The two then spend a couple of hours at the garden, just talking and enjoying the peacefulness of it. They both had fun catching up and laughing together. It was like no time had passed. They had watched the sun go down, the sky becoming dark. The stars were shining and the moon was out. It was a perfect night and the garden was beautiful, but Ben could barely take his eyes off Elisa.

He had missed her so much. It had been hard without her by his side. She was always there to encourage him and to comfort him when he was sad or scared. No one had been able to fill the empty spot she had left. He had missed having her around and he was so happy to have her back. He would do anything for her. As they walked back to the school, he couldn't help but notice how beautiful the moonlight made her. Her blond hair shined and her blue eyes sparkled in the soft light. She was absolutely stunning. He had always thought that she was beautiful, but he had never been more aware of it than he was at this moment.

Elisa felt the weight of his gaze, and her heart raced. She couldn't help but feel self-conscious, wondering if she looked as flustered as she felt. She wasn't sure what was happening between them, but she knew that something was shifting. She had spent years burying her feelings for him, trying to deny the truth. But she couldn't deny it any longer. Not when he was looking at her like that.

"You're staring." Elisa pointed out, a smirk tugging at the corner of her lips. She knew it was bold, but she couldn't help herself.

Ben flushes, ducking his head. "Sorry," He apologizes, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "It's just...You're beautiful, Elisa. You always have been, but tonight...You're absolutely radiant." He admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. He couldn't believe he had just said that out loud, but it was the truth.

Elisa's heart skipped a beat at his words and she could feel the heat rising in her cheeks. She was rarely at a loss for words, but in that moment, she was utterly speechless. "Benny..." Elisa whispers, her eyes wide with surprise and delight. He had called her beautiful before, but never like this. She had stopped walking, looking over at him. He was staring at her with an expression that was a mixture of adoration and awe. This was so much different from the other times when he called her beautiful. His gaze was filled with so much emotion and he looked so sincere. It took her breath away. "Thank you...You're so sweet." She stammered, trying to collect herself.

Ben smiled at her, his gaze soft and tender. He could hardly believe how beautiful she looked, and the way her hair blew gently in the breeze, the moonlight illuminating her face. "It's the truth, El." He stated softly, reaching up and brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

Elisa felt her breath hitch at his touch and she fought the urge to lean into his hand. She couldn't believe this was actually happening. Ben was looking at her like she was the only woman in the world and it was making her head spin. She was pretty sure she had never seen him look at anyone like that before, not even Audrey. Ben couldn't help but notice how the moonlight illuminated her features, highlighting her cheekbones and making her blue eyes seem even more striking. He couldn't tear his gaze away from her, entranced by her beauty.

Elisa forces herself to take a step back, knowing that if she didn't put some distance between them, she might do something she'd regret. As much as she wanted to throw caution to the wind and kiss him, she knew it wasn't the right time. They had only just reconnected, and he was still with Audrey. As much as it pained her to say it, she needed to let him sort out his relationship before pursuing anything. She had waited years for him, she could wait a little bit longer. "We, uh," She clears her throat, breaking the tension. "We should get back. It's getting late."

Ben nods, reluctantly stepping back. "Right." He agreed, though he didn't want to go. He wanted to stay here with her, in their own little world. But he knew she was right. It was getting late and they had class in the morning. They started walking again, the tension still lingering in the air. Neither of them said anything, but they were both thinking the same thing. Something had shifted between them, and there was no going back. 

Ben had soon walked Elisa to her dorm room and now they're standing outside the door in the hallway.

"Thanks for showing me the garden. It's really beautiful." Elisa murmurs, her stomach doing flips. She could barely focus, her mind replaying his words and how he looked at her earlier. "I missed that place a lot."

Ben smiles at her. "Of course. It's our place after all." He said. "I missed it too." He admits, his eyes twinkling with affection. They stood there for a moment, neither of them wanting the night to end. "So, I was thinking maybe you and I could hang out again tomorrow. If you're not busy, that is. Maybe we could hang out after the Tourney game." He suggested, sounding a bit nervous and hopeful.

Elisa's eyes widened in surprise as a smile graced her lips. "Of course I'd like to hang out with you tomorrow." Elisa beams, her heart fluttering. "And I'll definitely be at your Tourney game." She added, giggling a little when he smiled widely, his eyes lighting up.

"Great!" Ben grins, unable to hide his excitement. Elisa couldn't help the small giggle that left her lips when she saw how happy he was. "Well, then, I'll see you tomorrow, El." Ben said softly. He wanted to kiss her goodbye, but he didn't. Instead, he leaned in and kissed her cheek. It wasn't a long kiss, but it was enough to make Elisa's cheeks flush and her heart race. He pulls back with a shy smile, his cheeks slightly pink. "Good night, Elisa." He murmured before turning and walking away.

Elisa watched him go, the smile never leaving her face. She was still reeling from his kiss on her cheek. It was such a simple gesture, but it meant the world to her. She could still feel the warmth of his lips against her skin and the scent of his cologne lingered in the air. She felt giddy and excited, and a little bit overwhelmed. It had been such a perfect night and she couldn't wait to see him again.

When Elisa walked inside her dorm, she closed the door behind her and leaned against it, letting out a content sigh. It was nice hanging out with her best friend again and catching up. It was almost as if nothing had changed between them.

"Wow, you look happy." Krystal teases, looking at her cousin with a grin. Elisa snaps her gaze over to her cousin after she's brought out of her thoughts and her face turns red out of embarrassment. The red-haired girl sat on her bed, wearing her pjs and was staring at her cousin with a raised brow and a playful smile. "So, have fun with Ben?"

"Always." Elisa replies automatically, not even thinking about her response. She pushes herself off the door and went over to her dresser to get her pjs out so she can get ready for bed. "I really missed him a lot while I was gone." Krystal coughs loudly and looks offended when Elisa glanced at her. Elisa rolls her eyes playfully. 'And you, of course. You know that, Krys."

Krystal grins and nods her head, satisfied. "Good, because I'm your favorite cousin." She pointed out.

"Yeah, yeah. You're my only cousin, but fine." Elisa chuckles, shaking her head. She quickly gets changed and joins Krystal on her bed. "I really enjoyed spending time with him. He's always been my best friend and it was nice getting to hang out with him again."

"You two have always been so adorable." Krystal comments, nudging her shoulder against her cousin's. "I'm glad you guys are reconnecting and hanging out again. I know he missed you a lot. You would not believe how much he has been moping around since you had to leave. You should've seen him. He was all sulky and everything."

Elisa couldn't help but giggle, the mental image making her heart warm. She had missed Ben, and she was glad to hear that he had missed her too. She couldn't help but feel a flicker of hope, that maybe his feelings for her had changed, and he finally felt the same way about her. But she quickly brushed those thoughts aside, knowing that she needed to be patient and give him time to sort out his relationship with Audrey. She wasn't about to interfere and cause a rift between her best friend and the woman he loved. No matter how much it hurt.

Krystal looks at her with a raised brow and a mischievous smirk. "You still have feelings for him, don't you?"

Elisa freezes at her question, her eyes widening and her cheeks flushed. She was hoping that her feelings weren't that obvious, but it seems that she was wrong. "Um, what? No. I don't-I'm not-What?" She stuttered, her heart pounding in her chest.

"Oh, come on, Lissy. You can't fool me." Krystal scoffs, rolling her eyes. "I've known you your whole life, and I can tell when you're in love with someone. You've got that look in your eyes."

Elisa couldn't deny it any longer, and she sighed in defeat. "Fine, okay, yes, I have feelings for him. Happy now?" She asked, her voice laced with sarcasm.

Krystal's eyes lit up and she grinned from ear to ear. "Oh, I knew it!" She squeals, her eyes twinkling. "Have you told him yet?"

"Did you forget he's dating Audrey?" Elisa deadpanned, arching a brow. "I'm not gonna tell him how I feel. Not yet, anyway. He needs time to figure out his relationship and I don't wanna mess things up for him. So, please, Krys, don't say anything." She pleaded, giving her cousin a stern look.

Krystal pouts and lets out a dramatic sigh. "Ugh, fine. I won't say anything." She promises, though she looked a bit disappointed. "But you should tell him how you feel, Lissy. Before it's too late."

"It's not that easy, Krys." Elisa sighs, running a hand through her hair. "There's a lot at stake here. I don't wanna lose his friendship if things go south. I just got him back, and I don't wanna ruin what we have."

"I understand where you're coming from, Lissy, but you need to be honest with him. It's not fair to either of you if you keep hiding your feelings." Krystal reasons, placing a hand on her shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. "You'll never know how he feels unless you talk to him. So, promise me you'll at least think about it."

Elisa chews her bottom lip and gives her cousin a hesitant nod. "I'll think about it." She relented, knowing that she would most likely tell him how she felt eventually. She couldn't keep her feelings a secret forever, and she didn't want to.

"Good." Krystal replies with a satisfied nod. "That's all I ask. Now, let's get some sleep. It's getting late and I'm tired." She yawned, laying down on her bed.

"Agreed." Elisa nodded, getting up and went over to get on her bed and climb under the covers. She turned off the lamp and they were both shrouded in darkness. She stared up at the ceiling, her mind racing with thoughts of Ben and what could happen between them. She hoped that everything would work out, and that they could finally be together, but she knew that there were a lot of obstacles in their way. She would have to wait and see what happens.

A/N i love ben & elisa so much. i also love elisa's & krystal's bond