Disclaimer: I don't own anything and don't have a creative way of saying so, so there.
We Are
It wasn't supposed to happen this way, and Ben knew that.
Okay, let's backtrack—you see, it was supposed to happen this way—just not this way.
The plan was: fake date Danielle and a) make Skye Can't-Decide-Which-Boy-She-Should-Choose Hart (and Sean, to be honest) jealous, or b) get over annoyingly-gorgeous, strawberry-scented hair said ex-girlfriend if she never got jealous (which didn't seem very believable because have you met Skye?), or c) at least do a good deed by trying to get over Skye (though the whole plan had nothing remotely 'good' about it), or d) be completely unpredictable and shock everyone by taking his best friend's ex-girlfriend—very pushy, very self-conceited, very arrogant ex-girlfriend—as his own girlfriend.
Completely fool-proof, right?
Except for that one gaping flaw that he absolutely did not plan.
Except for that one gaping flaw that made him want to scream in frustration yet jump up with joy because in a way, he had succeeded. In all ways, really.
The plan hadn't changed. But he, in this crazy obstacle called life, had.
- We Are -
Ben knew that although how twisted and maybe slightly insane and perhaps unpredictable Danielle was, he knew that Danielle was not sadistic enough to come up to him with this admittedly brilliant—yet still very twisted—plan. But you couldn't expect Ben to be thinking clearly—after all, had Sean been thinking clearly when he had kissed Ben's then-girlfriend Skye? No. So, in a way, Sean was getting what he deserved. Of course, Ben loved Sean like a brother and didn't want anything bad to happen to him—but this, this wouldn't have any impact (sort of) on Sean because it wasn't Sean's choice. It all amounted to Skye and whether or not she fell for it.
But Danielle had a killer reputation. She was fierce and kind of really scary, but she gave off confident—if slightly cocky, slightly too-arrogant—waves that made her so compelling. She also had killer looks that matched it all. Gorgeous long dark tresses that were curled to perfection. Dark as night eyes that seemed as haunting as they were beautiful. Alabaster skin with a very rosy flush. She was like an angel. A dark angel.
Skye was certainly the opposite of Danielle. Skye had hair the color of gold that was usually messily styled. The molten-lava colored hair had hints of amber, but it was long and silky. Skye's piercing blue eyes matched, and her faintly tanned complexion made her skin almost seem to glow. Her lips were pale and pink, and her hair was always strawberry scented (must've been a shampoo). It was like Skye was Danielle's opposite.
Of course, Ben knew that Skye didn't mean to hurt him. It just happened. He knew that because hurting people wasn't a very Skye thing to do. Skye was kind, clumsy, and determined. She was very strong-willed and worried. Skye wouldn't go out of her way to get someone, but if someone hurt her friends, there was no way she was just going to stand there and do nothing.
But still, Skye had taken his heart and ripped it to shreds, even if she hadn't planned on doing it. She had been kind to him afterward but still...
Ben could never fully shake off that bitterness that surrounded his heart, the bitter cold that protected his heart. When he felt, he felt it all to a very small degree. It was like all emotions had bounced off of him, it was like he couldn't feel. This, he knew, was very useful. After all, who wanted to feel pain or those bitter emotions? But of course, that meant sacrificing the good emotions, too: hope, happiness, love. Oh, he still felt them—he wasn't an emotionless being—but not that much.
But Ben knew that a part of it was his fault. He believed Skye when she said she liked him, he ignored the signs between Skye and Sean—the special one-second glances, the brief touch of the hand, the easy joking, the sparkle in their eyes. Ben should've noticed. He should've noticed and stopped it before it manifest—or, really, he should've ended it with Skye if he was going to lose those emotions.
Was it worth it? He didn't even know anymore.
- We Are -
"What?"
Ben watched Danielle, gritting his teeth. He knew perfectly well that she had heard what he had said. But Danielle was—quite uncharacteristically—shocked, with her mouth hanging open in disbelief, confusion, absolute scandalization, as the words reached her comprehension. They were standing outside the Lodge. There was a lovely wind in the air, unseasonably warm for fall. Danielle looked quite lovely—despite the gaping jaw—in the light with her long tresses billowing in the wind.
Ben cleared his throat and spoke through a low hiss. "Do you want Sean back or not?"
Danielle sneered. "Why would I want him?"
Despite her words, Ben could see visible hurt in her eyes. He felt a pang of pity in his heart for Danielle. Sean had kissed Skye while he had been dating Danielle—it must've hurt. Hurt bad. And in her eyes, Ben could see that Danielle still wanted Sean, still wanted him to come back to her and ditch Skye. Danielle's life, Ben thought now, had taken an abrupt change since Skye had arrived at the Lodge.
Ben changed tactics. He knew fully well that Danielle wasn't going to admit that she still wanted Sean. "Well, do you like Sean with Skye?" he demanded.
"No," Danielle admitted grudgingly. "Of course I don't. But this—this isn't like you, Ben."
"No, it isn't," Ben agreed bitterly. "None of this is fair, though."
Ben could almost see the wheels go round through Danielle's pretty head. He knew that she was going to accept. Even if Sean and Skye stayed together, Danielle would still get the brief satisfaction of making everyone's heads spin—as would Ben—and Danielle loved the shock value. Yet she hesitated. Ben locked eyes with her, willing her to agree—though he could hardly use compulsion. Charming as he was, there was no way he could compel anyone.
"Are you in or not?" he demanded.
One, two, three—
"Fine," she muttered. "We'll 'fake-date' and see what happens."
He smiled. "You are impossible."
"Don't degrade yourself, sweetie," she said, her smile icy. "You're just as impossible."
He smirked. "Well, honey, good thing we're together."
- We Are -
They couldn't be too obvious, couldn't be too hasty. So Danielle's idea, which Ben had to grudgingly admit was smart, was to send an anonymous text.
It worked, because less than five minutes later, Noah came up—actually, he really stormed into the Lodge—to Ben (Danielle was off doing one thing or another) in obvious disbelief. Ben pretended he didn't know what Noah was yapping on about because he, again, wasn't supposed to be so obvious. Noah had come up to him, curly hair in an unruly mess and eyes flashing. "I've heard a rumor," Noah said, crossing his arms.
Ben hid a smile. "Amuse me."
Noah inhaled sharply. "I heard that you...that you were dating...wait for it, wait for it—Danielle."
Ben waited, keeping his expression serious, and watched as Noah's expression turned into full-blown shock and disbelief. Ben hid a smirk. This was going on even better than planned. Soon enough, Skye and Sean would know about Ben's 'relationship' with Danielle. They wouldn't try to convince him out of the relationship, he was sure, but Ben surmised that there would be enough flack from Sean. And wouldn't Sean's reaction be such a gem?
"You—what—no way—you can't be serious!"
Ben regarded Noah calmly. "Danielle...she's my girlfriend."
"But you—her—what?!"
Ben turned away from Noah as the door opened, and—surprise, surprise—Danielle came through. She waved at him, eyes twinkling. That probably meant that she had talked to someone, who had been as surprised as Noah had been. Ben walked towards her, pleased that Skye and Sean were walking in, hand in hand. Ben wrapped his arms around Danielle's waist, pulling her into a firm hug. She slung her arms around his neck for the embrace and whispered, "I ran into Skye...who ran into Sean." She said her ex-boyfriend's name in utter disgust.
Ben smiled. "They're staring at us."
"Everyone's staring at us," Danielle complained through a low voice.
He pulled back from the embrace, which was just long enough to move through the 'friendly' zone into the 'romantic' zone. Through his peripheral vision, Ben saw Sean and Skye's equally shocked expressions. Ben waved at Sean, whose eyes widened. Ben exchanged a brief glance with Danielle and smiled at her. Danielle smiled pleasantly back, but there was something icy in her eyes.
"No way," Sean muttered. "Ben, can I talk to you? Alone?"
"Sure," Ben said amiably.
Once they were alone, Sean didn't pause to let it rip. "My ex-girlfriend? Danielle? Are you insane?" Sean said incredulously.
Ben stared at Sean exasperatedly, trying to let off an air that he thought that Sean was being childish. "Sean, she was your girlfriend once..."
"Like hell!" Sean retorted. "Is this a revenge thing?" Oops. Ben stared at Sean in false incredulity, trying to appear surprised. "Because Skye chose me?" Sean grunted. "Now you have to go take Danielle? Not that you can't—it's just..." Sean ran a hand through his hair frustratedly. "You and her—you're too different. It's impossible. You can't—she doesn't—you—"
"—who I date is none of your business," Ben said firmly, trying to hide his glee. Sean was definitely pissed off. Ben crossed his arms. "Aren't you over her, anyway? What if she wants to date me? What if I want to date her? Sean... You didn't see her that day we got lost and trapped." Sean raised a brow, and his eyes lit up in alarm. Whoops, Ben thought regretfully.
"But you and her—you guys told me and Skye that you guys would never date that day!" Sean thundered.
Ben grimaced. "We knew you would react like that..."
"I don't believe this!" Sean said disbelievingly. "You—you're my best mate...and Danielle, my ex-girlfriend..." Ben could sense the unspoken words: how could you do this? Sean shook his head incredulously. "This is a bad dream—you've never been interested in Danielle! And she's never been interested in you! What..?" Disbelief colored Sean's tone. Ben wondered when that disbelief would fade into...maybe jealousy?
"Well, I didn't really know her back then," Ben said quietly. "She's got more to her than anyone gives her credit for." This, again, was a lie—or maybe it wasn't. Because Ben didn't really know Danielle all that well. He had, well, assumed, like that rest. That didn't make him a bad person—but it did make things harder for Danielle. Did she ever want to rip herself out of that persona everyone else assumed of her? If Ben was put in a box like that—which, he kind of was, but the box was different—he would hate it.
Sean shook his head. "I don't believe you... Well..." Sean trailed off, and Ben knew that Sean was thinking back before Skye. Before Skye... That seemed like a whole lifetime ago. Sean and Danielle had been so happy. They were so different, but they cared about each other. Ben knew now that it was because of Skye that they broke up. Before, he would've said that Sean and Danielle were too different, and that was what broke them apart. Not this time. Skye showed Sean that there were different kinds of people...and Sean had in turn fallen for her, perhaps with no regard of how Danielle might react. It was harsh, but Danielle took it better—better than most ex-girlfriends would.
Because Danielle was different. She didn't stay down. She fought back. It was quite an intriguing quality of hers.
"Things have changed," Ben observed.
"No kidding," Sean muttered.
"Why can't you accept her as my girlfriend?" Ben said angrily, though really, he had no reason to be angry. Danielle wasn't really his girlfriend, this was all for show, but for that one excruciating moment, all Ben wanted to do was defend his actions, feel like he was good and noble. Even if the 'noble action' was defending his false relationship with his best friend's ex-girlfriend. "You accept her as your friend!"
Sean crossed his arms. "This is just really weird. I'm sorry."
Ben relaxed. "I suppose I can see where you're going from."
Sean shrugged. "It's fine..." But even then, Sean spoke from gritted teeth.
Ben shrugged and said, "I have to go." Have to go check up on Danielle to see if she could talk to Skye.
Sean nodded. "Yeah..."
Ben stalked away in silence, feeling a gnawing feeling grow in his chest. He saw Danielle talking to Skye. Danielle was smiling, and Skye was frowning. Ben wasn't sure what was going on but assumed that Danielle was playing her part as his perfect girlfriend...which Ben knew had to make Sean jealous—if Danielle was perfect for Ben and not for Sean... Or suspicious... Psh, it had to be jealousy.
Danielle winked at Ben and waved him over. "Ben!" she said cheerfully.
A smile spread across Ben's lips, not as forced as he thought it might be, and he walked over to her casually. He nodded at Skye in a way of greeting, who smiled weakly. Ben took Danielle's hand and squeezed her fingers. She looked slightly surprised at the action but was quick to turn her surprise into another ginormous smile. Then, some of the light diminished from her eyes as she looked at someone behind them.
Ben noticed Sean, who was smirking a little. "So you guys are dating, right?" Sean said conversationally.
Uh oh. Danielle must've sensed the trouble, too, because she exchanged a slightly alarmed look with Ben before turning to Sean, an easy smile on her face. Ben could sense her panic—and how tightly she was squeezing his hand. "Yeah, Sean," Danielle said, turning to smile at Ben, who smiled back at her. Ben then shot a warning look at Sean, one that Sean ignored.
"Then why don't you guys kiss?" Sean announced cheerfully.
Ben felt Danielle freeze. Her grip on him went slack, and Ben felt his neck grow hot. He turned to Sean, who had a slightly triumphant look on his face. Ben saw Skye's uneasy face and remembered that it was Skye that was going to be the most suspicious. No way was he giving up, not after less than a day. Ben turned to Danielle. She had a faltering smile on her face, and he saw a lingering trace of fury in her eyes, fury at having her own words thrown back at her.
Ben reached out and touched her face lightly with his right hand. His left hand was firmly clasped in her right one. His hand trembled slightly, and he looked into her deep eyes. He was dazzled for a moment. She truly was beautiful. She looked a little nervous, but her eyes were steady. Ben then leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers. Warmth exploded into his palms as he kissed her softly, and he felt his blood race, knowing that all eyes were on them. The whole room was silent, as if no one could believe that that had actually happened.
Ben didn't blame them. It felt more like a dream to him. Danielle's lips were soft, and when he pulled back slightly, he kept his face right by hers, looking directly into his eyes. She looked a little stunned, and he couldn't blame her. He didn't exactly believe that he had just kissed her—on the lips—in front of everyone. But he saw the ghost of a smile creep onto her lips. Her cheeks were dusted with a rosy blush. Ben felt his own smile creep onto his face.
Danielle snapped out of it first. She pulled back a little, cheeks still flushed, probably from adrenaline, but kept her hand intertwined with Ben. She glanced at Sean, evidently delighted at the shock on his face. Ben felt her satisfaction, too, as he gazed at Sean's stunned face. Ben could also see Skye's face, and he felt slightly guilty. Open shock and hurt was on Skye's face. She was just as stunned as everyone else. Ben kind of liked the shock value.
Ben leaned closer to Danielle to whisper some words into her ear: "I can see why you like shocking people."
Danielle smiled and murmured, "We have them playing right into our hands."
Indeed, Ben thought as he took a look at Sean's burning face and Skye's hurt. Indeed we do.
- We Are -
"Will you go out on a date with me?"
Ben was pleasantly surprised to see that Danielle had only conveyed her surprise by widening her eyes instead of yelling at him or something. Ben had purposely made his voice louder for the benefit of the people around them. Ben took Danielle's hand, and she rolled her eyes. Ben caught a sparkle in her eyes as the shock died down. "Sure," Danielle said, pursing her lips to stop from laughing.
They went to a quiet little cafe—small but clean enough. They both sported casual clothes. The cafe was dimly lit, and Ben felt that it was probably for a more 'romantic' atmosphere. He didn't feel awkward, like he thought he might feel. Instead, there was something else along with that dark satisfaction he was now used to. Something...different. Something that clashed oddly with the satisfaction.
"Why are you scared of really tall trees?"
That got Ben's attention.
His gaze snapped up to Danielle, who was hiding a smile. "What?" he said, unsure if he had heard her properly.
"You heard what I said," Danielle scoffed. "Why are you so afraid of really tall trees?"
"How do you know I'm afraid of really tall trees?"
"Because whenever we walk by a really tall tree, you walk a little faster," Danielle said simply. Ben's eyes widened. She was observant, far more observant than he had initially given her credit for. She was full of surprises, wasn't she? He didn't think anyone—not even Sean, his best friend—knew that. "I would've brushed it off, but we walked past, like, ten tall trees, and each time, you quickened your pace." She sounded proud at having made a connection.
Ben blushed. "Well, when I was younger, I climbed a really tall tree." Ben blushed crimson. "I'm guessing you can guess the rest."
Danielle winced. "You fell?"
"And broke my leg," Ben said, matter-of-fact.
"What would you two like to order?" said an overly-cheerful voice.
Danielle grinned. "I dunno. A pastry?"
"Two pastries then," Ben said, winking at Danielle. "Some coke, I guess. That'll be all for now. Thank you." The waitress left, and Danielle shot an amused look at Ben, shaking her head ruefully but seeming quite pleased. He raised a brow, wondering why she looked so amused. "What?" he said. "What did I say?" She bit her lip, hiding a smile. "What did I do?"
"What didn't you do?" she teased. "You were rude. The waitress was practically throwing herself at you, and you didn't even notice."
Ben raised a brow. That was news to him. "Really?"
"You really didn't notice?" Danielle looked even more amused.
Ben shrugged in a devil-may-care sort of way, and Danielle shook her head absentmindedly. Ben noticed that she played with her hair when she was thinking. Their food arrived, and Ben, due to Danielle's words, actually noticed the waitress, who was smiling at him. She was pretty and in her late teens, and she inquired, "Would you like anything else?" If he was to be frank, he would've thought that the waitress was only talking to him.
"Anything else, Danielle?" he asked her. Danielle shook her head. "No thanks," he told the waitress.
Once the waitress left, Danielle burst out laughing. "So now you notice her," Danielle said testily.
"You're the one who brought her up," Ben protested.
"Lies."
Ben shook his head, amazed, but tucked into his food. He and Danielle kept a nice conversation throughout the meal, and the time seemed to pass by. Before he knew it, it was over. He turned to her. She was done, as well. "Ready?" he inquired, and she nodded slowly. As they headed out of the cafe, Ben noticed the brilliant sunset. As he turned back to Danielle, he saw her eyes reflecting the sun. "That wasn't too hard," Ben remarked.
Danielle scoffed. "It shouldn't be, for you. You're the one who came up with this idea."
"And you're the one who agreed," he shot back.
They headed back to the Lodge in an amiable silence. Once they were within a good distance, he took her hand, shooting her a teasing smile. Danielle smiled back breezily, and they walked back to the Lodge. Ben could see Skye talking to Josh near the door but felt her attention shift to him and Danielle. He turned to Danielle, who was smiling mischievously. They headed inside the Lodge, and Danielle released his hand.
"Well, this is me," she said, tilting her head.
And if Ben didn't know any better, he would've said that they had gone on an actual date.
- We Are -
"I can't lie to Kaylee! She's my best friend!"
"But we're doing so well!"
"Ugh!"
Ben couldn't help but feel amused—despite feeling also frustrated, but he had grown used to feeling both emotions, especially around Danielle—at Danielle. They were lounging outside, under the shade of a tree. It wasn't really a secluded place, and people were bound to see them. Ben laughed, and Danielle pushed his shoulder. "I'm serious, Ben!" she whined.
They were one week into this whole 'dating' scheme, and Kaylee, a good friend of them both, was going to pay them a visit. She was going to be arriving that very day, and no doubt the girl was already filled in with Ben and Danielle's 'relationship.' But surprisingly, it hadn't been all that bad. Ben had taken Danielle out on a few dates, and she was surprisingly good company. She would complain and whine, but she was funny in that sarcastic kind of way. And she was smart, too, so Ben didn't have to dumb himself down for her.
"I was thinking," Ben told her.
Danielle looked amused. "Yes?"
"That I should take you biking sooner or later," Ben told her, and Danielle's eyes widened. One thing Ben had learned from her that she was slightly adventurous...but she didn't like to show it. He also knew that she was a little scared of bikes because when she was young, she had fallen. The experience had been very traumatic for her five-or-so-year-old self. She had told him the story when he told her that he was afraid of haunted houses—in the dark. "It's a big step—it'll prove to everyone that we're legit."
Danielle groaned. "But they already think we're legit."
He smiled cheerfully at her. "I think we're making Skye mad. She seems a lot more bitter."
Danielle grinned. "God, fine. You definitely know what you're doing. I'm surprised, under all that charm is an actual brain—a scheming brain," she teased.
"I try," Ben said, puffing out his chest exaggeratedly.
Danielle shot him a dirty look. "Yeah, after you kissed me in front of everyone."
Ben smiled, blushing at the thought. He had enjoyed kissing her, and he flushed at the thought. He hadn't been sure what he had been thinking, but he found out more about Danielle in the past week than he had in the past years. He knew that her mother always pushed her to do her best—too harshly sometimes—he knew that her favorite color used to be red until she fell down, scraped her knee, and saw blood for the first time, he knew that her father was a touchy subject...and though he was curious as to why, he never pushed her.
He knew that when she was younger, she always wanted to go to the beach because she wanted to be like Ariel from The Little Mermaid, and he knew that she still knew all the songs to Hannah Montana but was embarrassed to admit it. He knew that she knew how to play piano—though she swore she hadn't practiced in a while—and he knew that she knew how to play the cajon a little.
He learned that she loved reading and would read basically anything that had a slightly promising summary. She especially loved mysteries and romance novels and said that she rarely cried when reading—unless it was too emotional. She had a faint obsession with vampires—but not because they were dreaming looking or anything. She was actually interested in the anatomy and the way a vampire was physically wired in the brain.
It was amazing how much Ben had learned about her—and how much she had learned about him. He had told her old stories about himself, some she knew—through Sean undoubtedly—and some she didn't. But she would always listen attentively, reminding him once again that she loved stories. He liked impressing her with some stories and would practically glow when she laughed.
He liked the way she laughed, not too girly. Her laugh was light, and her eyes would smile when she laughed. And when she laughed, he would laugh, too, because her laughter was contagious. Danielle had always been a friend of his, though now, he understood her a little more, understand why she was so careful and guarded but acted so confident and untouchable.
And to be honest, he didn't mind holding her hand or putting an arm around her. It always gave him a warm feeling—which was laced with satisfaction when he saw others watching. But...something had changed, he was sure of it. Danielle had seemed...different. Happier? Whatever it was, he was glad. Sometimes, they would sing together... He loved the sound of her singing. She was great at it.
"Kaylee's here," he told her in a sing-song voice.
A smile lit up her lips. "Well, boyfriend, it's not like I've got eyes of my own," she said sarcastically.
Ben laughed. "Well, girlfriend, I guess now you have a reason to ditch me."
"DANIELLE!"
"KAYLEE!"
Ben watched with renewed amusement as Danielle and Kaylee raced towards each other and did that hug, cry, scream thing girls did. It was strange to see, but Ben was surprised by the fond emotions rising to his chest. Danielle was thawing his heart...and she didn't even know that. Her company...was surprisingly amazing. She was easy to hang out with, as easy as Sean if not more.
Ben gave Kaylee a quick hug and accessed the girl. She looked happy enough. "How's the city?" Ben inquired.
"Great, but it's nothing like the Lodge," Kaylee said, grinning.
"I'm torn between asking you about it and not," Danielle said, laughing lightly. "I kind of don't want to know how awesome it was...but I kind of do."
"Not as crazy as the drama around here," Kaylee said ruefully. "I heard you two were a thing."
"That's no rumor," Ben said, grinning. He took Danielle's hand in his, giving hers a tight squeeze. She smiled at him, and it was his favorite smile on her by far. It was the one that held no malice, no deception. It was a sweet, soft smile that was almost—but not quite—shy. The smile turned more gleeful as she turned to Kaylee, whose eyes were widening further with each passing second.
"That's..." A silly smile burst out onto Kaylee's face. "That's—woah..."
Ben saw Danielle bit her lip to stop from laughing, but he could see the happiness and amusement pouring out of her eyes. He exchanged a brief glance with her. Then, a slightly mischievous spark lit up in Ben. "I'll let you two catch up," Ben told them, smiling. He turned to Danielle, quite amused. "I'll take you for a spin around the Lodge later," he told her, suddenly feeling nervous and not sure why.
Danielle smiled. "Cool."
Then, feeling quite silly yet elated, Ben leaned down and kissed her cheek—telling himself that it was for show for Kaylee because the girl seemed to think that they were just joking but was playing along to be nice. Ben heard noises behind them as he smiled cheerfully at Danielle and turned to see Skye and Josh. Both immediately fell silent, and Ben was pleased—in a sort of dark way—to see that Sky did not look pleased. On the contrary, she looked quite mad...though she was trying to hide it.
Danielle gave Ben a gleeful hug and whispered, "Phase 1, complete."
- We Are -
"It's so like you to ditch me for you new boyfriend."
"Hey, it would be impolite to decline!"
"Oh, it's not like you want to hang out with him at all!"
Ben chuckled at the playful banter between Danielle and Kaylee as he stepped into the Lodge, quite amused. They didn't notice him yet, but it was clear that they had missed each other. Ben had his bike helmet strapped to his head, and he was holding one—for Danielle. Danielle noticed him as he stepped closer, and he saw her groan—but he couldn't tell if it was genuine or not. Probably both.
"Bikes, how delightful," Danielle said sarcastically.
"You're going to love it," Ben said, eyes shining.
"I highly doubt that," Danielle grumbled good-humoredly.
"You two are adorable," Kaylee said, grinning, "in a weird way. But still adorable."
Ben found himself flushing at the compliment and was surprised at the warmth it gave him. He noticed Sean watching him with a slightly burning look from the side. Ben turned back to Danielle, glad in that twisted, dark way, that Sean was getting pissed off, too. Ben pressed the helmet into Danielle's hands, and she fingered it. She then put it on, an icy smile on her face, and then took his hand, squeezing a little too tightly.
"Ready?" he asked her, genuinely excited.
She leaned closer and whispered, "I'm going to kill you once we're done with this."
- We Are -
Danielle looked absolutely adorable as she tested out the bike.
Ben was waiting by his own bike as he watched Danielle examine hers. She fingered it, scrutinizing it, until she found no flaw with its working parts—the physical features of the bike she dubbed 'shabby,' which he took as a high compliment—coming from her. She looked so adorable with that slight frown on her face that showed him that she was really thinking about it. Ben waited for her patiently.
"Can we join you guys?"
Ben and Danielle turned to see Sean and Skye. Of course. Sean and Skye were really getting on Ben's nerves—though he tried to hide it—because he knew that they were still suspicious. Ben and Skye had faked a relationship before, and everyone had believed it. Skye had probably told Sean more about that, and they were probably just wondering how long Ben and Danielle were going to keep the relationship act up.
Danielle exchanged a glance with Ben, and he knew fully well that they couldn't refuse. Danielle turned back to Skye and Sean and smiled brightly, though Ben could sense her obvious annoyance. If Skye and Sean detected that exasperation, Ben hoped they would assume it was for Skye and Sean crashing their 'date.' "Sure," Danielle said cheerfully, hopping onto her bike.
Ben grinned, winked at Danielle, and took off. For the record, she was good. Really good. Like, insanely good. I-Practiced-For-Years-Without-Telling-Anyone Good. She was able to keep up with him—probably because she was so stubborn—but Ben could see that she really enjoyed it. She never went for any serious tricks, but she was able to stay on and kept a good pace. He could see a light in her eyes, and Ben knew that she was happy.
He exchanged a gleeful smile with her. Danielle didn't even seem to care that they were getting dirty. There was a wild, rebellious glint in her dark eyes. "Can you land that?" Ben asked her, pointing at a mild drop. Danielle rolled her eyes in the way that she did when she was scared but too stubborn to change her mind. She sped up a little and rocked her bike upwards, making a perfect arc before landing lightly and pedaling off. Ben followed in pursuit, grinning.
Ben was hardly paying attention to Skye and Sean, and he knew that Danielle had long forgotten about the two. When they got back to the Lodge, everyone just stared at them. Kaylee and Noah, who were talking by a tree outside the Lodge, looked dumbfounded. Josh looked up from his phone, gaping. Ben hid a smile as he unbuckled his helmet. He saw Danielle, whose cheeks were flushed, probably from adrenaline.
"Was I right, or was I right?" Ben crowed.
Danielle grinned, taking off her helmet. "You were right, Ben. But these bikes are so dirty now."
"Yeah... I probably should've mentioned that to you before..."
"Probably?" Danielle responded teasingly.
"Well, I'll wash them," Ben offered.
"I'll help you," Danielle said, smiling.
"You?" Sean said, raising a brow skeptically. "Clean?" Danielle crossed her arms, slightly pouting. "I never pegged you as a biker—yet you did it like a pro, as good as I could've gone." He glanced at Ben. Skye came up to his side, but Sean's gaze never left Ben. He asked, "Did you give her secret lessons or something?" There was a slight trace of incredulity in his voice.
"Maybe she's just a prodigy," Ben said defensively.
If Ben didn't know any better, he thought he saw a trace of jealousy in Sean's eyes. Jealousy for what, he wasn't sure. But Ben ignored that and joined Danielle, who had grabbed a hose. He helped her clean their dirty bikes as Sean and Skye grabbed another hose and started hosing off their own bikes. "The rush is amazing," Danielle admitted softly to him. "I don't know why I never went biking before."
"With Sean, you mean?" Ben clarified.
"Yeah."
"Maybe I'm just better at convincing people," Ben teased.
Danielle grinned as she held the hose. Then, without warning, she raised the hose and blasted him with the hose. A gleeful smile lit up her face. "Danielle!" he complained good-humoredly, feeling all eyes on him with satisfaction. He was pleased that Danielle was laughing. He tried to block the blast of the hose and ducked. He ran towards her and tried to wrestle the hose away from her.
"Let go, Ben!" she cried, laughing.
"No," he growled, a deep chuckle resonating from his throat.
They were drenched by the time the bikes were clean, and someone had finally gotten the hose away from them, but Ben couldn't stop laughing with her. They had been given towels and were drying off. Ben wiped his face thoroughly and smiled admiringly at Danielle. "You do like shock value," Ben teased. "I don't think anyone expected that." He wasn't sure which 'that' he was referring to. Perhaps the bike ride, the cleaning, or the hose fight—or all.
Danielle grinned. "It was nice, actually." She made a face. "I'm going to change."
Ben grinned at her. Apparently, Danielle was more fun than she let anyone think so. After quickly changing out of his wet clothes and into some dry ones, Ben headed towards the old tree that he had hung out with Danielle earlier. He noticed that the girl was already there—with company. Ben ducked out of view as he noticed Sean there. Danielle had already changed into dry clothes, he noticed.
"So, what do you want to talk about?" Danielle said. She must've just arrived.
"You and...Ben," Sean said softly. Sean ran a hand through his dark hair and caught Danielle's gaze. Danielle raised a brow but remained silent. "I just," Sean said, looking quite confused, "I..." He looked frustrated now. Ben thought he caught a spark of jealousy in his best friend's gaze. "I never thought that you guys could happen... I mean, Skye said that she had a fake relationship with Ben before...but if you guys are deliberately doing one..."
"Who said it was fake?" Danielle demanded angrily. She had every right to be. Sort of...
"Or did you always have these feelings for my best friend?" Sean retorted bitterly.
"I'm done talking with you, Sean," Danielle said darkly, "if you're going to make assumptions. If you're gong to think that you know what's going on—because you don't, okay?" Danielle stepped back. "Listen, Sean, why would we even fake a relationship? Do you really think that low of me? Do you really think that low of Ben?" Ben could detect a slight challenge on Danielle's words.
Sean sighed. "No, it's—"
"—then what?" Danielle interrupted. "Tell me."
"I'm confused," Sean blustered out. "You were never like that with me—you're...you're different with Ben."
"So? People change. Wait..." Danielle frowned. "Are you...jealous?"
Sean looked more confused than ever. "I... Maybe," he admitted. "I'd never lie to you, Danielle. I..."
"What do you want?" Danielle asked him quietly, sounding as confused as Ben felt. Ben wondered if he wanted to hear this exchange at all—but now that he had heard part of it, it did no good to not hear the rest. It would just leave him with an unfinished feeling. Sean didn't answer, and Danielle shook her head. "Maybe...Sean, maybe, I don't know, we should just...stay away for a while."
Sean frowned. "We're friends, Danielle. Friends don't just outright ignore each other."
"That's not what I said," Danielle pointed out. "But everything's just so...messy right now."
"Then if we're not friends, what're we? Acquaintances?" Sean said bitterly.
"Why do you care?" Danielle demanded.
Sean sucked in a breath. "It's complicated. And you've changed—you've changed a lot. Ben has changed you." He glanced away, biting his lip. Ben felt his frown deepen. "I'm not saying it's a bad thing, but...I just don't understand." Sean clasped his hands together. He locked eyes with Danielle. "Are you really in love with Ben?" he asked her, gaze burning. Ben bit his lip hard. Once, Danielle had told him that it was nearly impossible for her to lie to Sean. He wondered if that would hold true.
"I..." Danielle frowned.
Lie, Ben thought, but he was torn. A part of him didn't want her to lie.
"How do you love someone, Sean, if no one ever taught you how?" Danielle whispered, and Sean's eyes widened. "You...you don't." Danielle's voice was raw, and Ben knew—without doubt—that he had underestimated Danielle. Ben placed a hand over his heart. "And it hurts," Danielle said quietly. "I'm sorry that you don't understand, Sean, really, I am, but..." She trailed off, at an utter loss for words.
Ben made his footsteps loud and resounding and pretended that he had just come. "Hey," he said cheerfully.
Danielle balked a little. Then, she smiled. "Hey," she said softly.
Sean nodded. "Hey," he echoed. Then, he cleared his throat. "I, um, should go. Skye, um, is waiting for me." And he left.
"What was that about?" Ben asked her.
"You heard everything, didn't you?" Danielle said bluntly, cutting to the chase.
Ben nodded and smiled. "I didn't know you were such a good liar. That story you came up with—it was brilliant."
"Well, I had a good teacher."
"In lying, I don't think there are any good teachers."
- We Are -
Three weeks in the plan, and Ben was holding a single red rose, waiting.
Kaylee hadn't been able to stay for long, so Danielle had spent a lot of time with the girl. Ben spent some more time with Sean, but all Sean seemed to want to talk about was Danielle. Ben knew now that Sean was jealous, without doubt. Figures that Ben would run into Sean while waiting for Danielle. Sean had a perpetually tired look to his face, but a smile was drawn up to his face as he saw Ben.
"Hey, man," Sean said, sauntering over, stance lazy.
Ben nodded at him. "You're looking pleased. Did you just go on another brilliant date with Skye?"
Sean shrugged. "We hung out," Sean said shortly. He sighed. "You know what I realized, Ben... Skye...she's a crazy great girl. Brilliant, kind, wonderful... She's really..." Sean trailed off, gaze slightly distant. "She's really something. We never really argue..." Sean exhaled sharply. "Danielle and I—we used to argue a lot... And Skye, she's very sweet, very easy to hang out with... Almost...too easy."
"You don't think Skye's a good girlfriend?" Ben inquired.
Sean bit his lip. "I'm not going to steal Danielle from you, if that's what you're thinking. But now...I wanted to say it to you. I might...have feelings for Danielle. And—"
"—it's fine," Ben told him. After all, that was the plan anyway. "I mean, she's your ex-girlfriend—of course there are bound to have some feelings leftover. I won't begrudge you on that." Ben smiled softly and fingered the rose he had been planning on giving to Ben. He noticed his 'girlfriend' walking in, talking to Noah. A smile lit up Ben's face as Danielle caught his gaze, smiling. "Hey, you," he said affectionately, handing her the rose.
Delight swept across her face. "Hey, stranger," she said teasingly. She took the rose. Then, she hugged him tightly. "It's a beautiful rose," she remarked.
"For a beautiful girl," Ben murmured.
Sean cleared his throat. "Hey, Danielle."
Danielle blinked and looked up, and if Ben didn't know any better, he would've said she looked surprised. He glanced over at Sean, who was watching her with a slightly hopeful, slightly confused expression. "Hey, Sean," Danielle said amiably. Then, she turned back to Ben. She tilted her head, and thoughtful look crept into her eyes. "Is the rose because it's been three weeks?" Danielle inquired.
"No," Ben said, grinning. "I got the rose because it reminded me of you. But this..." Ben reached into his pocket and got out a box. He opened the box to reveal a simple necklace. It was a nazar, a blue sort of eye-like necklace. "Some legends say it wards off the evil," Ben told her. "I've always found it particularly lucky. Someone special gave it to me...and I want to give it to you."
Danielle's smile turned real and warm. "It's amazing...the necklace and the history behind it. I love it." She slung it around her neck. Then, she left a lingering kiss on his cheek, smiling in a sort of embarrassed way. She played with the nazar a little and gave him a small hug. Ben met her gaze. "Thank you, Ben," she murmured, voice soft and musical. Ben beamed at her.
As they walked outside, Ben told her, "I think Sean wants you back—in fact, I'm certain he does."
Danielle looked at him curiously. "I think Skye's going to crack one of these days."
Ben and Danielle rode on their bikes until he led her to a small clearing. They talked as they snacked on sandwiches that he had brought along. It was really great just hanging out with her... With her, Ben felt like he could finally be...himself. She caught on things he said easily and offered her own verdicts here and there. They spent a good portion of the time just chilling. They even had time to dissect Skye's facial expressions.
"I talked to her earlier, you know?" Danielle said, frowning slightly. "I don't think her relationship with Sean is really...much. When you look at them...I don't know. It's like they aren't a couple. If I didn't know this first hand, I probably wouldn't have thought that they were in a relationship." Danielle shrugged. "I think the fire in the relationship is dying down though. She's bound to come back to you soon, just like we planned."
Ben almost forgot about the plan.
Almost.
- We Are -
Nazar.
The necklace held a special meaning for Ben. He had been given one when he was very young, and he had always been fascinated—often comforted—by it whereas others found it slightly creepy. But it always calmed Ben down. He had wanted to give it to Skye...before everything had happened. Yet, he had given it to Danielle. And strangely enough, he wanted her to keep it. As a token, perhaps.
She wore it every day, and he would always smile when he saw her wearing it. Her clothes always matched with it—she always had an amazing sense of fashion—and he liked the way that she played with it, like he had done before. It looked right around her neck, like it belonged. Ben saw little of Skye around...but the times he did, she seemed very stressed. And Danielle kept him up on the news, promptly telling him that Skye had admitted to her that she and Sean weren't what it had seemed in the first place. Ben wasn't sure what he felt about the statement.
Several times, Ben had gone on camping trips with Danielle, Sean, and Skye. In fact, he was going on one that very day. He had all his things packed. Danielle, he knew, had grown more used to the outdoors, and though she complained about it, he knew that she loved it. Ben was waiting outside the Lodge. The others had yet to come. Ben looked up as Skye approached him.
"Hey, Ben," Skye greeted him.
"Hey," he echoed. He glanced at the sky briefly. "It's nice weather for camping, isn't it?"
"It is," Skye said distantly, as if her mind was not on the weather at all. "Listen, Ben—"
"Ready to go?" Sean interrupted cheerfully as he arrived. Danielle was walking by him, bag slung over a shoulder. She came to Ben's side and smiled at him. Ben kissed her cheek lightly in greeting and slipped his hand into hers. Her answering smile was bright. Ben turned to Sean, grinning, and the foursome started off, going back to the same campsite that they had camped at previously times before.
"Skye and I will fetch some wood," Sean proposed. "You two can get started on the tents."
"Cool," Danielle said cheerfully, causing Sean to narrow his eyes slightly.
Ben turned to Danielle, and they begin setting up the tents. They finished rather quickly, and Sean and Skye weren't back yet. Ben smiled at Danielle. "Good work," he told her, winking slightly. "When do you think they'll crack?" he inquired. It had almost been a month, and though Sean and Skye had grown crankier, nothing had really happened...yet. Ben knew that they would have to be a little more patient.
Danielle shrugged. She looked like such a perfect angel as the wind swept through her gorgeous locks. Before he knew it, Ben was kissing her. The brief brushing of their lips soon turned into something more. Ben felt an unfurling of fire in his chest, the perfect bliss. Ben felt his heart race and felt warmth sweep through his body, and was Danielle always such a good kisser?
"Hey, guys, we're—"
Ben and Danielle pulled apart simultaneously, eyes wide and cheeks flushed. Ben felt his face burn as he turned to see Sean and Skye, who both looked equally stunned. Ben exchanged an embarrassed, almost shy, look with Danielle, whose cheeks burned. Ben cleared his throat a little, trying to remember what Sean and Skye were doing. The wood in their hands told him. "You got the wood—great," Ben said, feeling awkward.
"Yeah..." Skye said, frowning slightly.
Sean looked like he seriously regretted going to get the wood. He placed his bundle down. "I'm going to fetch more wood." And Sean left extremely quickly.
Ben blushed as he caught Danielle's gaze. He convinced himself that it was just lust that made him do that—after all, he was as susceptible to that as anyone else. Lust and passion and release... It had been an almost instinctive thing to do... But Ben was allowed to be infatuated with a girl like Danielle—she was gorgeous, goofy, and completely impossible. But Ben had no idea what had brought him to kiss her...
Gorgeous, stubborn Danielle... What had she done to him?
"I'll go help Sean," Danielle said smoothly, as if she wasn't affected anymore. Then, she was gone, too.
Ben turned towards Skye, who looked as awkward as he felt. "I'm...sorry about that," he apologized feebly. Skye shrugged, and Ben ran a hand through his hair, frustrated. He glanced around and took a deep breath. He tried to pull his thoughts together. Girls, he thought angrily. Why were they so complicated. Ben turned towards Skye, who was looking at the ground, at the sky, at the trees—everywhere but at him.
"So..." Skye said, uncertainty tracing her voice. "You and Danielle, huh?"
Ben nodded. "Yeah..."
"I—I thought you guys were just for show," Skye blurted out. "After what you and I did..."
Ben nodded slowly. "I understand..."
"Ben, I..." Skye shook her head and stared at the ground. Then, she walked closer to him and met his gaze steadily. He could see fear in her gaze and was puzzled. What did she have to be afraid for? "When Sean and I were collecting the wood...well, I told him that...well, I...I still had feelings for you...and that maybe we should take a break... I..."
Ben's eyes widened. Skye had broken up with Sean? What? "What are you saying?" Ben said quietly.
"Ben, I—"
"Dude, you will not believe how Danielle got that last piece of wood!"
Ben looked past Skye to see Danielle and Sean, both carrying large stacks of wood. "Later," Ben murmured to Skye. He headed towards Sean and Danielle and quickly relieved Danielle of her burden, placing the wood on the ground. Danielle flashed him a grateful smile, and he smiled back, mind still racing from what Skye had told him. He wasn't sure whether to feel relieved or disappointed. His mind was just a mess.
The rest of the day passed relatively quietly, and by the time a cast of darkness encompassed the sky, Ben felt weary—tired but too restless to go to sleep. He saw Sean glancing over at Danielle and saw Skye's eyes on him. Thinking quickly, Ben got up and grabbed Danielle's hand. She looked surprised, but her surprise evaporated into amusement. "What're we doing?" she inquired.
"Star-gazing," he said simply.
They seated themselves next to each other among the ferns. Her hand stayed intertwined with his as they stared at the stars. "It's very beautiful out here," Danielle murmured softly. "Dark...and then everything just seems to light up, to glow, because of the stars and the moon." She tilted her head upwards, and Ben saw starlight in her beautiful dark eyes.
"Yeah," Ben agreed. Then, he took a deep sharp breath.
"What's wrong?"
Ben frowned. "Nothing."
"Oh, come on, I know you better than that." She caught his gaze. "Tell me." Her gaze was utterly compelling.
"We should talk..." Ben murmured. "About earlier."
"Oh," Danielle said, blushing a little. He noticed even in the dim of the light. "That..." She glanced away briefly before turning back to him. "It was...uncalled for, certainly...but I think we got rid of any suspicions Sean and Skye might've had." Danielle met his gaze almost nervously. "But...it was...I don't know, nice." She blushed, and Ben smiled, warmth echoing in his chest.
"It was," he agreed. "Skye talked to me earlier."
"Oh?" This instantly piqued Danielle's attention.
"She told me that she broke up with Sean," Ben informed her. "But...you guys came before we talked about anything else."
"Then I suppose you'll talk to her tomorrow?"
"I suppose." He stared at her.
"What?"
"You're impossible," he blurted out, face burning.
"You're ridiculous."
"And I hate how you're so confident."
"I like the way you put everyone before yourself."
"I like the way you bike."
"I like the way you taught me how to bike."
"I like you."
And when he woke up, somehow, his arms were around Danielle, and she was pressed snugly against his chest. She had a smile on her face, looking so peaceful, and it was so early, but Ben still fell back asleep with a smile on his face.
- We Are -
Ben still hadn't talked to Skye yet.
It had been two days since the camping trip where Skye had told him that she had broken up with Sean. He could sense her intentions and wasn't trying to avoid her, but somehow, it just happened. He had barely seen her in those two days, and when he had, she was usually with someone, or he was usually with someone, and they never seemed to call the other and talk.
More surprisingly was Danielle. Or rather, the whole situation with Danielle. She was so much fun, and he loved hanging out with her. She had already stolen some of the best moments of his life, and he'd rather she keep them because they were so abso-freaking-lutely amazing. It felt so naturally to just hold her hand, and everyone Ben had talked to talked about Danielle's change, how she seemed happier now, nicer.
Ben didn't notice. Or maybe he had. But Danielle had always been Danielle. She was still that impossibly stubborn, astonishingly beautiful creature that Ben had remembered... But the change must've been gradual—or he would've noticed. He felt like he had known her all his life, and by now, he really couldn't imagine life without her because she was Danielle, and he was Ben, and he just cherished every second of her company.
He wasn't obsessed or addicted, not really.
"Ben?"
Ben glanced up at Noah and Josh and smiled. Ben was always a smiler, but these days, he seemed to smile a lot more—or so did the others tell him. "Noah?"
"I know this is so random," Noah began, but Ben gestured for him to continue. Noah paused for another second before inhaling sharply. "But I've been watching all of this occur and..." Noah pursed his lips and locked eyes with Ben seriously. His lips parted, and the words escaped his mouth: "I think that Danielle loves you more than Skye did."
Ben's eyes widened. His thoughts were a blur.
"I agree with Noah," Josh added.
Ben stared, speechless, and felt his vision blur.
"Ben," Noah said concernedly, "are you okay?"
No, he wasn't okay. He wasn't even in a real relationship with Danielle, and everyone thought that she loved him more than Skye? Did Skye even love him at all? Or was it just some crush? He had known that there had been something there between Skye and Sean from the start...but Danielle had been with Sean then, so nothing could manifest out of that...
Ben felt tears pool into his eyes, but he wasn't crying... He had stared at an onion earlier. It was just the delayed effects. Simple science.
"Ben," Josh said, and Ben could see the deep confusion in Josh's eyes through his tears. "What's wrong?"
What's right? That was what Ben wanted to say. Ben buried his face into his hands and prayed no one else would walk in and see him...crying. Of course, he didn't even care anymore. He was so bruised and beaten up in the mind. He wiped away some tears as he felt Noah pat his back. Instead, he grumbled, "Sometimes, I wish Skye never came here."
Because what else was he supposed to say?
That Danielle wasn't in love with him? Well, she was but wasn't. It had been part of his elaborate scheme. It had been an act.
And Ben was crying because he had forgotten all of that.
At some point through this, he had forgotten that it was all for show.
- We Are -
"Ben? Do you have a second?"
Ben looked at Skye and nodded numbly because he was procrastinating ever since his conversation with Josh and Noah—if you could even call it a conversation because honestly, he had cried through most of it—and didn't want to wait any longer. If Skye noticed his bloodshot expression, she didn't let on. Instead, she just led him outside, and he numbly followed her.
"Ben...I...I wish that I could turn back that clock," Skye whispered, "and change my mind. I wish I could've chosen you. I...I choose you, not Sean. Not anybody else." Skye sighed. "I thought I was making the right choice. I went through everything in my head. I had a crush on Sean when I first met him, and I went with that, even though you were the one that made me feel safe... I don't know what I was thinking."
"It isn't that easy, Skye," Ben told her, not even sure why he was saying that.
"I know," Skye agreed quietly. "And I wouldn't expect it to be—but aren't the only things worth it in life are the things we have to fight for?" Skye looked confident now. She stepped closer to him, and he didn't pull away. It was so Skye of her to feed him some inspirational philosophy after she declared that she had chosen him. "I was missing something—someone—I didn't know I needed." Skye paused. "You're that someone."
Skye looked so determined and slightly scared, and he remembered that that was her expression when he had officially asked her out. She had been so determined, and he had just adored that look on her because he was so used to shy, sweet Skye, and it thrilled him to see her so determined. Determined like...well, like Danielle. And Skye was determined now.
This was what he wanted.
This was what he had planned.
This was all going according to that plan he had made more than a month ago.
"Skye."
But it wasn't.
"I...I can't."
What was he doing?
"I have Danielle, and she—"
"—cut the act already, Ben," Skye interrupted, a flash of annoyance in her eyes now. She crossed her arms in a defiant position. She was confident now, he knew, and there was something else, too. "I've known it from the start that you were just faking it. I know you better than that. You've never had a thing for Danielle, and you don't have one for her now."
Then you don't know me. But the words never escaped Ben's mouth. He stared, eyes wide. "What?" he hissed. "How did you know?"
"I know you," Skye said, meeting his eyes. "And isn't this what you wanted? To make me miserable? To make me jealous and come to you? Isn't this what you wanted?"
This had been what he had wanted.
Except, it...wasn't.
Not anymore.
"I can't do this, Skye," Ben rasped. "I can't."
"Ben, don't do this..."
Ben ran and ran and ran. He didn't know where he was going. He just knew that he had to get away.
- We Are -
"Skye, we need to talk."
Her eyes lit up. "Ben? I knew you—"
"—no, Skye," he said fiercely. "I want you to answer me, and speak the truth this time, okay? Why, if you knew all along, didn't you do anything about it?" he demanded. "Why would you just say nothing about it and play along to see what was going to happen? Why, if you were going to ditch Sean, did you not do it when Danielle and I started this...this thing?"
Skye's face fell, crestfallen. Then, she caught his gaze steadily. "Because at some point, it wasn't for show anymore, Ben. At some point or another, this...this plan you guys had...to be...together to get other things...it became real. You guys became real. And I knew then, when I saw the change, that if I didn't do anything, I would lose you forever... But now, I know it's already too late for that. I'm sorry, Ben."
He paused. He sighed. "I'm sorry, too..."
- We Are -
"Danielle, can we talk?"
It had taken Ben two days, eleven hours, and forty five minutes to finally muster up the courage to talk to Danielle. He had been avoiding her—sort of—through the week. He didn't make it obvious, of course. He just made himself as busy as possible, and Danielle understood that. They hadn't had a lot of time to hang out, and Ben hadn't told her about what went down with Skye yet. It was impossible to procrastinate further.
"Sure," Danielle said, looking slight worried.
They headed outside under 'their tree,' which held plenty of shade but had patches of sunlight seeping through. It was quite a beautiful place, but today, it was impossible for Ben to concentrate on the beauty. Of course, that wasn't to say that he wasn't focused on other beautiful things. His gaze traveled to Danielle, who watched him with a carefully composed expression.
Ben took Danielle's hands and murmured, "Danielle? What...what are we?"
Danielle frowned, glanced briefly at their hands, and looked back at him. "What?"
He took a deep breath. "Skye talked to me," he told her slowly, watching her expression. A frown deepened on her face, but she said nothing. Instead, she looked puzzled, confused. "Skye talked to me and told me that she wanted...wanted to be with me." Danielle nodded, waiting for him to continue, because surely, and he knew she thought this, too, she would've found out if he had started dating Skye. "And I...I told her no."
Danielle blinked. Then, her eyes widened. "What? Why would you do that, Ben?" she said, bewildered.
"Because...I have feelings for...for you," he murmured. "I...I love you, Danielle."
The change on her face was stunning. Her confusion evaporated into pure bliss, and he knew deep in his heart that she loved him, too. Her lips parted, and there was a happy light in her dark eyes. "I..." Danielle blinked. Then, she breathed, "I love you, too, Ben." Her happiness was dizzying and shocking and pure ecstasy. His heart took a mighty leap in his chest because she loved him.
He cupped her face lightly and pressed his lips against hers. He felt so free and felt so amazing as their lips collided. Her lips felt so amazing against his, and her lips were every bit as soft and eager as his. When they pulled back for air, they were both flushed. She was blushing, and she looked so beautiful in the light, and she was all his, no stupid deals made, no stupid schemes.
"How do you know this will work out?" she murmured.
"Because we are."
Danielle frowned. "We are what?"
"Just we are," Ben told her. "We are anything you want us to be."
She smiled. "I like that."
"I like that, too." He laced his hand with hers, smiling as his thoughts played through his head.
We are Ben and Danielle.
We are not two different people but not one the same either.
We are in love.
And we are unstoppable together.
~ The End ~
A/N: Hey, my name is Darkwind, but you can call me Darky! This is my first Lodge fanfiction, and please don't hate me for shipping these two. I just think that they're so adorable. As of now, I'm not sure who I ship Skye with, but I for sure ship Ben and Danielle. This small idea in my head blossomed into something more, and I wrote this story over the span of two days. If you like my writing and have any requests, feel free to PM me or leave a review. If I find the time, I might take up those requests.
Reviews make me smile, literally! But you don't have to. ;)