Stalemate // The Queens Gambit //Benny Watts x OC

Fourty two: Midnight Eclipse

    It started to lightly snow as I ran, the cold biting at my skin, but I ignored it. He was probably already asleep and would be pissed I woke him up, but this couldn't wait.

I ran across the street, almost ramming straight into a passing car, but luckily stopping in time as the agitated driver honks aggressively at me. I continue to run, making it to his block, his building, his stairs, flying down them three at a time, then his door.

I stand there in front of it, my fist raised to the wood, about to knock, but I lower it. I put my shoes back one, take a breath, close my eyes. I prepare for whatever is waiting for me on the other side of that door. Wether he's annoyed, indifferent, furious, or, best case scenario, happy to see me. I'm ready. Eager. And I knock.

I wait. And wait. After a few minutes I knock again, louder. I wait again and then hear some shuffling, then a thump and someone angrily mumble something, then footsteps, and the door opens.

Benny stands there, squinting, looking totally confused and out of it. He blinks a few times and frowns. "Adelaide..? What.. what are you doing here?" He asks in a low sleepy voice. I feel a bit bad for waking him.

"Macy got married."

"What? When?"

"Tonight. She and Jamie eloped. Well, kind of."

"Oh.. well, good for them. I'll call her in the morning.."

"Okay. Good. I know she wanted you there, but.. I don't really know why you weren't there actually.."

"That's fine.." he still sounded really confused and I realized I was making no sense. He leaned on the doorframe and rubbed his eyes a little. "Adelaide, It's one in the morning, what are you doing here?" He asked again.

"Sorry, I know it's late and I sound crazy. But.. I just came from Macy's reception..party..thing, and Macy and I were talking and, well I guess she kind of knocked some sense into me."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean," I really should have figured out what to say before I came. "I'm okay. I'm not—broken anymore, I know what I want and I'm not afraid of it anymore." I explained. He stared at me thoughtfully and didn't say anything. I started to smile, and I felt like I was about to cry. Not because I was sad, because I was so relived, and happy that I could finally do this, and not have to choose between fight flight or freeze.

"That's great. Really. But, I feel like your trying to get at something and I'm not really fully conscious right now, so what's your point?"

"When Macy and I were talking, she said she didn't have to trust anyone else not to hurt her, because she trusted herself to be okay in the end. And.. I trust myself. but not only that, I do trust you. And I'm so sorry I've been such an ass lately, dragging you along, back and forth with me. I just want you to know I'm not scared anymore, really this time, and.." I shrug, feeing tears fall down my face, and a smile spread across my face. "You're all I wanted. This whole time. Just you. And I swear that crazy girl you've known for the past three months is gone."

He was fully awake now. He looked almost sad, or scared, or something. He pulled his hands from his pockets and folded his arms, sighing. "And you're serious—sure, this time? You're not going to back out on me at the last minute?"

I shook my head and grinned even wider. I probably looked like a psychopath right now.

"Benny, I am in love with you." I said. I finally said. And god did it feel good.

He didn't respond, only stared. I got nervous, wondering if I should have said it. It was one in the morning, he was probably cranky, maybe this wasn't the best time to confess that to someone. But just as I was about to start worrying, he stepped forward, leaned over to meet my height, and kissed me. Before I could even realize what was happening, he kissed me.

I wrapped my arms around his neck, and just let myself get lost in this. In the moment, in him, in us. It was like my world had finally reached alignment, and everything was now working together. Like he was the sun and I was the moon and we had finally reached our miraculous eclipse.

The kiss wasn't lustful, not explosive or aggressive. But it wasn't like with Jonathan- not anything like with Jonathan. It felt like the final piece of a puzzle being slotted into place. It was something I had needed ever since we met and it connected us in the only way we were ever meant to be. Something pure, something beautiful. Perfect.

Maybe that's a bit dramatic for a first kiss, but what can I say, it was dramatic.

After a minute we parted, but he still held onto me like I would float away if he let go, and I think I held on even tighter. our faces were inches apart and he was grinning like an idiot. I probably was as well but it was hard to say since my face had gone numb.

"Yeah, I love you too." He said softly.

We both laughed a little and I kissed him just one more time. I wished more than anything we could stay in this little world of ours forever.

"Come inside for god's sake, it's freezing out here." He said, taking my hand and leading me inside. I followed him, and I might as well have been floating because that's what it felt like. We stopped in the tiny kitchen and I noticed Beth sleeping on the floor on an equally tiny air mattress.

"I should get back. Macy probably thinks I got kidnapped and you need to go back to sleep." I whispered.

"Well hold on, you're just gonna drop all that on a guy and then leave?? Do you have no class?" He teased and I giggled quietly.

"You're right, I'm sorry, where are my manners." I joke back. I take a seat at the little table and he sits across from me.

"So you're really alright? You're ready, you feel safe?" He asked, the mood changed back to serious.

"Yes. I think at least." He raises an eyebrow at me suspiciously. "I mean yes, but I don't know if the feelings are completely gone. There might be a bit of.. aftertaste. But generally," I reach across the table and take his hand, running my thumb over his knuckles and rings. "Yes.. I feel safe."

He nods and exhales contently. "Good. that's all I want." He smirks at me and I feel the need to kiss him again, just because I can now. "So Macy helped you with all this?"

"Yeah, kind of. We were at the after party and I was thinking about it all. you, everything that happened, the wedding, relationships in general, and Macy answered all my questions perfectly I guess."

"Thank god for Macy."

"Exactly."

"Adelaide.. I want to apologize. For how I've been acting. I was stupid, and immature, and I overreacted, I'm sorry."

"Don't, please. You don't have anything to apologize for, I completely understand. I was in the wrong and if you hadn't forced me to work on myself, we wouldn't be here right now."

"Well I guess I'll hold onto my dramatic flare, then." He smiled and I scoffed.

"You do that."

He smiled at me and then looked to my neck. "You're wearing it." He said, nodding to my necklace, the one he gave me.

"Mhm. Macy gave very specific orders to wear it. But I always wear it anyway."

"I'm glad you like it. And I'm glad Macy likes it too." He chuckled. "So how was the wedding? How do you kind of elope?"

I started to give him the whole story of the wedding and how it went. He told me about the rest of his tournantes and how he won all of them, then we played chess, he won twice, and continued to talk about just anything we wanted. Sometimes we'd stumble upon a serious or philosophical topic, and occasionally we just tried to make each other laugh. We didn't even think about sleep for almost two more hours, then he gave me a ride home.

We enjoyed a long goodbye at my door, and then we parted ways. I didn't even bother showering when I got inside, I just changed and covered myself with blankets, unable to wipe the smile from my face.

I'm happy. And for the first time in a long time, that's all I'm worried about.