Benni and Sky chapter five

***The silent alarm*** Months had passed since their first official date at the lake. Their relationship had settled into a comfortable rhythm of shared silences, book discussions, and quiet moments that spoke volumes. The bullying had faded into memory, replaced by the warmth of their growing connection. Benni and Sky had built a small, safe world for themselves, and Benni had never felt so seen, so understood. They had planned to spend the evening together, going to a used book sale they had both been anticipating. Benni waited for her outside the community center, the crisp autumn air carrying the scent of damp leaves. He checked his phone, a feeling of unease beginning to settle in his stomach. Their plans were always simple, and Sky was always on time. After twenty minutes, he tried calling. It rang four times before going to voicemail. He left a simple, reassuring message. "Hey, just wondering where you are. No big deal, just checking in." He waited another ten minutes, the pit in his stomach growing. This wasn't the quiet, thoughtful silence they shared. This was the empty, unnerving kind. He thought back to the last time she had retreated, and how he had found her in the library annex. But that had been different. She had shown up, even if she had been hurting. This time, there was just... nothing. He called again. No answer. His mind, so good at observing the small things, began to put the pieces together. The way her shoulders had tensed when she talked about her mom recently. The way she had flinched when a car backfired the other day. Small things, but to Benni, they were flashing red lights. He knew her silence wasn't a choice she was making; it was a wall she had been forced to put up. Something was wrong. His gut twisted with a deep, familiar anxiety. The protective fire he felt when they were bullied ignited once more, but this time it was fueled by fear, not anger. He couldn't just sit here and wait. He knew her well enough to know she wouldn't stand him up for no reason. He sent a final text: I'm coming over. He didn't wait for a response. He didn't even pack a bag. He just got in his car and started driving toward the part of town he knew Sky tried to avoid talking about. The part of town where her mother lived. He'd never been there, but Sky had described it enough for him to know the address, and the unsettling feeling of the place. As he drove, the nice neighborhoods with their manicured lawns faded away, replaced by streets with more broken-down cars and houses in disrepair. He gripped the steering wheel, his knuckles white. His heart pounded in his chest, a heavy, frantic beat. He remembered her whispering about protecting Velvet, the constant worry that gnawed at her. He knew, deep down, that whatever had happened, it involved her little sister. He didn't know what he would find, but he knew he couldn't leave her to face it alone. He pulled onto her street, his eyes scanning for her house. He saw it: the familiar, worn facade she had described, with a small patch of grass that was trying its best to grow. He took a deep breath, killed the engine, and stared at the front door. The porch light was off, and the house was shrouded in shadow. The silence was heavy and foreboding. He got out of the car, his feet crunching on the gravel drive. He walked up the short path to the front door, his hand raising to knock. He knew, with a chilling certainty, that whatever was behind that door was more terrifying to Sky than any bully in the school hallways. He took one final, steadying breath, and knocked.