CHAPTER 5.

MIRA'S POV.

I can't believe Benjamin Hudson likes chocolate ice-cream and kittens. He even had a pet kitten, and he asked me to come over to his house to play with his kitten someday. Just thinking about it made me so excited. I can recall that Benjamin never takes anyone to his house unless you're really close to him. Does that mean Ben thinks of me as someone close to him now? Does he now like me even though I'm fat and ugly?

My heart pounded at the thought of Ben likening me. It's all I've ever dreamed of for years, and now we were going to have ice-cream, the same flavor of ice-cream, like on a date.

This is nothing but a dream come true for me.

We finally arrived at the ice-cream place, and we got off from the car. Ben and I approached the ice-cream cart, and he spoke to the man behind the counter, "two chocolate ice-creams please." The man handed the ice-creams to Ben, and he thanked him and came over to hand me mine.

"Thanks" I said happily as I took it from him.

"You're welcome" he smiled, and I felt my heart glow in my chest. That was how I felt when he laughed earlier in the car. I can't believe I made Benjamin Hudson laugh. Benjamin never smiles except when he's with Natasha and I made him laugh. I feel so proud of myself.

Before mulching on my ice cream, I blew on it and I watched Ben staring at me in amazement. "Why are you blowing on your ice-cream?" He asked, looking confused.

"It always feels better when you blow on it", I told him, and resumed blowing on my ice-cream. Some people find me weird when I blow on my ice-cream, but I love it that way.

"But it isn't hot" he stated, looking quite confused.

I smiled up at him. "It tastes better when you blow on it, I mean uniquely better."

"Really?" he chuckled "then I guess I should also try it and see just how uniquely better it tastes." He also started to blow on his ice-cream and people passing by gave us strange looks.

After blowing on our ice-cream, we both tasted it at once. My eyes rolled back in bliss as I felt it melting in my mouth. Oh God, it's so good!

"Hmm, this really tastes uniquely better," Ben said with wide eyes.

"I told you so" I said, taking another bite out of it.

"So can you see fireworks?" he teased, and I nodded, playing along.

"Yes, I can see them, can't you?"

"Yes I can, in so many colors" he joked and we both laughed.

So far, being with Ben has been nothing but fun. Ben was cooler than I expected. He did not seem like the Ben that had always bullied and made fun of me in the past. This Ben is different, and I am so happy that he's changed.

As we ate our ice-cream, talked and laughed, a girl came over to talk to Ben. She was very beautiful, slim and elegantly dressed in a short flared gown. I suddenly felt self-conscious. "Hey Ben" the girl greeted Ben, giggling at him.

Ben looked over at her and smiled, and I suddenly felt jealous. I wanted to be the only one to make Ben smile like that, but of course why would he ever look at me and smile when I am so ugly?

"Hey Hannah, I didn't know I would run into you here." He greeted back, and the girl moved closer to him and placed her hand on his shoulder. My heart tightens with jealousy. "I didn't know I would run into you here too, Ben." She finally noticed me standing there, and I immediately noticed the look of disgust on her face. "And why are you with someone like this?"

Even her tone sounded disgusted, and I was starting to feel insecure, but Ben's next words surprised me. "This is Mirabel and she is my friend. I would appreciate it if you didn't insult her."

The girl glanced at me from head to toe with a rude stare and said "Since when did you make friends with someone so ugly?"

I watched Ben's fist tighten in anger. "You know what; you had better leave if you're going to talk to Mirabel that way. I won't hesitate to cut off anyone who insults my friends. You are crossing the line, Hannah". Ben turned towards me. "Let's go Mirabel", he walked ahead of me and I followed behind him, leaving the shocked girl to herself.

After we were a good distance away from her, Ben sighed "sorry Mirabel, that was my ex-girlfriend from a different school. I didn't expect her to show up here."

From a different school? I should have known that Benjamin was not only popular in Brentwood High. There must be people who also know about him in other schools. Ben was too handsome to be known only in Brentwood High. I know there must be girls dying for his attention all over town. Maybe I don't even stand a chance for his heart. "Its fine Ben, thanks for defending me." It feels good having someone stand up for me. Every time Ben comes to my rescue, it makes me feel like I am floating in the clouds. It made me fall deeper in love with him.

Ben looked down at our hands and frowned, "Damn, our ice-cream is melting."

"We should finish it before it completely melts" I said and hurriedly brought it to my lips.

"Last to finish buys the winner some chocolate" he said, and also brought it to his lips too.

"Deal!"

We both started to slurp on it and when Ben saw that I was winning, he dipped a finger in his ice-cream and rubbed it against my nose to distract me. I stopped slurping down my ice-cream and stared at him in shock, and he used that moment of distraction to finish his.

"I won!" he grinned happily, raising his hand in victory.

"That's cheating!" I snapped back playfully.

"You're buying me chocolate tomorrow Mira," he laughed and ran to his car and I followed after him laughing as well.

Who would have thought that Ben could be so sweet and playful? Back at school, he always seemed like someone who would snap at you the moment you say 'hi' to him, but turns out he isn't like that.

I was right after all, today turned out to be the best day of my life.