Ben wondered if Mal lied to him about not been mad for the way he tried to take control over the situation after her injury. He thought they were ok when he left her office that morning but the message she sent him made him feel uneasy. Focusing on his work was proving to be impossible, so he decided to call Jay to see if he wanted to go out with him, soon Jay was coming into his office, and together they walked out looking for something to occupy Ben's mind with before he lost it completely.
Jay tried his best to entertain Ben, but it was a lost cause at the end they went back to his place where Lonnie was finishing some work and was happy to see the guys together. She remembered back in the day when the three of them used to go out and have fun doing silly things around the city, when the three of them decided to go to separate colleges she worried about losing her friends but it didn't happen. On the first week of class, the girl found herself in the same class as Jay, Ben and other of her friends, the boys had decided to go to the same place but wanted to surprise her. Still, Ben took a semester abroad on his quest of finding himself and what he wanted to do with his life but came back to graduate at the same time they did.
"How about the three of us cook something like we used to?" When Ben came to visit them, he will stay at their place, and the three of them would prepare full course meals. They always prepared something new and each of them had a specific task, but all of them had to help with everything. It took a little effort to convince Ben who kept looking at his phone in hopes that Mal wrote something to him but in the end, he joined the fun, and soon they were looking for some obscure dish that they could try to make.
The next step was to buy the ingredients, which proved to be a huge task in itself due to the inability of the boys to focus on the list. Instead, they decided to run all over the store trying to see who could find random articles like ice cream or Pringles in the shortest amount of time; poor Lonnie had to make the majority of the shopping alone, but she was happy to see them being silly like they used to be. When Ben told her what happened that afternoon, she felt worst about the comment she made the day before and wonder if she inadvertently put ideas in Mal's head. Going back to the apartment though everything was smiles and laughs as the three of them went back in time remembering when their lives were simpler.
Ben spent the night in the apartment eating and watching movies, waking up late he decided to have a day off which took everyone by surprise since he never missed a day of work, but they were happy for him. Jay suggested that they should prepare a feast for lunch and to the market they went again but this time Lonnie joined the fun and made a game of getting the things tricking the boys into helping her. In moments like this, she was sure motherhood wasn't going to be hard for her, the boys were doing a great job helping her get ready. She remembered having a conversation with Jay about it, and the boy looked worried that it meant something aside from a simple comment which made her think that Jay was going to need more time to warm up to the idea of getting married and having kids.
Just like yesterday afternoon, the day was filled with laugh and fun, the three of them had chosen to disconnect from the world after Ben called his work and it had proven to be the right choice, by the end of the day all of them felt rejuvenated. Reluctantly Ben decided to go back home his chin high and ready to face the world and that included the beautiful girl that had stolen part of him from the moment he first saw her. Arriving at his place he pushed the button of the elevator with a smile remembering of their first encounter, however, when the door open he was shocked to see Mal sitting in the corner reading a magazine.
He was about to ask her what was going on when she noticed him, standing up she walked towards him and hugged him with all her force making him lose his footing which made the couple end up on the floor. Mal felt on top of Ben and was about to apologize, but his laughter confuse her for a moment and then she decided to join him. After a couple of seconds they got up, and Ben pressed his floor number and Mal's. "So what exactly were you doing sitting in the elevator?"
The girl blushed before answering making Ben pay extra attention to her answer. "I was waiting for you. I tried to call you last night but your phone went straight to voicemail, and today was the same. I wanted to apologize for changing my mind about you picking me up, but I needed to check you up before trusting you."
Ben stared at Mal trying to understand what exactly she meant with that when the elevator made it to her floor. The boy thought that the girl was going to get out of the elevator there, but Mal pushed the button to close the door and turned towards the now confuse boy. Finally, Ben managed to focus on what she was saying, and then he heard the name of Carlos, and he stopped her. "I do not understand anything you are telling me Mal. What is going on?"
The elevator came to a stop, and he motioned for her to follow him to his door, and she made a mental note of his apartment number just in case everything went well, and she needed to come back. Ben opened his door and moved to the side urging the girl to walked in before him, the moment Mal took a step inside she fell in love with his place. His decor was mostly photos of him with friends and family; there were some posters in beautiful frames still, nothing was overpowering. "Do you want something to drink or eat?"
Mal said no but ask him to please joined her on his sofá, which was elegant but comfortable, and the girl couldn't help the smile that came to her face. Ben sat down leaving a space between them and turned entirely towards Mal to give her his full attention; his mind focusing on the fact that she was in his home and she looked perfect in it. Before his imagination took over with different scenarios of them being in his apartment, Ben told her that he had gone to Jay's and Lonnie's apartment yesterday afternoon and spent all his day today there, his phone had died, and he didn't charge it because he wanted to be present.
That visibly relax Mal, and she decided that it was time to open up a little about her past so he could understand her present. "I used to date this guy that I thought was perfect for me, he isn't a bad person, but he wasn't right for me. We weren't right for each other, but after we broke up, I started to think back to some instances where I feel he took a little advantage of my willingness to bend over backward for his convenience. When Jane saw you yesterday, she got worried that you were possibly the new version of him, in the sense that you were a guy that suddenly appeared in my life and we didn't know you or your end game. She thought that maybe you were trying to take advantage of me or.."
Mal ramble for a couple of minutes and Ben tried to sort his feelings out, part of him was offended that Jane thought that about him. Without trying to be conceited he was Ben Auradon, he didn't need anyone's influence his family was well known, and he had already launched a successful magazine, and before that, he had partner up in different businesses that were doing great even now. Still, the other part of him knew that Jane's concerned had less to do with him and more with the fact that her friend had her heart broken by a guy in the past. In the middle of Mal's ramble, Carlos was mention again, and he took the chance to stop her and asked her what he had to do with the entire situation and then everything click.
Ben had met Jane before, but only once, Carlos had been freelancing at his magazine for over a year, so he had taken his girlfriend to one of their Christmas party last year. Funny how she seemed pleasant then but yesterday when he met her for the second time she acted completely different, although it made sense when she was trying to protect Mal from a stranger that would possibly want to use her.
Ben told Mal about meeting Jane before, and the girl seemed confused, but he explained that there was no chance that she remembered and that he didn't either until a couple of minutes ago. "Mal even though I understand why you felt the need to tried to know something more about me I wished that you would have asked me before trying to search on your own. I don't promise you to answer all your questions at first but the more we talk I'll open up more, and I'll understand if you are not ready to share your past with me either. I do hope though that in the future you will want to share your stories with me because I want to know everything about you even if takes me the rest of my life."
The last phrase took both of them by surprise, but it felt right when they search inside them looking for the way they felt for the other in such a short amount of time. Ben was blushing, and Mal couldn't take it anymore, slowly she leaned and took his lips in hers taking him by surprise, but he soon caught up. The rest of the night was spent repeating that scene just interchanging the roles of the one that took the initiative, Ben walked Mal to the elevator and tried to get in to take her to her apartment, but she declined. "Is only a couple of floors below Ben you don't need to take me."
He pouted trying to convince her to let him walked her, it was the polite thing to do, and Mal laughed at the way he acted like a little kid sometimes and in the end agreed to let him go down with her. In the elevator, he took her hands in his giving her fingers little kisses. "You know we haven't talked about when are we going to see each other again. I know that you are busy, but I would love to take you to lunch or dinner or both, just tell me when I can see you again."
The way his voice went low when he said it and how Ben towered over her made Mal feel like butterflies were flying in her stomach, again they started to get close but the elevator door open and one of their neighbors came in killing the moment. Mal's floor was the next stop, saying goodbye to heir neighbor both of them got out walking towards her door, and soon enough she was opening it and turning to say goodbye to Ben. The boy took this opportunity to kiss her one last time before asking her when they were going to see each other again; she made a point to take her time answering making him chuckled at how adorable she looked when she was torturing him.
"How about we meet up for lunch at your favorite restaurant. Just text me the address, I'll see you there, ok? I rather not have Jane ruined the moment with her comments until I have time to talk to her about how she needs to stand down." Ben agreed, and after another kiss, he went on his way to the stairs when he got to his apartment he went to text her goodnight, but she had already bit him to it.
To think that it wasn't even a week since he had managed to talk to her was insane. "At this rate, I'm going to end up proposing to her before the end of the year." He chuckled at the idea that didn't sound insane at all and also at the fact that she had him talking to himself, that girl had taken control over his life, and he was ok with that.
As the weeks passed the couple started to feel more comfortable with opening up about their past, Ben told Mal about Audrey and how he had felt like he had failed her after trying for months and months to give all of himself to their relationship. Mal had met Audrey in a fundraiser, and even though they didn't speak much the girl seemed fake to her, she noticed how Ben was very careful when he talked about her though. The problems that he told Mal were always something cost by his lack of time although the stories contradict themselves because he made it a point to be there for Audrey. In the end, Mal understood that he was trying to protect Audrey's image even when he opened up, that make her wonder if maybe he wasn't really over the girl.
Mal shared her concerns with Lonnie in one of the weekly lunches the girls share since she had started dating Ben, and Lonnie's response was very clear. "No way Mal. Audrey was terrible to Ben at the end, she would try to mask it, but we all knew that Ben was feeling horrible about how she was treating him. Even when she broke up with him, Audrey was mean to him, and you know him is not like he gives you reasons even to be mad at him. The only reason he is never going to bad mouth Audrey is that he is not like that, he rather see the best in people and pushed aside the bad in them at least when it comes to his experiences. Also, Audrey is the daughter of one of his parents closest friends, and he is not going to say anything that could cause problems between them."
The conversation continued, and Mal understood what her friend was saying, but she wished that Ben would be completely open with her. She also hope that they didn't have to cross path with Audrey because if the girl even tried to treat him bad in front of Mal, she was not going take it. That night both couples went to an event for one of Ben's investments, and the one person that Mal had hoped she never encounter was front and center when they arrived. Apparently one of Ben's partners had invited her, Mal could feel Audrey's eyes examining her and how her hand and Ben's were interwind.
Audrey came and with what could only be described as an annoying fake voice said hello to Ben and hug him while trying to put herself between him and Mal, but the girl was not going to let her do that. Pulling Ben towards her closing the space where Audrey was trying to get in between them she made it clear that she was with him now and no one is going to change that. Audrey stopped her attack and took a step back acting like she just noticed Mal there and fake smile at her asking Ben who she was. Inside Mal was fuming, there was no chance Audrey didn't know who Mal was. Her career was booming, and even Audrey's family had tried to get her to work with them, but due to some schedule problems she hadn't been able, now she wouldn't do it even if she didn't have any other jobs.
"Audrey let me introduce you to Mal Island." Audrey act like her name didn't ring any bells making Mal madder, but they had a pleasant conversation until the girl tried to take Ben away so they could chat and look for some friends of them. Ben declined her invitation telling her that he was not going to leave his girlfriend alone to look for anyone, with that he excuse them and walk away with Mal in search of Jay and Lonnie.
Ben noticed that Mal was quiet and wonder if she was mad about Audrey's rude behavior, but when he turned, he saw her smiling and with the cutest blush on her face. The boy asked her what was going on. "You call me your girlfriend, I never heard you refer to me like that."
"Was I wrong to do it? How would you introduce me to someone who doesn't know me?" Mal smile at him happy that they were on the same page about their feelings and the importance of their relationship. Just then a couple came towards them and said hello to Mal making small talk, in the middle of it she stopped them. "Oh, I'm sorry. I'm being rude. Do you know my boyfriend, Ben?"
The couple did know him but were ecstatic to hear that they were together and soon Mal and Ben made a game of introducing each other as boyfriend and girlfriend. By the end of the night everyone knew that they were together and they couldn't be more pleased about it.
Note
Thoughts?
