Chapter Text
"So you bluntly decided to be a traitor," Rey says, barely a growl under her breath.
She tries to reach for her tote bag, knocking out an empty energy drink in the process, not really waiting for a response.
Mostly because there's no response for what Rose did behind her back yesterday and is purposely blurting out now, at the point of no return. Is this the girl she calls her her twin flame? Her ride or die? Once-in-a-life-time platonic soulmate? Bullshit.
The whole situation is bullshit.
She can't stand him, and the sentiment is mutual.
But of course. Knowing the bastard, he's doing it to rub it in her face at the first opportunity.
Leave it to Ben Fucking Solo to put his stupidly long nose into Rey's business time and time again. It's almost like he lives for the look of disgust she throws at him whenever they’re forced to interact.
Though Rose is the one to blame here. Let's not overlook that. The credit has to be given where credit is due and all that.
Speaking of. She's right at Rey's ankles, walking around the mess they made last night to get to the kitchen. Pieces, boxes, takeout packages, and more pieces of different puzzles can be found on the floor, on the dinner table, and pretty much every other surface. A last minute training, Rey had begged, which resulted in both of them going to sleep past 2 AM.
"Ah yes. Asking a friend to cover on such a short notice and basically saving the day is considered an unforgivable betrayal now. Gotcha."
They're sort of late to get on the road. St. Paul is over two hours away and they need to get to where the competition takes place before the doors open. So Rey basically does a once over of her checklist. They've signed up for Teams and Duos this time, since Poe and Finn only ever solve puzzles together, and supposedly should be coming and are definitely not on a ten-hour flight to England to visit Finn's family. Now Individuals are out of the question for her. She'll have to rely on the two rebounds and adjust to their techniques—or, for what she's guessing—the complete absence of it.
Thanks a lot, guys.
It seems nothing is amiss. She shoves two extra puzzle trays into her bag, just in case. "He's not my friend. In fact, I can't even fathom the reason why you guys keep him around. He's an asshole, Rose."
"Ben is nice," her friend says over her shoulder, opening the fridge to get their home made sandwiches for the trip. When she turns, Rey is glaring. "No, he is. It's just that he has a closed off personality."
"I suppose looking down on us from his high pedestal is part of it?"
"Just an observer type."
"Remember that night when Poe told us about how he got fired from his last job? Ben laughed. Laughed. Right in his face. An insensible prick, that's what he is."
"It's called dark humor, Rey. He was trying to comfort Poe in his own way."
Rey rolls her eyes before getting the coat by the hanger and unlocking the front door. "Nothing I say will have an effect on you, will it?"
"If you really want to go today, get over it, all right? We should be thankful he's agreed to come along after, let me remind you, everyone else let us down."
Right. She has a bitter taste in her mouth. Kaydel, Jessika and Tallie are also going straight to her blacklist.
Rose forces her outside with a little push just as Hux's black sedan turns the corner, and she bites back a bitchy reply.
It was supposed to be a day of celebration. Hundreds of people sharing the same love for jigsaw puzzles and speed puzzling, and maybe, just maybe, Rey could aim high and secure a place on the podium—or, even better, bring home the Nationals trophy! But now, Rey isn't so sure she'll have any fun or a real chance at all.
Not with the professional buzzkiller breathing down her neck. Watching her every little movement. Making remarks.
Well, metaphorically breathing down her neck, of course. She doesn't make a habit of picturing her and Ben in close proximity. Ever. Nor does she tolerate him in her personal space.
She hardly remembers his existence on a daily basis, for that matter.
And if her mind is full with him and very little room for the competition, it's entirely her friends' fault.
Anyway.
🧩🧩🧩
Far from a morning person, Hux and his weasel face predictably greet them with a scowl. Though Rose's kiss starts to smooth his features a little, admittedly.
Rey can see the wheels in his head as he tries for an amicable approach in favor of his girlfriend and this little adventure, and Rey thinks it's sort of nice. They've been official for three months—he’s still in the test zone—and what better proof of commitment than going to an event that means the world for Rose and Rey's friendship?
They load the trunk fast as the wind blows violently, each gust a slap against their bones. Then, safely tucked away from the cold at the backseat, Rey welcomes the heat. Her yellow scarf that had been blocking her mouth and cheeks goes loose.
That's Minnesota in January, folks.
She unlocks her phone, checking the messages from a Puzzler's Facebook group while Hux and Rose set up the directions. She bites her thumbnail while the other hand scrolls. Apparently the college girls she’d met previously at a smaller competition in Rochester won't be able to make it. And the family from Denver with matching shirts has been at a hotel in downtown Minneapolis since last night. Scrolling more through the posts, she gets embarrassed at the amount of questions being asked that could easily be found on the official website.
But Rey has to remind herself this is a new sport, barely heard of, and its audience is mainly composed of kids, old people and families. Ah, yes. Especially families. Both a sore spot for her and the reason she's into it, if she's being honest.
"Babe- I think you're leaving Ben behind? His condo is on the opposite side of town."
Rey's head shot up immediately. So much so, her neck cracks a little. She really should go back to those online yoga classes she still has a 6-months subscription for.
Hux calmly changes the radio station, slow to reply as never before. Can he tell she's holding herself perfectly still? "Ah, about that. He prefers to go with his own car. We'll meet up in the queue or something."
Good. No chance of being trapped with him in a car for hours on end. A victory. She should perch in the car's window and set off fireworks in celebration.
What she does do instead is sprawl out in the backseat, relaxing her rigid position a little. Why does she have to be such a weird breed of animal?
Strictly speaking, Rey has two things consuming her thoughts and well— just chill, girl.
It's just some silly guy who gets out of bed every day on the wrong foot, making it everyone's problem he's a complete imbecile.
And the championship? Although it has National in the name, the first place gets a $1,000 check and a handshake for being the fastest puzzler in the whole country.
Ah. And okay. A plastic trophy, too.
But it's a cute plastic trophy that will match wonderfully with Rey's little puzzle corner at home.
"Rey, you okay back there?" Rose asks, holding the head rest with one arm around it, just so she has enough room to shift slightly and get a glimpse of Rey. She sports a pout as she says, "you seem too quiet for my liking. You didn't even bother to sing along with me and do Tom Fletcher's part in Star Girl."
"Oh? Sorry about that. I uh… I guess I'm a bit eager for today and I want to get there, like, now. Just a dash of impatience, really." And the dumb anxiety hamster wheel in my brain is already spinning like crazy, every smallest nuisance is the end of the world and fuck, this is typical of me, she doesn’t say.
"Hey now, quit it with the mood. You've been practicing non-stop for weeks. And let’s not pretend this hasn't been your hobby for like what, a decade? And I'm not so bad myself, even though I'm a little rusty. I promise we won’t embarrass you in front of all these puzzle nerds, right, Armie?"
She has a point, of course. Rey may not be like Rose—enthusiastic in the right amounts and brilliant in everything she sets out to do—but that's her thing. She wants this.
Hux responds with a hum, almost begging to be excluded from the coaching pep talk. Rey has to refrain from laughing despite herself.
But it feels good. To have someone like Rose care about you so much to the point of going miles off their way to make you happy—who'll threaten others to do the same.
🧩🧩🧩
"Look, we're here!" Rose announces a couple of hours later, overshadowing the robotic voice from Hux's annoying GPS.
The building is exactly like the photos; an exposed brick looking place that's a perfect match for a medium sized event like this one. It doesn't go unnoticed by Rey though that a crowd is forming. People coming and going while carrying cameras and equipment and chatting in small circles.
A shiver crosses her spine. Ok. Ok. The shit's real.
The whole event will be live on YouTube and some teams are asked to give interviews and all that and it kind of shakes her. The thought of it.
Because, the thing is, she knows who might be watching.
Her crappy ex-boyfriend of two years, Beaumont. And his family.
Probably, at this time of the year, at the spacious holiday house in Iron Mountain. Where she'd spent so many weekends before. And with a handful of core memories, Rey's positive she can go back in time if she closes her eyes hard enough.
Absolutely none of them are related directly to Beaumont and his stupid ass, that's for certain.
Rey just really, really misses his family, and their Sundays together around a big table with good food and their 9000-piece puzzles collections that needed to be stored in the library, otherwise Mrs. Kin would get them all mixed up, and their dog Bentley that had a fascination with the neon stopwatch Granny gave Rey one Christmas that she still has with her—
"Crap. No parking space. I'll get you to the entrance and let you go," Hux says, stopping abruptly. The warning lights go on. "There must be a parking lot for the event that I can't see. I'm going around the block to check, eh?"
"You coming, Rey?" Rose askes, rushing to grab her purse.
Rey gives her a tight smile and nods. "Time to show them what we're made of!"
"Right!? That’s the spirit!" Rose goes first, disembarking on the sidewalk like a feather from the purest goose to ever grace the face of the Earth while Rey lands seconds later like a sack of potatoes. City's in a full blast, a symphony of chaotic energy and frenetic activity, and somewhere near, a car honks at them.
"Yeah," she says, more to herself, and she doubts Rose can hear her anyway, and she squares her shoulders. "Let's do this."
All Rey needs to do is be more positive and live in the moment. She's alright. Everything's alright.
🧩🧩🧩
Nothing is alright.
She knew it.
She just. Fucking. Knew it.
He's not in the giant queue that formed in the hallway, he's not talking to the people in CAN I HELP YOU shirts, he's not next to the vending machine or the water fountain close to the bathrooms.
Ben's not here, and she simply knew it.
From the first time they met, at a Friendsgiving organized by Poe, the impression she’d gotten was the worst. She remembers it well: they arrived together at the front of the building ("You're heading to Poe's too? I'm Ben.", "My name's Rey. With an E. Nice to meet you, Ben."), and when they went to speak to the doorman, it looked like they were a freshly married couple coming from their honeymoon in Bora Bora. Dressed in a light blue jumpsuit, she carried a casserole, while he wore a casual all black attire and carried drinks. Their movements were synchronized, little smiles and nervous side-eyes filling the silence in the elevator. Rey only flushed and flushed. But the good stuff ended there.
Long short story, Finn was in the shower and Poe had gone to get a last-minute something, so Rey did what anyone in her place would do: she started a real conversation. Which—she is not proud of her innocent self—she was very eager to have. Because initially… at first glance… it seemed like… she might have found Ben Solo hot.
Shocking. She knows.
But that's okay because he showed his true colors quick enough.
"I just got a text," Rose says, jumping Rey to the present. "Armie's having trouble with the parking QR code. I swear, he's a child when it comes to tech. I need to go help him out, ok?"
"Oh, no problem. Do you want me to come with you?"
"Absolutely not. Someone has to stay to hold our position in the line. Have you forgotten the moment those doors open, it's a fight to the death to get a good table?!"
Rey retrains a huff. Of course she knows that. She had told Rose how it works beforehand.
It's not like it'll make a difference, is what she wants to say. With one person missing, we have no chance of solving a 1,000-piece puzzle faster than the others.
She nods instead.
The whole place is packed at this point, and she tries to listen to what the group in front of her is discussing. Rey doesn't have the heart to tell them the line has moved. They're trying to guess today's puzzles, are willing to bet money…
…He did it to hurt her. She's sure of it.
Because the truth is; Ben doesn’t take this seriously.
Yes, Rose was the one asking him to come, and Rey has no idea what made him say yes, but it's known knowledge among her group of friends that jigsaw puzzles are Rey's obsession. Rey. The girl he spends the majority of his time bickering with.
This is just- a gobsmacking level of evil.
Which shouldn't affect her that much, and she shakes her head in total disbelief for being such a baby.
She thinks about checking her phone but a hand grabs her upper arm and she startles. Rey turns at the same time a seven-pack Marlboro worth of a voice—but not quite that—says, "Hey."
Her pulse jumps a little at the sight of him. He's right in front of her, huge in all amounts. But like, in the worst way.
He looms over and doesn't break eye contact, showcasing a mane of meticulously put together hair combined with a thin 3-day-old beard, and warm brown eyes.
She points her chin up. "So now you're here. Glad to see that you gave the grace of your presence after all."
Ben tilts his head slightly. People from behind them rush him to take more steps. Their shoes nearly touch. "Good to see you too, Rey." He displays a smirk. That crooked, closed-mouth smirk of his. "Where's the others?"
"Out. Something about the parking lot ticket. But they were here in time, you know."
"For the record, I arrived first," he states, sober. "Ask Hux, I sent him a message. But since you were taking a while, I decided to take a walk around."
Rey's lips form a thin line. "Great."
"Too bad you can't lecture me this time." His grin grows. "But I do find it funny when you're mean to me."
Rey can't believe this guy. As if he doesn't like to impose his nonsense on others on a daily basis. She hates the fact that she's moody today while Ben is competing with the sun itself. This fucker.
"Yeah, yeah. Very funny. So, what's the plan? Just between you and me."
"Plan? I hear you're the pro here."
"You're coming along with this, in a Sunday no less, to stay on Rose and Hux's good side. Yes or no?"
"I- What?"
"No one in their right mind believes that you traveled 95 miles to do something that you don't even bother to do at my house." In fact, he only ever goes to their Friday nights at the local pub, and doesn't stay long enough to catch Poe deep in his cups. "Besides, I know you and Hux are getting closer."
It takes a whole minute for him to respond, and when he does it, he looks somewhere above her shoulder like the coward he is. "I thought it was an invitation. Was it not?"
Her turn to stay silent.
"This is bullshit, Rey."
"It's not bullshit if I'm stating facts."
A muscle ticks in Ben's jaw. "Have you considered that I actually wanted to be here?" He extends his arm towards her and she stares blankly at the plastic cup. Determined to look unimpressed. He's had the 4-cup holder with him the whole time.
"Poison?"
"Espresso and steamed milk." He pauses. "Whipped with cream on top."
It doesn't go unnoticed by her that his own order, the only one without a lid, is a plain black coffee. She accepts anyway because that's the price of enduring his soulsucking presence.
She takes a tentative sip and goddammit, it's delicious. It fills her mouth with an explosion of flavors. Just the aroma alone gets into her, and she's tempted to try the odds and eat the steam.
He makes the wise choice to not look smug about it, so she continues drinking in.
At some point, she manages to balance the coffee and the clipboard with their application form that someone from the event handed to them in passing. Rey knew their registration number by heart, so she wastes no time filling it out.
"Jiggy Pudding?"
He's looming over her again. His shadow directly darkening the paper, and she wants to smack him until he leaves her alone or ruins his pretty face. Whichever is faster. It's nerve-wracking being watched. Especially by Ben.
"It's the team's name. We need one." At his bewilderment, she adds unwillingly: "I'm reusing the one Finn suggested last year."
"Hmm. I think we deserve a new name then."
She couldn't care less what he thinks. She returns to the task at hand, and when someone in front of her in line takes a step back, Rey makes a smear. Ugh. She's so fed up already. She just wants to play. And she's hungry. (She's always hungry.)
"How about Jiggy Junkies?"
Ben again. Rey grits her teeth.
"You have me in your team now. It's more suitable. I know you agree."
Jiggy Junkies. That's… actually a pretty good name.
"Fine," she bites out and when he smiles idiotically in return, she turns her back to him, moving the pen more forcefully than necessary.
Where are Rose and Hux, by the way?
She might as well drink their delicious coffee when Ben isn't looking.
But he always is. Somehow.
It's going to be a long day.