naive | ben tyler cook

✦ twelve ✦

( five months earlier )

•

rylee leaned down to tie her tennis shoe and wiped a bead of sweat from her neck. she stood back up and stuck her hands on her hips, watching her cast mates taking a break. she pursed her lips and sniffled slightly before grabbing her water bottle and taking a chug of it.

rylee's throat had been sore for the past two days, and it accompanied an ongoing sneeze fest. she felt extremely tired and spaced out during rehearsal. she wasn't used to this much time spent singing and dancing.

ben noticed the sick look on her face. at this point, he'd only known her for, roughly, two months. but they were getting closer and closer with each day that passed. they messaged each other constantly, ate nearly every meal together, and slept on the other's hotel room floor almost every night.

they couldn't get enough of each other.

he approached her with an outstretched hand, which he set lightly on her back. she turned to face him and gave him a forced smile. she pressed a hand to her forehead, feeling the sweat and warm skin.

"you okay, ry?" he softly spoke, his knuckles digging into the taught skin of her neck.

she leaned into the massage, nodding weakly. "i'm good. just tired."

"maybe you should take a break or something. go on vocal rest and sleep. want me to tell-"

"no!" rylee demanded, suddenly straightening her spine and stepping away from ben. "no, i'm okay. i just want to finish the day, okay?"

"rylee," ben grabbed her forearm, afraid that she was going to fall and he'd have to catch her. "please don't push yourself too far. i don't want to see you get hurt-"

"ben!" she tugged away from him and crossed her arms. "you barely know me. don't act like you do. i know my limits."

ben sighed and nodded. he walked away from her. ashley noticed the small commotion between the two of them, and she made her way over to ben. rylee sat down against the wall, hugging her knees to her chest.

"what's wrong with rylee? why were you arguing?" ashley asked ben as he chugged down his water bottle.

he wiped off his mouth with his arm and shrugged, "she's obviously not feeling very well and she won't step out. and she's mad because i was urging her to."

ashley suppressed a smile. it was cute how much he cared about her. and how stubborn she was to not allow someone else to tell her what to do. she was way too independent and he too infatuated.

rylee lifted her head as ashley sat down next to her. "hey."

"hey," rylee smiled.

"i heard you weren't feeling well." ashley toyed with the cap of her water bottle.

rylee groaned and rolled her eyes. "ben tyler cook!" she went to stand, but ashley pulled her back onto her butt.

"sit!" she laughed, holding onto rylee's arm. ashley sighed, "i know you don't want to, but you need to listen to ben, who does know a lot more about you than you think. he cares so much about you, rylee. we all do, obviously, but ben especially does. and he just doesn't want to see you get hurt. so don't be mad at him and don't be so stubborn that you end up hurting yourself."

rylee rolled her eyes, tilting her head back and sniffling. "i hate the both of you so much."

ashley laughed and handed rylee a water bottle. "just drink this and i'll go talk to the director."

rylee smiled, nodded, and mouthed, "thank you."

ben watched the exchange between the two and tried to act like he wasn't when ashley reproached him. she said, "why don't you go talk to her? i convinced her to take the day off."

ben jumped up suddenly and rushed over to rylee. he sat beside her hesitantly. she leaned her head in his shoulder once he was settled.

•

ashley park

ashley park hey! just checking in on you to make sure you got back to your hotel room okay. also, did you make up with ben?

rylee west i did, thanks! sorry i didn't reply right away. i was sleeping. lol

ashley park and i noticed that ben got off on your floor at the hotel. what's that all about? 😂

rylee west haha, nothing! he just brought me some tea and soup.
why, what're you insinuating?

ashley park nothingggggg
he just cares a whole lot about you ;)))

rylee west because he's a really good friend to me.
are you saying you think he likes me? as in more than friends?

ashley park oh we all KNOW he does.

rylee west that's bull poop!!

ashley park okayy....

rylee west goodnight lol

ashley park you never know what he might be feeling, rylee. but goodnight!

rylee west 😂