Rey was beginning to regret coming to the party the second she spotted DJ throwing up into the pool.
"Gross," she muttered, slinking her way through the crowd of inebriated teens. At the sound of her name being called she looked up to see Rose waving to her from a balcony. Rey tentatively returned the wave. The outdoor space seamlessly connected to the kitchen and living room, both stark and modern in their design.
"Aw, come on Rey, lighten up," Finn thrust a cold beer in her hand. He cocked his head to the side and lowered his voice.
"Look who is here."
Across the room from her was Ben Solo. Their eyes meet and his dark eyes flashed, his mouth curving into a sly smirk.
"Yeah," Rey turned to Finn, "with his girlfriend ."
A slender woman with long legs and red lips wrapped an arm over his shoulders. She quirked an eyebrow in Rey's direction and Rey looked down, suddenly very interested in the contents of her drink. The volume intensified as more people arrived, all too eager to celebrate the end of the school year. Tonight's host, per usual, was Armitage Hux. With absent parents and money to burn, Rey had always avoided Hux and his crew. They were the rich kids, the privileged kids, and they certainly didn't give a damn about people like her or Finn.
But tonight was different.
Tonight Finn had convinced her to come because he would be here. Rey watched as Ben Solo's girlfriend whispered in his ear and rubbed his thigh.
"I'm going home," Rey handed the beer back to Finn.
"No no no," Finn trailed after her, "This is your chance Rey. He owes you an explanation."
"I don't need one."
Rey increased her pace, skirting a passed out DJ as she made her way around the pool. He has a girlfriend. He had a girlfriend when he kissed you .
The only place where Rey's world collided with Ben's was in martial arts. They had both surpassed the qualifications to opt out of P.E., and everyday after 6th period they found themselves in the school gym. Sometimes as late as 9pm, which did not matter much to Rey since no one at home was counting down the minutes until her return. There were usually half a dozen students practicing solo or with coaches, but on that day, Rey and Ben were alone. And that day, he had challenged her to practice together. She was taken aback, not sure at first that he was talking to her, even if she was the only other person in the room.
Their sparring began playfully enough, but he had not expected her skill to match his. Each kick, each block, and every turn became more intense than the last. Her confidence grew as she ducked under his arm, appearing behind him to deliver another blow. Her certainty wavered when he caught her wrist mid-air, and in turn she caught his. They both knew while her speed and agility was exceptional, that it was no match for his brute strength. He released his hold, not wanting to hurt her.
"You're good," he admitted, peeling off his soaked t-shirt.
A pink flush appeared on Rey's cheeks - a flush that was not the result of physical exertion. She watched as his muscles contracted with every movement as he walked closer to her.
"Not good enough, apparently," she swallowed as he closed the space between them. The look in his eyes made her squirm.
"Wanna go again?" She blurted out. He froze.
"You're not tired?" Ben's eyes scanned her head to toe, skeptical of her challenge to spar for a second time but too competitive to turn her down.
"My coach doesn't go soft on me, and you shouldn't either."
Rey gave no warning before charging him, bringing her back foot to the front as she leapt, propelling herself high into the air. All she had to do was wait for gravity to start pulling her down, and then shoot her right leg out in a straight line, sailing cleanly into her opponent's chest. Dead center, just as she had practiced.
She was not prepared for his quick reaction.
He dodged her attack and she stumbled, her knee bearing the brunt of the impact. She winced, unable to stop the small cry that left her lips.
"Your coach might not be soft but he wouldn't want you to be foolish," Ben easily lifted Rey to her feet and she gave him a defiant look.
" Her . My coach is a woman."
Ben rolled his eyes.
"I saw that," Rey warned. She inhaled sharply, partly from the pain in her knee and party because she was right against his warm bare chest. She would not accept him carrying her, so he walked her to the indoor bleachers. Rey felt the creeping blush return when he kneeled in front of her, gently bending her leg forward.
"Does that hurt?" His question was sincere as he looked up at her. Rey had never seen such dark eyes with so much light in them.
"No," she said quietly and he crept up over her ever so slightly, his hands finding her waist. She glanced from his hands to his face, her expression questioning. His head was angled slightly to the side as his lips came closer to hers. Rey opened her mouth and prepared to belt out the loudest scream she could muster but was silenced as his mouth covered hers. His warm lips were gentle but hungry, and she let out an involuntary whimper. She felt his triumphant smirk as he pressed his mouth a little firmer against hers, boldly slipping his tongue between her parted lips to explore every inch of her mouth. Small hands pushed against him.
"You have a girlfriend," Rey gasped, breaking the kiss.
"It's nothing official."
Now she found herself at an over-the-top party overflowing with alcohol and thumping music. At a house she had no business at, surrounded by people she had barely interacted with over the last couple years. Finn was reaching for her, trying to convince her to rejoin the party.
"Rey, please . If you don't want to talk to him, at least be my wing-woman."
She knew he was referring to his drunk crush from the balcony: Rose.
Rey let out an audible sigh.
"Alright. But I'm staying for you ."
A wide grin played across Finn's face and she accompanied him back into the house. In jeans and a white t-shirt she stood out, clearly missing the memo that a party at Hux's house was reason to dress up. Even Rose, she noticed, sauntered into the living room wearing a sleeveless short black dress.
"You two!" She slurred, pointing at Rey and Finn, "You're in my circle! No backing out if you're already in, that's the rules!" Rose declared, too drunk to catch Rey's questioning glare. Rey stared at a champagne bottle in the middle of the room, wondering why people were surrounding it. Finn was still grinning and he nudged Rey with his elbow.
"It's seven minutes in heaven," he whispered.
Oh, fuck.
"It's nothing official."
Rey wanted to believe him and after a kiss like that she almost did.
"Liar. Who put you up to this? Hux?"
Ben blinked. Her personality was the same as her fighting style: fiery, bold, defiant.
And vulnerable.
He thought it made for a potent combination.
"No one put me up to anything," he said as she hoisted herself to her feet. Rey looked down at him, unconvinced. When he stood he towered over her, dwarfing her height and the heat of her argument. He tilted her chin up, giving her time to escape if she really didn't want this—but she did. Rey inclined her face upwards, just enough to meet his mouth perfectly, and breathed in sharply through her nose as their lips touched. She felt Ben's hand trail along her jaw, her neck, and down her arm until he found her waist for a second time. Rey uncrossed her arms and tentatively placed her hands on his shoulders, causing him to pull her tightly to him. She felt fingers on the back of her neck inching towards her scalp, and she pulled away.
"Don't touch my hair," she gasped, and Ben stopped for a second before claiming her mouth again. Rey felt the smirk against her lips and his hands were back in her hair, tangling up the three buns regardless of her protests.
Loud clapping echoed in the gym.
"Well what in the fuck do we have here?"
The vulgar proclamation was followed by laughter. A man with sharp green eyes entered the gym, his attention directed at Ben. Rey recognized him as Kane, one of Ben's insufferable friends.
"Does Sasha know you're screwing around? With that ? You're lucky it's me and not Coach Snoke walking in on you."
Rey's eyes narrowed to slits.
"You're actually not half bad," he offered to Rey when he spoke and she scowled. Ben stepped in front of Rey, blocking her from the Kane's view.
"What do you want Kane?"
"Man," Kane rubbed his temple, "My car is in the shop. I need a ride to Hux's party tomorrow. Can you give me a lift?" The question hung in the air for a moment.
"Yeah. Sure." Ben was still blocking Rey from Kane's line of sight. The two men seemed to communicate through a long stare before Kane spoke again.
"Okay, cool. Thanks." He turned to leave, and after the gym door slammed shut, Ben looked at Rey.
"You should come too."
Rey wedged herself between Finn and the girl beside her, willing herself to disappear. From across the room she saw Kane pointing her out to Ben. With drinks in their hands, both men meandered over to join in. Rey raised her eyebrows in Ben's direction, her eyes asking him a silent question: Where's Sasha?
When the spinning began Rey felt like her plan to turn invisible was working. Couples disappeared into closets, sometimes for much longer than seven minutes. The crowd grew rowdy when a pairing was awkward, delighting in their embarrassment. A few more spins and Rey felt like no one would catch her sneak away, until she heard hooting and hollering. Her eyes looked down to see the bottle pointing at her.
"Ah shit ," Kane was standing and snickering. He slapped Ben on the shoulder, bending over as he laughed.
"Oh, he's gonna show her a real good time!" Another voice shouted, followed by more laughter. When Ben stood the laughter died away, just a little, no one truly wanting to piss him off.
"You call that a closet?" He motioned at the closet being used in the game. They all knew he was too tall and broad to fit inside.
"Take her to the bedroom!" A female voice yelled and the previous whooping and hollering grew even louder. Rey shrank back, readying to bolt, when she suddenly found herself being lifted by Ben and thrown over his shoulder.
"Put me down ," she hissed, kicking and clawing at him as he carried her across the room, inspiring further howls and jeers from the crowd. He walked into the bedroom, his eyes quickly finding the bed, and tossed her on the mattress.
"I won't hurt you. I won't touch you if you say no," Ben's voice was low as he closed the door, his hand lingering on the knob.
" Seven minutes starts now! " Rose's voice penetrated through the walls and he turned to face Rey.
Except the mattress was empty.
Ben scanned the room and found her trying to open a window by sliding it upwards. He noticed the way her shirt inched up at the effort, exposing the small of her back. His gaze swept from the curve of her hips to her ass. He cleared his throat.
"Was our kiss earlier really so terrible that you need escape out a window?" His breathing was steady and measured as he approached her from behind, his chest pressing against her back as his hands covered hers.
"Was it necessary to throw me over your shoulder like a neanderthal?"
Ben heard the tremble in her voice and realized she wasn't bluffing - she really was afraid and trying to escape.
"Rey," His breath was hot in her ear and he laced his fingers with hers, pushing the window up so it opened. A faint summer breeze blew into the room. "Leave if you want, but I wish you would stay."
She felt his lips graze the back of her neck in a gentle kiss. Rey inhaled sharply.
The moment was lost when the door swung open, slamming the wall with a thud.
"Thaaaaaat's seven minutes!" Rose proclaimed, bursting through the door frame. Rey felt Ben free her hands and she tried to slow the pounding in her chest as she turned away from the window. Standing in the door frame behind Rose was Sasha - her stony expression directed at Ben as he walked towards her.
Rey blinked back the sudden stinging sensation in her eyes as she watched Sasha wrap an arm around his waist, guiding him out of the room. She was suddenly glad that it was summer and she was glad she wouldn't have to face him again until the next school year. Rey waited a couple minutes before exiting the bedroom, gathering herself. She was ready to go home when she found her path blocked by Kane.
"I don't mind Ben Solo's sloppy seconds," he leered, reaching for her.
"I'm not Ben Solo's anything ," Rey said, not hiding the contempt in her voice. She moved to brush past him when he shoved her back into the room. Rey's eyes swept over him. Slowly walking up to him she wrapped her arms around his neck and whispered in his ear.
"Don't ever fucking touch me."
She used his shoulders as leverage and kneed him in the groin. Kane doubled over, his mouth hanging open in a soundless yelp, his eyes bulging from his head.
Now she was ready to leave.