Evelyn's Pov
"Long time no see, beautiful," he says. My breath gets caught in my throat.
"Hi, Benjamin." I turn my seat, making myself more comfortable and looking directly at him, momentarily forgetting that Liam's arm is around my chair, and he doesn't let go.
"Hey, Evelyn," he smiles, and my stomach fills with butterflies. I'm so nervous; I could almost vomit.
But why do I feel like this? It's only the second time we've had a proper conversation. I promised myself and my mother that I wouldn't fall head over heels for a guy in college, especially an ice hockey player (Dad's rule).
Sebastian and Ryan walk up behind Benjamin, both looking at me. Sebastian smiles and taps Ryan on the shoulder, saying, "See, I told you."
I open my mouth to speak to Benjamin, but Liam beats me to it. "Hey, Benjamin, what brings you over here?" Benjamin looks down at Liam's hand gripping my chair.
Liam's grip tightens when he realizes that Benjamin's attention is there. I love Liam so much; I've known him for all 20 years of my life. But he doesn't seem to understand that I'm not in love with him.
"I just saw Evelyn sitting over here and thought I should come over to say hi," Benjamin replies to Liam. His jaw was tight and the veins in his arm were strong and pulsing. Showing all his muscles in his arms and chest as the shirt clings to him.
"Oh, I should probably introduce you to the group. You know Liam already " I make my hand around. I point my finger at Aria "This girl next to me is Aria, and next to Liam is Caleb and Noah. Next to Noah are Lila and Stella."
" Hi everyone, sorry I don't mean to be rude and disturb anyone " Benjamin apologizes.
"Hi guys, I mean to disturb anyone and everyone. I'm Ryan Miller, I play Ice Hockey with this shit heads "Ryan introduces himself as he hits Sebastian on the back of his head. "Wait, oh wow," he exclaims, his eyes fixed on Lila.
"Hi," Lila replies, blushing.
Benjamin turns to me, and his gaze softens. "I was just wondering when the next time you'll be meeting up with the team. Coach said he forgot to ask for a schedule."
As Benjamin's question hangs in the air, the atmosphere at the table becomes charged with a blend of curiosity and amusement. Harper, Lila, and Stella exchange wide-eyed glances, their cheeks tinted with blushes that give away the silent understanding passing between them. Noah and Caleb, on the other hand, wear expressions of confusion, exchanging puzzled looks that silently communicate their shared bewilderment. Aria giggles at this interaction.
Caleb, strategically positioned between Liam and Noah, leans over to nudge Liam's arm, a questioning look on his face. "Dude, what's going on?" he asks, trying to make sense of the unexpected thing that is going on.
Meanwhile, Sebastian, with an undeniable air of triumph, smirks behind Benjamin and turns to Ryan. "I told you, you idiot. You owe me twenty bucks."
Ryan, refusing to admit defeat just yet, shoots back, "Nothing has happened yet, so I owe you nothing, Seb." It escalates between the two friends as Sebastian playfully starts hitting Ryan, and Ryan tries to hit Sebastian in his sensitive area. Sebastian nearly trips, dodging Ryan's attempt, and almost lands on me.
Instantly, both Benjamin and Liam extend their arms to shield me. Benjamin grabs Sebastian first, outmaneuvering Liam in the process. Aria, witnessing the unexpected turn of events, is clearly taken aback. I can almost read her mind - Sebastian is undeniably attractive, a fact I had acknowledged the first time I laid eyes on him when we bumped into each other. She runs her tongue over her lips, her eyes giving him an up-and-down appraisal.
Sebastian, seemingly aware of Aria's scrutiny, stops in his tracks, staring at her in shock. The moment hangs in the air until Ryan jolts Sebastian back to reality with a punch. "Enough, Miller cut it out."
"Hello there, gorgeous. What's your name?" Sebastian flirts with Aria, who blushes at the attention. He confidently moves closer to her.
"Aria Waters. Nice to meet you," she says with a smirk. "What's your name?"
"Sebastian Thorne, baby," he replies.
"Well, my name could be Aria Thorne rather if you like?" Aria flirts back, biting her lip. Their playful exchange is captivating, and it's hard to deny the chemistry between them. Aria, with her hazel eyes and a blend of dark and light brown hair, complements Sebastian's striking emerald green eyes and silky golden blonde hair. It's a visual match that could lead to a stunning couple. I won't even lie, they would make beautiful children.
"Oh, I like it, prefer it actually," Sebastian replies.
The attention shifts to Liam as he begins to speak.
"Oh, there are only 8 chairs, and my friend group already filled them," Liam states, his tone lacking any hint of an apology.
"That's no problem, Liam. Lila and I were planning on leaving anyway. We have to do some things for our art project. Let's go now," Stella suggests, swiftly resolving the issue.
"It was very nice to meet you both," Lila adds as she packs up her belongings.
"Yeah, it was," Stella chimes in. She stands next to Benjamin, whispering something into his ear that escapes my hearing.
"Thanks, I appreciate it, Stella," Benjamin smiles at her. Although we're not a couple or even friends, an unexpected pang of jealousy hits me, and I don't like it one bit. But, I trust Stella; she's my friend and wouldn't do anything to hurt me.
As Lila and Stella walk away from the table, Ryan shifts from his spot, where he'd been for about 30 minutes, and takes Lila's seat." Finders keepers, lovers weepers Sebastian " he smirks.
"Oh, there's only one spot left, and there are two of you guys," Aria observes. I know she has a plan; she always does, even in the last minute.
The table falls into silence, everyone waiting for someone to suggest a solution. Aria, true to form, breaks the silence.
"Since no one has a plan, how about this?" Aria stands up, and nudges Benjamin into her vacated seat next to me. He goes along with it, sitting down. Aria then takes Sebastian's hand. "Is this alright?" she whispers to him.
"Yes," his face appears mesmerized by her. Aria moves to Stella's spot, situating Sebastian between Benjamin and Ryan. She pushes Sebastian into Stella's seat. Once he's settled, she sits on his lap, his arm wrapping around her waist for security. "Is this okay?" she asks, her words intended for his ears.
"Definitely," he replies. "Fuck you're so hot," he adds, holding her tighter. In the corner of my eye, I notice Noah staring at Aria and Sebastian. My heart aches for him; just like Harper's unrequited feelings for Liam, Noah is in the same boat as Aria. She has no idea that Noah likes her, but he hasn't made a move, which makes her oblivious to his feelings.
Noah's expression reflects heartbreak, and it's undeniably sad. "See, problem fixed, Liam," Aria declares, seemingly satisfied with her resolution.
As the chatter resumes at the table, Benjamin directs his attention to me. "So, about the schedule?" he queries.
Feeling a surge of bravery, I respond, "Is Coach asking, or are .....you asking for it ?"
Benjamin grins, appreciating the playful tone. "Let's say it's a bit of both. Coach wants to plan the team's upcoming sessions, and, well, I'm genuinely curious about when we'll get to see you 'dazzle' us with your presence again. Plus I'll know how much more I get to see you "
The dual meaning in his words catches me off guard, and I can't help but blush slightly. "Well, Coach can expect to receive a message from me soon then," I reply with a teasing smile. "Can't keep the team waiting, right?"
Sebastian, who has been eavesdropping on our conversation, interjects, "Smooth moves, Benjamin. Evelyn, you've got yourself a charmer here."
Rolling my eyes playfully, I retort, "I'm not that easy to charm, Sebastian. Benjamin will have to put in a bit more effort if that's his actual goal." I glance at him, silently hoping Benjamin can't discern the erratic pace of my heart, assuming he's attempting to charm me.
"Well, we have to get going to practice. Come on, Ryan and Sebastian. Coach will have our balls if we're late, and I quite like mine."
"Do I really have to go?" Sebastian whines. "She only just sat down on me. Can't you tell Coach I'm like, sick or something?" He tightens his hold on Aria, who blushes to the point of resembling a tomato.
"Seb, come on. You can get to know Aria another time," Benjamin suggests, but Ryan butts in with a hearty laugh. "Preferably not with her sitting on your lap against your dic-"
Benjamin interrupts, "Ryan, stop. Come on, let's go."
He turns to me, a quick grin on his face. "I'll see you soon, bab- Evelyn," he corrects himself. "Let's go, guys." He basically runs out of here.
Bab? Babe? Baby? Oh my God.
"I hate to say this, but could you please get off me? I don't want to risk getting dropped from the team," he winces as she continues to move around on his lap, a look of discomfort etched on his face.If you can catch my meaning.
"Okay, Mr. Thorne, I'll catch up with you soon." She plants a kiss on his neck, rising from his lap. Sebastian stands, retrieving his bag from the floor, and affectionately kisses Aria on the forehead. "See you later, baby."
Turning towards us, he adds, "See you guys later," then directs his attention to me, "Bye, Evelyn. We and Benjamin will see you very soon." With a smirk, he strides away.
I glance at Noah, noticing Caleb's discreet attempts to comfort him, careful not to draw attention, especially from Aria. Noah appears utterly heartbroken, struggling to comprehend what just unfolded with the girl he likes. My heart aches for him.
As Ryan rises and waves his goodbye, I overhear him teasing Sebastian, "You just met that girl, and already you're smitten with her. She sits on your lap, kisses your neck, calls you Mr. Thorne, and you and her are already thinking of her as Mrs Thorne? You're mad, Seb."
"Ryan Miller, let me drop some wisdom on you. Sometimes, when you meet someone, there's this undeniable connection, and yeah, I've had my fair share of fun, but this one, I'm telling you, could be the real deal," Sebastian shares with a sincerity that I can see surprises even him.
"And hey, don't think I missed the way you were eyeing that Lila girl. So, let's not throw stones in glass houses, loverboy," Sebastian smirks, the banter intact as they walk away.
I turn to Aria, my mouth wide open. "What in the hell just happened?"
She turns to me. "The part where Benjamin was practically drooling all over you, wanted your schedule so he could stalk you, and nearly called you baby or babe. Or are you asking about Seb and me?"
"A bit of both."
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A/N Hi everyone it's me the author. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please don't forget to like, comment, and follow if you want but I would greatly appreciate it.
Question:Who do you want Aria to end up with Sebastian or Noah?
What are your thoughts on Lila and Ryan?
Who do you like better Liam and Evelyn or Benjamin and Evelyn?
See you soon!