The Moment Before You Fall

Thirteen: Thrill-Seeking

*** Benjamin's POV ***

I'm not going to lie. I have not paid attention to a thing but her since I saw her enter the room. I'm sure all the important stuff is in our packet anyway. I can catch up later. BUT right now, I'm basking in the warmth of her body and her light peachy scent as I hold her tight to me.

I don't know what possessed me to pull her onto my lap. I'm not an aggressive guy, but the thought of her slipping away again was just too much for me. I needed to be assertive. And I think I made the right call, especially now that she's stuck with me.

I mockingly ask her if she's ready after the eager orientation leaders say we are going to get tight with our newly formed team. She blinks at me with her hair falling in her eyes. She blows it off her forehead, but it doesn't move. I use the hand that isn't clasped around her to gently move her chestnut bangs.

"Uh do you two know each other?" Laura asks, curious about our seating arrangement.

"No."

"Yes."

"Well, kind of." She rephrases her initial no.

Laura looks at us like we are nuts. "Okay. I'm going to get some food. You all coming?" Jamar and Jade nod and follow Laura out the door.

"So, going to keep me captive much longer?" She asks, picking at my fingers.

"It depends. Are you going to keep trying to avoid me?" I ask, repositioning my grip on her.

"No. Let's get some food and find someplace to talk." She relents. "If we're going to be stuck together, we might as well clear the air."

I release her. She jumps to her feet and pretends like she's going to make a run for it. I laugh. "I know where to find you most days of the week now so I'm not worried."

"Damn. It is kind of crazy how much our lives overlap." She admits as we walk side by side to get in line for food.

I see her friend set her sights on Abigail and then me. She decides to go find someone else for lunch.

"I feel bad abandoning Whitney." Abigail says, putting bread on her plate to make a sandwich. I then watch her put an ungodly amount of mustard on both sides of the bread.

"She's cute. She'll find a friend. You really like mustard, don't you?" I tease.

"Oh, so only cute girls make friends? How chauvinistic. Also yes, mustard is life." She retorts.

"Not what I meant. To be more clear, she's had a fair amount of attention, although they might have also been checking you out. But given your taken status..."

"Hold up. Just to make it abundantly clear, what you think you saw the other night was totally not an actual thing." She looks cute as she holds her plate with her mustard sandwich in one hand and gestures with her other.

Then I realize something. "How do you know I saw anything?"

"Finish making your sandwich. This is going to require more than a quick response. Are you good if we go outside?" She peeks to see how people have spread themselves out.

"Sounds good to me." I agree.

We make our way through the line, grabbing cookies and drinks. She goes to the far end of the courtyard, some ways away from prying eyes or eagerly tuned-in ears.

She sits and pulls her sunglasses on from where they rested on top of her head. I have to decide whether I want to look at her or be near here. I play it safe and sit across from her.