Chapter Text
“I have a proposition for you,” Danielle spoke as she placed her hands down on the reception of the North Star, grinning when Ben looked up to her.
“How every good conversation starts,” Ben smiled back to her and leaned down on his elbows, “what’s up?”
Danielle glanced around, spotting Sean and Skye laughing about something in the next room, “we both want something we can’t have,” she turned back to Ben, he had followed her eyeline and was now watching the couple, “and I know how to get our way.”
“Danielle, I don’t know. Sean’s happy, and he’s my best friend - I have to be happy for him.”
“You don’t want to be,” Danielle reasoned, catching Ben’s eyes, “as you said, you ‘have to be happy for him’ purely because he’s meant to be your best friend. Your best friend who kissed your girlfriend when he already had one! I mean how selfish can one boy be?”
“And yet you want him back?”
Danielle hesitated and then let out a small laugh, “well, I suppose I’m equally selfish.”
Ben chuckled and scanned around the area, “so, your plan?”
”We,” Danielle gestured between them, “start a fake relationship. Get them jealous.”
Ben rolled his eyes, “that won’t work, Sean is really happy with Skye.”
“Let’s test it,” she whispered and wandered around to the other side of the desk, she stood close to him and laughed loudly - Ben knew it was fake but it sounded real, he quickly joined in the laughter and bumped against her to make it seem as though they were having a fun time, he glanced up and saw Sean and Skye looking over.
He pushed a strand of hair behind Danielle’s ear and then leaned down to whisper in her ear, “they’re looking over, perhaps it could work after all.”
“Absolutely,” Danielle loudly responded and then continued to laugh.
“Hate to ruin the moment,” Skye spoke up, drumming her hands on the desk, “but Danielle, you can’t be behind there - staff only.”
“Oh,” Danielle looked to the blonde and offered a smile, “silly me,” she moved around to the front of desk again and rested her elbows down, “I’ll just have to talk to you from here then sweetie.”
“Sweetie?” Sean questioned, raising an eyebrow.
Danielle hummed and turned to face Skye and Sean, “yes, does that bother you?”
“Why are you calling Ben ‘Sweetie’?” Skye cocked her head, “I thought you two weren’t-”
“We’re not,” Ben answered carefully, “not yet,” he shared a quick look with Danielle and then looked back to his best friend, “so, how are you two doing?”
”We’re fine,” Sean responded, “since when did you and Danielle have a thing?”
“Since we fell down a hole and almost died,” Danielle swiftly answered, “can you stop interrogating us? We were having a nice conversation before you walked over.”
“Oh really?” Skye crossed her arms and raised her eyebrows, “what are you two really up to?”
“Wow,” Danielle hissed as she looked into Skye’s eyes, “you really don’t believe Ben and I could have something. It shouldn’t matter to you anyway.”
Skye shook her head, “y-you’re right, it doesn’t matter,” she cleared her throat and looked around, “oh look, guests! Ben you should tend to them straight away, sorry Danielle, he’s busy - you’ll have to come back later.”
“Oh,” Danielle faked surprise and smiled to Ben, “I’ll be in the juice bar, we’ll chat when you’re done.”
“Of course,” Ben nodded and then focused on the guests who were arriving.
Danielle walked through to the juice bar, this was going to be a fun game, and it seemed as though it was already working. She knew Skye was probably still watching her, but she decided to focus on Kaylee who was sat at a table stirring her juice with a straw. Danielle sat down opposite her and flashed a smile, “pre-warning,” she began before Kaylee could say a word, “Skye is probably going to be talking about Ben and I a lot, she’s totally jealous.”
“Jealous?” Kaylee looked at Danielle in disbelief, “oh my God, Danielle are you and Ben-?”
”Kind of, it’s complicated right now, him being my ex-boyfriend’s best friend and all…”
“No way did I ever see you dating someone with one bathroom in their house.”
“Shocking, I know,” Danielle laughed softly, “anyway, Sean and Skye seem totally jealous of it, they don’t believe that we’ve got a thing going. Why is it so unbelievable?”
”Because he’s only got a one bathroom house,” Kaylee repeated, “not only that, you hated Sean biking, Ben’s devotion to biking is even more so than Sean’s. Sure, he’s cute, but he’s not… Danielle material.”
Danielle pulled a face, “Danielle Material?”
”Rich boy, rich parents, big house, did I mention rich?”
Danielle scoffed and crossed her legs as she leaned back, “I’m not that shallow, am I?”
Kaylee shrugged and began to drink her juice through the straw she hadn’t yet let go of. She simply gave Danielle an affirmative look, Danielle shifted uncomfortably in the seat - did everyone think of her like that? She looked around to where Skye was picking up empty glasses, and then she looked down at her hands thinking about the situation.
“I guess I’ll have to prove you all wrong, won’t I?”
* * * * *
Ben finished work and quickly found Danielle when he was done, making sure Skye was present when he greeted her.
“Hey,” he smiled to Danielle and quickly placed an arm around her waist, “so I think we have something to talk about.”
“You and me, me and you,” Danielle responded as Ben ushered her out of the room, when they were out of earshot she spoke to him - continuing to be quiet so nobody would catch what she was saying to him, “I’m guessing this is about The Rebound Game.”
”The Rebound Game? You named it?”
”Doesn’t every good plan have a name?” Danielle questioned innocently, “you know, Ben, I feel like this is going to be the highlight of our lives - overcoming heartbreak and winning back our loves.”
Ben laughed and stopped to turn to Danielle, “and the rules to this Rebound Game?”
“We keep contact, don’t make up stories about our relationship without the other knowing. Most days, we walk into the lodge together. At least one kiss each day, just to prove we’re together. And finally, of course,” she placed her hand on his chest and smiled up to him, “no falling in love with me.”
“And vice versa,” he replied, showing off a confident look as he did so.
Danielle laughed sharply, “oh Ben, I think it would be way too hard for me to fall in love with you.”
”I’ll have you know, I’m very lovable,” Ben smiled, “come on, let’s go chat somewhere else.”
They made their way out of the lodge, passing Noah and Sean who were both in the lobby, Sean was watching them and then turned back to Noah to say something, Danielle grinned - it was already so easy to spark the jealousy in both Sean and Skye.
When they were outside Ben began talking to Danielle, placing an arm around her shoulder just in case they were still being watched, “so you seriously want Sean back after he kissed Skye?”
Danielle nodded, “it might sound unbelievable, but I was in love with him. Or at least, I think I was.”
Ben laughed, “I felt like I was in love with Skye, but that was only a couple of weeks - perhaps it wasn’t love,” he shrugged, “but I wanted to be in love with her.”
“Wanted?”
”Want, I want to be in love with her. You really think you were in love with Sean?”
”I wanted to be near him all the time, and sure, sometimes I took advantage of the fact that I had him,” she paused, “do you think I’m shallow?”
”As a paddling pool,” Ben retorted and Danielle hit his chest before laughing.
”I’m serious, Ben!”
“Kind of,” Ben answered honestly, “but I also believe there’s room for you to change, if you want to. Maybe that’s why Sean did what he did, because you’re as shallow as a puddle and Skye’s deep and down to earth.”
”I can be deep,” Danielle pouted, “I’ll prove it, I’ll change and be deeper than… Than the cave with fell in.”
Ben chuckled, “or the lake.”
”Which I also fell in.”
“You like falling into things, don’t you?”
“Oh, ha ha,” Danielle rolled her eyes.
* * * * *
“That doesn’t make any sense,” Sean turned to Noah once Ben and Danielle had gone, “Ben and Danielle are nothing alike!”
”Yeah, but you and Ben are,” Noah pulled a face as he spoke to Sean.
“Well, not entirely.”
”What’s the difference that makes you desirable to Danielle and not Ben?”
”I’ve got… You know, well I’m more…”
”More?”
”Muscular? And I have more money.”
“Ouch, is that all you think Danielle is about?”
Sean shifted and crossed his arms, “I just don’t get it!”
”Maybe she heard about the bet.”
”What bet?”
Noah laughed, “remember when me and Kaylee had the bet about you and Ben,” he raised his eyebrows, “perhaps Danielle wanted someone with… Something bigger to offer.”
“You really think that’s why she’s with him?”
”And he has more trophies than you,” Noah cleared his throat and taunted Sean, “loser!”
Sean rolled his eyes, “I’m pretty sure Danielle cares more about money than…”
“Did you two ever… You know?”
“Yeah,” Sean shrugged as though the answer was a given, “we did.”
Noah made a ‘pfft’ noise and raised his eyebrows, clearly surprised, “how was it?”
Sean began to laugh, “it was good,” he paused and then instantly began to frown, “what if they do it and he’s better at it than I am?”
“Is your manhood really that fragile?”
“What? No!”
Noah hummed and nodded slowly, “well, whilst you worry about Ben being a better lover than you, I’m going to go talk to Kaylee - we’ve got a date to arrange, and don’t worry, I won’t tell Skye that you’re worried Ben will be actively better than you.”
Sean faked a laugh as Noah left him, he then groaned and let his head fall back. He looked up to the ceiling and wondered why this entire scenario was affecting him so much.
“Kaylee and Noah really placed a bet on who’s was bigger?” A voice snorted from behind Sean, he spun around and looked down at the redhead who was grinning up at him.
”Alex,” Sean awkwardly laughed, “you… heard that?”
”Yeah, I also heard that Ben’s bigger, does Skye know that?”
”I don’t think Skye really cares about that.”
”Then why are you so worried about Danielle caring,” Alex glared up at him, “alright, I’m going to just go ahead and say it. You’re pathetic.”
“What?”
”Did you ever have a thing for Ben’s ex? That Ana girl? Because it wouldn’t be surprising. Ben gets girls, and you get all sorts of jealous.”
“That’s-”
”Totally right, I know,” Alex nodded, “P-A-T-H-E-T-I-C, you are pathetic.”
“Can you stop saying that?”
”Have you ever had that song by The Killers? You know,” she threw her arms out and began singing loudly, “JEALOUSY, TURNING SAINTS INTO THE SEA, SWI-”
Sean covered Alex’s mouth with his hand, “you are going to scare away the guests.”
Alex continued to talk even with Sean’s hand over her mouth, “amf moofim muh demoss,” Sean pulled his hand away and gave her a look, she sighed and repeated her words, “and proving you’re jealous.”
“I am not jealous.”
“Sure, okay,” Alex snorted and began walking past Sean, she turned back, “can I place a bet that Ben’s a better lover than you?”
“Shut up.”
“I’m going to do it!” Alex called out as she walked away.
Sean shook his head and looked out of the door to the Lodge, he couldn’t see Danielle and Ben any more, instead he contemplated what he was feeling - Alex and Noah were both right, Sean was jealous and he wanted what Ben had.