Ran Right Into Him

Chapter 18

Three days later discharge papers had been signed my Ben was free to leave tomorrow morning. His mom had come to visit him since she's been away for business. After she left, I laid next to Ben playing with his hand and comparing the size difference between mine and his.

"You know everyone thinks we're married," Ben remarked suddenly.

"Yeah. I would have corrected them but I just thought it was nice," I admit, blushing.

"Maybe it's a sign, maybe we should get married."

"You know I'm only 16, right?"

"But you're a junior?"

"Yeah, but my birthdays in the spring, right before we graduate. May 16, 2006. I just turned 16 at the end of sophomore year."

"Jesus, you're just a baby."

"Shut up I'm only a few months younger than you anyways."

"So you'll be 17 when you graduate?"

"Yeah."

"So as of January 8, 2024, I'll be dating a minor?"

"Yep. Shame on you."

"Well in my book, you're worth going to jail for."

I hate when he compliments me like that because I have nothing to say back. I mean I don't hate it but you know what I meant.

"You know you don't have to compliment me back every time I compliment you."

"How'd you know that's what I was thinking?"

"Cus you said it out loud," he answered, cracking up.

"Stop laughing at me you jerk," I said, even though I was laughing to.

"I can't help myself, your inner monologue is hilarious."

"If you don't stop laughing at me I won't bring you In & Out for lunch anymore." I said turning away from him.

"Hey that's no fair. Don't threaten my In & Out like that."

But I was set in my ways. I could still hear his little chuckles behind me though so I upped the risk, "If you don't stop laughing then no kisses for a week."

Now he's quiet. I turned back around to find this grown man pouting like a toddler. I give him a little peck on the lips to cheer him up but it does little damage. I roll my eyes but oblige to his needs and kiss for at least 10 seconds. Sometimes I swear I'm dating a 4 year old in a 16 year olds body.

(Author's note: this chapter was so hard to do. I had to do tons of math and counting to make sure their birthdays and graduation dates lined up and made sense with their ages but I decided to change Melanie's age to 16 and Ben is soon turning 17 (spoiler alert 🚨). I also had some trouble recently remembering what some details about my characters look like so here are their descriptions below 👇:

Melanie: Raven hair, pale white skin, lots of light colored freckles, emerald green eyes, 5'1, girl, relatively skinny

Benjamin: shaggy brown hair, "normal" white skin, ocean blue eyes, chiseled jaw (and abs), 6'1, boy, not buff or skinny but more lean with just the right amount of muscle.

The rest of their looks is up to ✨✨your imagination ✨✨)