CHAPTER 9:

Rey's head was reeling. She felt more connected to this man than she had ever felt to anyone before. She showered and put her clothes from the day before on before moving to Ben's living room and sitting on his couch. It was Saturday so she had no classes to worry about and her professor was out of town this weekend, so she didn't have to go to work either.

Ben sat down on the couch next to her. "Rey," he started.

She was nervous. She felt like this was the moment he realized he shouldn't be with her. He was regretting everything from the past two days and was going to tell her.

"Before you tell me why we can't do this, just know that I feel connected to you. I don't know why or what it is about you, I feel like I've known you forever. If you are done, just tell me know so I don't fall even harder," she blurted out, feeling like a moron.

He smiled. "Rey, nothing on this earth could make me walk away from you. My life has been better since we ran into each other on Tuesday at the bar than it ever has before. You do something to me that I can't explain in words. I never want you to leave," he said, exasperated, hoping it wasn't too much.

She smiled back, "Well Ben Solo, I guess you've got yourself a girlfriend," she felt stupid immediately after she said it. Who uses these terms as an adult? Her smile faded, his got bigger. He leaned in a placed a soft kiss on her lips. He felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He took it out and saw he had an email, it was from District Attorney Holdo. He read it silently and looked at Rey.

"They want me," he said to her.

"Well whoever they are, they can't have you, I just got you!" she retorted.

"The District Attorney's office, they want me to come in for an interview on Monday!" he said excitedly.

"That's great news, I will make you dinner to celebrate tonight!" she told him.

"Can you cook?" he asked her.

"You'll have to find out," she said. She got up and started wondering around the kitchen looking at what he had. "I'll need to run to the store," she told him. He tossed her his keys.

"Take my car," he said, "It's way easier than the bus."

She smiled and jumped in his car. She saw her phone light up.

Ben: "Stop by your dorm and grab some clothes, too. You're staying here tonight"

Rey: "I think that's MY decision"

Ben: "Ok, suit yourself"

Rey: "I'm staying at your place tonight"

Rey drove back to her dorm and packed a bag and then hit the store to buy the essentials for Chicken Parmesan, a dish she had mastered at a young age in one of her foster's homes. She grabbed what she needed and headed back to Ben's house. When she got back, he came out to the driveway to help her carry all the stuff in. He put the food away while she unpacked her bag. The sight of her things in his apartment made his heart flutter. He couldn't explain it, but he loved this girl and he knew it.

Rey and Ben had an excellent dinner and decided to watch a movie afterwards. Ben pulled up his netflix and they settled on a romantic comedy. She snuggled close to him and he reveled in the fact that her body fit so perfectly in his. He was distracted by the smell of her hair and the way their fingers intertwined to pay too much attention to the movie. When the movie ended she looked up into his big eyes.

"Rey." He said and stopped. He wanted to tell her, but was afraid it was too soon.

"Ben." she replied, knowing what he was going to say and knowing she felt the same way, but not knowing why or how.

"Don't be afraid, I feel it too," he said to her.

"I love you," she said to him.

"I love you, too" he replied. They shared a kiss neither of them would ever forget.