How it Really Happens

My Story

Ben stood quietly, gazing at the beautiful face before him. Her brown eyes glittered, full of life, and her long brown hair lay about her shoulders, framing her delicate features pristinely. He was completely oblivious to all the other conversations going on in the school hallway; all his attention was on the person standing before him. Time seemed to stand still as Ally smiled at him. He forced himself to smile back, even though he knew that his true wish would never come true, she would never learn to love him the way he loved her. That thought made the corners of his mouth fall downwards, he hopped that she didn’t see it, but there was no need for Ben to worry, because Ally was already looking away, chatting animatedly with her other friends. Ben let a corner of his mouth tilt up in a crooked smile; it was about the biggest smile he could manage most of the time. The thought of being close enough to her to be considered her friend always had a way of cheering him up, if only slightly.

“So, what’s happening with ‘Robin’?” One of the girls asked Ally.

Ally coughed into her hand, with a shake of her head in the direction of Ben. Ben wished it was him she was motioning at, because he knew that “Robin” was the girls’ codename for the one Ally liked. Looking over his shoulder, he was able to see that it wasn’t him. As he expected, Kyle was coming up behind him. Mentally, Ben was strangling himself, but outwardly, he forced his quirky smile onto his face.

“How are you Kyle?” Ben asked, his face cool and calm, even though he was boiling with anger and steaming with envious pain inside.

“Just fine.” Kyle answered at an equal level of cool collectiveness. “How are you?”

“Okay, thank you.” Ben said with a nod, keeping his eyes tilted upward, analyzing Kyle with cold eyes.

“Hi Kyle!” Alison said, a sparkling smile crossing her beautifully serene features.

“Hello Naomi.” Kyle replied, beaming at being addressed so warmly by his true goddess.

Ally simply replied with a smile, groping, to get a hold of a book in her locker. Ben recognized her struggles, and removed one of his hands from his pocket, reaching his lanky arm over Ally, and taking hold of the book for her. He slowly removed it from her locker, and placed it gently into her extended hands. She gazed up at him, and smiled, making Ben forget about his early anger, as his insides melted, and a truly cheerful smile found a rare spot on his empty face.

At that point, the bell rang for the next class, and Ally hoisted her backpack onto her back with a slight bit of assistance, she began to turn in order to give him thanks, but Kyle stepped forward, engaging her in meaningless conversation, as he led her down the hall. Ally’s friends followed close on their heels, leaving Ben standing alone, his smile wilting into a scowl as his eyes alit with anger and jealousy.