, and changed about five times. He finally settled on a newer black pair of Joel’s dickies, which he fit in better than his own clothes, a white undershirt and a black work shirt. He borrowed some of Billy’s cologne and as his heart and mind raced he tried to calm himself down but he couldn’t. He sat on the couch and flipped on the television- trying to focus his mind but feeling nervous, anxious, and excited all at the same time.

Julie sat on her bed at 5:30. She sighed and turned to her friend Ashley, “I still love him. Even though he did what he did- I still love him.” Ashley nodded, “I know you do- and he loves you too.” Julie nodded and stood up, “Oh what am I going to wear?” She twisted the ring as she stood in her closest looking at the racks of clothes but feeling like she had nothing to wear. “Ashy, help me!” They picked out a black skirt with a tan and burgundy design, a black tank top, her black jacket, and tan clunky shoes. She left her dark brown hair curly- like Benji likes and put her makeup on. She sat back down and tried to calm herself. “What am I so nervous about? It’s Benji. We’ve been going out for over two years. I’ve known him forever.” She said more to herself than to Ashley. “But I feel like our first date all over again. Remember that day?” she smiled. “You were so nervous.” Julie nodded, “Ohh why am I nervous now?” She looked at the clock and it said 6:30. “He’ll be leaving now. Oh Ashley, I'm nervous.” Ashley hugged Julie, “Well I'm gonna leave okay? Call me if you want when you get home- it doesn’t matter what time. Have fun, good luck, and don’t be nervous.” Julie smiled and shut the door. She sat on the couch and then stood back up. She couldn’t sit still.

Benji ran up the stairs to the bedroom where Joel, Paul and Billy were finishing up the mural. He smiled, “I guess I'm leaving now.” “Good luck Benji,” Billy nodded. Joel smiled, “It’s gonna work. Good luck Benj.” Paul waved bye as Benji disappeared down the stairs and got into the car. He started driving fast and got halfway there in five minutes. He laughed and had to force himself to slow down. Buying himself time, he drove past her street twice before turning into her driveway, arriving at 6:50. He skipped up the steps up to her doorway and tried to calm down before knocking lightly. When she heard him knock she jumped startled and laughed to herself. She walked to the door and opened it. They smiled at each other. “Let me get my bag,” she said and grabbed her stuff. He walked her to the car and opened the door for her then drove to the theatres.

The comedy started in an hour and a half so Benji bought the tickets and asked, “Where would you like to eat? Burgers? Sushi? Chinese?” Julie smiled, “We both like sushi.” Benji smiled, “Good. That’s what I wanted.” They ate sushi and laughed and talked. It was almost like old times. It came back to Benji and Julie why they loved each other in the first place. They clicked so well with each other.

In the movie, they laughed together. Julie knew she probably shouldn’t have but every once in a while she would casually brush her elbow against his. Every time she brushed her elbow against his he would smile. After the movie they were walking out to the car and Benji laughed, “Remember when he was doing that little dance (Benji does a little dance)?” Julie smiled and laughed too. Just like old times.

As the night came to an end Benji drove her back to her house. He walked her to the front door and she turned around. He smiled, “Can I have a hug?” Julie smiled back and they embraced. They must have been hugging for ten minutes and when they pulled away they both had tears in their eyes. Benji wiped one of hers away with his thumb and she smiled. “Thank you for helping me remember,” she whispered. He nodded and she continued, “Thank you for helping me remember why I loved you in the first place.” He smiled, “Thank you for giving me a reason to live and love.” He hugged her again and she opened her door. She smiled and he smiled back, “I'll see you.”

Benji drove home faster than he’s ever driven home before. He pulled up and saw all the lights were on and ran inside. Joel smiled as he came through the door. “I think it went well. I love her so much. I hope it went well.” They talked for a little longer and Benji trudged up the stairs. He took a quick shower then fell into his bed. He slept better that night than he ever had since that fateful night.


Next- Ch. 25 and 26
Chapters