I stumbled my way into my bedroom and almost gasped. My bed was torn to shreds; my pillows were in pieces. My closet was practically empty. "Who steals shitty clothes?" I yelled into the destroyed room, kicking at one of the pillows strewn on the ground.

I couldn't believe it. I should've known those hobos were up to something. I shouldn't have let them stay as long as I had. I should've done something about them in the very beginning. This was what I got for my kindness?

Bennett appeared in my bedroom doorway, frowning deeply. "The police are on their way. You should take some pictures."

"I get it," I muttered.

"Excuse me?"

"I totally get homeless people wanting things," I ground out, "but did they have to steal from someone who barely has anything? I mean come on! Just ask for some hand-me-downs! Don't wreck my entire place! What the hell. What the hell?" I ran my hands through my hair, letting out a frustrated sigh. I was so dumb. I should've foreseen this.

"You should make a list of what's missing," Bennett suggested, folding his arms over his chest.

I rubbed my forehead. "There's no point. I didn't have anything worth much, anyway." The only thing that even meant something to me was the blanket, but I knew there was no chance of seeing that again. Whoever stole it probably just thought it was something that could keep them warm. Never mind any sentimental value. But couldn't they have just stolen my comforter? Surely that was better than a battered old fleece throw!

I bit my lip hard when I felt my eyes starting to water. I wasn't going to cry over this. Especially not in front of Bennett.

"Surely you can get some money from insurance," he argued.

"Who in their right mind would pay for insurance for a crappy place like this?" I countered. And even if I did have renters insurance, I'd only get like twenty bucks.

It looked like Bennett wanted to say something back, but he held his tongue. Instead, he just pursed his lips. I wasn't trying to be snippy with him, but the whole situation was irritating and embarrassing me. The fact that I was robbed. The fact that Bennett was around when it happened. The fact that he was seeing this already shitty apartment in an even worse state.

Sirens cut the silence that'd settled in and I sighed. I didn't really want to deal with cops. "You should go," I said to Bennett.

He looked surprised. "What?"

"Go home. I'll handle it from here. As soon as the cops leave, I have to start cleaning anyway."

"They'll want to do a report. I can go to the station with you."

"You can do those online these days," I said, heading out of my room and back into the living room, careful not to disrupt any of the evidence. "If I even make a report."

Bennett seemed flabbergasted. "You have to make a report. You were robbed, Henley."

I rounded on him, fingers twitching. "Listen, Bennett. Me being robbed is a lot different than you being robbed. Your belongings are probably worth over a million dollars. Mine aren't even worth one hundred. It's not a big deal. Please just go home."

"You can't stay here alone. What if they come back?"

If they came back? They already took what the wanted. I doubted they'd be back. Unless they told their friends about how easy it was to get in here and that the locks were broken...

I heard banging on the front door to the building and as I moved to answer it, I almost slipped on some paper on the ground. Frustrated, I kicked a few things out of the way and groaned. It was such a mess. I wouldn't even be able to sleep in my bed. There was basically nothing left to it. There was basically nothing left to the whole place. Not like there was much to begin with anyway.

"Henley," Bennett started.

I could feel my eyes beginning to burn. No, Henley. Not in front of Bennett. The cops are here. "Bennett, just leave. Please. Interfering in my personal life isn't part of our contract, so you can go."

"...Fine," he responded quietly after a moment. I didn't turn around to see his expression and he didn't say anything more. My gaze stayed on the floor as he moved around the mess and then I watched his back as he exited through the front door. He greeted the police and explained that I was the renter of the apartment and then he left with one of the cops. I swallowed nervously as the other female officer approaching me. After what happened with my brother, I started feeling anxious when the police were around. Even though I knew I never did anything wrong.

After explaining what I'd come home to and describing what the hobos looked like, I told her that I'd file a report online to finish up. She told me not to stay in the apartment tonight and to call if anything happened or if I had any questions. I nodded; glad to keep the conversation short. Chances were, I wasn't going to make a report because there was no point since I didn't have insurance, but I kept that to myself. I didn't want to tell her flat out that I was wasting her time.

Once the front door shut, I heaved a heavy sigh, staring dismally at the mess before me. I didn't even know where to start. The living room? What was left of my bedroom? Did I even want to go through what ratty clothes were left? It seemed that they'd mostly been interested in my clothing. I could only imagine what Bennett would say about my wardrobe-

My eyes widened and I walked back into my bedroom with my heart in my throat. I scanned the articles of clothing scattered all over to the floor, tensing when I couldn't spot the right thing. Moving forward, I ripped the closet doors open all the way, coming face to face with the barren inside. There were a few stretched out shirts still on hangers, but that was all.

The thousand-dollar dress Bennett had bought me was missing. With shaking hands, I kneeled down to check the shoeboxes on the floor, finding them empty as well. They'd even stolen those heels that I could barely walk in.

I crouched down, suddenly losing the power to hold myself up. Of course, they would take the dress. It was the only nice article of clothing that I owned. Why had I expected them to leave it? They didn't know it had any sentimental value. They didn't know how good I'd looked in it and for once I'd actually felt that way.

I'd have to tell Bennett. He was the one that bought it and technically it was his. I pulled out my phone and dialed his number. He answered right away. "Henley? What's wrong?"

"Um," I started, hating how my voice was shaking. "The dress you bought me is gone. They stole it."

"The one from the other night?"

"Yeah. I'm really sorry. I know it was a lot of money," I said, staring at the empty shoebox. "The heels are gone too."

Bennett took a sharp breath of air and I prepared myself to be berated. "I'm really sorry!" I said quickly, feeling horribly embarrassed. Tears were starting to form again. "I'll pay you back for them. I really liked them. I really wanted another chance to wear the dress. I'm really sorry you had to waste your money. I'm really sorry my shitty luck caused you to lose money-"

"Henley," Bennett interjected when I paused to take a breath. "Calm down."

I shut up because a few tears rolled down my face and I knew if I spoke at this point my voice would crack.

"Don't worry about the dress. That much money doesn't- no, I mean, I don't want you to pay me back for it," he told me, his voice low and serious. "That's the last thing you should be worrying about right now. You shouldn't stay in your apartment tonight."

"I don't have anywhere else to go," I whispered, brushing the tears off my face. It was already late- I didn't want to bother Ariana.

There was a moment of silence and then he said, "Come to my place."

"What?" I responded dumbly.

"You can stay at my house. It's not good for your psychological wellbeing to stay in your apartment after you've been robbed," he told me and I could hear the nerves in his voice. Then I heard what sounded like a car door closing and I figured he'd just arrived home.

"You don't like people at your house," I pointed out.

"How can I leave you alone as things are?" he returned.

I rubbed my eyes, taking a deep breath. "I'm okay. Sorry I freaked out a bit right there. I guess maybe shock finally got to me. You just got home. Don't worry about me."

"I never left," a voice said from behind me and I gasped in shock, pushing myself to my feet and turning to see Bennett at my bedroom door, his phone still up to his ear.

I froze, mortified at being caught crying, and mortified that he was in the room with me after I'd had a slight breakdown. "H-how'd you get back in?"

He pulled his phone away from his face, frowning deeply. "The lock is broken, remember? Your door doesn't shut completely. Another reason you can't stay here. If there's anything valuable still left, grab it."

"I don't need to go to your house, I'm fine," I insisted, wiping around my eyes in case my makeup was smudged.

"I know it might not be in our contract, but I'm not doing this because of our work relationship," he shot back at me.

I stared at him, surprised. Had my earlier comment offended him? Maybe I'd been a little harsh. Well, not maybe. It'd been really harsh. Especially to a guy who apparently had waited outside my apartment building because he didn't want to leave me alone. "Are you sure?" I finally asked.

He folded his arms over his chest. "Hurry up and gather your things. I'll wait by the door."

I followed right after him because there was nothing left that I cared too much about. I hated thinking of the money I'd have to spend to replace all my clothing, but thanks to Bennett's payment it wouldn't be a problem. I really only cared about the outfit he'd bought me and my father's blanket- everything else could be replaced.

"What should I do about my car?" I asked him.

He hesitated for a second before answering. "You can bring it to my house."

"But what about your mom? You said she'd figure everything out."

"Don't worry about it," he said, hunching his shoulders.

I bit my lip. He'd been so adamant about not bringing my car over earlier. Was he saying it was okay now because he felt too bad to say no? "Why don't you follow me to the coffee shop and I'll drop my car off there. Then you can just bring me back to it."

"You're going to go to work tomorrow?" he asked, rounding on me. "You should take a sick day. I'm sure they'd understand."

"I don't think..."

"Henley," he said so disapprovingly that I felt it weigh on my shoulders.

"I'll text my boss," I responded, pulling out my phone. It was probably for the best. Tomorrow I'd have to come back and clean up and deal with the landlord. Hopefully, the police had gotten in contact with her already.

Half an hour later Bennett and I were in his car again, heading back to his house. I felt jittery in the passenger's seat. It was going to be weird staying at his place. Where would I sleep? The couch? He wasn't expecting us to share a bed, was he? What about in the morning? What time did he wake up? Would he get up before me? He was definitely going to see my just-woke-up-no-makeup look.

When we arrived, we went straight in and I stiffly followed after him. "I'm going to clean up first," he told me as we went downstairs. I helped as best as I could, but he pretty much just shooed me away. So instead I wandered back to the living room and stared out the wall window at the lake.

Bennett joined me there a few moments later, his hands in his pocket. "If the dark makes you uncomfortable, I can shut the shades."

"You can do whatever you want, I don't mind," I told him.

"Well I want you to feel comfortable," he mumbled.

"It's your place," I argued.

He turned to me, a sheepish expression on his face. "I'm not so ignorant as to not know that you might be finding it strange to be staying at the house of a man you barely know."

"You're making it more weird by saying that."

"I haven't had anyone stay over in a very long time. I'm not sure what I should do," he confessed, looking apologetic.

"Pretend I'm not here!" I said immediately. "I can occupy myself. I'll read or something."

He shook his head. "That's not what I meant. Don't feel as though you're imposing on me. I'm the one who offered."

"But I know you don't like people over-"

"I already told you you're different," he said, cutting me off. "Forget I said that. You're a comfortable person."

I blinked. "Oh, uh, thanks."

He seemingly became embarrassed because he turned away from me and cleared his throat. "You're welcome to take a bath, if you'd like. I have some stress soothing bath salts."

Somehow that didn't suit his image and I found myself smiling. "Bath salts? Really?"

"They do work," he responded, offended.

"Are you telling me to take a bath just so you can accidentally walk in on me while I'm naked?" I inquired.

He turned back to me with his jaw dropped. "Just how badly do you think of me? I'm not a pervert!"

I laughed and it felt nice. "I'm just kidding. A bath doesn't sound too bad. Thank you, Bennett."

He cocked his head to the side, his green eyes piercing into me. "For what?"

"Letting me stay here. I'm guessing you're just as nervous as I am. I hate to intrude in your space, but I appreciate it," I answered, suddenly feeling shy under his gaze.

"It's the least I can do. I know you don't have money to stay at a hotel," he responded.

I narrowed my eyes slightly but decided to let that one go. He could get away with it for just tonight.

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Sorry it's a bit short ): I hope you guys enjoyed it!

- JordanLynde_