Ben couldn't wipe the love-struck smile off his face. Her name is Ada… It's such a pretty name. It suits her. He saw the way her cheeks sported a delicate pink blush. He remembered the way that she giggled. That sweet sound was still ringing in his ears. As he made his way back to the castle, his mind filled with images of Ada. He couldn't wait to meet her again.
In his love-struck state, Ben forgot to enter the back way, the shortcut to his room and the way to avoid Mrs Potts until he was washed and changed. The moment Mrs Potts saw him, he knew that his little game was busted.
Mrs Potts immediately marched him up to his room, closed the door behind him and demanded an explanation to his poorly dressed state.
Ben knew there was no point in lying, so he explained the whole thing to the maid. By the time he was finished, she had a weary but excited look on her face.
"That certainly sounds exciting, but maybe you should tell your parents where you're going during the day before they find out." Mrs Potts warned.
"NO! Please don't tell mom and dad! They'll tell me I have to stop and then I won't be able to see Ada and her family anymore!" Ben pleaded. Mrs Potts reluctantly complied, on the condition that Ben always came home before sunset. Ben readily agreed.
His secret would be safe from his parents and he would continue to visit the village. Ben couldn't be happier.
Ada, home alone and waiting for Ben's arrival, continued to tinker away at the music box she was making. She hadn't made the part that plays the tune yet, she was just painting the box. She would make the tune later, when she actually had a tune to make.
She heard a knock at the door, and thinking it was Ben, rushed to open it.
Her smile disappeared and an uncomfortable groan escaped her lips when she saw who was outside.
Danton.
"Hello, Ada. How are you today?" Danton asked in his usual boastful voice.
"Fine, Danton. What brings you here?" Ada inquired cautiously. She never knew what Danton wanted until he said it.
"Oh, nothing much. I was just dropping by to see how you're doing, and to ask who that boy that keeps coming to your home is. Just curious, that's all."
Ada knew that Danton wasn't 'just curious'. She knew from previous experiences that Danton intended to threaten and even harm Ben. She wasn't about to let that happen. ESPECIALLY not to Ben.
"That's just Ben, Danton. He's a friend. Not that you care of course." She said.
"No, not at all beautiful." She absolutely hated it when he called her that. She wouldn't mind if a certain someone else said it. "Besides, I also wanted to ask you a question, if you feel ready."
She could almost see the evil grin forming in the corners of his smile. She knew what was coming, but she didn't expect him so start moving towards her until she was trapped between the wall and him. Now she was really scared. It was all she could hope for that someone would walk in and stop Danton before it he went too far. Ben, please hurry!
"I want you to marry me." He said with a grin. "Say yes, Ada. Forget that Ben." For a moment, she thought that she would involuntarily lose her innocence to Danton and his greedy ways and she knew she would.
Until there was a knock at the door.
Ada thanked whatever god out there that had granted her with the timing of this blessing and the voice she managed to summon from deep within her lungs.
"BEN! HELP!"
The next moment, Ben threw open the door. First he was shocked to see what was happening, but then seeing Ada's fearful face he lunged himself at Danton. Danton wasn't expecting the attack, but the moment the boys hit the floor, he began fighting Ben, with Ben doing the same.
Ada watched on with shock. This was the very thing she DIDN'T want happening. She snapped herself out of her shock and tried to break the boys apart, yelling their names for them to stop. As she tried Danton accidentally knocked her unconscious trying to land a blow to Ben's jaw.
Ben saw it in slow motion.
As Ada laid on the floor, unconscious, all Ben saw was red. Seeing Ada hurt woke a fierce protectiveness within him. He managed to get Danton up against the wall. He was going to keep fighting, even though exhausted, when he heard Ada mumble "no Ben...no more fighting."
Ben let go of Danton. The bruised man fell to the floor, the house formerly filled with the sound of a brawl, now filled with the haggard breathing of the exhausted boys.
Ben picked Danton up off the floor by his shirt and whispered, "Don't you ever come here again."
Danton fearfully nodded, eyes wide. Ben released the man. "Go." He said with firmness. Danton scrambled from the floor and out the door. Once he was gone, Ben rushed to the now waking Ada's side.
"What happened? Is he gone?" She said wearily.
"Yes, and don't worry, he won't be back here again." He said softly, positioning himself so that Ada was comfortable. "I'm glad I arrived when I did. Who knows what he would've done to you if I hadn't. Are you alright?"
"Yes, I'm alright Ben. I'm so sorry, I should have told you about Danton. Before this happened. Then you wouldn't have had this fight." Ada said apologetically. "I didn't want this to happen, that's why I didn't tell you."
Ben's heart burst.
She didn't want me hurt. She didn't want me to meet Danton because she knew that this would happen. Was it possible to love someone even more than what you thought was the fullest? Apparently so. "Don't apologise, I just didn't want to see you get hurt. Better me than you. I don't know what I'd do if you got seriously hurt. I went mad just from that blow you took."
Ada blushed and looked away shyly. Ben realised what he'd said and a furious blush erupted across his face. Ada found it absolutely adorable. She smiled a shy smile at him and he stared at her lips for a while, then smiled back shyly.
They never wanted that moment to end. Yet, "So, just before Danton entered, I was making a music box. Would you like to see it?" Ada now sported a broad smile. Ben snapped himself out of his dazed state and nodded. He helped her to her feet. They stayed there for a moment, hand in hand, then pulled away quickly.
"Uh, I'll…I'll show you the music box then." She stammered shyly and headed toward what Ben called the 'tinker room'. He followed quickly, and quietly closed the door, in case Carlos and Louis came home.
"This is it so far, I haven't made the tune yet. I know how to make a tune, I just don't have a tune yet." She then looked from the music box to his eyes and asked, "Do you have a tune I could use?"
Ben knew of one, and he knew of it well. "Why, yes, I do. And I've always loved it. My grandfather does what your father does, and he's made a tune so sweet, and he calls it 'how does a moment last forever'. I can make it for you now if you want." He offered.
Ada's grin grew. "Thank you so much Ben! I've got time and no-one else will be home for a while. So if you want to, you can stay awhile." She offered shyly.
Ben readily agreed. Whilst Ben was making the tune, Ada got a cloth for him to clean up the faint trickles of blood running down his face. The two tinkered along, talking about their families, friends, homes and basically anything that came to mind, plus Ben teaching Ada how to make a tune for a music box. Ben thought it was one of the greatest conversations he'd ever had.
Eventually Ben had to go home. The sun was starting to set, and Ben knew that he'd have to hurry home and apologise to Mrs Potts. He'd gotten carried away.
Ada followed Ben to the door as usual. Just as Ben was about to walk down the steps, Ada took his hand and said "Wait!". And seeing that he'd stopped and was listening, she spoke again.
"Um…thank…thank you Ben, for being here today. Who knows what could have happened if you didn't come today." Ada stammered.
Ben couldn't help it. He needed to let her know at least a fraction of his feelings for her. She had to know. He couldn't keep it in anymore.
So he kissed her hand.
Ada's face sported her deepest blush to date. And this one was a genuine 'oh god he really does like me' blush.
Ben smiled a small smile so happy, that Ada couldn't help but smile an extremely shy smile back.
She then leaned on the doorway like it was supporting her very soul and watched Ben leave the village.
She let a small giggle escape her lips. Oh god it's true! Ben likes me! That's why he fought for me! Oh god. Oh god! Oh GOD! Soon, Ada was giggling like the love-sick teenager that she now was. Mama and papa are going to be so pleased!
Ada herself couldn't believe her good luck. The man she loved also loved her and was willing to fight for her.
And that was what she loved most about him.