The Evolution

16

As hard as the concept seemed, Ben was able to understand the formulas and strategies. By the time Rebecca finished explaining, he was capable of doing all the problems by himself. She watched in satisfaction. For the next hour, Rebecca worked on her English reading while Ben was mastering his problems.

They left when the library closed. The streets were strangely quiet, but calm. They made it to Rebecca's house in one piece without any injuries, or so one of them thought. Technically, Ben offered to walk her home.

"Wow, gee. Never did I think this day would come!" Ben laughed.

"What day?" Rebecca asked as she unlocked her door.

"The day where I finally understand math," he said proudly, slapping his hand on Rebecca's back. The impact caused her to double over in pain. Ben jerked his hand away and kneeled down to Rebecca's level. "What's going on? I'm so sorry. I-"

Rebecca waved her hand to stop him. "No, no, it's not your fault." She used her other hand to rub the spot Ben slapped, making her back ache even more. Ben tucked his hand away, since he was about to rub her back as well.

Instead, he placed his fingers at the hem of her shirt, asking for permission to lift it up. The pain subsided a little more before she nodded. Once Ben lifted up her top, he tried holding back his gasp. 

"Oh god, what is it?" 

On her back was a murky violet bruise. 

'Did she not know about this? How did this happen?' Ben questioned himself.

"Hey, your silence is freaking me out," Rebecca called.

"Uhhh," Ben smoothed down her shirt, "We should go inside, have your back checked out."

Rebecca started to become more nervous. Was there some sort of giant spider-bite on her back? Did she catch those rare diseases that leave ugly marks people talk about on the internet?

She shook away her thoughts and allowed Ben into her home. "Don't mind the mess," she said, giving him a clean pair of slippers.

"Your place is pretty big."

Rebecca chortled, "Donald bought it for me. Even though a cramped apartment was all I needed, I've stopped arguing with him about stuff. He's gonna pull the there-are-so-many-children-starving-out-there card. Anyway, the bathroom's over here."

She pulled the first-aid kit from a cabinet next to her mirror. When Ben told her of the bruise, she actually felt a bit relieved. It was better than a spider bite or a scary rare disease, right?

Ben stopped her before she could instruct Ben how to treat her back. When it came to injuries like these, he knew exactly what do to, based on lots of experience. But he still didn't know how she got something like this.

"It was probably from the fight with that Jimmy guy. Before Alex and Gerard came to help me, something punched my back really hard. Didn't know it would leave a bruise though," she said like it was nothing. 

She took off her top in the shower so he wouldn't see, leaving her bra on, but wrapped a towel in front of her. Ben was completely caught off guard when she stepped out of the shower. Her glistening hair surrounded by static hanging just above her exposed shoulders. She truly looked like a model.

She waited for Ben to apply the ointment, but didn't hear the cap unscrolling off. "Hey, don't get angry now. We taught him a lesson, so don't worry. Plus, I'm getting back at boxing."

"Doesn't matter. I'm gonna murder that bastard, and everyone that was there."

"Ben! Ointment please!"

He sighed. "Right."

His warm, rough fingers stirred around her back. The feeling was so nice she almost fell asleep to it. Then, gel-cold bandaids woke her up, startling Ben. But he continued once Rebecca successfully laughed it off. Even he laughed along with her. 

That night, Ben stayed over, except he slept in a guest room. The picture of Rebecca barely clothed earlier never left his mind. It has only been a while since he's met her, but he knew for sure that he was madly in love with her.

Long story short, he ended up in Rebecca's bed the next morning because he "sleepwalks". You'd be surprised at how bold Ben can be at, well, anything.