Hey everyone. This chapter was really difficult to write, and it's either rather good or it really blows. So, uh, I just wanted to say that. (Oh, and please ignore any words that do not exist or that are spelled incorrectly.)

I saw the Ella Enchanted movie! It's really... interesting. It's actually not that bad, if you try to forget about the book and see it just as a movie. I liked it—and I loved Slanen—yes, he actually was in the movie! But compared to the book, it was a sad excuse of a show.

Tarra

Chapter 7

Quite the Experience

I shrieked. Ben jumped. I shrieked again. Ben looked at me irritatedly.

"What's going on?" I stated in a high tone. Before me stood Ben, and in front of me also stood the person who scared me... also Ben. I looked at them, back and forth.

"Do you have a twin, or clone, or something that I do not know about?"

I was very scared, as this type of predicament had neveroccured to me before.

"Uh..." they both said in unison. "Don't do that!" I shrieked.

"Do what?" they both said.

"Aaah!" I yelled.

"That! Don't talk at the same time! You're freaking me out! Ben-" I turned to the guy I had been walking with- "I finally remember my dream! He's a specter! Do something, please!" Ben looked at me and grinned.

"As you wish-" he said smiling-

"Your majesty."

I frowned. He said the last two words as if to mock me. Ben wouldn't do that...would he? Meanwhile, the imposter was looking rather worried.

"Tarra! Don't you recognize me? Its me!" he looked as if me might cry.

"But... But... Oh heavens, what do I do?" I said aloud. Which one was the real Ben?

"Can't you see that it's me, Princess? I'm saddened that you wouldn't be able to tell right away!"

This time it was the Ben I had been walking with who spoke up. I looked at him. He wasn't smiling anymore-now he looked almost as sad as the other Ben. Almost.

"Oh, please, Tarra! It's me! Remember!"

It was one of the hardest things I ever had to do. I was torn between two people- and one of them wasn't even real. So I did what I usually do in hard situations. I thought.

"Uh... ok. Listenm you two. I'm going to ask a few questions that only Ben should know how to answer. Here it goes..." They both leaned forward expectantly.

"What did you say when you came to my window this morning?" They both hesitated. What if none of them remembered? What would I do then?

"I said... I asked... if you would meet me later today." It was said by the Ben who I had walked with. That was close enough... but what if it was the specter and he just happened to know? My mind went in thousands of different directions.

My original plan was to take each of them aside to ask them questions, but I didn't feel like I wanted to be alone with the specter—which kind of defeated my deluded idea. But I kept going.

"Uh... alright... next question: how did we meet?" The Ben we had walked into answered almost instantly.

"My uncle introduced us. And then we raced through the wheat field."

I couldn't help grinning.

"That is correct. One more question... and I need you guys to answer honestly."

I tried to look like I had an idea of which one Ben was, but I had absolutely no clue who it really was. My idea wasn't as clever as I had thought. I hesitated. It was hard to say. I hoped I would be able to identify the specter, but I wasn't sure. For some reason I thought he would give himself away. It clearly wasn't as easy as I had thought...

"What a-are Bens true feeling for—for me?"

This was absurd. I had not known Ben for a week and I was going to far. And anyway, there was no way that this question would help me... No way at all.

They both answered at the same time.

"That is a rather silly question, Princess. I love you—isn't it obvious?"

And

"I'm really not sure... Ienjoy your company... but I haven't spent enough time with you to be able to really know."

I finally had a clue.

Ben—the real Ben—wouldn't be talking like a high- class teacher, or even high-class anything. Ben was the farmer's nephew, and it should have been obvious from the beginning. I looked at them both. Ben who 'loved' me was looking straightforward and rather content—Ben who 'liked' me was looking at his shoes, still looking sad. I looked at his shoes. Surprised, I looked back at the other Ben.

And I knew.

I walked toward who I knew to be the real Ben (sad Ben) and stood by his side.

"Away from us, Specter. I've enough of your games. Leave us in peace and never bother us again." Ben—the real Ben—looked up at me in surprise. The specter had a slight different reaction.

"What are you talking about?"

I rolled my eyes.

"Don't play dumb with me, creature. Its over. Leave me in peace!" The creature looked at us and sneered. Then it vanished. As soon as it was gone I let out a sigh and feel to the ground. Ben fell on his knees too and after realizing that I was just exhausted, he stopped worrying and we just sat there for a while.

"Are you alright?" he asked timidly. I nodded.

"That sure was an interesting adventure now, wasn't it?" I meant to cheer him up, but he still looked like a frightened little boy.

"I'm sorry..." I whispered. He looked startled.

"Why are you sorry? You didn't do anything! I'm the one who got us in this mess."

I looked at him, puzzled.

"How's that?"

"I asked you to meet me. If I hadn't, then you would have known that—that thing—was a...well, what ever it was."

"A Specter."

"Yes, that. You would have known. I know you would have. Your wit and smarts would have found out the moment it started speaking."

I tried not to grin.

wit and smarts?

"How come your talking like that?" I asked.

"Like what?" he tried to sound innocent. But I saw right threw him.

"Your speaking more like a noble. Why?" He tried not to blush. He failed.

"I—I asked one of my uncle's friends—he isa noble—to... to give me some pointers on speaking 'with dignity'"

I tried to suppress my giggles, but it was impossible. He looked quite embarrassed.

"Oh, Ben. You don't need to talk like a noble. You sound fine just the way you are." He looked at me. "But... but I thought..."

"What did you think, Ben? That I wouldenjoy you more if you seemed more 'higher' on the chart that everyone seems to think exists? Oh, Ben..." I couldn't stop myself fromwrapping my arms around him.

"You don't know what it means to me for you to do all that... But Ben, don't ever change from who you really are. That's who I want as my friend."

He looked startled for just a smidge of time, butfinally embraced me back. And we sat there, embracing, for I don't know how long. Finally he pulled away.

"One question."

I nodded.

"Ask away."

"How did you know it was me?"

I frowned.

"I don't really know... I just... I knew. Oh, and your shoes."

He frowned. "What do my shoes have to do with it?"

I giggled. "On that afternoon we spent together—you remember, yesterday?"

It seemed like years had passed. He nodded.

"Well, don't ask me why, but somehow I remembered those blue shoes you had on that day. I know it isstupid, but I amglad I noticed, because when I looked at the specters feet, I realized that it wasn't even wearing shoes."

Ben smiled. "I told you you where bright." I grinned and hugged him again. We stayed embracing for longer this time, and I don't know what exact time it was when it started raining. But for once, I didn't care one bit.

Incredibly cheezy,I just realized, but whats done is done. Review, needI ask?