Chapter Text
BEN
They had startled apart when her mother honked, thankfully from a distance far enough not to see the cause of the delay.
Devi pulled backed from him alarmed, and Ben did his best to reassure her with a soft smile, but winced anyways, as he watched the competing emotions of embarrassment, shock and doubt flood in.
Don’t Devi, he tried to beg her silently with his eyes, watching her cheeks redden. Don’t…but she said it anyways;
“Damn bro, that wasn’t too bad, must have been all the practice with the hot girlfriend” Devi said, suddenly grabbing her things to start to bolt, both physically and emotionally away from him.
Tell her you like her, his brain commanded his tongue, but before he could get any words out, Devi struck out with:
“Although your hand on my head felt a bit like I was being mauled by an angry bear”
And then, old habits dying hard, Ben really could not help himself
“You should know a wild animal since a coyote tried to eat you once”
To which Devi retorted “The coyote at least had the courtesy of coming right out and biting me, whereas you just jabbed your fat tongue in my mouth and tried to swallow me whole”
Ben engaged back with “it the only effective way I have found to shut you the hell up David” His eyes twinkled.
“Of course your masculine ego needs to silence a woman just because she is your intellectual superior”
“Are you a woman! with that moustache David, I thought I was kissing a guy” and he smiled at her, but despite his words, braving inching closer again when a second horn blasted in the background.
“I got to go, you might get home quicker if you walked grandma “ Devi countered throwing the car door open and swinging her legs out.
But just as she was closing the car door, she straightened, tucked her hair nervously behind her ear and softened, looking at Ben and smiling shyly and saying with what he knew was sincerity. “Thank you Ben”
“See you around loser” Ben retorted and then she was gone.
Ben rubbed his hands across his face and just sat there in the car, letting the feelings swirl around him, and wondering what the hell he was going to do about it.
Ben felt he understood Devi, who Devi really was. Last time he thought that they had moved forward with Devi, she declared nuclear war on him, and he had felt, painfully, the loneliness and the disappointment of that set back.
Devi was going to backtrack and freak herself out badly about this, and Ben’s best chance was just to accept that trying to move forward with her was going to be a two steps forward, one step back proposition.
Devi was a self absorbed, know it all pain in his ass.
And yet, Ben in that moment knew with certainty, for him, it has always been her. She got under his skin and burrowed into his heart long before he realized it. What was once an unwanted parasite, was definitely something vital. His heart started beating faster at the thought and for the first time in a long time he had hope.
She has kissed him this time. And then the next thought:
She was going to be a real dick about this.
He sighed, and picked up the phone and called Shiva. Time to end one chapter, and try to forge on, with a new, far more challenging one.
DEVI
Devi somehow pushed it all from her head until she was finally alone again, back at home only the four walls of her bedroom there to watch her freak the hell out.
FUCK
FUCK!!!
Ffffuuuuuccccckkkkkk!!!
Why the hella did she kiss Ben Gross!
Nope. No. Nope.
Obviously, the emotions of the day had hampered her judgement. Ben was an asshole. He was an arrogant, conceited and rude jerk.
Devi ran her hand over her face in frustration. Except of course when he wasn’t. And damn the boy could kiss. Who would of thought that a kiss from Ben, would be hotter than one from Paxton?
Wait no, I take that back, that was stupid, I am being delusional, Paxton is super hot, and Ben, is well, Ben.
Ben’s eyes were actually really blue and kinda adorable though and……..brain STOP IT. Fuck!!! Stop it.
Devi willed herself to think about Paxton, and when Paxton started to merge back into Ben, she picked up her phone determined that a photo of Paxton would assist, only to see his missed call.
Paxton had called.
Devi listened to the message, and then again, and well, maybe another four times after that. It was a little awkward and adorable. Paxton, she reminded herself, wants to hang out with you. Paxton, the hottest boy you have even seen. Paxton, who did not get the entire school to start calling you an unfuckable nerd.
But despite her efforts, one overriding though keep floating back up.
Ben.
Ben who had a girlfriend.
Ben who used to hate her.
Ben who was there for her, and rallied her friends for her today.
Ben.
Shit. Shit. Fuck.
She may have a chance for Paxton.
And all she could think about was Ben.
Fuck Ben! Why do you have to ruin everything for me, Devi raged. I WANT to WANT Paxton.
Yet it wasn’t her kiss with Paxton that kept replaying in her mind.
FUCK!
“I am going to Ben to get the rest of my stuff” Devi hollered, not waiting for a response, bounding up and out of the house before she could talk herself out of it.
Time to tell your nemesis you are into him. What possibly could go wrong?