Worth the Risk, Ben & Izzie's story

Prologue

The banging on the door was becoming more and more impatient as the minutes ticked by. If they knocked one more time, Ben was going to do serious harm to the perpetrator.

“Ben, I am giving you two more minutes and then I am going to kick this door open. We’re late, man! We go on in an hour, for Christ’s sake. Get your ass out here, will you?” Ben covered Izzie’s mouth with his hand, grinning wildly at her as he did. Raising his free hand to his mouth he placed a finger to his lips, instructing her to keep quiet.

“Alright, alright! Who died and put you in charge? I’ll be right down, just go start the van and I’ll be down in a minute.” Ben fought to keep the laughter out of his voice. He didn’t need Alex to know that he had Izzie, Alex’s sister, hidden in the bathroom with him. It wasn’t that he was embarrassed; more that he didn’t want to be on the receiving end of his best friend’s lethal left hook. She was his little sister, after all. Ben was sure there was some unwritten rule stating that best friends’ sisters were strictly off limits.

They both held their breath, listening as Alex’s footsteps receded down the stairs, only just managing to hold off giggling until they heard the battered, old van groan to life. “I have to go before he goes into a complete meltdown.” Placing a kiss on her lips, Ben leant across and swung the window open. Holding out his hand to steady her, he watched in awe as she shuffled out of the window and onto the trellising below it. “Be careful, Iz. It’s a long drop. See you at midnight, babe; I’ll leave the window open when I get back, OK?”

“I wish you would just let me tell him. Maybe then I could quit sneaking in and out of your windows,” Izzie frowned, her eyebrows pulled into a scowl. “I am seventeen years old. What’s he going to do? Lock me in my room for the next twenty years? He is my brother, not my father! Oh, you know what? Just forget it, just go and get in the van, would you?”

“Are you kidding me? I saw what he did to that kid at the end of year party and he only asked you to dance. If he knew what we just did, he would cut off my balls! Midnight, babe, don’t be late.” Ben chuckled as he watched her shimmy down to the ground before shutting the window.

“You’d have to grow a pair first,” she muttered to herself before sneaking off commando-style across the back lawn in the direction of home.

Ben ran his hands over his face in exasperation; he was going to have to speak to Alex. He needed to test the water and consider telling his best friend how he truly felt about Izzie. Just how do you tell your friend that you are falling in love with their sister? Maybe tonight after the gig he would broach the subject and be able to at least start to put an end to this sneaking around.

The last few hours had felt like the longest time ever, but now here she stood at the bottom of some rickety garden trellis waiting for her cue to climb up there. It was cold, dark and not exactly Izzie’s idea of a great Friday night. Ben had texted her half an hour ago to say that he was just packing up the van and then Alex would drop him off at home. Yet she was still waiting for the window to be pushed open.

Glancing up at the bathroom window, Izzie decided the best plan of action would be to climb up there. Ben had probably left it ajar for her anyway. He had said to be back here at midnight, so what did she have to lose? Quickly scanning the surrounding garden area, Izzie checked to make sure nobody was around to witness her misdemeanour. Certain that the coast was clear and she wasn’t about to be pounced on by the neighbour’s dog or worse still, the neighbour, ready to accuse her of breaking and entering, Izzie began the climb up the rickety wooden structure.

Izzie’s mind and heart raced in sync as she made her way higher up the side of the house. She had waited a long time for this moment. Having admired him from afar for the last God knows how many years, she felt they were finally moving forward. The thought of being Ben’s girlfriend had been the only thing that had filled her mind for the last few months. At least now he knew how she felt, but more importantly he obviously felt the same way about her too.

Reaching her destination, Izzie hooked her fingers around the window frame, yanking hard on the white wooden exterior framework.

Nothing.

Not a single creak, never mind an opening. Great. Not to be put off easily, Izzie tapped lightly on the glass pane. He was probably laid on his bed with his music on, waiting for her. Mindful that his parents were most likely in bed she knocked a little louder, expecting him to realise he hadn’t unlocked the window for her, but still there was no reply.

“Shit! I am gonna kill him,” she sputtered through clenched teeth. The frustration and anger rose through her body as she realised that the window was, in fact, still locked and Ben was either not home or even worse, ignoring her. Now she felt stupid, totally humiliated in fact, for allowing herself to be messed around, used even. She had given him what he wanted, why would he bother coming back for more?

He may be sex on legs, the epitome of a Greek god even, but she wasn’t one of those stupid little groupies that followed the band around with their tongues hanging out. Nope, it wasn’t happening. With a little bit of her dignity still intact, Izzie began the downward climb. If that was how he wanted to play it, then so be it. She wasn’t about to cry or beg him to notice her. She didn’t need him. He was sorely mistaken if he thought she was going to run around after him. Izzie wouldn’t allow him to make a fool out of her ever again, who needed the hassle of a relationship anyway?

Jumping the last few feet down to the soft lawn below her, Izzie wiped her hands on the back of her jeans before taking a final, wistful look back up at the tiny bathroom window.

“Screw you, Benjamin Peter Mitchell.”