Balance: Benedict Bridgerton's Tale

Chapter 5: Falling

He realised that she would never be accepted by the ton; and he was sure that many a wicked tongue would be talking about them for a long time to come; which he did not mind but... they might mock her. Ridicule her at every function; and he could already see people whispering about them if they were to go to a play, or ball or wherever basically.

Alina was right. Absolutely right... but then why was his gut feeling telling him... that she, not some generic girl at a ball he was bored to tears of within seconds of dancing with them; might be the one for him. Benedict had never felt this way before; yes, he had his fair share of experience with women; but it was nothing compared to being with her. HE felt alive with her; he felt himself with her, somehow, not the second Bridgerton but Benedict and he didn't know why he felt like that, but he could also not ignore it.

"That may be so but"-' he began weakly but he did not know how to finish the sentence and so just sighed deeply. Alina didn't feel the need to finish his sentence for him; things were awkward as it was, so she once more stared at anywhere but him.

"You were talking about having to marry... Is there someone else?" he asked her out of the blue; pulling her out of her thoughts.

She looked at him, insulted and hurt; how dare he think she would cheat on her betrothed with him? She wanted to set the record straight and scold him for it, but she found eye contact with Benedict a bit too distracting, he was distracting her, and she knew if she looked at him long enough, they would undoubtedly kiss once more.

So, she shook her head and looked away. He sighed a breath of relief but then another thought crept into his head, and he needed to ask about it.

"Is there someone who might be taking an interest in you then??" he wanted to know with brows raised. She wanted to shake her head a second time but somehow, she thought of Tommy and stopped. It was odd to think of him at that moment, especially since he hadn't made his intentions clear, but her mother's words had apparently lingered.

"Who?" he inquired a tad... sternly she felt.

"No one" she said but she could tell that he didn't quite believe her.

"Are you certain there is not because if there is, I need to know". She didn't know what it was; her patience had gone dry perhaps, or she felt uncomfortable due to being in this 'interrogation' and felt her anger bubbling to the surface.

"There is no one and even if there was, I needn't have to explain things to you" she replied in a snippy voice to which he scoffed.

"Are you being serious right now?" he annoyedly retorted but she didn't reply; just full on glared at Benedict.

"As I said earlier; I have a right to know if- ".

"No, you don't" she cut him off suddey feeling annoyed by the interrogation.

"And how dare you even think that you do... It is a preposterous idea. WE are nothing to each other; you are nothing to me and- "...

She stopped talking as soon as she saw his disappointed gaze; the hurt in his eyes and she immediately regretted what she had said.

"Right... I see," he said, and this time it was he who averted his gaze from her. A moment of unbearable silence followed, and Alina couldn't bear it for long.

"Benedict" she said softly, and he turned to her in curiosity, wondering what she would say.

"I didn't mean it. ... I didn't mean what I said. You're not 'nothing' to me... It is not true. I'm sorry" she said with a contrite look. He only nodded but did not speak yet.