Benji had been surprised when Penny hugged him. He'd been more surprised when she'd grabbed hold of his hand. But nothing could have surprised him more than what she'd just said.

She....................... LIKED HIM?

Like... LIKED HIM liked him? Or like... liked him as a friend?

Yeah, that was probably it. There was no way she meant that she liked him like THAT. Right? She was too perfect. Way out of his league for sure. Noooo way would she ever go for him. He was just a potions failure with a somewhat neurotic fear of authority. She, on the other hand, was akin to a brilliant and amazing goddess. So.

"I..." Benji said. He closed his mouth after a moment, letting the word hang in the air. What was he going to say next? Not even he knew, to be honest... But apparently his mouth moved faster than his brain, because his brain definitely would have stopped him from saying what he eventually did: "I really like you, too, Penny."

His body continued the trend of outpacing his brain, and without thinking about it for even a second, he reached his free hand up to tuck her hair behind her ear, trailing a finger lightly down her cheek as he dropped his hand. Merlin, she was beautiful.

WHOA. Had he just done that????? Was that real?????? HOLY SMOKES. What was he THINKING? Or, more accurately, NOT thinking? Hadn't he JUST decided that she meant she liked him as a friend and not romantically? So WHY would he go and do a stupid thing like tell her he liked her and touch her face?! IDIOT!!!!!!

He could feel the color rise in his cheeks once more as he braced himself for the inevitable moment of her rejecting him. She was totally going to laugh at how he'd misunderstood her. And then she'd probably slap him or something for touching her face. And THEN she'd spread it around school that he was a creep and a loser. Yikes times a million.

WHY had he done that? WHY had he let his emotions get the best of him? And WHY was he so acutely aware that all it would take was for him to lean just a liiiiiiiittle closer... NONONO don't think about that now! Not when she's about to brutally reject you, Benj. Make it easy on yourself and DON'T think about how amazing and wonderful and EASY if you'd only try it would be to kiss Penny Goodman. Just don't.