Hey everyone! I hope you enjoy this chapter because it leads to something big later on. I've been updating a lot lately which is weird for me, but I just got in the mood to write suddenly. Idk. I've realized that I no longer write for the views and the comments (although those are nice) I write because it makes me feel good and I like it. No matter how many views I get :)

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I piled on the cover-up, hoping that it would make it completely invisible or at least less noticeable. I had a game today, so I dressed nice in this maroon - kind of red - dress. I curled my hair and applied my makeup. I came to the conclusion that my hickey wasn't noticeable and I walked downstairs towards Ben's car. Even though I had covered it up I still couldn't help but feel self-conscious that Ben would notice.

"I've never seen that dress before" Ben said observantly. He put the car in drive and started heading down the road towards school. He glanced over at me, seemingly happier than usual this morning. But then his eyes zeroed in on my neck.

"You have something on your neck" He said and reached his hand out to my face. Unfortunately it all happened so fast that in one moment his thumb pressed against my makeup, and quickly wiped it off with his thumb. He looked down at his now, crusty thumb covered in cover-up.

"What the fuck is this?" He asked, looking at his thumb and up at me again. I clenched my teeth, trying desperately to hold back my laugh that was tempting to spill. He grabbed a Kleenex from the glove department and tried his best to wipe it off eagerly. Meanwhile, I was cracking up laughing in the passenger side, that is until Ben pointed out the obvious.

"A hickey? Really?" He asked, and then he started to burst out laughing. I was startled at first because I didn't expect him to react like that, but I soon started to forcibly laugh with clenched teeth. "That is probably the worst ass Hickey I've ever seen" He started up again with so much unnecessary laughter. I glared.

"Yeah, whatever. Like you can do any better" I remarked.

I knew he could do better.

"Please tell me you didn't do anything other then swapping saliva" Ben said with a laugh. For some reason he found this whole thing to be completely hilarious and I hated it.

"Why do you care Dad" I said, annoyed. I crossed my arms and looked out the window, annoyed and infuriated.

"Hey Libs, please don't be mad. I would be embarrassed too if I had such a horrible hickey on my neck" He said. For second I had thought he was going to be nice, but I soon found out otherwise.

"You're a Asshole" I said, while angrily slapping him on the arm.

"I'm the asshole? You're the one that slapped me" He clarified with an amused expression. I glared.

"Shut up. You're lucky I brought my makeup with me" I said while pulling out my makeup bag and setting it on my lap. I sighed and looked in the mirror of the sun blockers.

"Has anyone ever told you that you don't need makeup to be beautiful?" Ben asked, which suddenly changed the mood in the car. I smiled instantly and looked at Ben, his hair neatly messy and his face completely........ hot.

"Awe thanks Ben" I said warmly.

"Except you might need makeup to cover up that embarrassing mark on your neck" he said with a chuckle. I groaned.

     "UGH" I shouted and continued to fix my makeup in the mirror.  He hit a pot hole.

And then another one.

And another.

"Okay can you please stop purposely hitting all the pot holes" I said annoyed. I looked at him which only seemed to make him laugh again.  "What's so funny about my face?!" I yelled.

      "You look cute when you're mad" He said. I groaned and gave up, while laying back into the seat and crossing my arms. Yeah, I acted like I hated it but honestly- I liked moments like this. Sometimes.

"I give up" I said desperately.

Ben stopped running over potholes, taking the smoothest route he could which allowed me to apply and fix the makeup. I sighed as we pulled into the parking lot, desperately wanting the day to end even when it just started. Plus, the test that I did not study for was first period, and I was definitely not prepared.

            •*•*•*••••****

"You're kidding" Jenna deadpanned while we sat at the lunch table. I couldn't help but stare at Colton on the opposite side of the lunch room, his group of friends surrounding him. I wondered if we'd ever sit together at lunch, but I realized that our friend groups weren't the type to socialize.

Same reason why Ben and I didn't sit by each other at lunch either.

Ben would sit with his Jock friends, Reagan practically on his lap and not to mention the other blood-thirsty girls that surrounded him and his other friends like Easton, Sean and Braydon along with their girl sidechicks.

What seemed to bother me the most was the fact that Ben was a good jock. In all those high school movie dramas, where there's always a bad boy who wins the heart of a good girl, I can tell you that is most definitely not true. If it were, Layla and Ben would be hitting it off right now. And they're not.

Ben gets good grades, he doesn't cheat on girls - specifically because he doesn't date - and he's nice to the general population of Glade west high school. Everyone likes him. Even the teachers!

And Colton, well. He wasn't considered a jock although he does hang out with the female species quite frequently. Actually, he was one of the very few people in this school that wasn't stereotyped.

"I'm not kidding" I said honestly. I had just told them about last night, Colton and I and the whole... making out thing. To say they were shocked would be an understatement. Every time I relived the situation in my head, I thought I had stopped breathing.

"Well? Did you feel anything? A spark? Anything?" Aubrey insisted while twisted her red locks in her fingers. I thought about it, truly trying to find something I had felt. But if I had to be completely honest, I felt peace. Almost like kissing him made me feel relaxed, happy and calm - even when my heart didn't say so.

     "I guess so" I said, trying to find it where it got lost. Colton looked over at me from across the room, offered a smile and winked at me. Shivers went catapulting down my arm.

      "Anyways, how are the rest of you all on Operation Guys before 05" Aubrey chimed. Jenna jumped into a story of her and Tyler, while my mind seemed to drift off into the world of dreams. Layla must've been doing the same thing, because her eyes focused on Ben from across the room. I felt bad for her almost, because there was nothing I could do to help her win her dream. Nothing.

Ben didn't like her
And I doubt that he ever will.

*•**•*•*•*

Game time came quicker than I expected, and at exactly 7 I came running out onto the court in my uniform with the rest of the team behind me.  Ben was sitting in the stands, surrounded by guys who began fantasizing over every players butt. I failed to find Colton. A Fan from the other team whistled. I frowned.

And the game began. My jersey, number 7 was in large white number, while the color was a gold. We were called the Glade west Gladiators, so our colors were maroon and gold.

In the third game it was a battle for the winner, but as our reputation was ; we never lost a game.

Eventually, the game came to an end with the score being 25-22. Gladiators.

We won.

The crowd wasn't as wild as they are at football games, but it still felt nice to hear cheers and screams coming from the student section. When I exited the locker room with an old t-shirt and spandex on, it wasn't Ben that greeted me by the exit. Or Colton for a matter of fact.

The guy was wearing a red hoodie with the other school's logo on it. His hair was kind of long for a guy, but he didn't look that bad at all. The only problem was, I've never seen him before in my life.

"Hey girl, are you butt dialing? Because I swear that ass is calling" The guy said. He tilted his head and looked at me from the side, I adjusted my bag to cover it. Honestly, I had no idea how to reply. What was I supposed to say?

I decided with the no talking, which resulted in my walking past him. I knew exactly after I started down the long hallway towards the gym that I had made a mistake. Crap.

"Hey!" I heard him call as he started running to catch up to me. I swirled around to look at him, but my feet kept at the same steady pace. I could see Ben towards the end of the hallway, so I just continued to walk faster. Creep.

Actually, I wasn't that scared or anything. I just couldn't help but be creeped out about how messed up he was. And when he put his arm around me, I instinctively pushed him off.

"Please don't" I insisted. He didn't listen. Ben was quirking his eyebrow in my direction, and he instantly picked up the pace when I felt a strong hand grip my butt. I instinctively turned again and slapped the mid air, because he simply moved to fast for me to hit.

"Get away from me" I yelled. He only smirked.

"Dang. Oh, and my names Daddy in case you were wondering" He said. I scoffed, just in time for Ben's hand to connect with his shirt and shove him against the wall. Ben looked pissed off, in a short amount of time his whole attitude had changed.

"Learn some respect dumbass. I don't want to hear another word come out of your mouth or you'll be wishing you were never born" Ben threatened. I stood back, watching as his flexed arm held the guy in place.

"What, are you her boyfriend or something?" He asked, and almost instantly Ben's fist connected with the guys jaw. He crumpled over in pain, and I cringed just watching.

"Ben.." I said, trying to get him to stop.

"If you mention anything about this, I will hurt you" Ben clarified before letting go. The guy scampered off down the hallway and towards the exit of the building. Ben sighed and came up to me, looking me in the eyes.

"Are you okay?" He asked, anger and kindness were mixed in his tone and eyes, like he didn't know which emotion to feel. I nodded, feeling kind of overwhelmed and stressed. Where was Colton?

"Who was that guy anyways?" I asked, trying to put a name to an unfamiliar face and shake off the situation that just occurred. I figured Ben would know him, possibly.

"I don't know" Ben said plainly. No emotion but anger.

He knew

I didn't press anymore on the subject, because I didn't want to talk about it anymore. Mainly I just wanted to get home and eat some food before I starved to death, and possibly spend another night watching Criminal minds with Ben and finally, stare at the screen of my phone and wonder why Colton wasn't here.