It was the fourth of July, it had been years since Ben and Gwen could just hang out, sure they stayed in touch but she had her academics, karate, and mystic stuff and on the other hand Ben had soccer, friends, and his secret gig as a hero. That had left them with less time then ether wanted for each other, but that's life for you.

Though despite that they picked their lives up as if nothing had happened. She was sitting up with her back against the headrest leaning against his shoulder as they shared his extra-long twin mattress. She was nose deep in a book studying for a test that was 4 months away. He rolled his eyes at the idea but there was a stupid grin on his face as he played Sumo Slammers RPG Online. He suddenly bumped her with his right shoulder and said teasingly, "Nerd." She bumped him back saying, "Geek." He bumped her again, "Dweeb." She in turn retorted with a huge smile, "Doofus." They both then started laughing, it was a warm and from the belly thing shortly they were quiet again engrossed in their separate activities but thriving on their shared closeness.

It was 30 or so minutes away from the start of the fireworks and they had the house to themselves as both of their parents were out at a dinner party they had been invited to, but both of them had declined deciding to just stay in together and just hang out. It was nice to just be in the room together they did not need to talk just be there with each other. Ben stopped playing for a moment as the lights suddenly turned off and on, looking outside as they turned off again he could see all the lights in the neighborhood and said, "Hmm looks like a black out."

He closed the game as the internet went with the lights and brought up and older offline version. He felt the bed move as Gwen shifted to laying across his lap, so she could use the light coming off his game system to continue reading. She was laying now on her stomach across his legs with her own legs kicking in the air instead of laying off the bed. Ben smiled while trying to focus on his game and not the situation.

After a bit he stated absent mindedly, "You try to hard you know that?" He felt her legs stop moving as she said, "what?" he lowered the game resting his arms across her lower back as he said, "You are the smartest woman I know you could probably have gone straight to college 2 years ago instead of next year, but you still throw everything you have at studying."

Her feet started kicking in the air again as she replied, "Maybe, but I have reasons to stay in town." Ben noticed she wasn't reading anymore as she hadn't changed pages for far too long and the book was now tilted down, so he took it as she had more to say and asked, "Oh, what reasons?"

Her feet stopped again as she said, "There is someone I like in town and I am not yet willing to let him go." Ben felt a pang of jealousy and his heart felt constricted, he didn't know where these feelings came from and tried to repress the thought before asking, "What kind of guy is he? Is he worthy of you?" Her feet start to kick again as she place the book down and said, "Yes, but I don't think I am good enough for him, he is selfless though he had to grow into it, he is emotional and tells people what's exactly on his mind, he cares for people so much he would put himself in danger to stand up for them, he's a great athlete, and he's my hero."

Ben felt devastated by this confession and anguished in his own thoughts, "Who the hell is this guy? Why does it hurt so much to hear her talk about another guy?" He then asked Gwen, "Does he make you happy?"

She giggled and replied, "Yes." He sighed, " Gwen you're the best person, I know you're brilliant, you're a fighter, you're compassionate, you're….you're beautiful, and you deserve the world so he better be worthy of you and he better not ever hurt you."

Her feet fell and she started laughing which stung his pride. He could not tell if she was laughing at him or if she was teasing him. He felt the bed shift under him as she pushed herself up and looked at him with a large playful smile the exact counter to his hurt expression and said, "Doofus, do you not know who I am talking about?" He shook his head in the negative, her smile grew kinder as she placed a hand on the side of his face saying, "Well he is stubborn, he is thick headed, and apparently can't take any hints at all, but most importantly….he is my doofus."

Ben looked into her emerald eyes searching for something as he was now confused, the only person she called her doofus was him. The bed shifted suddenly as she leaned in and kissed him he halfheartedly pushed her back in surprise, she was smiling as her faced became flushed she then started kissing him again this time it was more intense as she pushed his head back against the wall.

*BANG* they both jumped as the first major firework of the night went off. He felt her hands squeeze his shoulders and they both started laughing as the room was lit up with reds, blues, and greens from the fireworks in the distance.

Gwen turned around laying back against his chest so that her head was under his chin saying, "If I left for college, I wouldn't be able to see you ever." Ben wrapped his arms around her from behind asking, "Gwen? What is this?" Gwen shrugged saying, "What do you want this to be?" Ben thought about what she had said about not being able to see each other instead of only rarely seeing her and shuddered saying," I don't know," he hugged her into him and continued, "but I know I can't imagine not ever being able to see you Gwen." She snuggled up against him as she looked out the window as she said, "if I tutored you, you could follow me…., the apartment I am looking at would be more affordable with the two of us?" he only thought about it for a moment before saying, "if you think I am worthy of you I will follow you to the ends of the earth or anywhere else." She laughed and said, "I'll hold you to that after you complain about the tutoring program, I am going to put you through." He grumbled saying, "I can't take that back now can I." she elbowed him, and he gave her a squeeze and rested his chin on her head asking, "Gwen?" she said, "hmm?" he sighed and admitted, "I think I love you."

End…..