Rey Kanata is a senior in high school, a girl from the city who just moved into the country life surrounding Mishawaka, IN. When she takes a class in Agricultural Science as the only elective needed in order to graduate, her life changes irrevocably...
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Stay. Please.
How could such a simple plea revive images of the events from a past he'd purposely left dead and forgotten? No two words had ever managed to sustain such an effect over Ben as they did at that moment though the words were Rey's, and not ones from his own recollection.
A wave of nostalgia from his days in college had come charging towards him, like a herd of wild mustangs being set loose. The thunderous sound of hooves echoing inside his head, along with Rey's innocent questions, had effectively revived those old memories, concealed in the deepest catacomb of his mind, of the day his father lost the use of his legs.
But all those ghosts from his past accomplished was to remind him of all he lost and strengthen his desire to hold on to this budding relationship with Rey, resisting his usual fear of history repeating itself.
But...
Rey was different, she wasn't her. It was a thought he had to remind himself of until slowly, his fear of what could happen subsided, remembering how she and Kylo had taken to each other. It made the worry of bringing Rey to the ranch at first more poignant, ensuring that he wouldn't make the same mistakes twice.
Still, none of those reasons provided an explanation for why he hastily said 'yes' to spending the night with her. He could have said 'no' and promised to check on her the next morning before school. It was what the little voice of reason wanted him to do, screaming that this was Rey, his student, and their deepening relationship could be dangerous to both of them. However, the days where Ben viewed her in that light had long passed. Not since she became his friend and confidante, the face he looked forward to seeing every day, especially when he thought of the day when they almost kissed, the butterflies in his stomach, the way her breath hitched as he came close. He didn't know how he could stop himself once he got a taste of those lips. He vowed not to risk pursuing more until she turned eighteen.
One more week, he reassured himself. One more week and Rey would officially be considered legal for him to express how much she'd come to mean to him without having to suffer more shame and worry than what he was bringing upon himself already.
It was easier said than done, of course, considering he instinctively went to kiss Rey before leaving the following morning. It wouldn't have been much, just a simple peck to the forehead, but he resisted. Luckily, the Nyquil continued to make her sleepy, so the moment played out to be less awkward when he decided to simply brush some stray hairs from her face instead. Maintaining this level of restraint proved to be difficult when he stayed with Rey the next evening and again by accident the Friday night after.
Awakening from his sleep to the iconic orchestral music coming from the television, he discovered the classical modern music that played while on The Fellowship of the Ring's main menu.
His eyelids fluttered open slowly, realizing that he'd fallen asleep while he and Rey were watching the movie the night before. Removing the warped frames that left an indentation on his face from leaning against his palm all night, he settled them on the armrest over the screen of his phone. After running his hands over his face, his sight settled on the sleeping figure using him as a pillow.
Rey was nestled peacefully between his legs, her knees raised over the calf of his right leg while his other was stretched along the outer cushion edges down the length of the sofa. Her back was pressed against his chest, head relaxing on his shoulder directly lined-up with Ben's chin. Her arm was on his outer thigh, the other on her lap.
