derry, maine | it imagines ✔️

4. all the pretty girls - ben hanscom

Requested?:
Yes: []
No: [✔️]

Song?: Yes; "All the Pretty Girls" by Kaleo

If anyone saw Ben Hanscom around [Y/N], they would know he had the biggest crush on her. It was obvious to everyone, except [Y/N] herself. She was blinded by her own crush, which was on their friend Bill Denbrough.

[Y/N] was head-over-heels for him, so much so that she was oblivious to Ben's affections. There was one problem with her schoolgirl crush, however. Beverly Marsh, the only other girl in the group. Bill liked Beverly and not her. It hurt [Y/N] so much, but she persisted because Bill and Beverly weren't officially a thing. Sure, they flirted but they weren't dating. [Y/N] had a chance, and she was determined.

Ben was left on the sidelines. Before [Y/N] joined the Losers Club, he had a crush on Beverly, who also fell for Bill and not him. When [Y/N] arrived, he forgot about his feelings for the red-haired girl and focused on the new girl. His luck was unfortunate, however, because once again Bill got the girl, leaving Ben in the friend-zone in two cases.

Sure, Bill was taller and skinnier, but Ben has a good heart, a poetic one at that. [Y/N] was blind to it. And whenever she was upset about Bill, she would come to him, and he would listen to her, no matter how much it pained him too. He cared too much to let her down. He wanted to tell her so bad, but he didn't want to ruin their friendship.

Ben knew that Bill had no idea that he was leading on [Y/N] when he complimented her or anything else, because Bill was just a nice person. But, he knew Bill liked Beverly, which was yet another thing he couldn't bring himself to tell [Y/N]. It would destroy her.

While Ben was at the library one day, he cut out a heart-shaped paper, and he wrote a poem for [Y/N]: "All the pretty girls like him / He really does not share / Though it is more than he can handle / Life is anything but fair / It only makes me feel smaller / All the hidden love beneath / Won't you lay me down / All alone again / I will wait for you / - Secret Admirer"

As he folded it shut, the library doors burst open, and a teary-eyed [Y/N] ran in. She ignored the shushing from the librarians, and slumped down next to Ben. She laid her head in her arms and began to cry. "What's wrong?" Ben asked, though he knew the answer already.

"Bill," [Y/N] started, looking up with red eyes, "He kissed her! He kissed Beverly!" She sniffed and another tear fell down her cheek. She unzipped her backpack and pulled a tissue from inside, leaving the bag open. "Is there something wrong with me, Ben?"

Ben's eyes went wide. "No!" he exclaimed, all too quickly. "There is nothing wrong with you, [Y/N]. Bill is an idiot not to see how amazing you are." He watched as a smile graced upon her lips and she wiped the tears from her face.

"Thanks Ben," she replied and she wrapped her arms around the boy. Ben did the same to her, and he sneakily slipped his note into her backpack. "You really make me feel better whenever I'm sad." Ben kept from smiling to wide, and she laughed lightly.

The two stayed together in the library until the sun began to set, and they left together. "I'll walk you home," Ben told her, and she nodded. She pulled her backpack onto her shoulders, and they walked to their houses together.

When they reached the front door of [Y/N]'s house, she gave Ben another hug. "Thanks again, Ben," she said, and he nodded. "I'll see you tomorrow." He once again nodded as she entered her door and he left.

[Y/N] went to her room, and then she plopped onto her bed. She was too exhausted to change, and she fell asleep. The next morning, she woke up and got dressed. Before she left, she opened her bag to check for everything. A bright red paper stuck out to her, and she pulled it out. Unfolding it, she read over the words. "Secret Admirer?" she whispered to herself. The only person she had been around yesterday was...

The girl jumped to her feet, throwing her bag onto her shoulder, and stuffing the note into her pocket. She ran out of the house, saying nothing to her parents. She hopped onto her bike and pedaled as fast as she could to the library. Pushing through the doors, she saw Ben in the exact same place as he was yesterday. "Ben!" she called, getting shushed by the old librarian.

He turned around in his seat, eyebrow raised. "[Y/N]? What's going on?"

"Ben," she repeated, out of breath. She drew the note from her pocket. "Did you write this?" His face immediately went red. She knew his answer. "Ben, why didn't you tell me?"

He sighed and looked away. "I don't know, I don't know," he answered. "I didn't want to ruin our friendship. Besides, you liked Bill, and I didn't think you'd like me back. I mean, who would choose me over Bill?"

"I would!" [Y/N] cried. "I would, Ben. If you had told me how you felt, I would've picked you any day over Bill. You've always been here for me, and I'm an idiot not to have seen it. I'm so, so sorry, Ben."

"Don't apologize, [Y/N]," Ben replied. "You have no reason to. But, tell me, are you only saying this because you know that I have feelings for you now?"

[Y/N]'s eyes went wide. "No, Ben, no. I, I think I've always liked you, I just never knew it. Whenever you were around, I was happy, laughing, smiling. You make me feel this way, Ben. Not Bill. I always felt hurt around him, and I don't think that is what love is supposed to feel like. I think it's supposed to feel like you're flying and you know you won't fall. At least, that's how I feel with you, Ben."

Ben smiled wider than he had ever before. He grabbed [Y/N]'s face and pressed his lips to her. Her hand cupped his cheek lovingly. "No kissing in the library!" the old librarian scolded. The two pulled apart, giggling. Their eyes met and they smiled because they knew that this was what they had both been waiting for.