- Serena -

Ben is super fucking weird man. He keeps looking at me and I feel like I'm going to combust into flames just from his glares.

"Serena?"

I looked away from Ben's constant staring to Roxy, "Yeah?"

"Austin was asking about our cafe this morning. It flooded," She eyed me and I cleared my throat.

"Uh yeah, our pipes are kinda old I guess. Water keeps leaking from the pipes and we have to keep tightening it," I lied stupidly and Roxy smiled sweetly.

"We can help with that if you want," Austin eyed Ben but he continued staring at me like some freak.

"Right Ben?" Austin pressed and Ben turned to him, "Ah right, yeah. We can help."

I shook my head, "Please you guys really don't have to, the repair man fixed it."

"The air conditioning repair man?" Ben eyed me and I nodded slowly, "Yeah it was the pipes to the air conditioner that was loose."

"Well okay, but if you girls ever need help we'll just be across the street, right Ben?"

Ben finally looked away from me and nodded, "Yeah of course."

I felt much better without that weirdo scrutinising me. We ate up and the dinner was amazing. Credits to Austin, he is an amazing chef.

Roxy literally fangirled and smiled like she found her long-lost soul mate. I know what she'll be talking about later, she'll be all, 'Men who can cook make perfect husbands.'

That was her goal in a guy and looks like she found him. 

Austin was a really chill guy, I found out that he's completely stupid too what with all his dumb jokes and whatnot. Which is totally opposite of Ben.

Ben was just outright quiet and apparently didn't like to talk much.

We stood outside the restaurant as Austin locked up for the day, "Do you girls live together?" Austin asked us and we shook our heads.

"I live with my two other siblings. Serena lives alone, maybe Ben can send her back. Seems like she almost got into a bit of trouble yesterday," Roxy smiled innocently and nudged me towards Ben.

I glared at her while Austin nodded, "Sure, I'll send Roxanne. Ben, you'll take Serena back alright?"

Ben nodded and we waved Roxy and Austin off.

I turned to walk down the path back home, Ben walking by my side quietly. He kept looking over at me and I was at the end of my patience.

"Is there something wrong?" I looked straight at him but he just continued staring. 

He shook his head, "No, nothing's wrong."

"Then why do you keep looking at me like that?"

He shrugged, "I uh, you feel kinda cold to me."

My mind whirled slightly, shit did he find out? How? I was very careful about using my powers.

"You mean my behaviour towards you? I don't really know you if you think about it. Also, I wouldn't be very warm and friendly to a man who flipped his neighbours off," I tried to divert the attention instead and it kind of helped.

He actually smiled, "I'm sorry about that. I'm not used to having people stare like that."

"Same here."

He looked at me and chuckled, "I'm really sorry about that."

I found myself frozen in time, his short laugh sounded so beautiful and angelic. It was the sweetest sound I've heard from him till now.

"You alright?" Ben cleared his throat and I nodded, still dumbfounded by him.

"Do you want a drink? I know a bar just a block from here," he offered and I knew the exact bar he was talking about.

It was the one just opposite where the fiery man saved me.

"Maybe tomorrow? Roxy has been nagging at me to get some proper sleep. I've not been able to get a good rest recently," I felt a little bad about rejecting him. But there was no way I could work without getting some snooze tonight.

"Sure, tomorrow sounds nice," Ben smiled and walked me past the bar. It felt weird, he stood really close to me as if he was protecting me from the shady guys who were gawking at me.

"Careful," he pulled me closer to him as a waiter strode past with a tray of drinks.

My face was at his chest level and I could feel the heat of his body emit through the thin fabric of his shirt.

I breathed out heavily the moment we broke apart, my mind was spinning from his scent alone.

We arrived at the foot of my apartment building and we stood there facing one another.

He looked a little distressed and I raised an eyebrow, "Is something wrong?"

"You have to pass the bar every day to reach home. Isn't it dangerous?"

He looked sincerely concerned and I shrugged, it didn't really matter to me because if anything happened, I had my powers to protect me.

"Well I'm fine I guess. It's near my cafe and I love the short walk home. I always walk on the other side of the road to avoid the bar," I stated matter-of-factly.

He didn't look satisfied with my answer, "I'll walk you home then."

"Sorry what?"

"When the restaurant closes, I'll walk you home. Is that okay?"

I don't know if he was going crazy but the sudden worry and attention he gave me was freaking me out a bit.

"I'll be fine Ben. Really, don't sweat it," I watched his expression become sombre and a tad bit disappointed but he nodded.

"I don't think I will sweat it. But if you need me you can just let me know alright?"

"Okay. Thank you for walking me home Ben. I'll see you tomorrow," I smiled and he did too.

My breath got caught in my throat, how could his smile stop my heart like that?

"See you tomorrow Serena."

I walked up the short flight of stairs up to my building and waved goodbye to Ben before taking the elevator up to my apartment.

***

I had the nicest sleep last night. Maybe it was because of Ben, or Roxy, or the awesome food that Austin whipped up.

Who am I kidding?

Ben, though he sounded awkward and dumb he was so sweet. He still looked fierce, what with all the staring but hell his angelic laughter sounded like the angels playing the harp.

Okay he didn't sound like an instrument but you know what I mean. He sounded heavenly.

It was halfway through the day and a little girl entered the cafe with her mother and she ordered our rainbow ice cream.

"Thank you mummy," she smiled and her heavy eye bagged mother patted her head.

"You're welcome sweetheart, say thank you to the nice lady too," she pointed to me and the little girl looked at me with an already messy face of ice cream.

"Thank you nice lady," she mumbled and I giggled, "You are very welcome darling."

This duo would normally come in once a week. The little five-year-old girl was always bright and cheerful but the mother looked crazy haggard. 

I chatted with them once, just to know them a little better. That was when I found out how old the daughter was. I never asked much about the mother though, she seemed happy to be able to talk about her sweet child.

Roxanne told me not to get involved with them when I talked to her about how tired the mother looked. She also told me to mind my own business, customers are customers. They come and go all the time.

The mother sat down with her daughter and Roxanne wiped down a table.

The daughter scooted closer to her mother and I could tell she was afraid of Roxy.

Roxanne was never the children-friendly kind and she already declared that she will never want kids when she's married.

"Ugh kids," she came round to the sink behind the counter and washed the cloth.

"Come on, she's adorable. At least she's not the shrieking kind," I looked out the glass panel across the street by habit and saw Ben turn towards me at the same time.

He smiled slightly and I felt my heart skip a beat. I hated him, he was too beautiful. His high cheekbones, chiselled jawline, slicked-back hair, broad shoulders and muscular arms that hid in his leather jacket. 

I can tell he has muscular arms since he pulled me close to him yesterday. The firmness in that gesture. 

Ben held a piece of paper up and I read the words, 'You okay?'

I realised I was staring creepily, I just nodded and turned away quickly. Feeling the chill run up to my cheeks.

"Yeah the shrieking type are spawns of Satan. By the way, how did you and Ben get along last night?" Roxy leaned on the counter next to me after wiping her hands dry.

I shrugged and she elbowed me lightly, "Come on, you guys have been stealing glances at one another since this morning. Don't think I didn't notice, plus he's not dead so that's a good sign."

I glared at her, "I don't just kill people I don't like Roxy, besides, he was surprisingly sweet."

"AWWW! He was?! That bastard better treat you well or I'll wring his neck and hang him-"

I laughed and shook my head, "Hey chill, he was cool. I know you don't particularly like him but he was fine yesterday."

She grunted, "Ugh he's still such a weirdo, look he's looking over again. What the hell man."

She glared at him and flipped him off while I desperately tried to stop her. I clamped my hands down on top of hers and froze her hands slightly.

"Serena, take your hands off me. I'm getting frostbite," she warned.

"I will if you stop being rude and agitated every time he looks over."

She sighed, "Fine fine, stupid Austin doesn't even turn his head once to check me out."

I took my hands away and the ice disappeared.

"Why? He wasn't gentlemanly enough for you yesterday?" I enquired.

"Well he was, but he only talks about food. Like non-stop, he really loves food. And working out, oh gosh those muscles. He's so engrossed in food and keeping fit and me? I'm nothing interesting," she slumped on the counter and I raised an eyebrow.

Is she crazy? Roxanne was beautiful. She did well in arts, loves desserts, has great business sense and she's super in trend.

She was a hipster. More than that, she could be the President of Hipsters.

"Are you kidding me? Roxy you're awesome, I know that, you know that. Come on, this is not the strong, crazy and outgoing Roxanne I know," I ruffled her hair and she slapped my hand away. She hated it when I did that.

"Yeah I know, but I feel so, boring? I melt into a puddle when I'm around him. I feel like I'm nothing."

"Well it sounds to me like you really like him. But if you think about it, he might be feeling the same way about himself. I mean, he's glanced over a few times earlier today when you weren't looking. Maybe you guys should hang out and learn more about one another, it will help."

"You mean, go on a date?" She looked at me with a sceptical face.

I nodded but shrugged right after, "I mean, it doesn't have to be an official date. You guys can just hang out. No stress, no big deal." I tried to sound as casual as I could so she would think about it. But inside I was bursting with happiness.

Roxanne was never this serious about a guy before, so if she's really into him, I'm going all out in full swing.

"Well okay, but what if he doesn't want to go out with me?"

I rolled my eyes, "You know what, why don't you and Austin come along with Ben and I. Tonight, like a double date."

"Ben asked you out?!" She shrieked and I jumped, the cold rushed down my arm and I clenched my hands tight to prevent myself from freezing anything.

The little girl and her mother stared at us like we were mental.

I mumbled an apology and nodded, "I wanted to tell you but I was, I don't know. Distracted?" 

It was Roxy's turn to roll her eyes but her expression softened, "Clearly you're distracted. Is it really okay if I come along? I really want to work things out with Austin. He's beautiful."

I laughed, she was crazy for him, "Yes it'll be fine, I bet Ben won't mind. Why don't you go over and ask Austin and Ben?"

She looked at me with starry eyes, "Must I?"

"Well someone has to ask someone out. And if Austin doesn't have the balls to do it then you'll do it."

Roxanne straightened herself immediately, "Okay, got it. I can do it."

She strode across the street after I ruffled her hair one last time, earning another smack from her.

I watched her as she opened the door to their restaurant and smiled, she'll be fine.