Hey guys! Happy Wednesday (aka hump day) Anyways, I updated today, isn't that awesome? Okay, not really. Sorry that this chapter is really short, but I hope you enjoy it anyways. Don't be afraid to comment your thoughts !!! : )

also...... there's another pic of Ben for you to look at ;)

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My game started at 5:30 and before I knew it the last game has ended with the score being 25-23. We won.

Winning wasn't really a surprise anymore because our team was the best in the district - we got the PTC title for 4 years in a row and we have won Regionals one or two times. Unfortunately we've never won state because we usually weren't ready for the bigger and better teams out there.

And obviously the large student section we had at our games made the whole situation better. I was pleased to see both Colton and Ben in the stands - of course they weren't sitting next to each other because God Forbid. I guess Ben would just have to deal with the fact that Colton and I were possible.

I know being Lab partners shouldn't suggest anything was going to happen between us - but the way he talked to me did. He called me beautiful and that had to count for something, right? Ugh, having emotions really did suck sometimes.

As soon as I entered the locker room I tore my heat-trapping jersey off of my back. I was left in a sports bra and spandex, which to me was one of the most comfortable outfits anyone could possibly wear. I didn't want to change, but I soon settled with throwing on a football t-shirt that Ben had given me. I gathered my stuff and shoved it into my bag before exiting the girls locker room.

Ben was talking to Braydon outside of the locker room. I could hear their constant jokes and fooling around. I walked up to them slowly - Hoping that my slowness would give Braydon time to depart. Unfortunately he only bit his lip in my direction and gave me a smirk . I ignored it while Ben seemed to care less.

    "Good job Libs" Ben said while giving me a hug. His strong arms wrapped around me and pulled me tight against his body. He let go almost too soon and I was left looking at the both of them.

    "Yeah, good job!" Braydon said while opening his arms to offer me a hug. I debated on declining but I soon decided that would be rude of me - so I wrapped my arms around him hesitantly. It felt like ages before he pulled away and I could finally breath again. That was really really uncomfortable. 

   "Ready to go?" I asked Ben eagerly.

Braydon smirked. "Why so rushed? Got something - or someone- to do if you know what I mean" He said while nudging Ben on the shoulder. Ben frowned and punched him in the chest - not too hard, just light enough to get the point across.    I couldn't help but roll my eyes as well because I couldn't stand it when people assumed we were friends with benefits. It was absolutely nothing like that at all.  Just as Ben turned around to leave I heard a familiar call of my name from across the gym.

      Colton.

"Hey Elizabeth" Colton said while rushing over to me with a happy expression. I couldn't help but admire his perfect white teeth and brown eyes once again. Ben seemed annoyed - really, really annoyed. More annoyed than when a fly buzzes around your ear non-stop.

      "Oh hey Colton" I said with a grin. Ben stood back away from us while he waited, probably because he didn't want anything to do with our conversation. 

      "Just wanted to tell you that you killed it tonight." He said sweetly. I smiled and glanced at my feet - butterflies swarmed my stomach and made me feel dizzy all over.

      "Thanks"  I smiled and once again- a blush spread across my cheeks. My arms hung awkwardly at my side.

"Well, I'm looking forward to Chemistry tomorrow" He said with a smile. I nodded and watched him leave to return to his group of friends. Eventually I came to the conclusion that he liked me but I could never be sure. It was weird - liking someone. It was like a trap that holds you hostage, and the worst part is when you can't escape when you know they don't feel the same way. It hurts - more than ever.

I walked to Ben's car with Ben by my side. The whole time I couldn't stop thinking about Colton because I was falling harder and harder each time he talked to me. It was sickening - but I couldn't help it. The leather seats of Ben's car were comfortable and the darkness that surrounded us made me want to explode my feelings more than ever.

The thing was - every time Colton said my name - it gave me a glimmer of hope that maybe, one day, things would work out.

•+•++•••••••••••••••

It was 11:00 by the time Peyton was forced to go to bed. She was such a sweet little girl that simply adored me and I honestly loved her. Peyton was in 3rd grade and she some-what resembled Ben. Just by looking at the two of them you could tell that they were related.

     Ben's mom( Rachel) sent me home, but a couple minutes later I found myself climbing through Ben's window again. I hadn't even bothered to change from my spandex , but they were comfy either way. Ben was laying in bed with his eyes open and the spot beside him was reserved for me. He smiled when I climbed in next to him and the familiar scent of his sheets sent joy coursing through my veins. I snuggled up to his shirtless torso as he rested his hand on the lower half of my back. I've never felt as safe as when I'm lying next to Ben.

  The silence drug on for a while even when we were both clearly awake. He rubbed my back softly and his body heat transferred over to mine which made the whole bed warm.

     "Ben?" I said, wanting to know if he was still awake.

  "Hm" he said in response. I lifted my head off his chest for a moment to look into his soft blue eyes.

      "Do you think Colton likes me?" I asked. The only reason I asked Ben was because he was a guy, and I was hoping to get a little bit of his eyesight into this whole situation. The topic has been bugging me all afternoon and I just needed to ask before it was too late to do something  about it.

       "I think he wants to get in your pants" Ben said honestly. I thought about it for a moment -trying really hard to understand why Ben would think that. But I fell short. Instead I started to frown because I was hoping I would get a better answer than that.

    "But he calls me beautiful. That has to count for something. Right?" I asked confused. Ben chuckled and I could feel his chest beating up and down before settling again.

        "I'm a guy, so what I'm saying is more than likely correct. One of the most commonly used tactics for getting into a girls pants is calling them Beautiful. Especially if the guy has a history of being a player." Ben said. He looked down at me - his jawline sharper than ever.

"Maybe he's different" I said with all hope in my soul. Oh how I wanted Colton to be different - oh how I wanted him to defy the definition Ben had set for him.

"Maybe. But I'm just stating what normally happens when Colton finds his next victim" Ben said. It was no secret that Ben hated Colton completely and vise versa. I was dumbfounded as to how two people could hate each other so much.

"Why do you even hate Colton so much. I don't understand" I said. Ben's constant back massage instantly stopped and his breathing slowed. He laid his head back into his pillow and let out a deep sigh.

"You don't need to know everything that goes on in my life. Just like I don't need to know everything that goes on it yours" Ben finalized.

Chills shot through my body.

"Whatever" I said. I turned onto my side to face away from him with my arms crossed - and suddenly the blankets that were once covering me were completely swished off of my warm body. Ben stole them all and now I lay huddled in a ball with soft shivers running down my arms.

"You're a jerk" I said through shivers. Ben laughed and made a dramatic attempt to express how comfortable all the blankets were. I sighed and curled in a ball even more till my body could no longer move in that direction.

"I hate you" I said deliberately. Ben chuckled again.

"Why don't you stop being such a dramatic girl and get over yourself" He said humorously. Even when I was mad I couldn't help the forced smile that spread across my cheeks.

"See, I know you love me" Ben claimed as he wrapped his arms around my torso and pulled me closer to him so that I was wrapped in his arms. Glory and happiness was all I felt as I went to sleep and the thought of Colton danced around in my head like sugarplums.

And when it came right down too it all I hoped was that Colton had God-sculpted abs like Ben's.

Damn me

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