Good Girl (Ben Bruce)

6

Rowan-
"Where are we going?" Ben huffed as I dragged his long arm into the library.

"Would you quiet down? It's a library people are studying." I hissed at him.

"I've managed to avoid this library for years." He huffed. "Why should I follow you into it now?"

"Just shut up and follow me." I rolled my eyes, walking in and leading him up a stairwell and to a bookshelf that I pushed to the side to reveal a hidden staircase.

"What is this?" He looked puzzled.

"I wanted to thank you for the other night, and I couldn't exactly take you off campus so this is the closest I can go. This is my place. My dad built it for me when he built this school, somewhere for me to go when I felt sad or just needed some time to myself."

I stepped in, closing the door behind us as we walked up the staircase up to the large loft.

Ben smiled.

"I like it. It's cozy."

"I'm glad. Please just don't show your friends or anything like that. I'm sharing it with you because I trust you not to share it."

"I wouldn't dream of it Rowan." He gave my hand a squeeze as we sat down on the cushions near the large window.

We began to quietly work on out anatomy homework when he suddenly grabbed my book and put it beside him, grabbing my hands in his lightly.

"What are you doing?" I raised my eyebrow, pulling back lightly before relaxing my hands in his when he rubbed his thumbs over my palms.

"You fascinate me. I want to get to know you."

"You're not the type of guy who wants to get to know people Ben...." I trailed off, looking down.

"You read me the wrong way Rowan. I'm not interested in getting to know girls. But I'm interested in getting to know you. You're different."

"And you're a cliche." I rolled my eyes.

"Rowan." He sighed. "I'm not. There's more to me than cigarettes and parties. I thought you of all people would be able to see past the surface."

"Then let me see past the surface Ben. Open up tell me all the stupid mushy stuff you do because you seem like you have no emotions sometimes."

"Well I play guitar pretty damn well, and I sing a little bit."

"You do?" I smiled.

He nodded.

"Acoustic or electric?"

"Both. I only sing with acoustic though."

"You'll have to sing for me sometime."

"I don't know." He chuckled.

"Stage fright?"

"Not at all. I'm in a band. But you scare me without me even having to talk, so singing in front of you would be a nightmare."

"I scare you?" I raised my eyebrow.

"You're terrifying Rowan."

"I'm five foot two and I weigh like one o five pounds, how am I terrifying?"

"The way you know where you are going when you graduate. The way you carry yourself with confidence even though people here glare at you because of who you are."

"That's just ignoring people and having a plan." I laughed.

"Well you do it well. And not gonna lie, it's hot."

"Hot?" I laughed. "Nothing I do fits the definition of hot."

"Not in the usual sense Rowan. You're different and you have no problem being different here."

"I'm not so different than you." I bit my lip.

"Prove it. Meet me in the rec center tonight at midnight."

"Why?"

"Don't ask questions."

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It was midnight and I stood in the rec center in leggings and a baggy t-shirt, my normally straight hair in a braid.

Usually at this time of night I would be asleep, but there I stood, looking at my phone.

I felt a pair of arms snake around my waist and jumped, looking up to see Ben.

"You scared me."

"Nothing to be scared of." He chuckled.

"On the contrary there is lots to be scared of when it comes to you."

"Well what we are doing tonight isn't scary." He chuckled.

"What are we doi-" I was cut off as Ben suddenly shoved me into the cold pool.

I swam to the surface, sputtering and coughing.

"Ben what the fuck?" I glared up at him.

"You asked what we were doing." He laughed.

"You could have used your words and asked if I wanted to swim."

"Where's the fun in that?" He chuckled. "Here I'll help you out." He offered me his hand.

I took it and yanked him into the pool, smirking.

"Whoops." I laughed as he surfaced.

"Becoming a bad girl." He laughed, splashing me.

"No way. Just having a little fun."

"I'll show you my definition of fun sometime." He grabbed his shirt and took it off, throwing it to the side of the pool, revealing his chest tattoo.

"That's beautiful." I gazed at the two swallows on his chest.

"Thanks." He smiled. "I'll tell you about it sometime."

"I'd like that."

"I like you." He grabbed my waist, pulling me to him, biting his lip as he looked into my eyes.

Did Ben want to kiss me?

He leaned in as the rec center doors opened and he said 'fuck'.

Before I could blink, Ben was gone and my dad was standing over the pool.

"When I said full use of the facilities I didn't mean at midnight." He laughed, grabbing a towel and handing it to me.

"Just needed to clear my head." I smiled, seeing Ben hiding in a doorway.

"I'm just gonna go adjust the heater." My dad turned towards Ben and I grabbed his arm, turning him away from Ben.

"It's a great temperature. Let's go home."

With that I led my dad out the door and gave Ben a 'you're welcome' glance.

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A/N: This chapter is kinda all over the place but oh well.