Chương 16: Chapter Sixteen: Not Him
It was several moments before he realized what he was doing, and several more before he deepened their kiss. Her lips were soft and moist to the touch. Ben had probably never even kissed before but he knew how it felt from his memories of Peter's previous girlfriends. He probed her lips a little with his tongue and she invited him inside. It was warm, he explored her mouth and entangled with her tongue... It felt mutual and he liked the response she was giving him.
After five minutes it must have dawned on her what they were doing and she lightly pushed him away. As they parted he watched her for a reaction but he only caught one. Sadness. There was a gloominess in her eyes that made Ben regret what he had done.
"I'm sorry, Ben... But I have a boyfriend..." Jean's cheeks were bright red, it was like her complexion was competing with her hair color. She quickly turned away and ran out of the room. Leaving a frozen and confused behind Ben in her wake.
Five minutes later
Tabitha had been having a pretty decent morning, she slept throughout the night for a change, in a bed that wasn't half-ruined by another out of control student and she had her favorite breakfast that morning. Toast and Orange Juice. She was currently dancing down the hallway at the mansion in her usual manner, listening to her favorite song on her MP3 player when she spotted Jean.
The usually uptight redhead's face was flushed with redness, and she was walking down the hall so quickly that she knew it couldn't be natural. Something had happened and she wanted to figure out what. No offense to the other students here, but at the Brotherhood house, there was always something entertaining happening since she moved to this place she was getting really bored.
"Hiya, Chicca'"
At the sound, Jean froze, "Oh, hey Tabby... What are you doing out here?" She asked looking nervous Tabitha couldn't help but notice the blush that crept its way on to her cheeks.
"Just a little exercise before the day starts, and you wouldn't guess what I just saw?" Tabby was really just fishing for information, it was a game she liked to play at the Brotherhood house. Make someone think you knew their secret, and they end up spilling everything they originally wanted to hide.
Her face paled at her words, Tabby almost felt bad for fooling her now... But she was just so interested.
"You saw it?" Jean asked almost in dejection.
She didn't answer just gave her a smile in return. She had played this game so many times with Toad and Blob, she felt she could win an award for best actress at this point... Maybe she should spend some time in the theater class.
"It's not what you think... he was just vulnerable, it didn't mean anything..." Jean was almost rambling at this point, "I I mean I have a boyfriend and... it just wouldn't work out. And he wasn't thinking about me it was her... maybe... I don't know!" Her voice was turning whiny like she was about to cry.
"Whoa slow down Red!" Tabby said grabbing a hold of the girl's arms. "You need to get this out. Hold on a sec... Kitty! Damage control... Now" She hadn't realized what the girl was dealing with was so huge. Honestly, she didn't know her as well as other girls around here when she spotted the sophomore out of the corner of her eye she knew back up was going to be needed for this.
7:45 AM Dining room
Ben was sitting down for breakfast after changing in the locker room, while his other teammates were giving him dirty looks but he was too preoccupied to notice. He really just wanted to kick his own ass for what he had just done. 'I am a moron! A complete and utter idiot... Who just kisses girls like that?!' Ben had considered literally kicking his own ass... He could do it he was flexible enough! He noticed Jean hadn't come down to go to school like everyone else that morning. He had asked Rogue if she had seen her at all. She had given him a hard look, and he wasn't sure if it was because of how he acted in practice this morning or because she knew he had kissed Jean. She only said that Jean had left earlier possibly with her boyfriend.
At those words, he had felt a small pang of jealousy inside his heart. 'Dammit you barely know the girl!' he scolded himself. Pushing those ugly feelings aside he just said "Oh ok, if you see her let her know I was looking for her... I I think I owe her an apology." She had offered him friendship and acceptance and he stuck his tongue down her throat.
'Damn I've messed this all up!' Ben thought darkly.
Rogue looked a little suspicious but nodded her head. Not having much to say to him after the stunt he pulled this morning she turned to walk away, but suddenly she paused. Looking back at him she met his eyes, "I never got to thank you for what you did that night..." At Ben's confused look she elaborated. "The night you saved us from the snipers. Although I believe we could have handled it ourselves even if you hadn't come. It was nice having back up." Smiling at the memory. "You have that too... backup I mean. You don't have to save the world alone." Patting his shoulder she left him with a similar warm feeling to how Jean did earlier. These X-men were just too nice...
'Gosh! I guess I better get to school before I end up kissing everyone here!' He thought jokingly.
AT THE SAME TIME ON THE STREETS OF BAYVILLE
Jean usually goes to school with Duncan but today she decided to walk with Kitty and Tabitha, the latter had confessed that she actually hadn't seen anything that morning. Jean didn't really like she had been tricked but she did need to speak with someone about the kiss. She didn't really have a best friend at the institute. Her friends at school wouldn't understand what she was going through because it involved her powers, and that wasn't something she could tell anyone about. These two would be her best option to get a third party opinion.
"So… Guys, I don't really understand what is going on." Kitty said looking every bit as confused as possible.
"It appears that Red here has a crisis of the heart," Tabby said causing Jean to go bright red again. At Kitty's surprised and happy expression she could feel the girl nearly exploding from pent up excitement.
"Oh, My GOD!!!" the squeal that came out of Kitty's mount surprised everyone around them. It was so high pitched that Tabitha expected a pack of wild dogs to rampage them at any moment. She was really starting to regret calling along for the ride. They didn't need teenage hype.
"Okay Adel, can you quiet down a little?" Tabby said rubbing her ears.
Jean just sighed she began to believe this was a pointless conversation.
BAYVILLE HIGH 10:45 AM
Ben had been going through the routine of the day he had just finished Trigonometry and he needed to stop by his locker to exchange his books. When he spotted her. The redhead he had been trying not to think about all day. She was leaning against a locker down the hallway, she had her books pressed to her chest and she was smiling at a joke someone was telling her. Ben wanted to look away but he couldn't quite make himself do so.
The boy was tall wearing a Letterman jacket and facing away from him. The way the blond towered above her he guess this was the boyfriend she had been talking about, apparently he must have been in some kind of sport. Images of Flash Thompson ran through his head... but before he let his opinion form and hate the guy just because of his past bully and some stupid jealousy.
He decided to come to terms with the fact that this was her life, she didn't need his judgment. She was a big girl and she probably chose a great guy...
Then he heard his laugh and pictures of the night he was moving into Mr. Brown's attic bedroom flashed before his eyes. Dear... GOD... NOT HIM!!!
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