Rebel One (Now Published!)

Rebel One - 7

"So you dance?" Ben asked me from across the booth once Travis had left to go to the restroom. By now we had gotten our food, eaten, and were just waiting on the waitress to bring back our change.

I looked at Ben oddly, with one eyebrow raised. How did he know that? He definitely was loosing some of his scary aurora in the past meal, but that was about to go out the window.

"Excuse me?"

Ben chuckled and waved his hand dismissively, "I met you guys at the dance studio, remember? I highly doubt you were there because Trav recently took up an appreciation for ballet."

My mouth formed an O-shape as I felt my face heat up from embarrassment. I should have realized that. Thankfully, he didn't make fun of my temporary stupidity and just laughed lightly before speaking again.

"So how long have you been dancing?" he asked with a smile on his face as he rested a hand under his chin. He had Travis's ability to seem fully engaged in a conversation, which led do conflicting feelings running through me when I remembered he had a gun. Regardless, I decided to not think about what was currently stashed in the back of his jeans.

"Practically all my life," I gushed, "I started officially when I was four and haven't stopped since."

"Dedicated," he nodded. Unlike Travis, however, Ben seemed a lot calmer. 

"Yeah, I love it and just," I began gushing, "I'd like to go professional. I just can't get enough of it."

He nodded again, "I know how that goes."

"Really? What do you do for fun?" I asked, with my arms on the table and hands linked, I leaned forward. I was interested as long as it wasn't serial killing as a hobby.

The waitress returned with our change and I took my attention off of him for a few seconds to pocket the money.

"Reading is one of them," he said, "And tinkering with things, like computers. So what do you get out of helping Trav?"

I furrowed my eyebrows at the topic change. It's not like Travis wouldn't tell him if asked.

"He'll take me places out of the city."

Ben looked on in confusion and I sighed.

"I haven't been out of the city much."

He still looked confused as he leaned forward more, eyes slightly narrowed like he was thinking hard. With both of us leaning forward, I could see him in detail. His brown eyes that looked more like they belonged to a puppy dog. His chocolate hair flopped slightly over to one side as he tilted his head. Perhaps it was the innocent look to him that led me to act against my better judgment when he asked me the next questions.

"Why not?"

"My dad," I said in a low whisper, as I didn't tell many and I didn't even know why I was telling Ben.

"What about him?"

"My mom died awhile ago on a business trip and since then he's been paranoid about anything out of our city."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Ben's voice met my own in volume. 

"Don't worry about it," I smiled lightly because by now, I'd gone through enough morning and tried to see the brighter side of things, "It was a car crash awhile ago, he's just protective."

Ben nodded and leaned back.

"Can I ask you something?" I continued to whisper, scared of his answer. But I had just told him information about myself so maybe he would be more inclined.