Chapter Two:

"Ben, I don't know." I whispered. Tears leaked through the corners of my eyes and he gently wiped them away with his thumbs.

"I'm here." He promised. I nodded, having complete trust in him.

"I know." I said, closing my eyes again and leaning into him for support. He wrapped his arms around me again, holding me impossibly closer.

My body started to shake with my sobs. Why was I crying? The bad memories? The embarrassment? The fact that someone like Ben was comforting me?

It was all those things combined. The pain from my past was stinging my heart.

"Ben." I said between sobs. "Ben, I want to tell you."

He nodded and let me move my head so I was looking at him again.

"Go on." He urged lightly. A little smile pulled at my lips.

I took a deep breath and nodded to myself. Here it goes, I thought. Here it goes. You'd better be ready for this.

"Back in Maine," I started, looking in his eyes for a reason to stay standing, "My ex-boyfriend, Seth. He..." I took another deep breath. I watched as Ben's eyes went from concern to fierce and angry within seconds. "He abused me."

Ben's arms were rigid around my body. His face was hard, his eyes wild with fury. I felt a pang of relief and horror at the same time. I had finally told someone. But Ben...was he okay?

He wasn't breathing. Then, before I knew it, I was shoved roughly into his arms even closer, struggling to breath. His hands were moving up and down my back in a comforting manner. I was confused. Why was his body shaking? Why were sobs escaping his lips?

"I'm so sorry." He said, finding it hard to talk in between sobs. His tears fell on the top of my head. "I..." He was cut off by harsh, ripping sobs coming from his chest.

"Ben!" I said, moving my hands to his face this time, wiping his tears away. "Ben, why on earth are you crying for me?"

His dark eyes were teary, and glistening beautifully.

"Haylynn..." He said, another sob ripping through his chest. "Haylynn, I... No! No, not to you, too! No! This can't happen again!"

"What?"

"My dad abused my mom." He said, tears leaking from his eyes again. I wiped them away. My mouth was open in disbelief and hurt. I had brought this on. What was wrong with me?

"I'm sorry, Ben." I said. I truly was. What have I done, now?

"No, don't you dare apologize." He said fiercely. A chill ran through me.

"But..."

"No. It's not you're fault. None of it is. Don't say sorry for what happened to me." He stated, hugging me closer.

"Did...did he hurt you...?" I stuttered.

"No." He said simply. I nodded. "But he hurt my mom, and I guess that kind of hurt me, too. To see someone so strong become so weak."

I understood. I used to think I was strong. But then, every time Seth would hit me, I became weaker and weaker. Strong didn't describe me anymore.

"I know what you mean." I mumbled.

He buried his face in my hair.

"I wish you didn't." He admitted. "Nothing like that should happen to anyone. Especially to you."

I felt tears coming again at the sound of sadness in his beautiful voice.

"Please, Haylynn, for me, stay strong, okay? Fight for it. I will be here for you always, alright? I promise I will."

Tears poured at the vow he had made. How could he say something like that? I barely even knew him.

But it didn't matter anyway. We had both been in very similar and very bad situations. That brought us together.

I was in love with Benjamin Taylor.

And by the way he was holding me, comforting me, soothing me, crying for me, I could tell he loved me, too.

I didn't know how long we had stood there, in each others arms, pouring out our long hidden secrets. But I didn't care. All that mattered to me was the fact that Ben was here. Holding me.

But then, too soon, the bell rang.

He lifted his head from my hair and smiled down at me with red, puffy eyes. I'm sure my eyes looked the same.

His eyes filled with adoration again, stroking my cheek with his fingertips.

"Wow." He whispered. "You're eyes get so blue after you cry. It's beautiful."

I blushed and leaned my head into his hand, completely content.

"Thanks." I said. "It usually happens a lot. After crying and when I'm really happy."

I wanted to comment on how amazing his eyes looked, so dark and mysterious. So beautiful, but I didn't. Not yet.

He took my hand and led me up the hall even further. We stopped at another room that had the words, "science room," written on it.

We walked inside and I was amazed at what I saw. It was like walking into a science museum. There were diagrams and models and posters everywhere. There were trinkets and old things and new things. It was awesome.

Ben's expression was amazed. He looked down at me with wide eyes, overjoyed by how I reacted to the science room.

"You like it?" He asked. Amusement in his voice.

I nodded.

"It's awesome!" I exclaimed.

He nodded and chuckled.

"I know." He said.

A huge smile was on my face. I was beaming for no reason at all. I didn't even like science. I just liked the room for some odd reason. It kind of reminded me of home. My old science room.

"Mr. West is probably the nicest teacher ever." Ben said, breaking me out of my trance. "He'll like you. He likes everyone. He's kind of a pack-rat, though." We laughed.

"No, it's cool. I had a teacher that was just like that." I said. He smiled at me.

"So, Haylynn, science room. Science room, Haylynn." He said, laughing a little. "Let's go outside."

"Outside?" I asked, looking into his amazing eyes.

"Yep." He said. "So we can talk. Privately."

I nodded and let him take my hand and lead me out an exit and into the bright sunlight.

It was still kind of a culture shock, the weather change. I was used to the cold and the dull grey skies and the rain. Here, though, it was sunny, warm, and beautiful. A gentle breeze came over us. I smiled. Maybe it wasn't so bad here, after all.

Ben led me to a little area behind the school. It was grassy, and it had a picnic table in the very center. There were trees in the background, and little flowers bloomed in the freshly mowed grass.

My smile grew at the sight of this.

"Wow." I said, amazement in my voice. "This is incredible."

Ben smiled down at me, his dark eyes glistening with happiness.

"I'm glad you like it." He murmured. "It's my favorite place to go when I need to think. Or to just, you know, hang out."

I nodded and I blushed at the way he held my hand even tighter.

"It's awesome." I said, smiling up at him, cheeks burning. "Really pretty, too."

He nodded and before I knew it, he was leading me to the little wooden picnic table.

He sat us both down, facing each other. His hand still firmly in mine. He gazed at me, the adoration back again. My blushed deepened, and his free hand was on my face.

He smiled his amazing smile at me.

"Haylynn," he started, "I want you to know that I will always be here for you, okay?"

I nodded.

"Okay." I said.

"No matter what. I'll always protect you. I won't let what happened to my mom happen to you, alright?"

"Okay." I whispered. "Thank you, Ben."

"No, Haylynn," He stated, tucking my head under his chin and taking deep, steady breaths in and out. "Thank you."

"For what?" I asked. What had I given him? I was just...me.

He chuckled disbelievingly and brought my face to his.

"For everything." He said, seriousness pouring from his tone and gleaming in his eyes. "Haylynn, I think you need to know this; you've given my life a lot of happiness and purpose. I love you. And I'm not just saying that. I really, truly love you."

Did I just hear what I think I heard? No, I couldn't have. I must be dreaming. There is no way that Ben just told me he loved me...

But he did.

His eyes were searching mine for an answer, a reaction. He held my burning face in his hands, watching, waiting.

I looked away. I struggled to keep breathing correctly.

Ben. Benjamin Taylor. He loved me.

"Haylynn?" He asked, trying to move my face so he could see my eyes. "Haylynn, are you okay? Did I say something wrong?"

I looked into his eyes, then. A sudden gush of confidence ran through me. For once, felt strong again.

"Ben," I began, watching as his face grew concerned with the shakiness of my voice.

"Yes?"

"You didn't say anything wrong." I informed, seeing his eyes lighten a little. "I just...I can't believe it."

"Can't believe what?" He asked.

"That someone like you could love someone like me."

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, hugging me closer to him. His lips were at my ear.

"Don't ever think that you aren't good enough." He said. Fierceness in his voice. "I don't deserve you. You are too good for anyone. Anyone. And the person who does end up getting you..." he trailed off, pain taking over the fierceness. "Well, he's one lucky guy."

I looked up at his face, his eyes still shut. My heart broke for him.

"Ben." I said, putting my hands on his face. His eyes did not open. "Ben, I love you."

His eyes snapped open in shock. They were full of disbelief and happiness.

"Really?" He asked. "For real?"

I nodded, a smile placing itself on my lips.

"Oh my God!" He said, excitement in his tone. He stood up and took me with him, picking me up and spinning me around.

I giggled as he spun me. I felt so free. So very, very free.

When he stopped and put my feet on the ground, he still held me. He looked into my eyes and I looked into his.

His eyes were filled with love and passion, something I had never really seen.

"I love you." He murmured, his fingers intertwining with mine.

"I love you, too." I said. It felt nice to actually mean it.

We stood there for what seemed like hours, just looking into each other's eyes. Our fingers wound together. It was perfect.

We were perfect.

He slowly placed his hand in my hair. I closed my eyes and slowly breathed in and out. Ben touching me was like nothing else.

But then his hand put the tiniest amount of pressure on the back of my head...

"Ouch!" I said, jumping back. I didn't mean to. It was instinct.

Ben's face was hurt and confused. His hand was frozen in the air where it had been on my head.

He slowly lowered his hand and scowled at it. His hands clenched into fists. Tears came to his eyes.

Ben hadn't done anything wrong. All he did was touch me. I loved the fact that he was touching me.

What happened was before I left, Seth had hit me. He had smashed my head into a wall. It was still bruised and sore from it. Ben didn't know.

"Haylynn..." He whispered. "Haylynn, I'm so sorry..."

"Ben!" I said, walking up closer to him. "No, Ben, you didn't do anything. You didn't know." I took a breath. "Seth, before I left, smashed my head against a wall..."

Ben's head snapped up to look at mine. He was in front of me within seconds, pushing me to him, examining the back of my injured head.

He gently parted my long brown hair and gasped at what he saw. Which was what I saw every day, too. A big, softball shaped bruise.

"Oh my God." Ben whispered. I could hear the tears in his voice. He was trying to hide it, but he couldn't. I hated the fact that this brought him pain, too. It wasn't fair to him.

"Don't feel bad, Ben." I mumbled. "It's not your fault."

"I'll kill him." He said, anger in his voice, now. Tears leaked from his beautiful eyes. "I'll find him and I'll kill him."

"Ben..."

"Is there any other marks? Or bruises? Or scars? Please tell me."

"Yes."

"Show them to me. Please."

I nodded and slowly lifted my shirt up to expose my stomach. There was a bruise, a big bruise, just to the right of my belly button.

Ben's eyes teared up more at the sight of this.

"Keep going."

I lifted my sleeves up my arms to expose the pale skin of my forearm. It was peppered with bruises the size of fingertips.

Ben shook his head and placed his hands on my hips, bringing my body closer.

He placed a tender kiss on my forehead and put his lips to my ear.

"I promise you, Haylynn," he started, his hands moving to wrap fully around my waist. "I will find him, and I will kill him."

I looked up at him, completely shocked by his statement. Would Ben actually do that?

For me?

It was hard to believe that he could kill anything. Let alone a human being. But...did he really care that much for me?

He was holding me close, whispering comforting things in my ear. I closed my eyes and found my answer.

Yes. He did care that much for me. Ben would protect me, hold me.

Kill for me.

I listened to the words he was whispering to me.

"I love you. You know I love you. I won't let anything happen to you. He can't hurt you again. I'm here. He can't have you. You're mine now."

I smiled at the fact that I was his, even though I didn't know how such an impossible thing was possible. I opened my eyes and looked up at him through my lashes.

"I know." I responded, watching as his eyes turned from solid to liquid. "I'll always be yours. Always."

He hugged me impossibly closer and closed his eyes. A smile came to his lips.

"Good." He said. "Because if you weren't, I would probably be dead."

I shook my head.

"No." I argued. "No, I wouldn't let that happen."

He brought my face closer to his and let out a sigh, his eyes serious.

"Don't ever worry about me, okay?" He asked. "Worry about you. You take care of yourself. Not me. I'll take care of you, too. We both will."

I smiled up at him. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Benjamin Taylor...in love with a hick girl from Maine. Me. He was in love with me.

It was still as if I was in a dream.

But if it was, it was the one dream I never wanted to wake up from.

I rested my head on his chest, completely content. I could stay in this moment forever. The world around me could be on fire, or freezing over, and I wouldn't notice. Or care. As long as I was with him, I would be okay.

His arms were tight around me. He buried his face in my hair. I smiled and looked up at his amazing face. He smiled back, gently removing one of his arms from around my waist and brushing his fingertips across my cheek.

"Beautiful." He whispered, watching the blush color my face.

I looked away and smiled.

"Thanks." I said. I was so happy and so amazed and so overjoyed. Nothing could ruin this for me. Nothing.

He chuckled and pushed my head back to his chest.

"Anytime." He said. I could hear the smile in his voice. I was sure he could feel mine.

We stood there for a while in each others arms. Completely happy with just each other.

I closed my eyes and wrapped my arms around him, too. He was a lot taller than me, but I didn't care. He was perfect the way he was.

I felt him place kisses on the top of my head and then press his cheek where he kissed. I could tell he was being careful. He didn't want to hurt me again.

"Haylynn?" He asked in a careful, gentle, loving voice. "Can I ask you something?"

"You can ask me anything." I assured him.

"Okay." He said. He took my face in his hands and brought it up so he could stare into my eyes. My freakishly bright blue eyes, that held nothing but love for him.

I hoped he could read them.

"What would you say," he started, not sure how to word his question. He took a deep breath. "What would you say if I kissed you right now?"

Awwwwww! What do you think will happen??? Hahaha. Okay, remember to R&R!!! Reviews make me happy and I need happiness in my life. XD I hope you liked it!!!

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