What the actually fuck are you doing at prom? Ben thought to himself for the tenth time that night. He kicked a balloon out of his path and headed for the row of laid out fold up chairs to the side of the gymnasium.

The light from the garish disco ball caught his eyes as he walked by and he squinted. He slouched into one of the way too small for him chairs, one long leg stretched out in front of him the other bent at the knee.

Reaching into his grey suit jacket, he slipped a hip flask out of the inside pocket and after a quick look round to make sure no one was watching took a long swig, before depositing the flask back into the safe folds of his tux.

The whisky burned his throat and warmed his insides as it travelled down into his stomach. This was good whisky, part of his dad's private collection. The bottles he had imported from far, far away locations to just sit on the shelves of his basement home bar, gathering dust.

Ben smirked when he thought about how livid his father would be if he knew around 70% of his collection was now just coloured water. Ben thought parting with the alcohol was the least his often absent father could do considering he was partly the reason Ben had ended up at this ridiculous party in the first place.

Better to be a fly on the wall at a stupid teen right of passage than spend another night listening to his parents whisper fight about how to solve a problem like Ben Solo.

Ben snorted at the thought, then sat up straighter in his chair as Principle Luke Skywalker who Ben had un-affectionately dubbed Uncle Skywanker, walked by. He gave Ben a warning look as he sauntered past with his hands clasped behind his back.

The only reason Ben hadn't been expelled was because of his Uncle Luke covering up most of his indiscretions.

It had all been swept under the fucking rug with the rest of this families problems, isn't that right Uncle Luke? Ben thought dryly.

Trying to distract himself, he looked around the gym at the crepe paper streamers, the thousands of fairy lights, and the sea of coloured tux's and pastel ruffle dresses.

He looked at the neon clothed DJ making enthusiastic faces at the crowd even though no-one could understand a fucking word he was saying.

I do not belong here. He thought miserably.

But Ben couldn't leave, because Ben was waiting for someone. Someone who made this debacle worthwhile. There was only one real reason that Ben Solo has subjected himself to the fucking horror that was prom that night. What was that reason you might ask? What is the reason most boys are willing to make utter fools of themselves? A girl. Ben Solo, was waiting for a girl.

3 months earlier…..

'Did you hear?'

'About what?'

'About the exchange student of course! She's British!'

'I wonder if she has bad teeth?'

'I wonder if she speaks like the queen?'

'What's her name?'

'Rey something or another I didn't catch the rest, she's an orphan! Lives with a foster family.'

'Oh! How sad!'

'Don't know about that, sometimes I wish my family would disappear.'

'You don't mean that Jess!'

'I do!'

Ben sighed into his locker. At a small school like Chandrila high any news was big news, so Ben had already heard everything that was to know about 'Rey the exchange student' before the poor girl had even walked through the door.

Ben chucked his history folder into the small space knowing it would never see the light of day again.

As if magically summoned by the mention of the new arrival, Poe appeared beside him with a massive grin on his face.

'Did you hear?' He asked excitedly.

'About what?' Ben asked with a bored look on his face.

'About the girl!' Poe said his eyes widening as he spoke.

'What girl?' Ben asked as he slammed his locker shut. Of course he knew exactly which girl Poe was referring to, but it was more fun to act like a total asshole.

Poe rolled his eyes as he followed Ben down the corridor to their next class.

'The girl? The one everyone is talking about? Rey? The exchange student? Principle Skywanker, I mean Skywalker has asked me to be her buddy, you know show her around and make sure she doesn't get lost and stuff. He showed me a picture of her and she is smoking!' Poe said, licking one of his fingers and pressing it to his thigh making a hissing sound.

Ben rolled his eyes. He couldn't think of anyone worse to be appointed as Rey's buddy. If this girl was half as pretty as Poe was making her out to be, the only thing Poe would be interested in showing her would be the contents of his fucking pants.

But Poe wasthe only person left at school who put up with his bullshit and still sat with him at lunch, so Ben kept his mouth shut and just listened to his friend's excited babbling.

The following day, Ben decided not to bother going to school and instead he headed over to the arcade and played Knights of Ren until his fingers ached.

Knights of Ren was Ben's favourite game, and he was the reigning champion, but he always entered the main characters name Kylo-Ren into the leaderboard so no-one knew who the mystery winner was but Ben.

Checking the clock Ben saw that school would be just letting out so he finished up his game and set off home to keep up with the pretence that he had attended classes that day.

Just as he was leaving the arcade, Ben smacked straight into something soft and m sweet smelling.

'Ouch!' Said the talking obstacle.

'Well you should watch where you are…' he said before locking eyes with the most beautiful girl he had ever seen.

'Ben!' Poe called out from the other side of the walking angel, ''So this is where you've been hiding yourself huh? This is Rey.'

Rey stared up at Ben clutching her lilac trapper keeper to her chest. She shook her head as if needing to wake herself out of a daze.

'Hi Ben,' She said, 'Poe's told me so much about you.' She held out her hand towards him.

'It's nice to meet you.' Ben mumbled as he took her hand. He almost checked the air for sparks the electricity between then was so strong. He could tell by the way she gasped in a breath that she had felt it too.

What the hell?

Poe looked at them and subtly moved close enough so that they had to part their hands.

'I'm just walking Rey home.' Poe interjected.

'Where are you staying?' Ben asked not taking his eyes off Rey's.

'Coruscant Lane?' Rey replied shyly.

'That's right by me.' Ben lied. 'I'll take you.'

'It's fine Ben, I'm her official buddy…' Poe started to say.

'That's okay Poe!' Rey interrupted, 'You've put up with me all day. I think it's time I gave you a break.' She turned to Ben. 'That would be really nice of you.' She said with a smile that almost knocked him backwards.

Poe huffed out a breath, feeling defeated. 'Well bye then.' He said to no one as he walked away, and Rey and Ben completely ignored him.

They walked in silence for a few blocks. Ben sneaking as many glances as he could at Rey.

She was without a doubt the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. With her soft brown curls, and delicate features, atop a petite frame that made him wonder if he could encircle her waist entirely with the span of his hands.

'You're staying with the Tico's right?' He asked.

'Yes, Rose and her big sister Paige. They are so lovely. Rose has band practice so Poe offered to walk with me.'

'So how was your first day?'he said.

'Good! Everyone was very friendly. Some more so than others…..Thank you for saving me back there by the way.'

'Saving you?'

'Yeah, Poe is nice and all and I've really appreciated him showing me around but…'

'But he hit on you like ten times, right?'

'I think it was more like twenty.' Rey said,'It's flattering in a way, but I'm just not interested.'

'Oh.' Ben said somewhat disappointed.

'Not that I'm not interested in boys! It's just that Poe isn't my…..type.' She blushed.

'Oh.' Ben said more optimistically. 'Poe is kinda used to girls swooning all over him, plus you can't really blame him for trying his luck I mean you are….really...you're really pretty.' He said looking at the ground.

'Thanks.' Rey said with a small smile. 'So how come you weren't at school today?'

'School and I have a very difficult relationship.'

'Oh, I feel that. I went through a difficult time too a while back, missed quite a lot of school. I was moving around a lot, went through quite a few nasty foster homes.'

'That sucks.' Ben said.

'Yeah well, I'm here now and I plan to enjoy it.' She said with a smile that once again nearly had him face planting the ground.

'Well if you even wanna hang….' What the fuck are you saying Solo? Why the hell would she want to hang out with you?

'Thank you. I'd like that.' Rey replied.

Well fuck. Ben stood up a little taller.

They reached the Tico residence and Ben decided to push his luck.

'Shall I swing by in the morning? Walk to school with you? You're on my way.' She wasn't.

'Oh yes that would be nice, I think Rose always walks with her boyfriend Finn, so it would be nice to have someone to talk to.'

'Okay, I'll see you around eight then.'

She treated him to one more of her brilliant smiles.

'Goodbye Ben.'

'Goodbye Rey.'

She skipped up to the door and Ben stood for sometime in the same spot even after she had completely disappeared from his view.

'You're later than usual.' Han said wiping down a spanner as he hunched over his beloved truck's engine.

'Yeah what of it?' Ben said challengingly.

Han put up his hands in mock surrender, 'Just making an observation. No need to start a war.'

Ben huffed put a breath, then decided that telling the truth couldn't do any harm in fact it might win him a few points with Han. He knew Han had a bit of a reputation for being a lady killer back in his day.

'I walked a girl home.'

Han looked his son up and down and then smirked, 'Well, well, this is a turn up for the books. Who's the girl?'

'She's new. She's an exchange student.'

'Well I never! Never thought you were goina show any interest…'

Ben cut him off, 'Dad leave it, we've just friends. She's only here until the end of the semester then she goes home.'

'Well you best move quick then.' Han said with a wink before returning to his work.

Ben went into the house and shrugged his backpack down onto the floor.

'That's got to be the unmistakable sound of my son's backpack.' Leia shouted from the kitchen. 'How was your day?'

'Fine.'

'You care to expand on that?'

'Nope.'

Ben heard Leia sigh as he climbed the stairs to his bedroom.

Once he was safely inside his inner-sanctum he closed his eyes and pictured her face. Her beautiful face and those delicate hands….what would she be willing to do with those hands...he wondered….

Ben groaned as just the thought of her stroking his cock had his blood rushing between his legs.

Ben was unconventional for sure, but underneath the hostile exterior, he was still a typical teenage boy with a raging libido capable of fuelling his imagination to such lust-filled heights, that even a prostitute might blush if they knew his thoughts.

He considered the possibility of alleviating himself as his member strained in his pants begging to be touched, then groaned as his mother called him for dinner.

'Your father says you've met a girl! Come tell me all about it!' She shouted cheerfully as Ben buried his head in his hands.

Meanwhile at the Tico's, Rey was pushing mashed potatoes around her plate and smiling to herself.

Rose and Rey has been pen pals for some time so even though they had only been face to face for one day, the relationship wasn't awkward in the slightest and they treated each other like old friends, which was a great comfort for Rey.

'What's got you in such a good mood?' Rose asked nudging her arm.

'Oh nothing, I just had a good day that's all, is Finn walking you to school tomorrow?'

'Yes, is that okay?'

'Yes of course! I like Finn. I just wanted to check as someone has offered to walk with me.'

Rose smirked, 'Yes I'm sure Poe is being very attentive.'

'Oh, it's not Poe. It's Ben Solo.'

Rose dropped her fork onto the plate and the voice reverberated around the room.

'Ben Solo? Ben Solo offered to walk you to school?' Rose asked in astonishment.

'Yes, is that...strange?'

'I've never heard Ben say a word to anyone but Poe for months and that's only when he bothers to turn up for school.'

'Well he seemed very friendly to me.' Rey replied.

'Well just be careful. I don't know how many of the rumours are true, but I've heard he's been on the wrong side of the law once or twice.'

Rey shivered, but was shocked to discover it wasn't fear that made the tingles form down her spine. Luckily Rose interpreted it as such.

'I'll make sure to keep my eye on him.' Rey said and Rose nodded seemingly satisfied with her response.

As if she was going to be able to keep her eyes off him! Ben Solo was a tall, dark and handsome enigma and she couldn't seem to get her mind on anything else. She desperately wanted to ask Rose about the rumours she had heard but didn't want to arouse suspicion so she kept her mouth shut other than to shovel in another mouth full of mashed potatoes.

The next day as Rey packed up her lunch, Paige Tico popped her head around the doorway to the kitchen.

'Someone here for you.' She said with an amused smile.

Rey headed to the door smoothing down her hair with her hands as she walked, but her eyes widened in surprise when she saw Poe leaning against the frame.

'Hey you.' He said with a sparkle in his eyes that made Rey nervous.

'What are you doing here?' She blurted out, then immediately felt bad when she saw a glimmer of hurt flicker across his face.

'I thought you would appreciate the company, plus I'm friends with Finn, I told him I would be joining you this morning.'

'Erm, okay.' She said uneasily.

'Knock knock!' Finn appeared behind Poe giving Rey an easy smile. 'Where's my girl?' He said, his eyes darting around the room.

Rey smiled, 'She's upstairs…. Rose!'

Rose appeared at the top of the stairs looking as adorable as ever. She give Finn the biggest smile and Rey felt her insides go warm. They really were a cute couple.

As Rose descended a plan occurred to Rey and just as they were leaving the house she clicked her fingers together and shouted, 'Shoot!'

'What?' Poe asked.

'I forgot my favourite pen, I'll go get it. You guys go on ahead.'

'Okay.' Finn said with a shrug turning to go and placing a brown leather clad arm across Rose's shoulder, as she leaned her head against his side. Rose gave Rey a look over his shoulder but didn't say anything.

'I'll wait for you.' Poe said.

An alarm went off in Rey's brain, 'No! Don't do that! Go on ahead! I'll catch up. Really I'll be two steps behind you.'

'Yeah come on Poe, she'll be right behind us.' Rose shouted back.

Rey decided Rose was a very good friend to have, as she had obviously caught on to Rey's plan without the need for any words to be said between them and despite her earlier reservations about Ben Solo, she was attempting to help Rey achieve her goal. Yes, Rose was a very good friend.

Poe looked sceptical but agreed and Rey bit her lip guiltily as she watched him saunter down the path. She peeped out the window to watch him as he disappear around the corner.

She turned around to see Paige leaning against the wall with her arms folding and an amused smile on her lips.

'What was all that about?'

'Nothing! I need my pen!' Rey replied.

'Uh-uh.' Paige said, totally unconvinced.

There was a knock at the door and Paige tilted her head to the side.

'You goina get that?' She asked.

Rey blushed and nodded.

Ben Solo stood in the doorway shifting his weight between his feet.

'Ahhh hi.' He said in a low voice that made her insides quiver. What was it about this boy?

'Hi.' Rey replied in a voice that sounded nothing like her own.

'I see!' Paige announced before disappearing into the kitchen.

'What?' Ben asked with a scowl.

'Nothing!' Rey said cheerfully, 'Let's go.'

'Anyway the boy wouldn't stop pestering me so I broke his nose.'

Ben laughed out loud as Rey explained why she had found herself in detention more than a few times back in England.

'I think he got off easy, if I'd been there I would have broken more than his nose.' Ben replied as he looked at her possessively.

And there was that flood of arousal again. It shouldn't make her happy that he wanted to commit violence in her name should it? But it did. It really did.

'Yeah well I didn't have many friends back home, when you're a poor kid without any parents people tend to treat you like an outcast.' Rey said with a shrug.

'People as a collective are fucking nuts.' Ben said under his breath.

'You can say that again.' Rey agreed.

When they reached the school Rey winced at the sight of Poe waiting at the gates for her. He looked at her and then at Ben and recognition spread across his face.

Urgh. Rey you coward. You should have just told the truth.

'Ahhh hi Poe! Look who I ran into!' She said cheerfully.

'What a coincidence.' Poe said with a look of annoyed resignation.

Shit. She really didn't want to upset Poe, but she would like him to stop hitting on her.

'Hi Ben.' Poe said.

'Hi.' Ben replied.

The boys looked at each other for a moment and Rey felt the air turn decidedly frosty.

Shit. Shit. Shit. Now she was coming between the two friends! She didn't want that. She had to think of some way to defuse the situation.

She blurted out the first thing she could think of looking up at the colourful banner advertising the ritualistic event coming up.

'Hey! You guys are having a prom soon aren't you?'

Poe's eyes met her and a slow smile spread across his lips.

Uh oh. That had not been the right choice of subject change.

'Sure are, you planning on going Ben?' He asked.

Rey saw the anger in Ben's eyes, his gaze flickered down to Rey's and then down to the floor,

'Fuck no. Stupid over-hyped tradition in my opinion.' He responded.

'That's a shame.' Poe said looking like he thought it was anything but, he turned to Rey.

'What about you, Rey?'

Rey looked at Poe's face, then to Ben's, she opened her mouth but didn't know what to say. Suddenly Ben turned and left and Rey watched him go with desperate eyes wanting to call out to him but feeling unable to. Her heart traced his steps painfully.

She looked at Poe's expectant face.

'I….I don't know.' She said quickly and hurried to class.

The fact of the matter was Rey didn't really care much about prom, she didn't really care about anything at all at that moment in time, she was totally preoccupied with what she perceived were the hurt feelings of one very sullen, very intriguing boy who didn't want to go to prom but didn't seem to want her to go with anyone else, and she wasn't sure what to do about it.

Ben's eyes bore into the back of Poe's head. He hadn't stayed to hear her answer but he knew she would say yes. He had already counted himself out as a potential partner like a fucking idiot and of course she would want to go to prom what teenaged girl didn't? Poe had a gaggle of girls dying to go with him, Rey would be a fool to say no to him. The pencil in Ben's hand snapped under the intense pressure he was placing on it and he found some relief in imagining at that very moment that it was Poe's neck snapping instead.

He glanced across the room at Rey, she looked confused, glancing between her exercise book and the board with a scrunched up nose. She looked so…...fuckable. He wanted to kiss every freckle on that scrunched up nose.

Fuck. This was bad.

'Are you with us Ben?' Mrs Holdo asked pointedly, lowering her glasses on her nose to give him a eyebrow arched glare.

Ben looked around to see everyone including Rey looking at him. Anger bubbled within him. He didn't fit in here. This was bullshit. He looked at Rey. He had been a idiot to think that he could have been a part of her world.

'I'm outta here.' He said on a low growl and stalked out of the classroom.

Rey's heart beat out of her chest and she jumped as the classroom door slammed shut behind him.

'Well!' Mrs Holdo said indignantly. 'Let's return to our lesson mmm?'

But Rey didn't hear another word she said.

At lunch she slipped off the campus having a feeling she knew where Ben would go to sulk and lick at his wounds.

She entered the arcade and spotted him easily, his huge body comically hunched over the console of one of her own favourite games, Knights of Ren.

She snuck up behind him and didn't resist the urge to run her fingertips lightly from one of his shoulders to the other as she came to his side,

'I thought I would find you here.' She said with a smile.

Ben's eyes settled on hers and he instantly lost his focus on the game. A high pitched mocking sound alerting them to the fact that his character had bit the dust.

Rey wasn't sure if he was happy to see her, his face was unreadable. Had it been a mistake to come?

Ben didn't acknowledge the game, he just stared at her.

'You're breaking the rules being here.' He said.

She bristled, 'So are you.'

'You came to find me.' He said. It wasn't a question but she answered him anyway.

'Yes, I wanted to make sure you were okay.'

Ben took a step towards her. Rey felt the urge to take a step back as he crowded her, but she forced herself to stay put. His eyes made her squirm.

'Are you going to prom with Poe?' He demanded.

'What?' Rey asked. His gaze was so intense it made the words he had said sound muffled in her head.

'Are you going to prom with Poe?' He asked more gently.

'No.' She replied, and his lips were on hers before she could inhale.