𝐒𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐓 𝐋𝐈𝐊𝐄 𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐘 || 𝘋𝘦𝘴𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴

12

Lily had just arrived in the library, sitting down at an open table to wait for ben. She grabbed a book from the shelf to pass the time, skimming through the pages to see if there was something interesting between them.

As she was skimming her mind started to wander, she couldn't help but think about earlier today. How Ben had grabbed her hand and his grasped remained there for a good couple seconds after he asked her what he wanted too. Also, the way he was looking at her, Lily couldn't deny that she had felt something flutter inside her stomach when he looked at her that way.

She felt somehow different around him, like she wouldn't be destined to end up like her dad or any other villain for that matter. She liked the way he stuttered whenever she told him something he didn't expect or when he didn't know how to respond. She could see the nerves run through him at times like that and it made her feel good, like someone actually seemed to see the good in her.

"Hey, you ready?" Lily was ripped out of her thoughts by a familiar voice. "Ben? Hey, yeah." Lily stuttered out as her eyes focused on Ben. He smiled down at her words and went to sit across from her. Lily couldn't help but notice the lingering scent of his cologne. She realized how much she liked it; it wasn't like anything she had smelt before. It had a hint a sweetness that contrasted well with the mostly earthy scent.

"Okay, what do you need first? Or where do you want to start?" Ben questioned, looking up at her. "Um, you can pick I kinda just need help with all of it really." Lily chuckled nervously, Ben doing the same. "Well, how about we start here." Ben said as he picked up a textbook for chemistry and skipped through the pages, landing on a page with different formulas.

"Okay, what does this formula belong too?" Ben questioned as he covered up the rest of the page except for the problem. "Uhm, I don't know, atomic structure?" She questioned. As Ben started to smile brightly at her, she questioned it. She thought she had just embarrassed herself and got the first question, but it was the complete opposite. "Yeah, that's right." He cheekily smiled at her as he flipped to another page and asked her the same question.

She answered, somehow getting another right. This pattern repeated for the next ten questions. She was astounded, usually whenever she studied by herself, she couldn't get more than two right but with Ben somehow, she had gotten over ten right. Maybe it had something to do with him being the one helping her?

"If you're gonna get all of them right what's the point in me helping you study?" Ben chuckled as he placed the book down on the table. Lily looked at him, her brows furrowing, "Usually when I study, I can't get any more than two right." She stifled a laugh, avoiding his gaze.

He chuckled, Lily still avoiding his gaze as she toyed with her fingers. She could feel his eyes burning in her head. She didn't know what he would think, she didn't want him to think she asked him to study to simply spend time with him.

She felt she actually needed help but didn't want to go to a teacher but right now, that option didn't seem so bad. She felt nervous, the more time that passed, the more she could feel his gaze piercing into her head, she knew he wanted her to meet his gaze but she couldn't bring herself to do it.

It took a couple minutes, but she finally met his gaze. She could see his lips curl into a smile before he tilted his head. He couldn't help but admire her. Lily gulped as she felt her stomach twist into knots. She had never been looked at like the way her was looking at her. She felt as if she might explode if he looked at her any longer.

"Why do you look at me like that?" Lily quizzed, furrowing her brows. Ben kept smiling at her with that same look plastered on his face, "Like what?" He questioned. Lily tried to speak but nothing fell past her lips. All she could do was stare at the man opposite of her that had a look that she couldn't quite figure out what it means.