Okay so this part was in the first part but I meant to put it here instead. Meaning, you probably already read this and can just scroll through it.

Observation Deck
Washington Monument
11:30 PM
Friday
December 31st

Ben's POV:
We walked around the town to a special place.

The Washington Monument.

We went up through the tunnel and to the top.

There was a blanket with food and candles on it by the huge windows.

She looked to me confused.

"What? A guy can't cook?"

"I didn't know you could."

We sat down and faced each other.

The sun began to set over the horizon.

"There's... a lot you don't know about me."

"Like what? What don't I know about you?"

"Well I can play most instruments just by winging it, I have a pretty good singing voice, I've never had a girlfriend-"

"I knew all of that."

"How?"

"Well the first two are because I bugged your room years ago, remember?"

My face turned bright red. I noticed her looking at my ankle with concern.

"Ben what- what's that?"

I quickly pulled it down over the scars and tried to change the topic.

"So you heard me writing songs?"

"Uh... yeah. What I don't know is for who?"

"Uh no one." I said too quickly.

"Aw Benny Boy's got a crush! Whooo?"

"No one."

"Mmmhmm."

"And the third?"

"I asked Mike."

"Why?"

"Just... curious."

"... oookay? You were 'just curious' about my previous love life?"

"Point being, I knew all of those. What's something I don't?"

"I -don't know."

"You do. You just don't wanna tell me."

She said as she stood up and walked to the window. She crossed her arms and stood there annoyed. I got up and walked towards her. I put my hands on the sides of her arms and turned her to face me.

"Are you seriously mad at me?"

"Kinda." She grumbled.

"What do you want?"

"To know what's bothering you. You act fine but I know you're not. I thought you would finally tell me. You've shrugged it off for months. So when you said there was a lot I didn't know, I thought you were finally gonna tell me so I can help. I can't help if I don't know what's wrong."

"What do you want me to say? What do you want me to tell you? That I'm depressed? That I hate being alone? That I'm scared to be? That nights are the worst part of the day because I can't sleep? That I stay up thinking things that terrify me? Or about things that do? That I've often wished I was dead? That I've cut myself to avoid killing myself?" I demanded annoyedly.

She let out a sob and put a hand over her mouth.

"Oh my god, Ben, I- I had no idea it was that bad."

I started shaking as tears rolled down my face. I slowly slid to the floor against the wall. She sat on my lap facing me and threw her arms around my neck.

She buried her head in my shoulder and cried.

"Erica, I'm fine. I'll be okay."

"Tell me something happy or sweet that I might not know about you." She sniffled.

"I-I... love you."

"Well I mean yeah I love you too but-"

I laughed a little and shook my head.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Benjamin Ripley tell me right now." She snarled.

"Oh and out comes the bossy voice." I said with a mock pout.

She inched her head closer to me.

"You realize I am not too close to punch you in the face?" She whispered fiercely into my ear.

"Yep." I smiled.

"Then I think it wise you tell me." She growled.

"See you're trying to intimidate me, but it's not gonna work. I can handle pain. Pain was never my weakness Erica. Never has been, never will be. If you want me to tell you, you're gonna have to find another way." I smirked.

"Oh. Okay." She said sadly.

I wasn't sure if she was faking or not so I took a gamble. I knew she might have been serious so I made sure to be careful.

"Aww what's wrong?"

"I just... thought you were gonna tell me you loved me."

"Aw Erica of course I do. I said I did, didn't I?"

"Yeah but just as a friend. You didn't tell me it was anything more."

"I didn't mean just as a friend Erica."

"Sure you didn't." She said annoyedly as she started to get up.

I put my hand on hers, causing her to freeze.

"What?"

"Erica I did. I really did. I've loved you since you tackled me. 5 years, 1 month, 2 weeks, 6 days, 7 hours, 42 minutes, and 37 seconds ago."

She looked impressed but still upset.

So I did the logical thing and kissed her. She seemed hesitant and her shoulders stiffened at first but then into it and relaxed. So maybe she really did wanna know. Because maybe she did care. I mean she did ask about my previous relationships, and Zoe was kinda right. We had a flirty unofficial relationship and I really liked her. Always have. But she seemed to actually like me too.

I pulled away slowly, but kept our faces close.

"Erica?" I asked quietly. "Do you actually like me? And if you say 'it's complicated,' I swear to god I'm gonna lose my shit." I said, my voice rising slowly.

She sighed and looked into my eyes.

"Of course I do you absolutely oblivious gray boulder." (Thanks @AnonymousAgent453 for that sentence. Literally one of my favorites.)

She slipped her hands behind my head and pulled it forwards for another kiss. This one much longer. I slowly pulled away to ask her something.

"How so?"

"Well Zoe noted that we're super flirty or whatever. But I didn't kill her. Or make a huge fuss."

"Well yeah because she's your friend."

"Or to avoid drawing attention." She whispered.

"Well maybe but this was only hours ago. How would I know?"

"Because I'm flirty with you and only you. Because I don't flinch when you touch me. Because I blush when you do. Because I tell you pretty much everything. Because I've kissed you. Because I've let you be in my room. Because I've let you sleep over and play video games all night.(Before you say it Jay, yes that is all they did) Because I trust you so much that we sneak out of school at night and go places like, oh I don't know, right here?" She said raising her eyebrow.

"Huh. Wow okay well fair enough then." I shrugged.

"Mmmhm." She said annoyedly.

"How long?"

"Since we were up here the first time 5 years ago."

"Wow. I'm dumb. Can't believe I missed it for 5 years."

"Yeah and me too. I kept thinking you'd figured it out, but you didn't. So I waited."

I leaned in again and put my hands on the sides of her face. A light blush spread across her face. Then vanished. After minutes she pulled away.

"Does that make it all worth while?" I smirked.

"Absolutely."

Sorry it took so long, took forever to write and multiple issues presented themselves.