~Hanna's POV~
It was another normal boring day back at hell...oops I mean school. Ya know the same old classes with the same old boring teachers who teach the same dumb lessons. Benji and I haven't really had time to do much of the project lately. He kind of went back to the old Benji after the last time we met. I was planning on talking to him about it today, but I couldn't find the right time. He was always either top busy with football, too busy with his dodo friends, too busy with some random girl, or he just literally disappears off of the face of the earth! Maybe he's a part of the Illumina- ouch. I get knocked out of my thoughts as I fall to the ground. I look up to see the backside of none other than Leilani Wilson. Shit. I quickly pick myself up and dust myself off. "watch where you are going loser! You could've smeared your ugliness on my outfit!" she screeched. God she's so annoying. "im so-" I was again stopped when an arm slung around my shoulder from behind me. Startled I stood still not bothering to look who it was. Just by his signature scent, playboy perfume that is, I could already tell who it was. "Hey Leilani could you shut your fat mouth for once please." said Benji. Leilani stood there with her mouth wide open. "Are you seriously defending that rat?!" she exclaimed. "Yes. Yes I am. Now if you could leave my partner alone that'd be great." Benji said. Leilani huffed and stomped away with her fists at her side. Benji looked down at me with a smile on his face. "thanks." I said while blushing like crazy. But when I turned around he had already disappeared. I sighed and headed to class. I guess I'll just have to thank him another time.
~Benji's POV~
"Yeah well we have football practice today and I was thinking bout heading to party afterschool" said my friend Max as we walked down the hall. "mhm" I replied not really listening. All of this week I've been distracted with the whole project thing. I can't seem to focus. I've been avoiding Hanna as much as a I could. I know we need to work on the project, but I can't deal with her right now. I lift my head up to watch where I'm going when I spot Hanna down the hallway. Ugh I wish I could talk to her. No what am I saying she's a nerd. Suddenly I watch as Hanna crashes to the floor due to coming in contact with Leilani's back. No don't do it Ben. don't do it. Screw it. I walk over to Hanna as Leilani is screaming her head off. I swung my arm around Hanna and pulled her close. "Hey Leilani could you shut your big mouth for once?" I said. I felt Hanna tense up and out of the corner of my eye I could tell she was as red as a tomato. I'm sure she was surprised that I was sticking up for her, but so was I. As soon as Leilani stomped away I glanced at Hanna to see her blushing. Cute. Fuck. I looked around for somewhere to escape before she could say something. I was swiftly pulled into the closet behind me. I heard Hanna say "thank you...?" outside the door before sighing and walking away. As soon as I couldn't hear her footsteps anymore I turned around to see who had pulled me in. I came face to face with Danny. "dude are you okay? You looked like you were about to have a panic attack." he said. "im fine I was just trying to get away" I replied. "oh. Who were you talking to anyway?" he asked? "its uh nobody. We are just partners for some stupid project" I said worried he would find out the truth. He nodded slowly. "wait why are you in here anyway" I asked him. "trying to get away from Max's constant blabbing" he answered. "good luck" I laughed before exiting the closet.
~Hanna's POV~
I've been looking for Benji basically all day and I still haven't seen him. Ugh I am totally going to fail this project aren't I? I walk into the locker room for PE which happens to be my next class. I hear girls talking as soon as I set my bag down. I turn around to almost hit a very close Leilani. "ummm can I help you?" I ask. "haha don't get too confident just because Benji helped you out earlier. He's mine!" she shouted. "Look you can strut around in your high heels and designer clothes acting like you own the place all you want, but that doesn't change the fact that you are just a basic cookie cutter bitch who lowers other girl's self esteem because you are too weak to handle your own insecurities." I shoot back. "ooooh" the girls surrounding shouted as I flamed her. "THIS BITCH IS GONNA GET IT!" she screamed before slapping me. "wtf?" I say. "where's your little boy friend to protect you now slut?" she said before pushing me into a corner. I'm in deep shit. Her friends and her repeatedly hit me until the bell finally rang. I struggled to get up after being kicked and punched about a thousand times. I walked to the mirror to check the damage. I had a few bruises, a bleeding lip, and a black eye. Shit. I pulled my hair out of the ponytail it had been in and tried to cover the bruised eye as best as I could. I didn't feel like going to class after all of that so I walked to the nearby park and sat on the swing before bursting into tears.
~Benji's POV~
I sat in the cafeteria as my friends and a bunch of random girls surrounded us. "Yeah and then I said 'that's the wrong size sir" one girl said. Max and the other girls burst out into laughter. I sighed and stared down at my phone. 30 more minutes God I can't take this. It's always the same thing everyday. Flirting girls, bad jokes, fake laughs, Leilani bitching, Football practice. Repeat. If I have to listen to this cliche high school bullsh*t one more minute I swear im going to go insane. I quickly stood up with the stares of everyone behind me. "where are you going Benji?" said some random girl I don't even know. "um the bathroom ill be right back." I said which was a total lie. I walked out of the school to get out of that constant cycle. I decided to walk down the street to the park. As soon as I arrived I spotted a girl on the swings with her hoodie pulled over her head as she looked down at her shoes. As soon as I walked closer I realized that it was Hanna. What is she doing here? "hey" I said as I took a seat in the swing next to her. She looked up with sad eyes and gave me a weak smile. "what are you doing here?" I asked. "I uh just need some fresh air that's all. The real question is why are you here. I've been looking for you all day" she said. "i just needed to get away for a bit so I came out here hoping to escape." I sighed. "why were you looking for me?" I asked. "Well I wanted to thank you for earlier and ask you about the project." she said smiling. "dont mention it. Lei was being an a** to you. Anyone would do the same." I shrugged. "thats the thing. Nobody has done the same so thank you." she said. "you're welcome besides Leilani is an asshelmet." I said smiling. "a-an Asshelmet?😂" Hanna said in between laughs. "yup and a stank clown too" I said in a little kid voice. Hanna burst out into laughter. Her laugh was so unique and perfect. She scrunched her nose slightly and squinted her eyes as her beautiful giggly laugh erupted out of her smiling lips. I love it. Once her laughter died down the wind picked up and blew some hair out of her face. As I examined her face I realized that she had a huge black eye. Oh God how did she get that? "uh Hanna how did you get that." I said pointing to her purple eye. She touched it and said "oh uh um I was playing softball and the ball hit my eye.". "Hanna I know you are lying. You have never touched a ball in your life." I said giving her the look. She sighed before saying "ok fine someone hit me". My blood boiled at these words. Anger rushed through my veins just thinking about someone laying their hands on an innocent person like her. How could they? "Who?!" I said through gritted teeth. "um Leilani" she quietly said while playing with her fingers. LEILANI?!!! I balled my fists as my jaw clenched with utter rage. I quickly stood up and walked away knowing exactly where I was headed.
~Hanna's POV~
"um Leilani" I said while twiddling with my thumbs. Benji remained quiet. I looked up to see him ball his fists and clench his jaw then walk away in rage without another word. Why is he so upset? I'm just a nerd I get best up all of the time. Also where in the heck is he going?
~Benji's POV~
I marched into the school headed straight for her locker. After I'm done with her there is no way she will mess with Hanna ever again. If I could just strangle her I would. How could she do this to someone as sweet and caring as Hanna? "Leilani" I shouted. She spun around on her heels. "oh hey babe" she said while twirling her hair. "dont you babe me. You hurt Hanna?" I asked still upset. "yeah. So what? The little rat deserved it." she said while snickering. "excuse me? Hanna is not a rat. She is smart and kind and beautiful. Basically everything you're not. If anyone is a rat its you because I can smell the sewer stench on you from here. Yuck. If you ever lay your filthy hands on Hanna again I won't hesitate to rip those cheap ass extensions out of your head!" I said maybe a little harsher than intended. She stood there with her mouth gaping open. "Do you understand?" I asked getting annoyed. "y-yes" she stuttered. "good." I said walking away. I walked as fast as I could back out to the park in hopes of finding Hanna. I looked everywhere on the playground with no luck. I sighed sitting down about to give up when I heard a small sniffle. I looked to my left to see Hanna curled up in a ball on a park bench. I walked closer to see that she was crying. Without a word I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her onto my lap to comfort her. We sat like this for a good five minutes before her tears slowed and I spoke up. "Hey look at me. Don't worry about Leilani I dealt with her. Nothing she says about you is true you know that right? You are amazing so don't let her get to you." I said. She nodded slowly and dug her head into my chest hugging me tight before standing up. "Thank you Benji" she said. "anytime. How about I walk you home...you can have a piggyback ride" I said. She nodded her head again before wrapping her arms around my neck and jumping up on my back. Luckily for me her house was only down the street. Not that I would have much trouble carrying her further considering her size. I dropped her outside her house on the porch and turned around looking down at her as she smiled. "welp looks like we are here. Bye" I said rubbing the back of my neck and turning around to walk home. "benji..." she said. I turned around to face her. "yeah?" "thanks" she said smiling. "anytime" I said walking away smiling like a doofus.
(A/N sorry for the wait guys. I've been busy with school lately and didn't feel too creatively motivated but I promise I will be back to writing more)
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🖤Skin Deep🖤
RomanceThe typical teen romance story...or is it? Read what happens when Hanna King, a nerdy outcasted teenager trying to make it through high school, clashes with Benjamin Clay, varsity quarterback and head of the "popular group". What they don't realize...