Benny came back to school, and everything was normal again. Except, this time, I wasn't letting anyone talk bad about Benny. He had taken enough and needed at least a week of no one talking behind his back. I was being really gentle when I would talk to Benny. I carried his books for him, and offered to take his bag, but he insisted he carry that himself. We were sitting at lunch, when I picked up on the jocks conversation from where we were.

"Speaking of dorks, what about that Benny kid?"

"Benny Weir? I know, he's such a nerd. He thinks he's such a ladies man, when they really don't want to be within ten feet of him."

"It's hilarious. What about his big head? Or his totally gay personality. He looks like a lollipop. He has this stick figure body and this humongous head. He likes Startrek, whatever that is, so it must be completely dorky. I just hate him. I-" I wasn't about to let that conversation go any farther, as I got up to talk to them. I went up behind the currently talking jock, and tapped him on the shoulder. I whispered in his ear.

"Look, Benny doesn't need this, alright? I'm sure big, strong, jocks like you have better things to do than talk about Benny. Talk about any other kid, even me, if you'd like, just shut up about Benny for a while."

I walked away, expecting the bully to get up to punch me right in the face, but he was still sitting, and he had switched the topic to Rory. It seemed as though he understood just how serious it was. I sat back down, to Benny's worried but still adorable face.

"What happened, Ethan? Did you get in a fight?" I smiled. It was so nice of Benny to worry about me.

"Nothing like that, Benny. Oh, I almost forgot. My mom heard about you "being sick" and decided to make you some fruit salad." I took a small, plastic container out of my Green Lantern lunchbox and pushed it over to him.

"That was really nice of her. It looks delicious. Tell her I said thank you, please." He shyly removed the top of the container, as he always did when my mother made him something or gave him something. He picked up a plastic fork, and then I took away the container.

"I have a better idea." I plucked a grape out of the container and raised it to his mouth. "Say "Aah"."

He blushed and smiled, then opened his mouth wide as I popped the grape in his mouth. He chewed it while I laughed. He started laughing after he had swallowed. As I raised a strawberry to his mouth I heard no protests. I continued feeding him his fruit salad piece by piece, and was aware that at least one person was probably giving us wierd looks. I realized then that the football jock's comment about Benny thinking he was a ladies man was entirely ironic, and I laughed at my own little joke. Benny spoke with his mouth full of apple, still smiling, as he read over his homework.

"What is it?"

"Oh, just a joke I heard earlier. You're so cute." He looked up.

"Huh?" He had a bit of apple on the corner of his mouth. I couldn't help but giggle at how cute he was. He looked like a child. I raised my finger to wipe away the apple.

"Awww." He giggled as he turned away shyly.

"That was a bit embarassing."

"No, it was adorable."

"Ethan. Do you think everyone knows? About us, I mean."

"I don't think so. I heard one of those jocks say you thought you were a ladies man a few minutes ago." Benny laughed hysterically. It really was quite funny. That was pretty far from the truth. Benny slid off the bench, from laughing so hard. I got up and took his hand, pulling him up.

"That is the most hilarious thing I've ever heard. You know, Ethan. As shocking as it may seem, some people are more attentive than jocks. Maybe someone else noticed."

"There's nothing to worry about, Benny. I promise.

"Alright, I believe you." The last of his giggles subsided. I just stared at him and smiled. He had the most adorable laugh. It sounded so genuine, and full of happiness. It sounded like Benny. It sounded like love. I took his hand, then.

"Benny. If anyone so much as lays a finger on you ever again, I promise I won't let them hurt you. I wasn't any help at the beach, and I'm-I'm so sorry and I love you and I felt so bad afterwards, I thought you were dead..and it would have been all my fault." He silenced me with a finger. I was rambling, now.

"It takes two to love, Ethan, and it wasn't either of our faults, anyway. That man had no right to come up to us and tell us to leave the beach. It wasn't his beach, and he doesn't have the authority. We are just two people in love and we should be treated no different, and well, if they do treat us different, then forget them. They weren't good for us, anyway." He made me feel so much better, and for the first time in days I felt as though it wasn't my fault. He pressed his lips to mine in a sweet kiss, and I forgot that anyone was there. They were all too wrapped up in their own conversations and lives to notice the kiss. I heard clapping. Sarah arrived at the table.

"I see the happy couple isn't being too shy about their status." She was smiling as she looked at us, and we slowly came apart. Benny was blushing like nothing had ever been so embarassing. I didn't care, though. She sat down and turned her attention to Benny.

"No need to be shy about it, Benny. You're in love! Now, tell me, who started the kiss?" I looked at Benny, and I raised his hand above his head a bit, receiving a bit of what seemed like shock from Sarah.

"Really? I never would've guessed. Benny talks a big game, but he's really a sweetheart, isn't he? Being all shy and cute. You must love Ethan so much." Now it was I who kissed him, and I did it with passion, as I turned his head toward me and kissed him in his confusion. I pressed my lips a bit harder to his and I didn't let up until I was gasping for air. Benny was gasping now, too, blushing furiously and looking at me, a little shocked. I didn;t do that, usually. Just sweet kisses between us, two. I never kissed him so passionately or so strongly. Sarah squealed. From somewhere, we heard an "Eeeeeep!" We looked over to Erica, who was blushing, and had an expression similar to the one she had when she found out the new Dusk movie was coming out.
"Sorry, but that was hot. Let me know if you guys have a make-out session. I want front row seats." We were both blushing, now. I pecked him on the cheek and told him I would see him later, as he was subjected to the girl's fangirl-like questions. I was sure that if he wasn;t blushing furiously before, he was now.

Benny's P.O.V

Ethan left me with a kiss on the cheek and a sympathetic glance. He knew the second he left that I would be bombarded with prying questions, which I was, and am.

"Have you two kissed with tongue yet?" A particularly embarassing, private question asked by no other than Erica, how Sarah playfully slapped on the arm. I stuttered back a response.

"Well, Um. Uh, erm." I was sure my skin tone mimicked that of a fire truck.

"That's okay, Benny. That's private. Have you two done it yet?" Now it was Erica who slapped Sarah.

"My question was prying?" Erica asked, incredulous.

"I, um, have to go." I picked up my books and left the table, thanking I hadn't stayed to hear the next question their dirty minds were thinking of.