SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Read the author's note in the end. Awesome surprise. Get your wallets ready.

[Written after the Disrespectful Shippper Comments chapter]

Respect All Ships. Hopefully, this is the last time I have to say this. Regardless of what scene you're reading, whether it's your ship or not, you should be respectful to everyone even if you have different opinions.

"You like paper books because of the paper texture? Well, I like online books because of its portable convenience. But who cares because we both like books!"

Of course, you can comment as long as it's supportive and/or insightful. The respect all ships rule applies to everyone. So I don't want to see other shippers bashing on a Bennomi ship scene or Bennomi readers- that just ain't cool. Bennomi and Bennomi readers are great and valid, and I can't wait for what's to come for all ships and characters.

You're all my babies and must be protected. Mama Musketeer instinct: activated. (I did not come up with that nickname, some awesome readers did.)

Just like any other ship scene, please fangirl because I love reading comments when people fangirl. Thirst comments are on their own level. Well then, let's do this!

Recap:

The 4M attended the March gang meeting. At the end of one particular chapter, Bennett told Naomi to warn him the next time she backs a gang leader to a corner. So keep that in mind.

However, March also happens to have the birthday of a certain main character.

-

I was about to be kidnapped.

Even with my lack of street smarts, I think it was easy enough for me to know this.

Given that it was a limo.

I crossed my arms, glaring at the car. "Don't you have anything better to do Bentley?"

The window of the car rolled down a bit and a familiar voice asked, "Do you prefer that Frazier instead?"

"No of course not!" I said brightly.

I climbed into the limo and sat next to Brennan. "How have you- What is he doing here?"

"Given that it's my limo," Bentley said dryly, "this should be no surprise."

"Is that any way to treat our guest?" Brennan scolded him sharply. "Especially since it's our precious Naomi."

Brennan smiled back at me. "I haven't seen you chapters ago. Although for Bentley, it was a tad longer, wasn't it?"

"It was just by one chapter," Bentley told her.

I gave them a confused look. "How do you know?"

"Rich people powers," Brennan and Bentley said casually in unison, waving it off like it was nothing.

Brennan told me, "But don't mind him, he's just elated to have me here." She narrowed her eyes at Bentley. "You are happy that I'm here, aren't you? Or else I'll just have to remind you why you love your beloved sister by staying at the main house for the rest of my time here."

Bentley immediately sat up from his seat. "Of course I am. There's also no need to make such threats."

She hummed at that. "Happy birthday, Naomi!" Brennan said cheerfully, before saying, "Well, belated birthday. You're finally 18, a woman now!"

She sighed wistfully. "I remember my 18th birthday. It was a private gala. We rented out a mansion and-" She stopped herself and smiled at me. "Nevermind about that. Here are some presents from me and Bentley."

"From Bentley too?" I asked.

"Think of it as charity for- I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Bentley said quickly when Brennan shot him a glare.

"You really shouldn't have Brennan, but thank you."

Brennan let out a sigh. "Why couldn't I have a little sister instead of two idiotic younger brothers?"

Bentley scoffed. "I'll have you know, my SAT score is-"

"No one asked," Brennan and I said in unison.

Bentley frowned and crossed his arms, slumping in his seat.

"How was your birthday? Did you have a party?"

"Since my birthday was on a school day, I didn't do anything until the weekend," I explained to her. "And I applied to colleges out of the city and state, so I decided to spend it with my parents. But I'm planning on having a get together with the others later."

"You and I are due for another girl's night with Lynn once I finish some errands I have to do with my father," Brennan assured me.

"With this get together, does that mean Bennett's going to cook for all of you?" Bentley said dryly.

I held back rolling my eyes. "I don't know, that's up to him. We haven't really planned anything since we all had midterms."

"Right midterms. My school has a different schedule than public schools," Bentley mused. "Is Bennett doing well at your school? I can only imagine how terrible the transition was since he left an elite academy."

All I knew was that Bennett used to go to the school Noura Elite Private Academy, the same school that Bentley is currently attending. I personally don't know much about the school aside from the fact it's a K-12 academy and that it obviously has a lot of funding for a better curriculum than the public school system can ever hope to achieve.

"You don't even like Noura," Brennan snapped at him. "You always call your classmates business cards. So what are you implying, Bentley?"

"Of course I don't like my school, no one likes their own school," Bentley said matter-of-factly. "And the entire institution is less of an academy and more of a networking event. Do you know how many connections I made for father? You're just lucky you graduated from that prissy all-girls private school mother made you attend."

Brennan narrowed her eyes at her brother. "She didn't make me go there." She exhaled. "I wanted to stay there even after-" She stopped herself then glanced at me before looking back at Bentley. "You didn't answer my question earlier."

"I just believe it's the perfect opportunity to see how our brother is doing in a small, rundown, no-name public school," Bentley spat.

The two siblings looked at me. "Well you're right, but continue," I said.

"The PR team has been working miracles for something that they shouldn't be doing in the first place. I still don't understand how father can risk putting Bennett in a school like Dartwell because how else can we explain why he would be there?"

Bentley was right. Even with Bennett rejecting his father's pressure to inherit the company, he's still giving him so much freedom of moving to a no-name school, living by himself, and still financing him. There was a deal involved.

He scoffed. "I don't know what deal the two of them had, but I seriously doubt that Bennett threatening to announce he'll be the next Gordon Ramsay was enough to make father flinch. Although there was his whole speech in the Christmas banquet- you should've been there Brennan. I would have got someone to record, but they were strict with cameras and press which is why it hasn't blown up back on us."

"I think we can end this conversation right here," Brennan stated, narrowing her eyes at her brother. "I don't know who raised you but you do enjoy stirring the pot to say all of this in front of Naomi."

Bentley gave her a cold smile. "Well, that's the problem there. No one raised me."

He then looked at me and opened the limo door showing that I had arrived at school. "I hope our family drama is enough of a present for you, Naomi. Happy birthday."

He then told the driver, "We already wasted enough time with this detour. I'll be late for school at this rate and I don't want to miss my public speaking class."

Brennan gave Bentley a stern look then turned to give me an apologetic one. "Happy birthday, Naomi," she said with a smile.

I did my best to return one. "Thank you."

-

I took a step forward, making him take a step back. "I'm warning you."

Despite having his back against the wall, he narrowed his eyes at me. "Stop it, Naomi."

I grinned at him with a glint in my eye. "Didn't you tell me to warn you if I'm backing a gang leader into a corner?"

Bennett's arms folded across his chest. "I think we both know what I meant when I first said that."

"And I think we both know I'm clever enough to twist what you meant," I said smoothly.

"I'm telling you no, Naomi."

"You can't say no to me, Bennett."

"You're playing the birthday card already?"

I smiled at him. "When else can I use it?"

"It's still a no."

"Why won't you let me help you cook?" I asked in exasperation.

"It's your birthday. Today is the one day you shouldn't have to be cooking."

"It feels weird if I don't do anything. I don't have anything else to do."

"Weren't you reading a book earlier?"

"Yeah but I caught up to the latest chapter. The author makes slow updates."

Bennett took a step forward and looked at me. "May you please move?"

I crossed my arms. "No."

He sighed, placed his hands on my shoulders, and moved me to the side before walking right past me.

"I let you do that," I defended.

"I appreciate your kindness," he replied.

I walked after him. "C'mon Bennett. Jordan and Declan are running errands. At least let me do something until they get back."

"I thought you wanted me to cook you something for your birthday."

"Well, what if I wanted to cook something together for my birthday?" I asked, leaning against the counter.

Bennett had both hands against the counter, one finger tapped against the table as he stared at the cutting board placed in front of him. Then he closed his eyes and sighed.

"Alright, if that's what you want."

I pumped my fist into the air. "Yes! Manual labor!"

"How much experience do you have with cooking?" Bennett asked me.

I hesitated. "I'm able to crack an egg with a 75 percent success rate," I offered weakly.

I burst out laughing when I saw him exhale, the closest I'll ever get to a grimace from him. "I was messing with you. I know how to cook. I'm no Michelin Star chef, though."

He smiled at that. "I'm not one either. If I was, you would be paying me to cook you something."

"I definitely can't afford you," I said before going to wash my hands.

"You can start by cutting some vegetables up. There should be some garlic and onions in the pantry."

"Great," I told him as I went into the cupboard. "What are you planning on making?"

"Well, you told me I can make anything I want. So I decided to make some Italian food based on what we already have in the fridge. A spaghetti carbonara, a frittata, cacciatora chicken, and a tiramisu. That should be enough for the four of us."

"Italian?" I asked. "Don't get me wrong, I think I just drooled from that menu, but what made you choose that?"

"I remembered you telling me how sad you were that your favorite Italian restaurant moved out of the city," Bennett told me.

"And the other reason?" I pressed.

He paused then glanced away before admitting, "And it's been a while since I made some pasta from scratch."

I chuckled. "I know you too well Bennett. You're just as food-driven as me, well for you it's cooking and for me, it's eating. But don't worry, I'm glad you're using my birthday as an excuse," I told him with a smile. "Probably because that means I can try it."

I grabbed a cutting board and decided to cut up some garlic first before crying my eyes out when cutting up some onions. Onions have layers, ogres have layers- we all know this. As I was cutting up the vegetables, I couldn't help but watch Bennett at work as he began first making the pasta for the carbonara. I often watch cooking videos because although I'm not a cook, I obtain some amount of satisfaction watching delicious food being made. At least when watching Bennett cook, I know I can actually eat the food. I decided to wait until after he laid the dough to rest and set up for another dish when I spoke up again.

"I'm glad you also decided to make a frittata," I told him. "We have some leftovers from the fridge, so it's good they won't go to waste."

"It was when I saw what we have left in the fridge I decided to make it," Bennett explained. "Although I wanted to add a few more vegetables like bell peppers, mushrooms, and spinach."

"I can't wait," I said excitedly, looking at Bennett and grinning at him. "I never really cut up a bell pepper before, but I think I can figure it- Ah!" I screamed.

All I saw was red liquid dripping out of my hand and onto the cutting board. I staggered back at the sight, my other hand clutching my wrist tightly. The most sensitive part of your body are your fingertips because it has the most sensory neurons. That's why paper cuts hurt more than it should. So just imagine how it would be like if you just accidentally cut your finger with a knife.

Bennett stiffened at the sight. Suddenly, he grabbed a clean cloth, ran a little water onto it, and a little antibacterial soap. Bennett handed me the cloth and then knelt down to open the cabinet underneath the sink.

"Clean your cut the best you can," Bennett told me. "You can squeeze a little blood out to get out any initial bacteria inside it and run it in the sink. I should have a first aid kit here."

"Bennett, I'm so sorry," I told him.

"You shouldn't be," he assured me as he took out a first aid kit. "We still have extra produce if any blood got on it. You should just be worried about your cut right now."

"No, I'm sorry because this was a... joke."

Bennett looked at me in confusion. "What do you mean by a joke?"

"It was red food coloring," I admitted pathetically, revealing the small bottle in my hand. "Jordan gave it to me as a mini birthday present. He said that he came up with the idea to play a joke on you, but he knew that he could never do it himself because you would never let him cook with you. Me, on the other hand, is a different matter."

He looked at me for what felt like a long time with an expressionless face. I glanced away and braced myself for being at the other end of a lecture I usually saw Jordan receive. But that expectation vanished when I heard a chuckle from Bennett. When I turned to look at Bennett, he was attempting to stifle the chuckle with his hand, but that chuckle grew to a snicker and that in turn grew into laughter. I had my fair share of seeing Bennett laugh at the crazy antics all four of us have gone through, but I have never seen him laugh so hard with his face lit up and his bright blue eyes gleaming. Bennett had to keep a hand on the counter to keep him steady.

"I'm sorry," Bennett said after being able to calm himself. "I laughed harder than I should have. I wasn't expecting a prank like that, from you of all people. But then again, it was Jordan who gave you the idea."

"You shouldn't be sorry," I told him, slightly chuckling at the parallelism as I wiped away the red food coloring off my hand. "Jordan told me I'd get to have a chance to see you panic but you were calm as always. But I wasn't expecting you to laugh, more like a lecture. If anything, seeing you laugh was almost a good enough... birthday present."

Bennett looked taken aback by that. "Me laughing as a birthday present?"

I smiled. "Well seeing that I'm surprised how hard you laughed despite how long I've known you and that today is my birthday, then yes, I will consider this my birthday present. You don't have to cook anything anymore. I'm just kidding, please still do, I was looking forward to the food. If you listen well enough, my stomach has been growling the entire time."

He chuckled at that, then raising his hand to run it through his black hair. He looked away and said, "Then maybe I... I can laugh a bit more for- Nevermind."

I took a few steps forward to Bennett and leaned to the side to look at him just as he moved away. "Bennett Frazier, don't tell me you're feeling... flustered?"

Bennett cleared his throat. "I can assure you that I'm not."

"And I can assure you, I know a lie when I hear one," I told him. "Two birthday presents back to back. Today is my lucky day."

"Let's get back to work," Bennett told me. "At this rate, we won't be done cooking."

"Yes, chef," I said firmly, the two of us breaking into a smile at that.

For the rest of the time, we talked as we continued cooking. Bennett kept supervising me to make sure I don't actually cut myself this time, but I teased him and made sure to redeem myself by not doing something that could send me to the ER.

"I say you should start making cooking videos," I told him as I checked the oven I had preheated. "Girls would love to see a guy cook food. Who knows. You might even have a fanbase."

As I put the skillet carrying the frittata into the oven, I said, "I can't see you right now but are you getting flustered Bennett? I said that so you can get flustered. "

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, but no, I'm not. And I seriously doubt anyone would want to see videos of me cooking."

I gave a shrug. "You should thank some of the male population for setting the bar so low that they'd want a guy who can actually take care of himself."

"Well, I have to admit that's a bit worrisome."

I chuckled. "And well, you have other redeemable qualities."

"Really? How so?"

"Oh no. Does the Bennett Frazier actually have an ego I can inflate?"

"Of course not," Bennett denied as he finished cutting up the pasta. "I'm not Jordan."

"Well, I guess I'll just say it in the hopes of seeing you blush like in the Christmas banquet."

Bennett exhaled. "Please don't remind me of that."

"Let me think..." I muttered, staring at the bowl of sauce that was going to be for the spaghetti. "For one thing, you're a great leader."

Bennett looked at the counter, his eyebrows furrowed together. "I'm not a leader."

I raised an eyebrow. "You're kidding, right? You're literally our leader."

"Not by choice," Bennett told me. "I'm just doing what I can. If anyone's a leader, it would be Declan. I still believe it should have been him, not me."

"And yet you are. I assume that between the three of you, it was two against one, and Jordan and Declan decided you should be the leader."

He let out a sigh. "At the time, we barely knew each other. The only reason they chose me was that they didn't want the other to be the leader and they knew that I'm rich and went to a rich, elite school."

Bennett continued, "Declan is obviously stronger and intimidating than me. And also, he grew up in the streets while I grew up behind white marble walls. A leader should be someone more extroverted and enthusiastic."

"I really think you're not giving yourself more credit here," I told him. "People have different levels of introversion and extraversion, but both have their pros and cons of being a leader. And out of the four of us, you are level headed and decisive which I find really necessary in a leader. Declan has his strong points, even Jordan, but that doesn't mean yours don't have any value."

Bennett was quiet for a moment before I caught a faint smile before going back to cooking. "Thank you, Naomi. I appreciate it. Honestly, I wish I heard that when I was in my old school."

"You've never really talked about your old school."

He paused from cooking and was quiet for a moment.

"Are we really going to let Frazier be our team lead for our group project?" A voice asked in