Joe.
Ben picked me up ten minutes early and Lucy literally pushed me out of the house before I could speak. Ben finally met Gwilym and the two won't shut up about being British so Rami had to shut the door so we can leave.
"Where are we going?"
We're in his car right now and obviously he's confused because in England the driver's seat is on the left side. His car has the driver's seat on the right side. He's blushing and it's adorable. Plus he didn't answer my question because he's just fixated on the steering wheel.
"Ben!"
He jumped sightly and turn to me. "Oi."
"Do you want me to drive? I can drive just tell me the direction—"
"No no no. I'm driving. Trust me I can handle this. I just got overwhelmed. This is the same car I'm using for a week now. I can drive. Trust me please—"
"Hey, calm down alright? I trust you." I chuckled and buckled up my seat belt. I'm in the shotgun seat by the way.
"Fastened?" I said, asking about his seatbelt that's still not around his body. I sighed, hovering over him so I can reach for the thing and buckle him up. I didn't mean to do it on purpose but our cheeks brushed against each other, making his breath hitched and looked away as I finally got ahold of the seatbelt. I quickly fastened it around him and went back to my seat, coughing slightly.
Okay, it was super awkward.
He didn't say much on the first five minutes of us driving out of the neighborhood but he keeps looking over the side mirror to glance at me, I guess? I just focus my eyes on the road actually then I realized it was so quiet. I tried to scan my eyes on the dashboard. Aha.
Do you mind if I plug my phone to the aux cord?" I asked, pulling my phone out of my pocket. It took me several begging until Lucy gave it back to me.
He shrugged his shoulders as he continues to drive. "Go ahead."
I hummed as I scroll through my playlists, clicking on one. "You know Queen, right?" I asked as '39 started playing. (cue Roger's falsetto ~)
"Who doesn't know Queen?" He responded, beaming. I swear his smile can light up the whole room and I would pay for him to just smile like that all day.
I didn't say anything and just smiled back to him, resting my back against the car seat and shut my eyes off. I don't know why but I feel like sleeping. Everything about this is calming my nerves. Brian May's voice, his presence beside me. God, his presence.
"Hey you didn't answer my question!" I sat up and slap his arm lightly, earning myself a giggle from him.
"I thought you wouldn't ask—"
"I asked earlier!"
"Oh, well we're here."
"Um what?"
"Come on." He quickly shut the car engine off as soon as the parked on the sidewalk, under the shade of this large tree. I ran my eyes around the place and though I know we're still around Hyde Park, this is unfamiliar. It looks peaceful though and I can see several people walking.
He knocks on the door beside me and I gasped, clutching my hand against my chest. Ben opened the door and grabs me by my wrist. "It's fine. We're not lost. We're here." He said calmly and soothing. Who could resist that, I mean?
I sighed and let him drag me out of the car and we head towards this cliff, I backed out quickly when I saw how deep it was.
"Woah whoa hold the fuck up—"
He bursted out laughing and stares at me fondly. "It's fine! There's a handmade stairs so we can walk down to the river." He explained.
"There's a river down this cliff?!"
He drew closer to me and took my hand. "Yes and it's pretty. You'll love it. Come on now, we're not gonna fall and roll down if that's what you're thinking now."
"Boy, I couldn't agree more I'd rather fall for you though." I thought that I only said it in my head but based on reddened cheeks Ben has now I know that's not what happened.
"I could say the same thing." He said and although it's almost a whisper my ears caught it. I heard it.
Oh boy, this man is gonna give me heart attack.
We reached the edge of the cliff and he was right, there's a handmade stairs that leads down to whatever it is but Ben said it was river. The trees are covering the scenery so I'm excited. He stepped into the stair first, looking up to me as he tuck his hand out. "Joey?"
Joey. I could get used to that.
He looks like a prince waiting for his princess (in case, prince) to take his hand so they can walk together with fingers intertwined. I find it amusing that he seems to be really some old-fashioned guy. Regardless, I took his hand and like what I've been thinking, we walked down hand in hand until I can no longer see the sky above. Just leaves from trees and some sun rays seeping through the spaces.
Man the place is beautiful. With the clear blue river rushing towards I don't know and few rock formations where people can sit and a little garden of daisies. There is a little fucking garden of flowers. I blinked. It is indeed pretty and I love it.
I felt a hand on top of my shoulder and I knew it was him when his scent hit my nose. "So?"
"I love it." I said right away, turning around to see the brightest emeral eyes I've seen. (made a mistake of describing Ben's eyes as blue because I was thinking of Roger's sksksks sorry) I'm attracted to this man, I can now confirm.
But it's just a week of meeting him! I don't know much about him other than he quit military for unknown reasons and he acts like he's relative to Mister Jim and he loves old stuff— Gwilym said and I can notice why he would say such thing.
It doesn't matter though, I have tons of time to know him more and I couldn't think of anything I would hate about him, even if there is one I would totally ignore it.
"Joe." Ben tapped my cheek with his fingers.
"Hmm?"
He smiled and again, took my hand so we can walk further — gesturing I should take a seat on one of the big ass rocks here which I did. I started admiring the crystal clear river.
"So how'd you find this place?" Curiousity got into me as soon as I realized that he doesn't remember much of his birthplace but knows this hidden paradise.
He stood silent for a moment, staring at the river before speaking. "My grandpa found this place when he fell off the cliff catching the paper airplane I made."
This time, I took my gaze off the water and fixated them on him, nodding softly encouraging him to talk more because I'm listening.
"It cost him to break some of his bones but when he saw this he quickly yelled asking me to follow him down. I saw the stairs though they're just blocks of rock that you can step on I followed him and right there I fell inlove with it. The flower beds were Grandma's work. He took her here on their 50th year and I helped Grandpa surprised her with a date. It was cute." He was smiling but tears were forming from the corners of his eyes until it fell down.
Now I know why. Who the fuck would forget about this place anyway? This is a sanctuary.
"Ben.." I'm scared how my mind started drawing conclusions to what happened to his grandparents so I just moved closer to him, wrapping an arm around him as I rub his back. "It's fine if you don't want to continue talking about it but I just want to say this place is wonderful and I'm thankful that you took me here and asked me to accompany you."
He smiled at me but it didn't reach his eyes. "I'm glad you love it."
"I do. I do love it, Ben." It was my turn to tap his cheek lightly with my hand, letting it rest against his skin for a brief moment until both of our eyes meet. I've met people with green eyes but clearly, his are outstanding. His lips were inviting. No one could resist that plump lips.
Slowly, his face scooted closer and I found myself leaning towards him. Seconds later, my heartbeat raced.
And our lips connected.
𝐈𝐌 𝐒𝐎 𝐁𝐀𝐃 𝐀𝐓 𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐂𝐑𝐈𝐁𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐂𝐄𝐒 𝐁𝐔𝐓 𝐈 𝐇𝐎𝐏𝐄 𝐈 𝐃𝐈𝐃 𝐉𝐔𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐄 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐄 𝐃𝐀𝐘𝐒 𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐋 𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐘'𝐒 𝐁𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐇𝐃𝐀𝐘