Heartbreak Girl (H.S) (New Girl Sequel)

Chapter 18: Toddlers & Feelings

Ivy's POV

As Ben and I sat on the bench and ate our ice cream, I saw the perfect opportunity for a Instagram picture.

I had to tuck my ice cream between my jean clad thighs just to get my phone out of my pocket because I only had my left arm available.

Ben chuckled as I snapped a pic of our arms resting next to each other with the ocean just in the back ground.

"What filter?" I frowned.
"Perpetua," he replied even though he had a mouth full of ice cream.

After captioning it with one simple emoji -☀️- I looked over at him and laughed; he had ice cream all over his face like a little two year old.

He frowned at me as if he had no idea why I was laughing at him.

I grabbed one of my napkins and wiped the sticky substance off his lower face.

"You made me think of a toddler eating their ice cream and getting it all over their face," I giggled. (A/n: It pains me to use the word 'giggle'. I don't like it)

"I'm hurt," he pouted and crossed his arms.

I quickly turned my phone back on and snapped a picture of him pretending to act like a little kid.

Ben chuckled even though he knew what I was about to post online.

I picked the Perpetua filter again and captioned it -Such a toddler @beninja 😂🍼🍦 #londonlife #temper-tantrum #hesaspecialone-

Ben looked over my shoulder and laughed at my hashtags.

"I see I've taught you well in filter decisions, young one," he grinned.

"Young one? That means your a old teacher like Yoda or the one guy from Karate Kid."

Ben choke on his bite of ice cream, "You watch Star Wars?"

I shrugged, "It's a classic; who hasn't?"
"A lot of people. You are the only girl I've met to make Yoda references to me."

I jokingly flicked my hair off my shoulder.

"Ivy, I love it when you talk Star Wars to me," he wiggled his eyebrows.

I burst out laughing at his joke.

He only grinned in amusement towards my awkward laugh; it was one of those laughs that sounded like a dying walrus.

"Sorry," I blushed in embarrassment.
"Don't apologize, I think your laugh is adorable," he winked.
•••

We were driving back to my house when Ben pulled over on the side of the road for no reason.

"Something wrong?" I frowned.
"I like you Ivy," he blurted.

My heart dropped as he blurted out his feelings towards me.

"I understand if you don't like me, in that way but I just needed to tell you how I really feel."

"Ben-"
"I already know what you're gonna say," he frowned and shook his head.

"Please, just let me get this out."

He looked over at me with a sad look but nodded anyway.

"You're a great guy Ben, and I kinda like you too," I blushed. "But I'm not ready for a relationship right now. I moved back home to forget about a really bad one I just got done with."

"Like abusive?" He asked.

"Physically? No. Mentally? Kind of. But I'm still in the healing process and I don't wanna move to fast into a new relationship. Do you understand?"

He nodded, "I'll wait for you then."

"No, Ben. I can't let you do that to yourself," I frowned.

"Why not?"
"It took my two years to heal from my last break up. I can't hold you back like that. There's probably a ton of girls waiting for you."

He nodded in agreement, "But I don't feel the same way for them."

"I won't let you wait for me," I shook my head.

"I won't let you stop me," he argued.