Across my memory | Ben Beast

chapter twenty three - together

Sunlight seeped in through the white curtains as it shone upon the sleeping couple.

They were exhausted from the night before and relished the feeling of each other's touch as their bodies pressed against the other for warmth from the cool air.

A phone vibrated and rung loudly from the night stand, Ana scrunched her nose at the loud noise as Ben groaned in annoyance, beside her.

"Shut that off..." She grumbled.

Huffing, Ana peeled her arms away from Ben's torso, turning away from the king. Her head no longer resting on his bare chest.

Ben groaned as he reached up and ended the call before laying back down, he turned to wrap his arms around his girlfriend's bare waist, snuggling his face onto her neck.

His hot breaths brushed against her collarbone as she tried to drift back to sleep but that was impossible when his phone rang yet again.

Ana opened her eyes, squinting at the brightness, she rested her hands on the arms around her waist, nudging her boyfriend.

"You should probably get up..." She told him quietly.

Ben shook his head, not removing his face from her neck. "Five more minutes." He grumbled, tightening his hold around her. "Good morning..." He said, pressing a kiss to her neck.

Ana hummed in content. "Morning." She muttered tiredly, closing her eyes but opened them once more due to the tingling kisses Ben left on her neck and shoulder.

"Cookie... stop it." She scolded him softly, but the king just smirked, continuing his kisses. "Come on, I'm trying to sleep." She sighed.

Ben chuckled, lips not leaving her skin. "Did I tire you out, baby?" He asked smugly.

Ana just sighed in response, too tired to put up with his teasing early in the morning.

The two laid in silence, enjoying their moment of peace at last.

But sighed loudly in defeat when his phone rang again.

Ben stretched his neck to press one last kiss on her cheek. "I gotta go..." He said, moving away from her to get out of bed and to the bathroom, to take a shower.

It had been a few months since Ben was crowned king, six months to be exact.

Throughout those months, Ben and Ana were as in love as a couple can be, always hanging out together, going on dates and whatnot.

But that didn't last long.

For the past months, their perfect bubble had burst.

They both had been very busy with their individual tasks. Ben juggled between his studies and his duties as a king, while Ana also juggled with the planning of the upcoming cotillion and maintaining her excellent grades.

Slowly, they came to a routine, when Ana slept over Ben's bedroom, he would leave hours before her, resulting to her waking up alone.

They would barely see each other at school, though they did have some classes together, they went through it without uttering a word to eachother.

During lunch, Ana was around their friends since Ben was always late.

When he finally arrives, he would just greet her with her with a kiss on the cheek or a squeeze on the shoulder, they would talk quietly about how their day was going as they ate.

Eventually, one would stand up before the other to do something important, leaving one to eat alone.

After that, they wouldn't even see each other the rest of the day, only when Ben decided to visit her dorm in the middle of the night, and when he does, he would just fall asleep beside her.

They wouldn't see each other at all if they're sleeping in their own dorms.

Ana sighed, sitting up, covering her chest with the blue comforter.

She reached for phone, opening it to see a bunch of messages from Jane, asking about the decorations for the cotillion, Evie wanting to get her measurements, Lonnie asking where she was and if she was with Ben.

Ben came back from his shower, dripping wet as he walked to his dresser. But Ana didn't pay him any mind, just continued to go through all her messages and answering them.

It wasn't like it was the first and last time she saw him like that.

She looked to see Ben's muscular back towards her, his phone up against his ear.

Somehow sensing her look, Ben turned to look at her and gave her a smile, he gestured to her dress he prepared for her.

In response, she smiled tightly, turning it to a frown once he turned his back towards her.

Looking down at her phone, she texted Evie she would be on her way, she leaned down to pick up her panties and bra from the floor before putting them on.

She grabbed the lavender dress, putting it on, she tried to zip it up but a hand stopped her.

"I got it." Her boyfriend told her softly, dragging the zipper up. "There..." He whispered, before wrapping his arms around her.

"You have to go, Ben." Ana said, getting his arms away from her. "They're waiting for you." She dismissed him abruptly, putting on her earrings.

"Is it wrong to spend more time with my girlfriend?" Ben frowned, slightly hurt from her dismissal.

Ana rolled her eyes, then turning around to look at him. "Yes, especially when you have more important things to do." She said icily.

Ben scoffed at her response. "Isn't that why you were pissed last night? Because I had no time for you anymore? Well now I'm spending more time with you, what more do you want?!" He asked angrily, frustrated.

Anger grew inside Ana as she glared at him. "No, I said we did not have time for each other anymore!" She exclaimed. "Ben, you cannot just neglect your duties as a King just because I missed you-"

His phone rang again cutting her off, Ben looked down to see whose calling while Ana's gaze turned colder, when he was about to end it, she spoke up.

"Go, answer it." She said seriously, grabbing her heels and putting them on.

Ben looked at her guiltily. "Ana..." He sighed, trying to talk to the woman, but she just shook her head looking down. "I... I love you, okay?" He told her before leaving his room without hearing her response.

Hearing those words, tears welled up in her eyes as she looked down at the ring on her finger.

Sobs escaped from her as she cried, frustrated with the whole situation.

She was tired, so tired.

She didn't know how to fix things with Ben, she knew they were slowly losing each other.

Every time one would brought up their issue of time, it would end up with the two of them having a disagreement and finally forgiving each other after sexually making up for it.

And the same routine would go on and on again.

Last night, she was so fed up with it, she angrily admitted it to Ben, but it didn't go anywhere as they were here again, continuing the same routine.

Sometimes she would wonder what her life would be like now if she was still on the Isle.

Of course, the woman she once called mother would be there, but there wouldn't be any rules, responsibilities, protocols... she'd be free.

But she knew this was her life now, she was a princess, she needed to get it together.

She just didn't know if she and Ben would get through this together.

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