How You Get the Girl

Why Everyone is So Convinced You're the Saint and I'm the Sinner?

I think I had seen more of Ben when we were broken up than the week we were both grounded. Okay, not really but it felt like it. And worse, after their conversation about finding Ben in my room, his mom and my mom had actually started talking to each other. They made plans to have lunch. I think they actually liked each other. Kill me now.

Ben and I only got to see each other during computer class and at lunch. Both of us had to come home right after school. I had to skip student council meetings and Ben had to skip Math Team practices. On the bright side, we did try to make the most of computer class and our lunch block. On the minus side, Ms. Alverez, our computer teacher, seems to have developed ESP when I came to Ben and me not paying attention in class.

"What happened when you got home?" I asked Ben the minute he sat down beside me in class the day after we were both put under house arrest. I had been dying to know. My mom had confiscated my cell phone as part of grounding me.

"My mom took my phone and my computer and said we would talk when my dad got home," Ben answered. "Then when he did get home we got to have a long discussion about the lack of respect I had shown to you, your parents and how deeply I had embarrassed them. It was a fun talk."

"Oh god, that sounds awful," I told him.

"It can't be worse than how things went with your parents."

Hmm, that was not actually true. My talk with my mom and been kind of nice. Should I tell Ben the truth, or lie and pretend she had lectured me? It might be more tactful to pretend she had been really mad but, I didn't want to lie. "Actually, we had a really good talk. She and I haven't opened up to each other that much in a long time."

"Are you kidding? I got raked over the coals by my parents and you had a bonding moment with your mom?" Ben looked seriously annoyed.

"She did still punish me," I reminded him. He did not look mollified. I thought about adding that she had made an appointment with my doctor so that I could go on the Pill but I was pretty sure he did not want to know that my mom knew that much about our relationship. I would just keep that to myself for now.

"Have a told you today how much I love you," I said with a smile.

"No, no you haven't," Ben answered, looking less annoyed.

"Well, I do."

"I love you too."

"Harper, Ben, you are supposed to be working on your project," Ms. Alverez broke into the moment we were having.

"Yes Ms. Alverez," I responded. How did she know when we were talking about something besides our project? She definitely had ESP. Then again, if she had ESP she would have figured out that one of the freshmen was playing games on his phone under his desk and Kenzie was shopping for shoes on her computer.

I focused on working on our game for at least five minutes before looking back at Ben.

"I didn't tell you yesterday, but I like your hair." His hand brushed one of my blue streaks. "You look amazing."

"You really think so?" I asked. I had not been sure he would be okay with it.

He put his hand on my leg. "Yeah, I like it a lot."

Hmm. Okay, maybe Ben actually preferred artsy nerd girls? I was wearing a peasant blouse and jean shorts, definitely not the preppy look I used to have. His hand slid a little higher up my leg. He seemed to definitely prefer artsy nerd girls.

"Mr. Ryan, you need to put both hands on your desk right now or you are heading straight to the principal's office." Ms. Alverez said from right behind us.