- chapter two: a very cute stegosaurus -

"And then he goes," I put on my deepest man-voice. "'It was really nice to meet you…" I pause for effect as Finn stares at me over the table, enraptured.

"…Rey."

"Wow." He takes a bite of his sandwich. "And then?"

"He just walked away."

"Wow."

I take a sip of my cherry soda. Finn and I are sat at our usual table in the work canteen during our lunch break. I had spent all morning itching to tell Finn about my encounter with Ben Solo – noon couldn't have come soon enough.

On days like this, I truly thanked my lucky stars that I got to work with my best friend. Finn had gotten hired into the tech team here right out of university and had referred me for a highly sought-after editorial job. The rest is history.

Finn hadn't disappointed as I recounted my awkward morning– he had hung onto my every word, mouth agape as I described in detail every uncomfortable moment.

Once I'm done, he goes quiet for a moment, deep in thought as he chews. Then, finally: "You know that's kind of sexy, right?"

I flush furiously, running a hand through my hair, feeling strands come loose from my buns. "Don't be ridiculous. It's not sexy to be rude." I don't tell him about how the sound of Ben saying my name hadn't stopped playing on repeat in my mind all morning.

Finn scoffs. "Sure. 'Mr Solo.' Dear God. You know, I think you might be into him."

My cheeks grow even hotter. "I am not into him. I don't even know him."

"But you were into him."

"I don't know. It doesn't matter, since he seemed completely repulsed by me when he turned me down."

"Yeah." He rips open a bag of crisps, offering them to me. "That was a dick move."

I grab a handful of crisps and nod enthusiastically, glad to be back in safe conversational territory. "Yes, it was!"

"Wasn't that the day that all those roses were delivered to your room?"

I think back, and realise Finn is right. I had come back to my university halls that afternoon, face still streaked with tears, to find a giant bouquet of white roses resting outside my door. The card had only said ten simple words, unsigned:

You are so beautiful. I just wanted you to know.

Finn waggles his eyebrows at me now. "Your secret admirer."

"It was not a secret admirer. It was definitely my ex. I asked him about it at that end of year party, and he admitted it."

"Oh?" Finn raises his eyebrows. "Douchey Jeff? Doesn't seem like something he would do. I do not miss him, by the way."

"I guess he thought a big romantic gesture would win be back." I sigh. "Anyway. I don't know what to do about this Ben Solo thing. How could he have just forgotten me? And he must think I'm such a weirdo."

Finn scoffs. "Those buns probably didn't help."

"What! I thought you said my buns were cute and unique!"

"You look like a stegosaurus. At least you got rid of those hideous giant jumpers you used to live in during uni."

I put my hand to my scalp self-consciously, making a mental note to maybe put my hair down next time Ben was around. Wait, what am I thinking? Why do I suddenly care what he thinks about my hair?

"Besides," Finn says, bringing me back to reality. "It doesn't matter. You'll never see him. He'll be in his little glass office on the other side of the building, you'll be in your little cubicle over in Editorial, and you will probably never see him unless we have a company briefing."

"Yeah, I know… I just-" I bite my thumbnail. "I just can't believe he really forgot me. Am I really so unmemorable?"

Finn smiles at me gently and pinches my cheek. "Of course, you're memorable, Rey. A very cute, memorable little stegosaurus. He's just an ass. Now, eat your damn lunch."

I smile back at him warmly and take a big bite of my cheese sandwich.

"You're the best friend ever," I tell him through a mouthful of bread and cheddar.

"You're disgusting," he replies, but I can tell he doesn't mean it. "Don't let him get in your head. If he doesn't see how great you are, then he's an idiot."

"He is an idiot!" I nearly shout it, a sense of relief flooding through me. Perhaps it really is that simple. I take another big bite of sandwich.

Finn is right. I'll probably never even speak to Ben Solo again anyway.

/

As I walk back to my desk, a sense of foreboding and dread starts to settle in my belly. You know that feeling when you just know something really, really bad is going to happen?

The feeling only intensifies when I come around a corner and notice that the desk opposite mine (the one that has been empty ever since one of the other editorial assistants, Karen, went on maternity leave a few months ago) is occupied. I'm immediately annoyed, because the desk being empty meant I could actually see one of the few windows in the office from my chair.

My annoyance turns to sheer horror as soon as I start to take in the appearance of my new desk mate. Dark hair, black suit, a frame so broad that the chair looks almost comically small under him-

"Shit." I breathe it aloud without meaning to.

Why the hell is Ben Solo sat at the desk opposite mine?

Trying not to panic, I take a few quiet steps forward. Ben is hunched over his keyboard – I can see he's trying to fill out an HR questionnaire on his computer, banging the keys with increased frustration. So, he's already in a bad mood. Even better.

"Um."

He freezes, and then begins to turn towards me slowly in his spinning chair, his jaw already set hard.

"Ah. Rey, is it?"

Wow, he had already forgotten me. Again.

"Yes. Hi. I must say I wasn't expecting to see you again so soon. Or so close by." I would never usually be so cold. I would usually greet a new desk mate with a big grin, probably a cookie. But with Ben, I feel like every smile I give has the risk of resulting in complete rejection and embarrassment. Funny, that.

He coughs uncomfortably. "No. Neither was I."

I fidget, avoiding his eye-line. "Right. Does the head of Finance not get his own office these days?"

I can feel his look turn to a glare even if I can't see it. "Well. He certainly should. Unfortunately, it seems that it hasn't been properly set up for me yet, and this was the only other available desk."

I close my eyes in defeat. Of course. Of course, this would happen to me, today, on what is turning into the worst day of all time. "Right."

"So."

"Yes."

I risk a glance to his eyes, and I'm surprised to see that he looks… embarrassed. Vulnerable, somehow. I relent and risk a small smile.

"Well, anyway, welcome to the desk block. I bring in a lot of baked treats, just to warn you."

After a slight pause, he sets his mouth in a hard line, turning away from me. "I don't think I'll be partaking in any of your baked treats"-he says it like it's a dirty word- "but I assume you won't be noisy? I'll have a lot of important calls to make."

My face burns. Serves me right. I can't believe I offered him my baked treats. He really is a total jerk. "I can assure you I'll be quiet as a mouse, Mr Solo."

He briefly looks into my eyes, and I see a flash of - something. It goes by too quick for me to identify it. He sighs.

"OK. Good."

And he turns back to his computer – a clear signal that our conversation, from his point of view, had ended.

My hands shaking with annoyance, I manage to walk past him and sink down into my chair. To my dismay I have an extremely clear view of his face, even from behind my monitor, and so I have to force myself to keep my eyes on my screen as I open my emails. I try to calm myself down, but after half an hour I decide I can't let that conversation hang in the air any longer.

"Uh – Mr Solo?"

He looks up at me, his face tense. "Yes?" I realise he had been scribbling in a notebook when I'd interrupted him – I'd bet my life it was one of those same black Moleskines he used to carry in his university satchel. The thought hardens my gaze.

"Do you have any idea how long this… arrangement will last?"

He narrows his eyes. "I'm not sure. There's some kind of issue with the wiring. It could be a few weeks."

I nod, my stomach sinking. "OK. Sorry."

I go back to my work, but I feel his eyes on me. It feels like he wants to say something else.

Finally, I hear it, although it's so quick and so quiet I almost miss it –

"I'm sorry."

My head snaps up. "Hmm?"

His gaze bores into mine, and my heart rate quickens. Something is burning behind his eyes, some emotion I can't identify. How can his face give so much away without telling me anything at all?

After a pause, he shakes his head. "Nothing."

And just like that, he puts his head back down and starts tapping at his keyboard as if I don't exist.

I spend the rest of the afternoon trying to write a blurb for a new manuscript that's just come in, but most of my energy is spent trying not to glance over at my new desk mate. Sometimes, out of the corner of my eyes, I swear I can feel him staring at me again.

I sigh as I shut down my computer at the end of a particularly unproductive day. I shrug into my beige duffle coat and start to walk towards the exit. Before I lose my nerve, I turn to Ben. "See you tomorrow, Mr Solo."

He runs his hand through his hair but doesn't turn to face me. "Bye."

I bite down on my bottom lip to repress a sigh, before turning to the exit.

"And, Rey?"

I spin back towards him, my heart in my throat. "Yes?"

His gaze meets mine and it surprises me with its softness. "Get home safe."

I stare back at him like a complete idiot until he eventually turns back to his computer. I run his words over in my head as I head to the exit.

As I finally leave the building, I let out a breath I didn't realise I'd been holding in.

This is going to be a rough couple of weeks.

NOTE - thanks for the kind reviews and follows so far! This was another scene-setting/slightly filler chapter but do not fear, we should be getting to some fun, angsty nonsense soon. See you then! :)