Chapter Text
Devi let out a giggle as Ben stumbled into her room via the window.
"Hey, don’t laugh! It's pretty high up, okay? I thought I was going to fall out."
"Don't be dramatic, it's only one floor."
Ben smiled at her, but it was forced. Devi just sighed, anger and sadness welling up inside her.
"Ben.”
"Devi-"
"I think I should talk first."
The room fell silent. Devi laid down on her Bed and motioned for Ben to do the same. He sighed and did as she asked. Even the air around them felt heavy.
"I'm sorry the dance wasn't what you wanted. Fab told me what happened and I wanted to come check on you."
Devi smiled softly.
"Fab told you?"
Ben smiled too.
"Yeah, I guess we're kind of… friends now?"
Devi smiled and reached out her hand to intertwine her fingers with his.
"Can you believe it's all ending? I feel like it was yesterday that I was making fun of you because you didn't take any sports electives," Devi said with tears pooling in her eyes.
"The locker rooms have too much nudity for my liking, you know that! I was surprised when you took it, but I guess you liked Paxton more than you disliked being seen in locker rooms."
Devi looked to see if he was angry, if there was any bitterness on his tongue from speaking Paxton’s name. But instead, he just looked sad. Just like her.
"Yeah, that’s exactly right. God, I was embarrassing back then. You know too much about me,” she said with a sad laugh.
Ben smiled and stroked her hand.
"I-" Devi let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding, "I got rejected from Princeton."
Ben's eyes widened with shock.
"What, no, that's not possible!"
Devi let out a sad laugh.
"That wasn't the response I was expecting."
Ben looked at her incredulously.
"You're the smartest person I know, I don't understand why my response was surprising."
Devi smiled sincerely, pulling her head close to his. She took a breath, closed her eyes, and mouthed.
"I love you, Ben."
Ben looked at her with total confusion. He practically had whiplash from the quick change of subject. She opened her mouth to say something that would calm him down, but the words wouldn’t come out.
"I love you too."
Oh.
Oh.
Devi smiled and moved even closer. Ben moved in too, but didn’t quite let his lips touch hers. Devi arched her left eyebrow.
"So, are you going to kiss me or are you just gonna breathe on my fac-"
Ben cut her off with a soft kiss. He kissed her softly as if she was something precious and delicate, as if she could break. He pulled her into his arms, and it felt like a blanket wrapping around her.
When they pulled apart, she had forgotten why she was so upset in the first place. All she could feel was the lingering of Ben’s hand on the small of her back, and she was perfectly fine with that.
"So, what are you going to do?" he asked.
Devi rolled her eyes "why did you feel the need to ruin the moment?"
Ben caressed her face.
"What a subtle way to tell me to kiss you again."
Devi punched his arm softly.
"Well, Princeton’s not the only Ivy I applied for. I have other options too, y'know?”
He smiled.
"Of course you do. No matter where you go, you’ll do amazing things."
"Maybe I'll get to annoy you for another 4 years, you never know."
"Right, you just want to steal valedictorian from me a second time. I’m not dumb."
Devi giggled and gave him another little kiss.
"You're never going to enjoy any reign of terror."
"I could share it with you, if you want."
Devi couldn’t stand it, Ben’s beautiful blue eyes looking at her with such adoration. She realized that the stomach knots she felt for him would never go away, but she was fine with that.