Ever since, New York [h.s] AU

31 || TOTALLY NOT A SERIAL KILLER

Ben is officially my favorite person. During the whole flight, we realized him and I have a lot more in common than dare I say it, Ethan and I - and it's not necessarily romance wise, but just in general.

Ben and I are both heavy sleepers, we're not really morning persons and when there's a time we need to be, we can't function without the help of caffeine. We're both dog lovers, we believe in the paranormal and enjoy long talks about conspiracies and aliens.

The only thing we don't really have in common is the fact that he's into working out and doing outside activities like baseball, and soccer, which I on the other hand - definitely detest leaving my home on purpose.

"This place is very, how would you say it? Posh." Ben says, eating his piece of bacon.

"Okay, first of all - this place isn't posh, posh means it's fancy and this place definitely isn't." I correct while laughing.

"I love how we're getting along, I mean it's like we've known each other for years now." He comments.

"I know right? I mean, judging by how I met you just a few hours ago, I would've been upset if you were some serial killer." He chuckles. He had made me forget about my fight with Harry - it feels so weird to say that.

"I never really asked why you looked upset back there?" I spoke too soon.

I shake my head. "It was just an argument." I simply say, keeping it short. I don't know if I was ready to tell him that yet. Although, judging by the fact that I'm with someone I just met and told him about where I live, what I study and where I work, it didn't make sense that I kept quiet.

"With your fiancé?" He questions, unsure of himself.

"Oh, no. With my best friend, or I don't know if we're so much best friends anymore." I say, twirling my spoon inside my coffee.

"I'm all ears if you want to talk about it." Ben smiles. This makes him even more enjoyable, the fact that he listens. I sigh, telling him about the situation, all the while he nods in understanding listening to every word that flees my lips.

"...And so here we are."

"Well, if my years of psychology paid off, if he was truly your best friend he wouldn't even consider it, I mean if you meant as much as he claimed, you wouldn't have been looking so upset. Aside from stating the obvious, if there was something that bothered him then maybe I could understand." Ben says.

"Bothered him? If there was anything, I'd be the first to know. Him and I have never put any relationship before us, it all just happened so sudden, I mean it doesn't make sense."

Ben shrugs. "To be honest with you, I could be wrong. I only took psychology because I needed to graduate. What I really wanted to do was travel the world. I mean, I'm barely getting there but I'm working hard towards it." He grins making me roll my eyes as a chuckle escaped my lips.

"Are you ready for your tour, Benjamin?" I mock making him smirk.

"Sure thing, Kat." Ben started calling me Kat since the plane, nobody had ever called me that and to be honest, I don't mind it one bit.

—

Ben and I ended up spending hours just messing around at the Manchester Art Gallery, poking fun at some statues while sneaking pictures of each other next to the art, all the while making silly faces and poses.

We didn't realize how much fun we were having until the security had to come and tell us the place had closed ten minutes ago. "I'm so glad I brought my coat, I didn't believe you when you said it would be cold later on." Ben says as we walk down the sidewalk.

"I told you," I mock. It was around 5:30 pm and it was getting rather dark. "Welcome to London my friend."

"I forgot how jet lagged I was, I've been having so much fun. I was afraid I wouldn't meet someone to show me around. I thought I would have to sign up for the tours and whatnot."

"Oh, those are the worst. You wouldn't have seen much, they only show you the basic things like the Big Ben and the London eye." I say, remembering when Harry forced me on it.

"Well you definitely get all 5 stars on yelp."

"Well aren't you kind? You definitely get a totally not a serial killer badge." I joke making him laugh. "I've had fun, really. Thanks for taking me out of my misery."

"You are so welcome." Ben grins as we reach the cab stop and wait for one. As we wait, I look at my phone in hopes that I have a text from Harry, saying that it's all a joke and that he won't go through with it, but the only text I have is from a scammer telling me I've won a trip to Vegas.

Not even a text from Ethan. It'll only be a few hours my ass.

"So what would you usually be doing right now?" I ask, breaking the silence.

"Honestly? Probably be at the gym before going home to play a few games." He shrugs. "What about you?"

"Work," I sigh. "You know it might seem cliche but I actually enjoy my job."

"Well seeming as we both love the smell and taste of coffee, I'd say you've got one hell of a job." He says making me smile.

"Ethan usually tells me I should find another job, that I should work in an office somewhere as a journalist of some sort." I roll my eyes.

"Ethan sounds like a shitty best friend."

"Oh no, Ethan is my fiancé." I say while laughing at his expression.

"Sorry," he chuckles. "You never exactly clarified who's who."

"Ethan is my fiancé, my best friend is Harry."

"Harry as in -"

"Yes." I quickly say making him nod.

"I was wondering why people were being pushed out by security, there was girls recording and trying to get through the gates. And then I saw him walking off with people behind him."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I mean that must be so stressful, having people recording your every move."

"I know right? I don't know how he does it. But honestly, promise me not to tell anyone, okay? I don't need that attention passed on to me. It's happened once."

"You don't have to worry about that, I'm great at keeping secrets." Ben says. After we grab a cab, we decide on going to dinner before we both parted ways.