Love Springs Eternal | Benslie

Chapter 11

The next morning, Ben and Leslie were too loved-up to want to leave bed. Begrudgingly, though, they got up anyway, because plane tickets weren't cheap, and if they wanted to not be ravenous by the time they boarded their second plane, they needed to eat breakfast. Julia had cooked up a continental breakfast, knowing the couple would be skipping lunch on the plane, and not sure that they'd be having dinner when they returned to their dorms. They accepted their plates gratefully and wolfed down every crumb they could find.

"So, will the friend group be getting back together now?" Julia queried on the drive to the airport.

"I didn't think about that, actually," Leslie frowned. "They'll be surprised, for sure. I don't think anyone but Chris and Ann knew we had feelings for each other, so us dating will probably be a shock."

"For all the ladies on campus, too," Ben joked, receiving a slap on the arm from his girlfriend. "Ouch. I won't joke about it again, I swear."

"I may regret asking this," Julia said, biting her lip, unsure. "Does this mean you two might consider visiting home more often? I know you typically only come home for Christmas, Leslie."

"I think we should," Leslie replied. "Not that finally getting together with Ben should have been a nice incentive, but I should try and make more of an effort to join in on family events. Plus, seeing me more often would make my mom so happy."

"So, you'd come back with me every break?" Ben asked, hopeful, and Leslie nodded.

Ben hated to admit it, but he only hated coming home because he knew he wouldn't see Leslie until he returned to campus. Even through the first two years, when they had everyone convinced they hated each other, he still wanted to be with her. It was a feeling that had never wavered, and now he wondered if she had felt the same. He didn't have the guts to ask her, though, so he just smiled happily with the knowledge that wherever he went now, she would be sure to follow. Leslie, unbeknownst to Ben, was messaging everyone from their former group to meet her at a restaurant near campus that afternoon. She was excited to get her friend group back together, albeit with a changed dynamic between her and Ben.

Julia cried and hugged both of them as she left them at the airport. Just as they'd done the Thursday they'd arrived in Indianapolis, they moved swiftly through the bag drop and security, and they'd scored some free time before they were due to board. This time, though, instead of going off to do their own things, they visited some of the duty-free stores to spoil themselves (and each other). Once they were in their first class seats, instead of trying to ignore each others' presence, they enveloped themselves in each other. Oblivious to anyone else on the plane, they snuggled together, stole kisses and spoke deeply to each other. It was like old times, except now they were dating. How they hadn't noticed each others' affections before was a wonder.

They laughed together as they raced to catch their connecting flight in Charlotte, and it was almost as if no time had passed since they were children. Settling in for their final flight of the day, they nestled as close as they could manage. If they'd been more aware of their surroundings, they'd have seen how the passengers around them smiled, admiring their young love. The older passengers would have had complaints had the couple not reminded them of themselves at their age. It wasn't much about the way they openly displayed PDA around strangers, but more in the way they looked at each other, as if the only people around them were each other. Everyone around them could appreciate the sentiments they shared for one another, and if anything, it filled the flight with a feeling of love and home, and made it feel like a much shorter flight than it actually was.

When they landed, Ben and Leslie seemed in no hurry to collect their bags or return to Ben's car. As a matter of fact, when they were disembarking, they allowed everyone else to exit the plane first. They thanked the flight attendants, who smiled at them knowingly, and leisurely walked toward the baggage claim together. After collecting their suitcases and returning to the car, the couple drove to the restaurant listening to the radio. Ben had one hand on the wheel and the other on Leslie's thigh. The thought of car sex crossed the blonde's mind, and she shook it away. Ben glanced at her quickly, a smirk drawing across his face. He knew what he was doing to her, and she had just now become aware of it. A blush began to spread across her cheeks and he removed his hand, grabbing hold of her hand with it.