Starcrossed

Flashes of light from all around him. Voices shouting his name, begging for a better glance. Questions he had no intentions to answer. High pitched screaming from far away, each in hysterics. His pulse pounded behind his ears and felt like fire. Then the screaming stopped. The flashes faded in and out before disappearing entirely. His eyes were open yet everything around was black.

What was it all for anymore? This was the life he had worked so hard for and now he was living in a moment that should have been victorious. What he imagined long ago to be exhilaration, a night so much more than he had dreamt of in his early years, was now so bitter-sweet. What was all of this without someone to share it with? How long would his feeling of worth only come from second party reviews and the high praises of friends he saw on occasion?

Then her face came to his mind, brightening above all else as if a photo was being projected from somewhere.

That was the moment. That second, he made his decision.

---

Nervously, he walked through the building's front door- similar to that of his own secondary school building. He found the office with ease and was buzzed in. The elderly woman at the computer didn't glance up at him until he cleared his throat.

"Oh, sorry, dear. Now may I help you?" Her glasses perched on the tip of her round rosy nose, a rather adorable sight.

"Yes, I'm looking for Makenzie?"

"Makenzie Fletcher?"

Whoever Mr. Fletcher was, the bloke didn't deserve her. How long had she been married? Was she so in love that she married the kid just months after their own emotional parting?

"If you're here about the talent show, another record label already signed her. She's not here," the old dear flatly informed the suddenly relieved man.

Ben released the breath he hadn't realized he was holding from shock. There was still hope.

"I meant Makenzie, the English teacher?"

"Oh, Ms. Daniels?"

"Yes!" Oh, he was sounding desperate now. Then again, he was- wasn't he?"

"She's on her planning period now. Our school has a list policy concerning our teachers." She continued after his brows raised, begging for more information. "I'm afraid you can't see her until after school unless your name is on the list." Her fingers danced on the keyboard- searching for Makenzie's file.

"Oh." In order for his name to be on her list, she would've had to be expecting him. Knowing modest her, he was the last person she would be expecting. Yet she always found some way to surprise him.

"Your name sir?" The woman cut into his ponderings.

"Er, Benedict Cumberbatch."

She chuckled a little, as if he had said some joke. When he didn't give another name, she took her first good look at the man on the other side of her desk. Ben watched as her bored expression became quite excited.

"Blimey! It's you! We all thought she was just being witty." Quickly, she searched the screen for his name. The woman's smile was contagious. Ben prayed that Makenzie would be just as excited to see him. "Yes, Mr. Cumberbatch. She's in her room now. Might have a student or two in there. She loves the little devils. They go in there just to chin-wag with her. A fine young teacher- that one."

"Thank you so much!"

"No worries, dearie. Just go through that door, make a left, a right at the end of the hall, then her room in the first door."

"Perfect," he grinned with victory, taking his first steps towards her.

"Good luck!" she called. But she was too late. Benedict was already down the hall, his heart about to beat out of his chest.

When he finally got to the door, he was a bit winded from his sprint. He ran a hand through his curls, pulled at his jacket, and kicked each foot once while he found the nerve to knock. Once his confidence allowed, and once he felt he could carry conversation without seeming a stuttering fool, his knuckles hit the door with three taps.

First there was silence, then her angel voice, "Not right now. Talk to me next class."

She sounded aggravated. Bad day perhaps. He planned to change that. Ben grinned, his heart already on the opposite side of the door. With one last deep breath, he opened the door. The sounds of a pencil scratching paper nearly echoed in the empty room.

Makenzie was absolutely beautiful, so grown up. Her black suite and satin magenta blouse was perfect on her. Those brown curls hung even lovelier than in his most detailed of dreams. Little sparkles of silver dangled from her ears, those perfect lips matched her dark pink top, and her make-up was a bit thicker than he remembered from London but still looked natural. She was still his Makenzie.

The moment her pencil dropped, she dug around her desk for something else sighing, "I'm quite busy, Lisa. Please come back-"

Ms. Daniels did a double take but finally returned the nervous, but ever gentle, stare of him. She had done so well in pretending he was just a dream that his physical presence made her stomach flip and heart stop. Shyly, Benedict closed the door then took a few steps towards her. Kenzie stood in return; she tried to smooth out any wrinkles of her outfit before his eyes fell onto her again but she was too slow. When the two froze, they were still a good few paces from eachother. Their silent stare grew to be too much for Makenzie.

"You," she tried to smile. Already her voice was trembling.

"Me." His eyes had been locked onto her until then. Her classroom was full of her personality, from the quirky quotes to the mixture of warm and cool colors- both fire and ice all in one place.

"I know a few of my students who would give me a good cursing in the middle of class if it meant an autograph from you." She was stalling. When his eyes fell back onto her, she suddenly felt more pitiful than he looked.

"Makenzie," he whispered in the tone he had soothed her with so many times before.

"I know. I'm rambling," she anxiously groaned crossing her arms in front of her chest as if to block any messages his heart was desperately trying to send hers. "Sorry. I just wasn't expecting you."

"I needed to talk to you." The only two goals on his agenda were to remain calm and win her back with some help from fate or whatever brought old lovers together again. "I'm not angry with you."

"Glad to hear it," Kenzie replied in a voice a bit stronger than before. Unfortunately, he recognized that face- the one used when she was forming an argumentative speech.

"Please hear me out before you dismiss me," he begged, taking two pleading steps towards her.

"You have no right to come here and do this at my place of work, Benedict." She picked up on the way her using his full name stung him. "I can't do this right now. Actually, I thought we already had this conversation."

"You did but I never got to speak my peace." She wondered how cruel she had to be until that perfect low voice turned bitter or angry.

"I know what you had to say then. Just as I know what you want to say now."

"But you don't know-"

"My students will be returning in a few minutes." Already she was fighting hard against the unshed tears that had built up since her last visit to London. Please." It was her turn to beg. "For the sake of my pride as an educator, I don't want my kids to see me like this."

How could he deny her that? If he wanted to prove his love to her, he knew the only course of action that could be taken. Ben gave her an understanding nod with eyes still full of the fighting spirit she had longed to see in weeks past. He took a step backwards from her, giving up this battle but not the war for love.

"Yes, of course. Then perhaps after school?"

"We'll see. I already have plans," she announced before walking back behind the protection of her desk. An obvious lie.

"I trust you still have my number?"

And that photo of us by the fire, she thought while fighting her every instinct to run into his arms.

"Yes. Are you in town for long?" Now the girl was playing casual, something that bothered him more than he expected.

"As long as it takes." His answer was said as fact, dripping with determination and the love he only spoke of that morning.

Their locked stare was interrupted by a loud beep that echoed throughout the halls. Doors opened as the students made their way to their next classes. If he was going to leave it had to be now. Ben darted out of the room, giving her a single glance before disappearing from her sight, then hid in the boy's loo until the halls were empty again. The last thing he needed today was a mob of hormonal fangirls.

Makenzie plopped into her chair breathing heavier and feeling more flustered than she had in weeks. Did that just happen? Did Prince Charming really just try to come to her rescue? Oh, she was mad for not falling into the arms that were obviously aching to hold her. Fifth period students filled the desks, some staring at their red faced teacher with amusement. She took a deep breath, composed herself, then began class as if the man she loved, Benedict Cumberbatch, hadn't just walked out of her door.

---

"Sophie, I need you to cancel anything you have on for tonight. He's here!"

"He? He who?"

"Ben!" Kenzie hissed while closing the door of her car. She threw her purse on the passenger seat then looked at her reflection in the visor mirror. Yes, the proud independent woman from this morning suddenly looked more like the emotional uni student from the beginning of the summer.

"Cumberbatch?"

"Yes! He bloody waltzed into my classroom during my planning hour and-"

"What did he say?"

"What do you think he said?"

"Did you let him talk? No, you probably pushed him right back out the moment he said something you didn't want to hear. Good for him," her friend argued with unappreciated sass.

"Just be home in thirty minutes, yeah? I need my best mate tonight. Maybe chocolate and a horror film?"

"Yeah, you daft thing. I'll be there. Just calm down and try using your heart for a change. Give your head a rest." They were about to hang up when Sophie couldn't shake the urge to be bold for a change. She hadn't spoken of Ben since Makenzie ordered him insignificant to them. "You know, he hasn't dated anyone since London. And he's gotten plenty of offers. People say it's like he's waiting for someone. That's you, Makenzie! He's still mad about you."

"That was several months ago. Everything has changed since then," Kenzie protested with flooding eyes.

"You don't know that." There was nothing else she could say. "Fine. See you in thirty. Love you, Kenz."

"Love you too. See you soon."

The drive home seemed much shorter than usual. Their conversation in her classroom repeated over and over as she analyzed something new each time. It would be more difficult to run him off this time. She had loved him in silence for so long that properly loving him now would come all to easily. He needed to be out of town tonight if at all possible. Kenzie wasn't sure she could push him away much longer. One good aspect of the day was it being Friday. At least she had a few days to settle this once and for all.

"Are you home?" Makenzie threw all of her things on the sofa, more than relieved just to be home. Today had been rather emotional. Perhaps Sophie could talk some sense into her.

"Coming!"

The soul sisters hugged before another word was spoken. The sight of Sophie alone was a breath of fresh air. They held on in silence for quite some time.

"Please tell me you're going to give him a chance," Sophie softly begged.

"Why? I made up my mind a long time ago and I've done so well sticking to it. I can't turn back now. If I give in now, I may as well have given in months ago."

"Maybe you should have." The girls were parted and both defensive now. Kenzie started to leave the room but Sophie pulled her back in arguing, "Why not allow yourself this happiness? You're just afraid to be happier than you've been in your whole life. You're miserable. He's miserable!"

"That man has never had a miserable day in his life!"

Kenzie was about to continue but noticed a figure step into the room. The woman froze. Her heart stopped for the second time today as her face finally showed the shock their first reunion didn't allow. Ben walked into the room as if the floor was eggshells. Their eyes met with an intensity they had never shared before.

In those silent seconds, all that needed to be said was spoken through their searching eyes. He wanted to know that she was still his, even after all this time. She wanted to know how she could possibly attempt breaking his heart again when hers was shattering into pieces this very moment. This was their last chance- hers to push him away while there was still time and his to finally make his heart her home.