Jenny blushed and felt stupid as she wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her cheek against his chest. "I'm glad too," she said softly, suddenly feeling foolish for thinking he might say the three little words she'd been hoping to hear. It was an impossible thought, right? Him loving her? Surely it was too soon for him.. Especially after what happened in his last relationship..

-

"Matt.. I don't want you being a coward either and running when you need to stand up for yourself.. I just... I.." Leane sighed as she stepped out of his embrace and looked down at the sink as she busied her hands with washing the blood out from the cloth, "I don't know what to do anymore.. I don't want to lose you, but it seems that if I keep being selfish and stay... You're going to keep getting hurt until we graduate.. That's not fair to you.."

Ben sighed as he absentmindedly twirled a strand of Jenny's hair with one arm wrapped around her. He'd wanted to tell her that he loved her but his fears were holding him back. The last thing he wanted was for Jenny to see him as another John, only leading her on to get her in bed. Ben watched the water for a few moments, lost in his thoughts before snapping back to reality.

"Sorry I'm being horrible company." He laughed nervously as he looked down at Jenny and gave her head a small kiss.

~~~

"Leane." Matthew sighed as he moved beside her, wrapping his arms loosely around her waist. "I've been fighting off jocks like Kurt since we started junior high." Mathew explained carefully. "I hate to mention this but Gena was telling some truth when she told you that you weren't there for the past few years. Kurt and his friends still beat us up and pick fights. And I hate for you to see this side of things but that's how they are, Lee." He said shyly. "I don't what I can say to make you stay but know that I'd do anything to stay with you." He said as he turned Leane to look him in the eyes.

Snuggling closer to him, Jenny shook her head lightly in disagreement, "Not at all. I like just sitting here with you. It's nice to have some peace after all that fighting, don't you think?"

-

Leane sighed as she put down the cloth and turned off the water, her eyes never leaving his. "Is it really that bad? Am I truly that oblivious and naive about it all?" she whispered softly as she wiped her hand on her jeans and wiped her cheeks clear of tears.

"Very true." Ben smiled as he wrapped his arms around Jenny and rested his chin on her head, enjoying just being able to hold her in his arms.

~~~

"You're not naive, Lee." Matthew assured her as he took her hand in his own. "Its been worse before but I'm truly alright. And I hate to see you so upset over something you can't control." Matthew said before letting out a small sigh. "I love you, Leane. And I'll understand if you want to be with someone who won't have as much drama attached." He said, hoping that the sound of his heart snapping in half at his words wasn't loud enough for Leane to hear.

Jenny smiled as her heart leaped at his embrace. Arching her neck, Jenny placed a tender kiss upon his neck, jaw, and lips before snuggling back into her previous position, her leg lightly draping over his as her toes brushed against his other foot beneath the water's surface.

-

"Drama.. You think drama is what this is about? Matt, if that's what you think then you're insanely wrong. And I don't want to break up with you! That's the last thing I'd ever want to do, don't you understand that? I love you Matt, and if I could, I'd get beat up myself if it kept you from getting hurt.. I just don't want you getting hurt so much.. I hate seeing you so bruised.. I worry is all.. Can you blame me? I'm a girl in love.. I'd be crazy not to worry about the man I love getting hurt all the time," Leane added softly as she placed a long, deep, slow kiss upon his lips, "I love you."

Ben smiled as Jenny moved closer to him and lifted her chin to give her a tender kiss, the kiss being different then any other they'd shared as it had a new sense of intensity. Ben felt his growing love for her roll into his kiss as he wrapped his hand in her hair tenderly as his lips moved with a new softness against her's.

~~~

"I love you too, Lee." Matthew said happily as he picked up Leane by the waist and gave her a long kiss. "Which is exactly why you can't scare me like that again." He teased between kisses as he set her back on the floor and wrapped his arms tighter around her. "I thought you were leaving me." He sighed.

Resting her forehead against his, Jenny couldn't help but smile as a light blush crept into her cheeks, "Are you trying to tell me something Mr. Newvine? It seemed to me like you were trying to say-never mind.. Forget it.. It was a silly notion," Jenny added quickly as she buried her face in his chest once more.

-

Leane shook her head as before placing a long, tender kiss upon his lips, "Never. Just promise me, no more fighting for at least a month if you can help it. Please? I don't want you all bruised up whenever I'm with you.. It makes it rather difficult to enjoy kissing you and being with you when I'm constantly worrying if I'm hurting you and if you're alright," she teased between kisses.

"Jenny." Ben smiled warmly as he lifted Jenny's eyes to his own and a blush filled his cheeks. "I'm trying to tell you that I'm falling in love with you." He admitted softly and immediately felt his insides twist as they braced for rejection.

~~~

"I'll be good." Matthew smiled as his head became light with relief having realized that Leane still wanted to be with him. "I love you." He murmured against her lips before giving Leane a soft kiss. "Very much." He grinned happily, feeling like a child on Christmas morning.

Jenny blushed as she looked at Ben, "R-really? Y-you love me?" A school girl grin spread across her lips as she placed a light kiss upon his lips, "I'm so glad you told me. Now I can finally tell you what I wanted to tell you earlier. I'm falling in love with you too. I was afraid to tell you 'cause I was afraid of how you'd react... with what happened before, I mean," Jenny added softly as she bit her lower lip and looked down at the ground, embarrassed.

-

"I love you too," Leane smiled as she wrapped her arms around his neck and held him tight, still careful of his bruise though, as she placed a long, tender kiss upon his lips, "More than you'll ever know."

Slipping out of his embrace, Leane linked their fingers together as she started leading him out of the locker room, "What say you we go to my house, or your house if your parents aren't home, and watch a movie? I don't see any point in going to class when we're both banged up like this," she added with a small laugh, "Unless you'd rather go to class?"

Ben smiled as he lifted Jenny's chin with his fingers and gave her a soft kiss, fighting the urge to jump with happiness at Jenny's words as his insides untwisted.

~~~

"Well I'm not a big fan of class so let's go with a movie. My parents are out of town for a few days to visit relatives so we can go to my place." Matthew said as he led Leane to her locker so she could get her things.

"I'll follow you to your place," said Leane as she placed a long, tender kiss upon his lips before grabbing her things out of her locker and linking her fingers through Matt's as she led him to his own locker, "What movie do you want to watch?"

"Not even sure what I have." Matthew admitted with a blush. "But we'll find something." He said as he put away his books and led Leane out to her car. "I'll see you there." He smiled before giving her a soft kiss, finding that he could never be sick of Leane's kisses.

Wrapping her arms around his neck, Jenny laughed as she leaned Ben back on the grass and eagerly returned his kisses with a few long, tender ones of her own. "I'm really glad you asked me to skip. This afternoon's been absolutely perfect," she murmured softly against his lips between kisses.

-

Placing a long, tender kiss upon his lips, Leane smiled as she murmured softly against his lips between light kisses, "See you there. I love you," she added with a smile as she gently caressed his cheek and placed a soft kiss upon his lips before opening her door and stretching across the Driver's seat to put her things in the passenger's seat. Turning back to Matt, Leane gave him one last kiss, "I'll see you in a bit. Then we can continue," she added with a wink as she hopped into the driver's seat and started the engine.

Ben grinned as he wrapped his arms around to Jenny's back and brought her closer to him. "Agreed." He said softly against her lips as he continued to kiss her gently.

~~~

Matthew smiled as he hopped into his own car and drove out of the school parking lot and to his home where he waited patiently against his car door for Leane.

Jenny smiled as she turned her attention to Ben's neck and left light kisses upon it, "Think we'd get in trouble if we went for a swim?"

-

Pulling in a few moments after Matt, Leane left her things in the car, only taking her keys as she locked the doors and headed over to Matt. Wrapping her arms around his neck, Leane smiled as she placed tender kisses upon his lips. "What movie did you have in mind? Something old and scary I presume?" she teased between kisses.

"Probably." Ben laughed as he laid Jenny back against the grass and stood up so he could shed his clothes until he stood in only the black boxers he'd put on that morning. "Is that going to stop you?" He asked as he started to walk in the pond.

~~~

"Are we actually going to watch the movie?" Matthew asked before wrapping his arm around Leane's waist and leading her inside. "Because if we are, I don't want to scare you too bad." He laughed as he brought her into the basement and scanned through the movies he had.

Jenny laughed as she stood and stripped down to her ruffled undergarment set that looked somewhat like a swimsuit due to the ruffles. Running into the water after him, Jenny jumped on Ben's back and wrapped her legs around his waist, her arms draping over his shoulder as she rested her chin lightly on his shoulder, "I suppose I'll get in trouble, since I have you to get into it with me."

-

Leane rolled her eyes playfully as she knelt down in front of the movie rack and scanned the titles as she teased, "Did you have another suggestion?" Finding a recent version of Frankenstein as well as a recent version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Leane pulled out both DVDs and held them out to Matt, "Either of these any good?"

Ben laughed as he wrapped his arms around Jenny's legs and brought her deeper in the pond. "There's a positive outlook." He teased as he sunk in to his neck in the warm water.

~~~

"Frankenstein." Matthew smiled as he took the case from her hand and popped the DVD into the player. "Do you want anything to eat, Lee?" Matthew asked as he sank into the sofa. "I can make popcorn if you like." He offered.

"I've got a gorgeous guy carrying me, how can I be anything but positive?" Jenny teased as she placed a light kiss upon Ben's neck. Slipping from his back, Jenny floated on her back, the sun shining in her eyes and forcing her to close them as she floated in the pond. "It's so warm.. Don't you love it when the water is much warmer than the air above?"

-

Leane smiled as she put the other DVD back before standing and walking over to Matt. Taking his hands in hers, Leane smiled as she pulled him off the sofa. "Now, when have you ever known me to turn down food?" she teased as she placed a tender kiss upon his lips, "Extra butter okay?"

"Very much." Ben agreed before diving under the water and coming above water again on Jenny's other side where he shook his head to shake water from his damp hair.

~~~

"Extra butter." Matthew smiled before giving her a soft kiss and behind the sofa where he and his friends had set up a small station with a microwave, popcorn, chocolate snacks, and waters. Tossing a bag of popcorn in the microwave, Matthew picked up two bottles of waters for him and Leane. "Catch." Matthew called to her before tossing the water bottle lightly over the sofa.

Putting her hands up to block the spray, Jenny laughed as she sat up and began to swim backwards around Ben as she teased, "You know, I think you've corrupted me. I've never broken rules before, and now I'm breaking them left and right. Ditching class, making out in a library, skipping school, swimming in a pond in the park in nothing but my undergarments - I blame all of this corruption on you."

-

Leane laughed as she caught the water and set it on the stand beside the sofa, "Is there anything you don't have in here? We could live in here for days and never have to leave," she added with a laugh as she slid off her shoes and curled up on the couch near her drink.

"You should blame it on me." Ben teased as he began to tread water. "But life's too short to follow all the rules." He laughed before leaning back in the water.

~~~

"It may seem a little odd but its very handy for all weekend movie marathons." Matthew laughed as he poured the popcorn into a bowl and walked over to the sofa to sit beside Leane. "Extra butter." He grinned as he put the bowl of popcorn on her lap and put an arm around her shoulders.

Jenny laughed as she sat up and pulled her long, blonde hair over her shoulder, "Isn't that the truth. Besides, as long as it's nothing illegal or serious, it's not too harmful is it. Like swimming in a park pond, for instance," she added with a smile as she wrapped her arms around Ben's neck and placed a light kiss upon his lips.

-

Reaching across him for the remote, Leane hit play before putting the remote on the stand next to her. Shifting so her back was resting against Matt's side, Leane smiled as she teased, "Guess that means I won't see you on weekends, huh."

"Exactly." Ben laughed as he put his arms around Jenny's lower back and gave her a tender kiss. "Now that's the kind of outlook you need to have." He murmured against her lips.

~~~

"Only every first weekend of every other month." Matthew grinned as his arm fell to wrap around Leane's side and he rested his cheek in her hair.

"Only when it's with you, Ben," murmured Jenny against his lips before eagerly returning his kisses with a few of his own, "Only with you will I break the rules like this."

-

Leane laughed as she pulled her knees closer and rested the popcorn bowl against her thighs, "That sounds fair enough, as long as I get to keep you the rest of the time," she added with a wink and a smile up at him before placing a light kiss upon his lips. Turning back to the movie, Leane popped some popcorn into her mouth. So far the movie was boring, hopefully it would get better before she fell asleep.