MAKING A thirst trap with Devi simply for Paxton to see wasn't something that Kalani had seen herself doing whatsoever. He hadn't even liked the video and it had been up for several minutes.

And even though Devi claimed that everything was normal between her and Paxton, it didn't feel that way.

But he'd asked to work in a group with Devi. She ditched her friends for him while Eleanor and Fab worked together with Eve.

Meanwhile, Kalani had been stuck with Ben Gross and Johnny Slater as her partners.

"Presentations are due Monday."

Project was simple. Create an app the you'd think would save people from the past.

This was possibly the worst thing to ever happen to Kalani. She absolutely did not want to work with Ben and Johnny. The trio would most likely get the highest grade in the class in they worked on the project alone, but together as a group? They could only hope hell had frozen over.

Johnny was a clean cut kinda guy. Things needed to be done his way or they wouldn't get done at all.

Ben was a perfectionist. If a small speck of dust even touched the screen he'd be pissed off for months.

And as for Kalani, she just wanted everyone to get along. That's all she ever asked for.

Today was not that day.

"Jewber's a good idea. You guys are crazy." Ben said, "A ride-sharing all to help the Jews escape the Nazis? It's brilliant."

"The app tells anyone the exact location of a Jewish person. Anyone could find them, including Nazis."

"She's right."

Ben and Kalani broke eye contact to stare at Johnny. Never in their lives have they ever heard him speak.

"Fine." Ben scoffed, "What do you guys have?"

"I have an idea." Johnny said standing, "I work on this project alone."

He grabbed his bag from the floor and left the classroom.

Kalani sighed a shoved her things into her bag.

"Well, that was fun." Ben smiled.

"For you probably." Kalani said standing, "I'm not losing points on this project because we can't agree on what's good and what's not."

"I think Jewber's a brilliant idea."

Kalani sighed, "Look, I'll brainstorm some ideas tonight and try and convince Johnny to join our group. In the meantime, think about why Jewber isn't a good idea."

"Hey, wait." Ben called, taking Kalani's hands, "Trent's having a party tonight. You should come."

Kalani wasn't a party person and she never gone to a party with Ben. She'd never publicly been out and about with Ben ever, but it was party that many kids would get drunk at. So, why not.

THIS IS the exact reason why Kalani didn't do parties. She'd always into the house right after Ben and instantly spotted Devi.

"Shit." She muttered to herself. She tugged on Ben's arm, grabbing a couple of beer bottles in hand and ran upstairs.

Ben held a confused look on his face and watched as Kalani turned, her back pressed against the door. She opened the beer bottle and began chugging the drink.

"Okay," Ben said and took the bottle from Kalani, "what's going on?"

"Did you not see Devi downstairs?" She asked taking her bottle back and sliding down the door, "How the hell is Devi at this party?"

"You didn't hear? Apparently her and Paxton are having sex."

"Of course I heard. She's the one who told me."

"Well, I call bullshit." Ben said, joining the girl on the floor, "A guy like Paxton and a girl like Devi? Maybe in her wet dreams."

"Hey, that's my friend you're talking about."

Ben watched as Kalani had chugged three different bottles of beer. She'd become drunk and he'd left her for two minute to get her a water.

In the two minutes, Devi had been attacked by a coyote and Paxton had taken her to the hospital. Ben wasn't going to tell Kalani about Devi's accident. It would wreck her. And though people thought Devi had died, the party continued on.

Ben walked into the bedroom that Kalani had been in and saw her staring out the window.

"Lani?"

She turned, a smile bright on her face as she approached him, "Ben!" She held his face in her hands, placing a quick kiss upon his lips, "Look at you! God, I don't know why Devi hates you. Like, I would eat you if you were a piece of candy."

Ben chuckled, grabbing Kalani's hands and guided the two of them to the bed.

Kalani had drank before, but she's never been drunk. Ben didn't really know what to do with his girlfriend other than play along with her drunken state.

"Take this." Ben said, handing her the water.

She took it in her hands, not bothering to drink it as Ben pulled Kalani's hair into a ponytail. He always kept one of her hair ties in his pocket on latched on his wrist.

"Ben." She muttered.

He hummed in response and she continued, resting her head against his.

"You're like... my favorite person, you know?" She slurred, "I just... I can always be myself with you and it's crazy because I've been friends with David for years. You get me, dude." She smiled, "It's gross because I think I might love you but I think I'm too young to know what that is." She chuckled.

Though she'd been drunk, Ben did take her words to heart. She may have been drunk but she meant what she said. She felt like she loved Ben. She could be herself around him and he could say that same vise versa.

Maybe Ben Gross loved Kalani Wang, but that was a chapter for another time.

- lucy has something to say !!

ben in season one is almost nonexistent it's funny

bye :))))