Chapter 2 love is wonderful…
"Hello?"
"Hi Gwen"
"Oh hello Aunt Sandra. How are you?"
"Not so good to be honest…" said Sandra slightly gloomily
"Why? What's wrong?" asked Gwen
"Ben has fallen into depression lately and we thought he could use your company…"
Gwen was surprised and worried to find out that her cousin is depressed. Usually he's goofy and upbeat. If he's depressed about something it must be something very important to him
"Why? What is he depressed about?"
"I can't tell you. I'll let him do the talking. It'll be better that way…"
Gwen could feel her heart fill with worry and slight guilt. After a short silence she spoke in a slightly hurt voice
"Does it have something to do with me?" she asked and pointed at her chest as she spoke
"In a way. I think it'll be a good idea if you two talk it out…"
"Okay. I'll come right over"
"Thank you Gwen"
"No problem" said the girl and hung up and headed for her car. She wondered what she could have said or done that could have hurt Ben so deeply. Could it be that he really was jealous of her dating Kevin? It couldn't be… could it?...
Moments later Gwen reached Ben house and was knocking on his bedroom door
"Leave me alone Mom…" she heard his muffled voice come through the door
"Ben, it's me" she said. Inside his room Ben quickly sat up on his bed and his face perked up
"Oh sorry. Come on in Gwen" he said and she opened the door and walked in. She reached her arms forward and brought him into a hug
"How're you doin' cuz?" she asked; happy to see him in a perky mood
"Much better now that you're here…" he admitted
"Oh? And how's that?"
At her words Ben fell silent and his face fell as his cheeks turned red. After a while he brought his gaze back up to look at her. Gwen could now see that behind his new smile laid a face tired from lack of sleep and bloodshot and puffed up eyes from lack of sleep and crying. Gwen's expression turned worried when she noticed these new features about him. It wasn't like him to be like this. She wasn't used to seeing him so depressed and worn out…
"Ben what happened to you?" she asked gently and worriedly as she put her hand on his as she sat on front of him
After a short silence Ben sighed and lowered his gaze again. When he brought it back up he spoke up.
"You remember what you told me about being jealous?" he asked
Gwen was slightly surprised by his question
"Yeah?..."
"Well the truth is I am jealous…" said Ben with a slight shrug
"Of what? Of me dating Kevin?"
"Yeah…"
"What are you jealous about? You're still my best friend…" she said and clasped her hand in his and he looked away and sighed. When he faced her again, he said
"I know that Gwen… but for the last two years a secret emotion came up and evolved at the bottom of my stomach. It first I thought it was just a crush or something. But there more I saw you and the more I hung out with you it grew and intensified until I realized the truth…"
"What truth?"
"That I love you Gwen… more than just a cousin. You mean the world to me and the idea of you dating someone else, especially someone like Kevin is very painful for me. I know this sounds wrong, but this is how I feel. Ever since you told about him I sank into depression and have a hard time getting out of it…" he finished his words with a sigh as he shook his head
Gwen on the other hand looked shocked and slightly hurt
"Ben I'm really sorry. I didn't know you felt this way and I didn't mean to cause you so much pain…" she squeezed his hand in hers
"I know… and I know I shouldn't feel this way and I know the feeling is probably not mutual but this is how I feel…" he said and lowered his head once more. Gwen extended her hand and placed it on his cheek and he looked up at her
"Ben, listen to me… I like you a lot. I really do and you mean the world to me; but right now I'm a little confused. I'm gonna put things with Kevin on hold for a while to give me some time to sort my feelings out. Maybe we can work something out…"
Ben nodded slightly and said
"Okay. Thanks for coming to cheer up Gwen. I really appreciate it…"
Gwen smiled warmly at him and brought him into a hug and rocked him in her arms
"Of course Ben… of course…" she said as she placed a hand on the back of his head and gave him a kiss on the cheek. She then separated from the hug and looked into his eyes…
"I'll see you later…" she said and walked out…
Later that night Gwen spoke to Kevin about putting things on hold for a while and he reluctantly agreed but promised not to date anyone else until he hears from her…
Over the next few days Gwen thought about her feelings for Ben and was beginning to think she does love him back. After all he's always been there for her. He always makes her happy and he knows how to comfort her… she just wished they were not cousins. As she walked down the street she saw something in the corner of her eye and walked a few steps back. What she saw shocked her. In the car in front of her was Kevin with another girl and they were making out. Gwen's heart filled with rage and hurt. She turned around and walked away from the car with her hands formed in fists. She stopped when she heard the car door open
"Gwen wait!" yelled Kevin as he ran towards her. She simply glared at him as he stood by her
"Care to explain?" she asked sternly and crossed her arms
"Look I'm sorry about going behind your back. It's just it's been a few days since we spoke and you didn't say anything so assumed we were off…" he said
"I said I'll get back to you when I reach a decision. It's been just a few days not a month. How impatient are you?" she asked sharply
Kevin was scratching his head trying to figure out a way out of this situation
"Look I'm sorry. Can we start over again?" he asked
"What for? You already got someone new; and so have I…"
"Oh and you cheating on me is okay but I'm not allowed to cheat on you?" asked Kevin sarcastically
"I didn't cheat on you. I may have been a little over affectionate to him but he doesn't know yet that I chose him but I did. I suggest you go back to your girl and I'll go to my friend so we can go our separate ways…" said Gwen sand started walking away
'Fine! Go be with your stupid fiend! See if I care…" said Kevin and walked back to the car and Gwen reached for her cellphone
"Ben?"
"Oh hi Gwen. What's up?"
"I'm okay. Listen can you meet me at the park? I have something important to tell you…"
"Sure. I'll be there soon"
"Okay see you in a bit…" said the girl and hung up. She looked up at the sky and closed her eyes and sighed softly
"It's time…" she thought
Ben hoped Gwen was going to tell him what he hoped she was going to tell him. He pulled himself together and headed for the park. He found her sitting on a bench and joined her
"Hey Cuz…" he said and gave her a hug and sat down
"What's up?" he asked
"I'm doing okay. Are you feeling any better?" she asked
"A little…" he said and after a short silence asked
"So what did you want to talk about?"
Gwen's face reddened in awkwardness and embarrassment
"Well for starters I'd like you to know that Kevin and I broke up…" she said and Ben's face lit up with surprise
"Really? Why?"
"He cheated on me"
What?!" whispered Ben, surprised to hear that
"He did. I found him kissing another girl in some car…"
"Oh. That's rough Gwen. I'm sorry…" he said and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder
"It's okay. I already found someone else…" she said and Ben's heart raced
"Could it be?" he thought
"Who?" he asked
Gwen's leaned forward so that her face was close to his
"You silly…" she said playfully
"I realized that I do love you Ben. More than anything. I'm sorry I hurt you and that I let you down… can you forgive me?" she asked as Ben smiled and leaned forward to place a passionate kiss on his cousin's lips for the first time. The kiss sent warmth and happiness throughout their bodies. She could feel their feet detach from the ground and they began to float as if they were lighter than air. Ben placed his arms around Gwen's neck as she did the same with his. Once they parted Ben stared happily at his cousin's eyes
'Of course Gwenny…" he said happily and embraced her in his arms and rocked her slightly
"Of course…" he said again as Gwen hugged him back and rested her head in his shoulder
"I love you Ben…" she said happily
"I love you too…" said the boy happily as he held her in his arms as the sun went down the horizon…
"Love is wonderful…" he thought
The end…
Well what do you think? Pretty cute and romantic huh? Did you like it? Did you dislike it? Did you like it even more?
Please tell me what you think on your reviews on your way out…
Thank you…