After cursing out loud, Charlotte held her breath, staring at Ben and dreading what he'd think of her vulgar behavior.
However, his reaction was the opposite of what she'd expected. "That was great!" He peeked his head out from behind the camera, grinning.
This, made her blink in confusion. She didn't understand what was great about it.
Ben elaborated though. "More! You shined there! Do it again!"
Her blinking rate tripled in an instant. "Really?"
"Yes! You were incredible! That curse stoked a fire in me! Talk to me like I'm a politician who's ruining New York!"
"Scumbag sh*thead!"
…
Charlotte covered her mouth with both hands when the words escaped her lips, her eyes going wide in disbelief that she'd said such dirty things in a public park.
Except, as far as Ben was concerned…
*Snap* *Snap*
These were great photos! He stared through the camera lens at his model, and took pictures with great enthusiasm because he'd discovered something! 'She's sparkling…'
When the innocent, shy Charlotte cursed, it was like the atmosphere bent and something magical occurred. Although Ben wasn't sure how to describe it, he knew this was it! This was what he'd been searching for! Hence, he encouraged her to continue. "Charlotte! Keep going! That sh*t was double-kawaii!"
…
She had no idea what he was talking about…
Yet, she understood he was trying to reassure her. 'Ben is always helping me… For once, I should do something for him. I can't let myself hesitate anymore!' Taking a deep breath, Charlotte closed her eyes, and when she opened them, behind those glasses, there was a glint of ruthlessness!
Although she didn't understand what was happening, not wanting to let Ben down, she decided to continue, and this time, she cursed without restraint!
Ben guided her. "Charlotte, what did you think about the CATS movie?"
"Glorified no-brain sh*t-stain!"
*Snap*
"How about every new Apple iPhone needing new accessories?"
"Greedy capitalist f*ck-pigs!"
*Snap*
"How do you like tech companies stealing our information?"
"Those mother-zuckers can zuck a d*ck!"
*Snap*
As Ben kept aiding her by tossing out infuriating topics, she became more and more liberated with her expressions and words. So he continued snapping photos, his breath becoming heavy because the energy in the area was like she was going Super Saiyan!
In this manner, they continued for a while until Charlotte was panting, exhausted and wondering what just happened, and it wasn't only her–a few frightened bystanders also overheard her swearing…
Either way though, as Ben looked through the pictures in his digital camera roll, he showed a big grin! 'I got it!' Charlotte was very talented at trash talking, like a young Poison Dragon…and at least in his mind, there was nothing more beautiful than the growth of a child from his race!
So somehow, despite the pictures not communicating her words, they captured her energy, and it resulted in magnificent art!
In truth, Ben found it difficult to believe, because the shots came out better than he'd ever imagined! And it was all thanks to this cute little sister! Roaring with laughter, he ran up to the fatigued Charlotte and gave her a big hug! Raising her into the air and spinning her around! "We did it! You were amazing! Cursing like a f*cking champ!"
Blushing like a strawberry, Charlotte didn't know how to react. She'd never allowed a man to touch her like this since she was a child. She never could, not even with her father. Yet, when Ben did it, there were no negative feelings, no signs of that familiar dread. Instead, though it was covered in a layer of sheepishness, the only thing she felt was joy, to have helped Ben and also somehow, to have created a crack in her shell.
So as the scenery of the park spun around, Charlotte gazed into his eyes, and spread a big grin herself, managing to respond to his excitement, though it was only through two mumbled words: "F*ck…yea…"
***
After saying goodbye to Charlotte, Ben walked back to his dorm to do some touch-ups on the photos and submit them to the competition. The whole way back, he browsed them on his camera screen, thrilled with the results. Although it would still depend on the judges, with these pictures, he was confident to make a serious run for first place! And more importantly, to slap Darryl's face…
Thus, overwhelmed with excitement, it was only when Ben arrived at the entrance to his dormitory building that he turned his phone off silent. It was then that he noticed he'd received a text message from Fariq: "Bro, your girl came over looking for you and said she had nowhere to go, so I let her in. I had to run but she's waiting inside. I hope it's cool. Bye, bro!"
Ben gasped when he finished reading this. 'Girl. What girl? And he just let her in?' He'd need to have a talk with Fariq about this. Besides, why was the entrance policy to this dorm so lax? They just allow any pretty girl upstairs? When Ben observed the obese middle-aged security guard ogling passing university girls though, he got his answer…
Ben narrowed his eyes. 'This security guard is trying to set up an ugly bastard plot!'
Yet, whether that storyline was good or not…Ben still needed to deal with the current situation. So he thought hard about who it could be waiting for him upstairs. Various girls had visited Ben but he wasn't sure who Fariq had seen. If it was Miyuki, that would be fine, but why would she have nowhere to go? If it was Camila…
Ben pictured his room trashed and torn into pieces… Eyes enlarging, he rushed upstairs! To make sure she didn't touch his otaku treasure chest!
Several minutes later…when he reached his door and inserted the key, Ben gulped, hoping he wasn't about to see a dead body someone would frame him for…
He also prayed it wouldn't be Camila…though that would be a little better than the prior one.
*Creak*
When Ben opened the door and heard Camila's voice, made clear by Mexican accent, his heart fell…
A moment later though, he realized something. 'Who's she talking to?' Walking inside, he soon received his answer.
There, sitting on his bed, was a busty blonde beauty in a tan dress, someone he hadn't seen in a little while—it was Annabelle. Seeing the Al Gorian, Ben's tense muscles relaxed. Yet, it wasn't all good news. Sitting right next to her on the bed was the girl he didn't want to see—Camila. However, unlike Ben's expectations, she wasn't tearing through the things in his room, but instead brandishing a smirk, as she fed female pick up lines to Annabelle. Ben wasn't sure what to think about it, but, it was at least preferable to the alternative.
Hearing him enter, Annabelle turned to him. "Ben, I lost my keys again, I hope it's okay if I stay with you." The last time she'd misplaced her keys, she came here and slept over. Then, she even ended up finding them on the way back home, in her jacket pocket…
This time, although she didn't discover them there, she believed this place to be good luck because of the last occurrence, so came over when she needed a place to go.
Ben nodded. "It's fine. Mi casa es tu casa."
"Tch…your Spanish sucks!" Camila, on the other hand, was not excited to see Ben. Although she'd come over a few minutes ago to speak with him about something, when this gorgeous stacked blonde opened the door for her, she forgot about that sh*t and switched to Plan Booty… So why'd this puto have to arrive now?
As for Ben, although it was nice to see his room remained in a peaceful state, he still needed to resolve the current dilemma. How would he deal with the two of them here? Yet, Annabelle took the first step to ease the situation. Standing up, she took something out of her bag and walked towards Ben with it. With a peaceful expression accentuated by her kind-looking downturned eyes, she handed them to Ben. "I drew these for you." It was a series of sketches.
This gesture, stunned him for a moment…because it was the first gift a girl had ever given him… Blinking, he took them and began browsing. Half a minute later, he glanced back up at Annabelle and spread a smile. "Thank you. I love them." They were sketches of various fruit scuba diving.
…
Working hard to keep his eyes from twitching, Ben strained his facial muscles to maintain a smile, as he hurried to put the drawings away in his desk as if he wanted to protect the treasures…
Still, he appreciated the nice gesture, until Camila ruined it with an interruption. "You're too nice to him. He doesn't deserve those."
This, made Ben frown as he glanced at her with cold eyes.
"Oh? You two know each other?" Annabelle looked at them with a curious expression.
Ben blinked. "How wouldn't we know each other? She's in my room."
Annabelle scratched her head. "I thought she was a nice girl delivering hugs door to door or something, because she's hugged me a few times already…"
He narrowed his eyes at Camila…
For her part though, she also grimaced. 'Hugs door to door? I have standards, damn it!'
Shaking his head, Ben snorted. "Don't worry about her. She just has a lesboner for you…"
Hearing that, Annabelle's brows raised. "Oh, a lesbian?" Then, she tilted her head as she gazed at each of them. "In that case, have you two not had sex?"
