IV - Attachment

About an hour has passed ever since Gwen insisted to help Ben to heal his long lasting wounds. She kept waking up from time to time, looking at Ben whom sometimes steals glances at her. It came to the point when Ben started to play with her hair, Gwen didn't think it was creepy, it actually felt comfortable, she felt so safe, she felt so home. Ben on the other hand, noticed she was struggling to sleep, that's why he was playing with her hair. It actually worked, Ben was proud of himself for accomplishing something. Both of them had a wonderful and peaceful night.

Gwen woke up, finding herself leaning in the window. The window blinds was hanging up, signing it was open. She looked around while half-asleep, she saw Ben near the oven making some scrambled eggs. "You can cook?" Gwen teased. Ben looked at her with a reassuring smile. "Good morning sleepyhead, it's the only thing that I can make aside from bacon." Ben admitted, a little embarrassed. He was literally turning 18 and doesn't even know anything about cooking. "Well, that's better than nothing, where's grandpa?" Gwen asked. "He's outside calling someone, probably his old buddy, Mr. Green." Ben replied as he served 2 plates, spoons and forks. He also let Gwen choose how much scrambled egg she wanted to take. "Want some coffee?" Ben asked. "Mhmm." Was all Gwen could say, her mouth is full anyways. Ben brewed two coffee, one was hot and the other was warm. "You still don't like hot drinks, huh?" Gwen realized he hadn't change some good features about him. What can I say? Change is constant after all. Although, Gwen is still curious how he could just change very quickly.

"So, what made you get interested in reading books? I remember almost 8 years ago you were pretending to be asleep just so you can skip studying." Gwen giggled. "A new hobby, I guess." Ben chuckled at himself. "Really now?" Gwen replied, Ben just nodded as he continued eating. Maybe he did change. Or maybe it was because of his wounds. Wait, is it? Did he wanted to change because someone was being violent to him? "I have a question Ben, A serious one." Gwen lifted his chin so he can answer him without any hesitation. "Go on." He said as he swallowed the last piece of egg so he can clearly focus and listen to her. "Are you lying to me, again?" Gwen asked. Ben took a moment to think, he was wondering why she cares so much. Why do you want to know? aren't you satisfied to have Kevin? So why do you have to barge in my life aswell? Ben couldn't say that, it would be rude and immature. "Yes, I am." Ben said with all honesty. "And why would you do that?" She asked. But before Ben could answer, Max came inside with an excited expression on his face.

"Good news kids! You'll have a sleepover in a hotel." Max said as he went to the driver's seat. "What? When, why?" Ben asked. "Yeah, right now because Wes said so." Max happily grinned. "Alright." Said Ben as he grabbed some clothes to take a bath. "Ben." Gwen called him. He slowly turned around before going inside the bathroom. "Yeah?" He asked. Gwen leaned in, whispering something to his ear."I'm still going to ask you why you lied, so don't even think you're out of this problem." Ben just looked at her boredly. "Okay." He entered the bathroom. And for some reason, he just didn't care about it. Maybe I have changed, but why is it any of her business? She only cares deeply about Kevin, right? So why ruin my life? This is so annoying. He groaned.

As Ben went outside the bathroom with a new black shirt, Max was infront of him. "You're not going to wear that, kiddo. I'm just going to pay for the gas and when I come back, I want you to wear a formal attire." Max warned Ben by showing his phone with Ben's parent's phone number in it. Ben's eyes widened but nodded, he glared at Max behind his back and silently groaned. He went to his room, and saw Gwen reaching for something on top of her shelf. Too bad, she wasn't tall enough. "Let me help." Ben grabbed something, a small fabric inside an open bag. wondered what it was so he removed what it was he looked at it clearly. It was pink and he realized what it was. A woman's underwear. What the heck! I touched it! I touched it! What am I going to do now?! Gwen was just embarrassed as he was, so she grabbed it from his hand as quick as possible. She sprinted out of the room.". . .Thanks though!" He heard a shout.

Ben smacked his head one the wall. I am an idiot. He is, isn't he? Let's just choose me a 'formal attire.' He growled as he thought of it, just thinking about it makes him want to vomit. Gwen's right. Some things never change. Ben went to his drawer, looking at his shirts. "Why does all of my shirt have 10 in it?" He asked himself. I should really change this. He sighed as he looked furthermore inside. Black shirt with 10. . . White shirt with 10. . . Argh! This is so annoying! "How can any of this be formal?!" He groaned.

After a while, he saw something in the end of the drawer. "Aha!" He grinned, cheerfully proud of his little accomplishment. "Is this formal? Maybe I should look it on a book." Again, he talked to himself and grabbed one of Gwen's fashion tips book. A long white business polo. Do I have one of those? Ben groaned once again. He looked at the floor, filled with his shirts. "I found one!" He exclaimed and wore it. "But it's literally summer." He realized. I'll just wear a this white polo and a green vest I guess. "This is definitely not my style." He sighed. He decided to just wear it with matching black pants, with some shoes.

He placed Gwen's book back to where it belongs and he felt like something is missing. "Black Coffee!" He remembered. "Haven't took a sip in almost like forever." He added. Why am I talking to myself? He sighed. I should've just disagreed to the deal. Life would've been so much easier. He went outside his room and saw Max with groceries. "But I thought you were just going to pay for the gas?" Ben asked. "Yes, but I realized we don't have a lot of food so I bought more. "Do you have coffee there?" Ben asked. "No, I don't." Max told Ben. "Oh." He sighed. "I'm just going to grab my wallet and buy myself some then." Ben said as he went back inside the room, trying to find his wallet. "I'll clean this later I guess."

Ben has just finished buying all the things he needed and proceeded to wait in line with his basket filled with noodles, soda, cream, black coffee and sugar."Have you heard? Many aliens have been attacking our planet more and more often." Said some girl in front of Ben. "Yeah, but a hero named Ben Ten, well if I am correct, saves us anyways." Another said while looking at her new polished nails. Ugh, another one of these types of people? The Gossipers? Ben thought as he mentally rolled his eyes.

"Well, there's this redhead that is always with him, also a guy that turns to stone."

"I think the girl is lucky to have Ben." That's not true.

"Who cares about her? She's just a backup." She's not just a back up!

"Rumors said they're dating and Ben is the third wheel." Well, I guess that one is true. . .

"Duh, I'd rather choose the black haired one than Ben." But, I'm the one who literally saves everyone!

"I think Ben is pretty cute." Thank you. Finally someone has a good taste.

"The girl's name is actually Gwen, well, that's what they said." Yep.

"Yeah, but she's a whore." Wait what? How?

"What?" I know right.

"They say she's a prostitute." Stop. it.

"His sidekick is probably a slut for having two fine men." That's it.

Ben had enough of this conversation. Two girls about his age were probably going to start a rumor. "I hate to break it to the two of you, but Gwen is not a whore, slut and will never be a prostitute." Ben held the two of them by the shoulder after dropping is basket. "And who are you to interrupt our conversation?" Said by one of them with a sassy tone. "I'm Ben Tennyson." They looked at him closely, probably not recognizing him for the type of clothing he was wearing but they were too shock to focus on that. "Next time you gossip or start a rumor, you better know the whole story. Because the next freaking time we meet and I see you doing this again, I'll make sure you two will be the real prostitute. And that's not enough, I'll make sure you two get called as sluts and whores. Do you two understand?" He said glaring at both of them, tightening his grip at the two of them. Many elder people looked at Ben, not because he was abusing the two but instead, supporting him.

The two girls just nodded and let Ben go first in line so he can go back to the RV. But before he exited the convenience store, he smiled at the two girls. Mouthing 'Remember it.' And then he left.

As Ben went inside the RV, he saw Gwen using her laptop to Skype with Kevin on the video with his buddies. Ben sighed and placed his 'treasure' inside a cabinet, separating the noodles in the cabinet then the soda, sugar and cream was placed in the fridge. Gwen noticed Ben finally came back. "Hey, Ben! Say hi to Kevin." She happily grinned as she showed the screen on Ben's perspective. He saw Kevin and his buddies threatening him, some sliding their fingers across their tattooed neck, others did a fist sign and Kevin mouthing something he couldn't tell. "Hey." Ben greeted, looking at them very bored. "Hey Tennyson! Want to experience something nice?" Kevin evilly grinned. "What do you mean by that?" Ben said, preparing a black coffee. "Ooh! Kevin's going to stay overnight at us next week!" Gwen said turning the laptop back at her, this time the gang buddies were not on the screen anymore but she didn't mind.

"Really? How am I not surprise? Woohoo. . .!" Ben replied sarcastically, although for some reason, he really wasn't surprised. Gwen noticed this but she decided to ask him later instead. "Yeah! Anyways Kevin gotta go, bye, love you." She said as she ended it, not caring for his respond back. She sighed, looking at Ben putting cream on his warm coffee. "Okay mister. sit in front of me and tell me what's wrong." Gwen demanded. "And don't forget our conversation before." She added. Ben sighed and decided to tell her. "I lied because why would you even care about my life? It's not like it's your business right?" He took long to say it, but he did it anyways. Are you happy now? He drank his coffee, not looking at her astounded expression. Well, he did afterwards but he looked like he didn't care anymore.

"What's wrong with you? You weren't like this before! Those wounds, these changes, now this?!" She glared at him. "Temper now, Max will hear this." He said boredly. "Ben, tell me." Gwen glared once more. "Cause I'm a fucking mess inside, okay?!" He lied again. It was the first time she ever heard him curse but it was out of the topic. "Don't lie to me." She said. "Whatever, I'm out." Ben stood up, placing the cup on the sink and went to his room, slamming the door hard.

After a few moment, Gwen grew sick of his stubborn attitude, she kept thinking it was because of someone. Someone who is bullying him at school. She gave him a few more minutes before going inside the room aswell. "Ben, I'm sorry about earlier." She apologized as she sat on the his bed. She looked at him as he was glaring at the ceiling, leaning more on the car wall. "Whatever." Gwen tightened her grip on the blanket after that rude respond. "Why do you hate me so much? You weren't like this last night!" She exclaimed, earning a soulless stare from him. "You're being too attached. You're caring too much, and for me, I think that's stupid. Especially bad."

"How is caring for someone special to me bad?" She asked. "You're just curious." He doubted her. "What do you mean?" She queried again. "I know you don't care, there's a difference between caring and curiosity." He said standing up, not showing his face which was about to explode a huge amount of tears. Why can't you just leave me alone? I'm so sick of you blindly hurting me! "Don't you like what we had last night?" She stood up as well. There was no response this time. Believe me, I really do. But you don't care anyways. "Can you just give me some space?" He pleaded. "Fine. But later I probably can't ask you like this anymore since Uncle Wes' invited us." For once, Ben smiled at Max's friends' invites.

He said something he won't forget any sooner, "That's pretty much good news to me."