Every year Ms. Rey Johnson took her 9th graders to a Broadway play. Every year she chose an actor who might be willing to meet up with the kids after the show. Every year she was disappointed. This year, she had written the letter, never expecting a reply.

On the appointed day, Rey herded her kids along a long corridor toward the backstage area. She had butterflies—nerves unlike anything she'd ever experienced. It would have to be this one who answered her letter. It would have to be the one she fangirled about the most: Ben Solo.

He was the sexiest man she'd ever seen, but she'd heard mixed reviews about his off-screen personality. On one hand, fans called him polite, reserved, maybe even a bit shy. Other actors called him professional, standoffish, and intense. She had no idea who she was meeting.

Rey, Mrs. Rose Hux, and the kids headed to the Green Room, used for the show's actors to host friends and well-wishers backstage. Rey went inside, followed by the children, and Rose, who popped in after all the kids were inside. The kids looked around while Rey explained what a Green Room was and how it was used.

"I confess I'm very excited," Rose whispered. "Ben Solo is so handsome. I love Armie and all, but I want to meet this gorgeous dude."

Rey had to agree. Her palms felt sweaty and she wiped them surreptitiously on her skirt.

Suddenly, the door opened, and Ben Solo peeked his head in. "Hi, everyone," he said. He was dressed in jeans and a white t-shirt. His hair was damp from a shower.

Rey sucked in a breath. He was huge, tall and thick, with big hands and long legs. He radiated an intense masculine energy; he filled the room with it. Even the kids were caught up in his aura.

They all stared at him and murmured greetings.

Rey shook herself. She forgot for a minute that she was a teacher instead of a fan.

"Hello, Mr. Solo," she said. She held out her hand. He shook it gently. "I'm Rey Johnson and this is my 9th grade English class. Kids, meet Mr. Solo."

He held up a big hand. "Hello. Did you enjoy the play?"

"Yes, Mr. Solo," they intoned at various volumes and cadences.

A big smile crossed his face. Rey tried not to stare at him, but she was captivated.

He looked at Rose. "Are you a 9th grader, too?"

She actually giggled.

Rey jumped in. "No, this is Rose Hux, my chaperone. Her daughter Paige is in my class."

Paige waved gaily. "Hi, Mr. Solo. My mom and teacher think you're a hot guy."

Rose and Rey exchange horrified glances.

"Do they?" Ben said, chuckling.

Rey's face flushed pink. "Let's hear what you kids thought of the play. Who wants to start?"

Paige's hand flew up. "I liked the part where you took all the jurors through the evidence to make sure the boy had a fair trial."

"I like that part, too," Ben said. "Does anyone know what the title Twelve Angry Men refers to?"

And they were off and running. Rey thanked all the theatre gods that she had prepared the kids well for this meet-up. They sounded knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the play.

Ben Solo looked impressed.

At the end, as Ben signed autographs, Deonte informed him that Rey had encouraged them to out scenes. Ever the salesman, Deonte invited Ben to the school to watch.

Ben laughed and said he might take Deonte up on his offer. He winked at Rey, who thought she might melt on the spot.

When they were about to say goodbye, Ben shook Rey's hand and said, "I'm impressed with your class, Ms. Johnson. It'd be an honor to see the kids perform a scene from the play. I'll check my schedule and be in touch."

Two weeks later, Rey found herself hosting one Mr. Ben Solo in her classroom. There were strict procedures to follow, according to his security team and publicist. No parents were allowed in, no cameras, no publicity. Rey was happy that Ben didn't want to make this appearance about himself.

She and her class provided refreshments for everyone and set the "stage" in the front of the room.

The students were rehearsed and ready. Rey gave important jobs to those without speaking parts—they made scenery, created cue cards, and pantomimed key action. Everyone had a role to play.

Ben and Rey were the sole audience members. Rey watched Ben take it all in and respond enthusiastically to every actor, prop master, and scene designer.

Rey found herself further enchanted by this famous actor. She liked him, not because he was sexy or a great actor—though she couldn't deny those attributes—no, she liked him because he was a decent person, encouraging kids to engage with literature.

Rey's fantasy of meeting Ben Solo, talking to him, and getting to know him had come true. She felt a thrill every time she thought about it.

Ben Solo slowly became a person to Rey, not just a famous face. She wanted to get to know him better and understand what he was like when he wasn't being "Ben Solo, actor." But she knew that wouldn't happen. He was notoriously private, never answering questions about himself. No one knew if he was gay, bi, or straight—or whether he had a partner.

His lovers, Rey guessed, would have to be Hollywood or Broadway theatre people, those involved an unrelenting industry, those who understood the pressures of being a famous actor.

At the end of class, Ben high-fived the kids and gave out a few hugs to those who couldn't resist asking.

Paige made one last pitch for Rey. "Mr. Solo, you should ask our teacher out. She says she's seen all your films and she follows your career. I've seen her checking out your photos on her phone at lunch."

Rey shushed her. "Paige, that's not appropriate to say to Mr. Solo. And I believe you are talking about your mother—not me."

Paige shrugged. "My mom says you do the same as her."

Rey rolled her eyes heavenward, brushing off Paige's embarrassing comments. "Save me from these children, Mr. Solo. They will drive me to early retirement."

His eyes sparkled as he laughed. "I hear you, Ms. Johnson. It must be tough to be outed by a 15-year-old."

Rey put her hands on her hips and pressed her lips together. "Sir, I hate to tell you this, but I'm not being outed by Paige."

He raised his eyebrows. "Why? You're not a fan?"

Rey opened her mouth. No sound came out.

The class all said, "Wooooooo" in unison.

Ben laughed. "All right, then. Keep your secrets."

He waved at the class and said goodbye. "Ms. Johnson, a pleasure as always." He winked at her.

She stammered her goodbye.

Rey lingered in her room cleaning up after dismissal. Her classroom phone rang. She answered.

"Hi," a deep male voice said. "This is Ben Solo."

Rey said nothing for a second.

"Hello?"

"Yes," she blurted. "Hi."

"I had a great time today. I was wondering if you wanted to come to see my play again and grab a late dinner afterward."

Rey sucked in a breath. "With you?"

He laughed. "Yes, with me. Is that okay?"

"Are you sure? I don't think you want to date a…" She couldn't even say the word.

"A fan? No, I'd rather date someone who hates my acting, doesn't like theatre, never saw my films, and generally finds me repulsive."

She heard him chuckling on the phone.

"Funny. I'm trying to be a good person here and you're making jokes."

"Your ticket is at the will-call counter under your name, along with a backstage pass. See you after the play in the Green Room. I'll take you to my favorite restaurant—one where we won't be bothered by photographers or…"

"Fans," Rey finished.

"Yeah," he said.

"See, you do find us bothersome," Rey said.

He heaved a sigh on the phone. "You're different."

"You don't know that," she argued.

"I'm a pretty good judge of character," he said. "I'm a keen observer of people. Go out on a date with me, please."

How could she say no?

She couldn't.

And so, she went.

In the Green Room after the play was over, Rey nervously waited for Ben Solo to arrive. He walked in, tall, muscular, damp-haired, sexy as hell. He nodded at well-wishers and hangers-on and shook hands with fans, all the while looking at Rey. He smiled at her and took her hand. In the corridor of the theater where they first met, Ben Solo kissed Rey Johnson—teacher, admirer, fangirl.

Billy's Pub was a theater district favorite of actors, directors, and others associated with producing plays. Rey had heard about the restaurant but hadn't been there—most theatre attendees couldn't get reservations unless they sponsored a performance or made other big donations.

She had never been so nervous in her life. She found herself sitting across from a man who had starred in her fantasies for about a year. She discovered the acting talent of Ben Solo along with a lot of other people, when he busted out of nowhere in a big franchise film. The minute he'd been seen on screen, there had been a collective sigh and his fandom was born. Rey had joined in with her friends, sending memes and photos, trying to find out more about this mysterious actor who'd captivated everyone's attention.

Rey had certainly never expected to meet him, though she knew that his first love was stage acting and that he lived in town. She had written to him half as a joke, figuring that the possibility of a meeting was remote. And here she was on a date with him, sweating, dry-mouthed, and unable to form a coherent thought.

She willed herself to get it together or this would be a very short date. Yes, he'd kissed her—on the lips. It had been incredible, so amazing that her brain had almost short-circuited on the spot.

She relived the moment once again, staring at the menu.

Ben Solo had backed her up against the wall outside the Green Room and slipped one big hand behind her head.

"I'd like to kiss you," he'd said, looking down into her eyes. His gaze settled on her lips.

Rey nodded mutely and watched his mouth descend.

His soft, lush lips had touched hers. He'd smelled of mint and shampoo and all things good. His thumb was on her cheek, gently rubbing her skin. Rey had heard herself make a small hungry noise of delight as she wound her arms around him.

Then he'd pulled back and smiled at her. "Let's go get dinner," he'd murmured.

A waiter arrived at their table and took their orders. Rey handed over her menu and found Ben watching her.

"All you going to be all right?" he asked.

"Yes, absolutely. Yes, I am all right. Really. Why do you ask?" Was she talking faster than normal?

His brows shot up. "You seem nervous."

Rey's lips formed an O. Then she nodded. "I am nervous." She looked at him. "It's weird… I'm not used… to… this."

He said nothing.

Their drinks arrived. Rey had ordered a glass of white wine thinking it might calm her nerves. She took a fortifying sip.

Ben slid his big hand across the table and held hers for a moment. "Can you talk to me about your nerves? Tell me what's going on?"

She pursed her lips, wondering how much to reveal to him. "I don't know how to say this without sounding like a total freak."

He shrugged. He pulled his hand back. "Sound like a freak, then."

Rey sipped her wine again. "Maybe you won't like me if I tell you why I'm nervous."

He held her gaze. "Maybe I won't and maybe I will. Does it have anything to do with what your kids were talking about? What you and the parent who came to the show think of me?"

Rey looked down into her wine glass, thinking about diving inside it. This conversation was so embarrassing. She raised her head. "What happened to talking about the weather or how the Knicks are doing?"

He laughed out loud. "Or how we got into our respective careers?"

"Yes," she said. "Safe, first date topics."

"Sure," he said. "You're up."

Rey took a deep breath. "If I ask you a question, will you answer it, though? You don't give much away in interviews. You seem like a private individual."

"I am a very private person. I can't guarantee that I'll answer questions, especially considering that you don't want to answer mine." He toasted her with his glass.

"Fair enough," she said.

Their food arrived, so Rey led a discussion about favorite foods and places to eat. Ben added cooking, weight loss, and working out to the conversation. Rey ended with describing her sometime crazy schedule and eating on the run.

As they finished up their meals and prepared to leave, Ben remarked that they hadn't touched on one unsafe, personal topic.

Rey laughed. "Safe ground. Nothing too revealing for either of us." A movement caught her eye. Two people she knew walked up next to Ben and said hello to her. Mr. and Mrs. Washington, Deonte's parents smiled at her, while Mr. Washington held out his hand.

"Ms. Johnson, so nice to see you."

She shook hands with both of them. "Nice to see you as well."

They all paused for a moment.

Rey said, "Uh, this is… uh, Ben Solo. Ben, this is Mr. and Mrs. Washington, Deonte's parents."

He smiled at them and shook hands. "A pleasure. Did Deonte tell you he invited me to his class?"

"Yes," Mrs. Layla Washington said—her eyes were big as moons and twice as bright. "He told us you were there to watch the kids do a scene. We're grateful to you, Mr. Solo, for agreeing to Deonte's request. It means so much that you would take time out of your busy schedule to be present with our children." She turned to her husband. "Right, honey?"

Washington rumbled an agreement. "We saw your play tonight. Excellent work, just excellent. We didn't know Ms. Johnson was there."

Rey didn't know what to say.

Ben jumped in. "I needed to ask her about a non-profit that I support. It brings theatre to kids in underserved public schools—especially those whose programs have been cut due to funding issues."

Layla lit up. "I've heard of that. Theatre for Life."

"Yes, ma'am," Ben said.

Layla dug in her slim Coach clutch. "Here's my card, Mr. Solo. Call me if you need assistance with that program. I'm on just about every non-profit board in town. I may be able to help you." She beamed at him.

"Well." Washington cleared his throat. "We won't keep you kids. Have a good evening. Nice to have met you." He shook hands with Ben again.

Layla took Rey's hand and winked at her. "So lovely to see you out and about, Ms. Johnson." She leaned in and stage-whispered. "He's a fine looking man."

Rey's face flushed. "Yes, ma'am," she said and dropped Layla's hands.

They left Ben and Rey standing, not quite looking at each other. Rey's awkward feelings returned in a rush.

Ben offered to drop Rey off at her house and she murmured assent.

"Is Theatre for Life real?" Rey asked in the quiet backseat of the SUV.

"Absolutely," Ben said. "It would have been our next topic of conversation if we'd run out of food to describe to each other."

Rey laughed softly.

Ben took her hand in his.

The rest of the ride was quiet, though Rey's hand remained twined with Ben's. Ben seemed lost in thought and Rey didn't know what else to say to bring him back. She sighed. The whole date had been nerve-wracking, aside from the part where they discussed food. She'd just started to feel a bit more normal when the Washingtons walked up and shattered it.

If she was honest, Rey hadn't enjoyed the date that much. Ben was handsome and attentive—he was a good conversationalist and enjoyable to talk to. However, Rey felt uncomfortable and the rollercoaster ride of emotion was exhausting. She longed to just talk to someone without fear of saying or doing something ridiculous—or revealing shit she'd said in thirsty tweets with friends. Her face flamed when she thought about some of what she'd written under his photos. It was too embarrassing to think about. How the hell was he supposed to react to the idea that she had thought about having sex with him before she met him?

Reality was catching up with Rey and she didn't much like it. She felt a headache rolling in behind her eyes.

The SUV pulled in the space in front of her building. Rey turned to Ben. She should tell him it wasn't going to work and that she couldn't possibly live through another date.

Instead, he leaned down and kissed her lips quickly. "Goodnight, Rey. Thank you for going out with me."

"Thank you," she murmured back. "I enjoyed…" Then she stopped and closed her eyes. "Did you have a good time, Ben?"

He gazed at her.

The driver piped up front the front seat. "Mr. Solo."

Ben glanced at him. "Yeah, I know." He put his hand on Rey's. "Tony can't stay parked here, sweetheart. Let's talk about this later."

Rey nodded. "All right."

He pulled her close and kissed her lips again. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight," she said. She got out of the car and walked up the short flight to her front door. She turned to wave but the car had already left.

Rey woke with a start the next morning, wondering if she was late for something. It was Sunday morning, so she lay back down and stared at the ceiling. Anxiety had permeated her dreams—thoughts of how she might have messed up the date, worries about what would happen next, and an overwhelming desire to talk to Ben again. Then she remembered that she couldn't talk to Ben. It wasn't as simple as making a quick phone call to see how he was doing or what he was thinking. She didn't have his phone number—and locating it would be impossible. He didn't have hers either—only the school's. Neither of them had thought to exchange information.

She groaned and rolled out of bed. The whole relationship with Ben was so complicated. She brooded in the shower about what she would say if she could talk to him. She would say that they needed to have fun together, maybe watch a movie or a play, go for a walk, play a game, cook a meal, or just be together. Rey sighed and got dressed.

Rey had essays to grade, so she made coffee and gnawed on a piece of toast. It reminded her of the conversation about food the night before and she smiled. She remembered that they were going to talk about Ben's work with Theatre for Life. She booted up her computer and typed "Theatre for Life" into Google.

A message came through before she clicked on the link.

From Gwen Phasma: Holy FUCKING shit. What is going on? Is this YOU?

Attached was a photo of Rey in the Green Room looking up at a smiling Ben Solo. He was reaching for her hand.

Fuck, Rey texted back. Yeah.

WTF? Gwen wrote. He has heart eyes for you. When? Where? What? DEETS. I need em now. Call me.

Rey clicked Gwen's photo when her phone rang. Gwen was beside herself. "Is that Ben Solo, like the real one? The real Ben Solo? The guy we've wanted to fuck…OMG. He's so fucking sexy. Mr. Big Dick Energy himself."

Rey stared at the photo and the smile she wore in it. She had heart eyes, too. Damn. "Yeah," she said to Gwen. "I met him."

"He's staring at you like he wants to lick your face—or other things… Did you get to fuck him? Does he…I know he has the biggest dick."

"Uh, Gwen," Rey said. "I just went to dinner with the man, nothing else. Okay?"

This was getting more complicated by the minute. She didn't know there was a photo. It was taken by Poe Dameron, a fellow actor that Ben knew. He had shaken hands with Poe before walking over to Rey. The caption read, Look who I ran into last night. Always macking on the ladies backstage. Who's the cutie-pie, Ben?

"I tweeted it out for you," Gwen said.

"Oh, shit," Rey said in a panic. "You didn't. Fuck. I wish you hadn't done that."

"Why not? I know you want to tell everyone he has heart eyes for you…" Gwen practically sang the last part.

"Not really, Gwen. He's a private person. Go take it down."

"Well…" Gwen said. "There's like a couple hundred retweets already from Poe Dameron's account alone. I mean, I can take it down, but I don't think it matters now. Too many people know what's going on."

Including the parents of her schoolkids… Bad enough that the Washingtons knew.

Rey's headache returned. Her phone was blowing up as she talked to Gwen. Her only thought was how Ben would react to this new development.

"Gwen, he's going to kill me. This is going to completely derail everything."

"Oh, stand down, Rey. First of all, I retweeted it, not you. I only put your Twitter handle on it not your real name…"

"But you say it's me in the photo, don't you?" Rey looked at the tweet. It read, ReyofSunshine meeting the man himself, our daddy, our king. Lucky girl.

Gwen stopped. "Yeah, kind of… Shit."

"Take it down, please," Rey said.

"On it," Gwen answered and hung up.

Rey found it difficult to concentrate, almost impossible to focus on grading. She took some aspirin, drank some more coffee, gritted her teeth, and stared at the papers about Twelve Angry Men. Fortunately, the students' enthusiastic reviews helped sweeten her mood. She laughed at the way some described the play, Ben's performance, their preparation for his visit, and their impressions after class.

She found herself smiling as she packed away her work, ready for tomorrow's classes. She really loved teaching that group. The rest of the day ahead of her, Rey checked the socials to see what was happening. The original tweet had been removed as promised, but Dameron's tweet had gone viral. The Ben Solo Files account had it, as did Ben Solo Online. They had so many followers who would see the photo and try to figure out who Rey was. It would be impossible to stop the picture from making its way to every corner of the web.

Rey groaned again. She knew what she should do and hated the idea. Clearly, she was a liability to Ben. Clearly, she could barely talk to him without flipping out. Clearly, she was so nervous her head ached. Clearly, there was nothing in it for him but a woman who drooled over him, showed him off like a trained poodle, and outed him on dates. He would never tell her anything without wondering if she'd run to her friends and shout it from the rooftops.

Rey had to get the fuck out of her tiny apartment. She couldn't contact Ben; she didn't want to talk to Gwen again. She needed to alleviate her anxiety.

Rey grabbed a jacket, walked a couple of blocks, and found herself in front of the school. She had her keys, so she opened the big front doors and went in. The halls were dark and quiet, though she saw lights on in the community room at the end of the main corridor. She heard lively voices emanating from the room. A small group of parents exited, chatting. They nodded at Rey as they passed her. Clearly, a meeting was just breaking up. Rey walked past the entrance to the room on her way to her own classroom. The Washingtons and the Huxes stood near the doorway, chit-chatting. Layla Washington saw Rey and called her into the room.

"Just the person we were discussing," Layla said. She sounded excited. "Get in here, Ms. Johnson. Come on."

Armitage Hux, Jawan Washington, and their wives all stepped back into the room, motioning Rey over. Rey walked inside the room warily.

Rose Hux smiled with all her teeth. "We're planning our annual fundraising campaign. It's an auction this year. We were wondering..."

Layla squeaked a little and clapped her hands.

Rose laughed. "We were wondering if you could get your friend…" She rolled her eyes and grinned. "Uh, Ben Solo to help us out. Anything… an autographed photo with the kids, memorabilia, an appearance… anything."

"An appearance would be best," Layla chimed in. "If he would come to our auction and sign autographs and take selfies, we'd be most grateful."

Hux chimed in. "I'd be in charge of that. He and I could talk. I saw his movies a couple of times, and I have that poster I could get autographed."

Rose patted his arm. "Yes, you could."

Washington huffed. "Just hold on there, Hux. I met him first out at Billy's Pub. He knows me, not you."

"All the more reason," Hux said. "I need to meet him and get his autograph."

Rey stood staring at the lot of them. She knew without a doubt that Ben would hate this. It was not what he signed up for when he agreed to let the kids come backstage.

"Do you know how to reach him?" Hux demanded. "We can ask him ourselves if you have his info."

Rose giggled. "Best let her do it, Armie. Bet she can get him here with a little… um, persuasion."

Rey thought she might throw up. How could she say no diplomatically? These people paid a lot of tuition at the school and therefore paid her salary. It was never easy to say no to enthusiastic parents.

"The Head of School…" she began faintly.

Layla waved the unstated concerns away with a sweep of her hand. "We can take care of liability and all that stuff. Security. Whatever. It's not a big deal. I'm on the board of every non-profit in the city. Did I already tell you that?"

Rey nodded.

"Well, I am and on the school's board, too. I can take care of naysayers and Mr. Storm won't say no to us. Don't you worry." She winked at Rey.

Rose put her arm around Rey. "Do ask him, darling, won't you? Paige says he likes you very much. He doesn't take his eyes off you."

"Did you see the photo of you two?" Layla asked. "It's so telling. He's for sure falling in love with you."

"It's what we like to call eye-effing, except not effing…" Rose hooted.

Rey flushed, while Rose and Layla laughed and poked each other.

"Girls," said Washington. "Stop. Ms. Rey is clearly uncomfortable with all your jokes. And so am I, for that matter."

Hux agreed. "We have to go. Now, Rose."

"Oh, keep your pants on," Rose said. She and Layla fell on each other laughing again.

Rey nodded at the two men and walked out.

"Let us know," Hux shouted after her.

Bombarded by tweets and retweets and people following her on socials, Rey finally had to deactivate her Twitter account. Another friend had recognized her in real life and wrote all over her timeline on Facebook and Instagram. Even the little website she made for the kids became contaminated with junk in the comments, most of it inappropriate. Rey shut it down, too.

Her phone message mailbox and email were jammed as well. The only call she returned was to the man she called her father, Walter Bacca, who went by the ridiculous nickname of Chewy. Rey loved that big crazy guy to pieces and she knew he might have some wisdom to share.

When she heard Chewy's voice on the phone, she broke. She poured the whole story out into his big hairy ear.

"Awwww, girlie," he said. "That's tough. Seems like everybody wants a piece of you. Did you ever think you'd be so popular?" He gave a strangled growl that passed as a laugh.

"Don't make fun, Dad," she said, sniffling. "It's a fucking mess. And I really don't know what to do."

"Talk to your man, sweetie. He knows exactly what to do. He's been at it awhile, right?"

"Not that long."

"Longer than a day, which is how long you've been dealing with it." Chewy coughed and cleared his throat. "You know how to reach him?"

"No," Rey said.

"Better think about it. I bet you do. You're just in a state of panic. Slow down and remember how you contacted him the first go-round."

"He called me."

"For a date. How did you reach him to work out details for going backstage with the kids?"

Rey remembered the email. "Fuck. Of course. Lily Bryant. His assistant."

"Yes, girlie. That's it. I love you so much. Call this lady and tell her you need to talk to him. She'll pass on the message."

Rey chewed her lip. "And if she doesn't."

Chewy howled with laughter. "I wouldn't want to be her if your man finds out she didn't tell him you called. From his grouchy-looking photos, he doesn't look like an easy-going boss-man type. I'm sure she already knows that."

Rey had to agree with her dad. Ben looked like he ran a tight ship, which was why she was hesitant to call him. It was all a huge clusterfuck and she felt responsible for the whole damn mess.

Rey called Lily on her lunch hour and said she needed to speak to Ben.

"About what?" Lily asked point blank.

Rey was taken aback. "I simply need to speak with him. Please let him know."

There was a long pause. "Ms. Johnson, I'm the gateway between fans and hangers-on and Mr. Solo. I'm not authorized to pass along any messages from you. Therefore, I need to know the nature of your business with Mr. Solo."

Rey's eyes pricked with tears for a moment. Then she got mad and put on her best teacher voice. "Ms. Bryant, I can assure you Ben will want to know that I called. I need to speak to him about a variety of subjects, none of which are your business."

"My business is to keep people like you out of Mr. Solo's face." Lily was just shy of rude.

Rey drew a deep breath. "If you value your job, you'll let him know I called."

"Don't make idle threats. I know my job, thank you. This conversation is finished." Lily hung up.

"Goddamn it," Rey swore and dropped her phone on the desk.

A knock sounded on her doorframe. It was the Head of School, Finn Storm, with a basket of flowers. "Don't shoot. I come bearing gifts." He chuckled at his own joke.

Rey forced a smile. "What's all this, Mr. Storm?"

"Flowers from an admirer," he said. "I'm thinking I know who it is." He winked at her.

Rey wondered if everyone knew she'd gone on a date with Ben Solo.

Finn leaned casually on Rey's desk. "Open it," he urged. "We all need to know."

Rey held the card in her hand. "We all, who?"

"In the office. We're dying to know the skinny."

"My private life is on display?" Rey understood how Ben must feel about everyone knowing everything about his business.

"Yup, deal with it," Finn said cheerfully.

Rey pulled the tiny card out of its envelope. All it said was "More food?" She laughed out loud. She turned the card over to see if it was signed anywhere. On the back were a set of numbers. That was all. She looked at the numbers for a moment, wondering what they could mean.

"What's it say? Who's it from?" Finn asked.

Rey gave him a look.

"Oh, sorry," he said, holding his hands up. "Don't mean to pry. It's such a sweet love story, though."

"Not really a love story," Rey countered. "I have no idea who it's from."

"You laughed," Finn said.

Rey gave him a blank stare.

"All right," Finn said. "I hope you'll ask Ben Solo about our auction, though. The parents told me about it. Sounds like a great idea, don't you think?"

"Not especially," Rey said.

Finn looked stern. "Please ask him for us, Ms. Johnson."

Rey gazed back at him. "Yes, sir, I will."

After Finn walked out, Rey examined the card again. It was from Ben, she was sure. But the numbers on the back…

Rey grabbed her phone suddenly. She punched in the numbers and wrote a text.

Is this you? This is Rey.

She got an immediate response. It is. Knew you could break the secret code, smart teacher lady. I have a day off. Dinner tonight?

Yes, she texted back. I would have broken it sooner, but my boss made me open the card in front of him. She sent a tongue-out emoji.

Oh, shit. No harm done. See you at 6.

He sent heart-eyes.

Rey sat across from Ben Solo yet again in a tiny, hole-in-the-wall place with excellent Thai food, according to Ben.

He'd picked her up at her apartment, though she was waiting downstairs so he didn't feel obligated to get out of the car. She had run down the stairs and flown into the backseat when he opened the door. Ben had pulled her into his arms and kissed her soundly. His soft lips pressed against hers repeatedly, while she hugged him.

"Hi," he'd said, grinning at her.

She decided then and there she couldn't give up dating him.

There was so much to say, so much to talk about, but the Pad Thai was delicious, and the wine went straight to Rey's head. She talked about her day instead, relating silly stories of teaching. She saw Ben watching her with a small smile as he nibbled pea pods and let her ramble on. He did kind of have heart eyes, she thought, as she took another sip of her wine.

She realized that she had been monopolizing the conversation and avoiding the harder subjects yet again. She decided that she didn't care anymore. Not about any of it. She just wanted to enjoy time with this man who was telling her in animated detail of his love for theatre and how he started Theatre for Life.

He ended his monologue sheepishly. "I'm sorry. I'm so passionate about the need for theatre in schools that I get wound up. I'll stop talking." He closed his sexy lips and blinked at Rey a couple of times.

She burst out laughing at his cute face. "It's fine. I agree with you wholeheartedly. I'm lucky to teach at a private school where the parents can pay for amenities like theatre, art, music, and robotics. Not every school is so fortunate, and the funding just isn't there for certain communities."

"I went to a public school that did have the funding. The theatre program saved me from being an apathetic slug. I wasn't a musician or an athlete and other extracurriculars didn't interest me. I found a home in theatre." He paused. "That's why I want to pay it forward."

It was Rey's turn to look at Ben with heart eyes. "You're amazing," she said, softly.

He shook his head. "Thanks, but it's not nearly enough. You get to teach every day and make an impact on kids more directly."

"Do you run any workshops or interact with the kids in your programs?"

Ben sighed. "Sometimes. I used to do more. I started the non-profit back when I was student and I recruited my friends to help me run workshops. These days, I'm either tied to a production or my presence ends up being more trouble than it's worth."

"Because of how well-known you've become," Rey finished.

"Yep, a prisoner of my own success." He shrugged. "At least I can fundraise, though. I've been able to hand the non-profit off to those who are better equipped to run it and I stay behind the scenes and ask people for money."

Rey sighed. It was as good an opening as she might get. It was time. She reached out and took his hand.

"Uh oh," he said softly.

"We should have a hard conversation," Rey said. She looked him in the eye. "I'm less nervous now."

"Yeah, a lot less," he said. "What's up?"

"Did you see the photo of us?"

He nodded. "Yes, I did."

"Was it okay to have it out there on the internet?

Ben looked down and squeezed Rey's hand. "No, it wasn't okay at all, but sometimes that happens. I'm hopeful that it looked like you were…" He cleared his throat. Rey didn't feel like bailing him out, though. "A random fan." He glanced up at her.

It surprised her how much that stung. She pulled her hand free and said, "Well, that's not what happened. Someone recognized me and sent it out with my Twitter name."

"And it went viral. I know," he said. "I saw it."

"And?"

"I already yelled at Poe, who expressed his regret. He took the photo down." Ben sighed. "He's a good guy overall, but he's a media darling and loves to post everything about his life on Instagram. I think he forgets that not all of us are interested in doing that."

"I get that, Ben. I know you like your privacy and don't use socials."

"Part of it's my fault for not having you meet with security before we went on a date. This whole thing has been a learning curve for me, too. I veer between being too trusting and not trusting enough. Shit, two years ago this situation wouldn't be happening at all." He pressed his lips together and took a deep breath. "I usually date women who comprehend how fame works. They already have socials locked down and understand the world of Non-Disclosure Agreements and other security measures. You don't."

Rey felt a stab of guilt. "It's not on purpose, Ben, really. I don't know what to do about the situation."

"I know it's not on purpose. Here's the best thing to do. We don't respond and it will go away on its own," he said.

"My friend took it down," Rey replied. "I asked her to, knowing it would be for the best."

"My security team told me that, too. They said you shut down all your socials, your website, and locked your email."

"Correct," Rey said. She stared down at her lap, lost in some emotion that she couldn't readily identify. Guilt, regret, shame, maybe.

"Thank you, Rey." His voice was deep and soft. "And, hey, can you look at me?"

Rey looked up. Ben's brown eyes were serious.

"I know it wasn't easy for you to do that. I'm sorry that you had to do it because of me."

She nodded. He bent over and kissed her gently.

Back in the car, Ben said, "We need to talk more, but it's late and we both have to work tomorrow."

Rey turned to him. "Do you want to see me again? Is it worth all this?"

He touched his lips with two fingers. "Yes… and no."

Rey stared at him. "What's yes and what's no?"

"Yes, I want to see you again and, no, this is huge fucking hassle for both of us. I don't know if it's worth it or not."

Rey swallowed again. "If it's not going to be worth it, please, drop me now before it goes further."

He looked into her eyes. They had pulled up in front of her apartment building. Rey turned away without another word and opened the car door. She hopped out and walked up the steps.

Ben opened the door and called to her. "It's not that easy, Rey."

She turned and stared at him. "What do you want to do?"

"Can you come back down here for a second?"

Rey slowly walked down the steps and back to the car.

Ben ran his hands through his hair. "Just, please, let's think about this… think about what we're doing here." He leaned out of the car door and reached for Rey's hand. She allowed him to pull her close to the car door.

Rey looked him dead in the eye. "Last time, you drove off without talking about whatever's happening between us. Tonight, you say we both need to get up early and it's too late to talk about it. When do we talk, Ben? Let me know and I'll be there." Rey dropped Ben's hand and ran back up the steps toward the safety of her own little apartment.

"Rey, wait."

She heard footsteps behind her.

Ben had followed her. He stood in front of her door, towering over her. "I'm not trying to be an asshole, Rey. With the pressures of my job and the weirdness of fame, it's simply too hard to predict whether or not a relationship can survive it. I haven't had one survive it yet."

"Are you dating me against your better judgment, Ben Solo?"

He raked a hand through his hair. Rey realized he did that when he was nervous. "No, you're misunderstanding me. I don't want to make proclamations about the future when…" He stopped and blew out a breath. "You have a vision of me and who I am. You might not like me when you get to know me. How can I possibly live up to the fantasy, Rey? How can I? I'm just a person, not an idol."

Rey gaped at him. "I thought it was the other way around. You would find out I can't meet your standards."

He laughed and took her shoulders. "Oh, we are a ridiculous pair. No, no. I'm terrified you'll be disappointed in me."

"Shut the fuck up," Rey said and pulled him close to her for a hug.

The SUV honked.

"Fucking hell," Ben said, nose buried in her hair. "This shit is going to kill me." He bounded down the steps two at a time. "Drive around the block, Tony, for shit's sake."

Tony pulled out, while Ben ran back up the stairs. A few pedestrians walked by. Ben ducked his head. "Fuck."

"And now you're exposed." Rey fished out her keys and opened the door to the foyer. She pulled him inside.

He tucked her close to him and rested his head on her shoulder.

"All right, so…" Rey said softly.

"All right, so," Ben repeated.

"Let's stop fucking around," Rey murmured. "Let's just do this. I'm not a random fan and you're not going to say that it might not work."

"Agreed," he said against her hair. "Rey, we might need more hard conversations."

"Oh, could we? I'm enjoying this one so much," she said.

He lifted his head. Rey rolled her eyes at him. The SUV honked outside.

"Fucking fuck me," Ben growled and pressed his mouth on Rey's. "We need an entire day together, hash everything out, and generally get to know one another far away from drivers and people who want to fucking interrupt us.

"Go," Rey said. "Or Tony will start honking again."

"I'm going to fucking fire him," Ben grumbled.

"No, you're not. He's doing his job," Rey said, waving at him.

He bounded halfway down the stairs. Then he turned. "Oh, forgot to tell you, speaking of firing people. Lily's out. She didn't put you through to talk to me and she was rude about it. I don't play that shit."

Rey had to laugh as he leapt down the last few steps and bounced into the car.

Tuesday, at school, Rey's 9th graders asked about Ben. Some of their parents had seen the photo, some of the kids had, too. Deep into a discussion about Robert Burns and his love being like a red, red rose, Paige raised her hand and asked if Ben had read Rey any love poetry.

Rey shut that down immediately but decided to take on the topic of the photo.

"Listen, I returned to the theater to see the performance again and Mr. Solo invited me backstage. A friend of Mr. Solo's took the photo without permission. Do you think that's okay?"

Dead silence.

Paige raised her hand. "Why didn't the person ask permission?"

Rey said, "I'm not sure, but the photographer apologized and took the photo down. Do celebrities like Mr. Solo deserve privacy? Do any of us deserve privacy? Or do we, like Robert Burns, sing our feelings from the highest peaks of Scotland?

A lively debate ensued, and Rey hoped it would filter back to any parents who wished to comment on her private life.

After that, Rey was feeling pretty frisky about her new-found ability to handle fame. She trotted down to Mr. Storm's office to say that she didn't think they should count on Ben Solo to fundraise for the school.

"Did you ask him?" Finn asked. "And he said no?"

Rey looked him dead in the eye. "I don't feel comfortable asking him. I don't want to impose upon our friendship."

Finn looked disappointed. "Well, I suppose you know best. Maybe that will change in the upcoming months. If it does, let us know."

"Will do," Rey said.

As she walked home from school, she remembered something Chewy always said to her. "Rey, you can either be proactive or reactive. Which is better?"

"Proactive," Rey would say. "Then I'm in charge."

She was being entirely too reactive in this situation, allowing her emotions to get the best of her, allowing a man—just a man, famous though he was—to… well, shit. To be in charge? To call the shots? Just because she's a fan and has a thing for him?

Rey tossed her bag down on the table and booted up her computer. She googled photos of Ben Solo and articles about Ben Solo and interviews with Ben Solo. She was going to demystify celebrity Ben Solo for her own self.

She clicked past photo shoots, posed pictures of Ben looking sexy, well-lit skin, perfect hair, makeup, those shots taken by professional photographers. Not what she wanted.

Where were they? The ones where he looked… normal. Like a guy she'd meet at a teacher's conference or walking his dog. She found some. Nose too big in the camera, ears sticking out from the side of his head, was that a dad bod paunch? Eyeballs up in the camera, lips looking huge (they were very soft, though, she had to admit), his teeth crooked on one side. An odd expression in a selfie, an angry one when he was photographed in the wild. His face impossibly long and where the fuck did his chin go? He had flat hair, a weird-looking bowl cut that made him look like a geek. Was that nose hair?

Rey started to laugh after finding every unflattering photo she could. He did look like a guy she might meet somewhere other than Broadway. A guy who would wake up with bed head and clip his toenails on the couch until she yelled at him to stop.

Then she started on the interviews, both video and verbal. He was polished, poised, funny, adorable, sweet, kind, and so handsome. She wasn't looking for that kind of interview. Nope. She looked for others. He was grumpy, uncooperative, snarly, tired, bored, repetitive, and completely inarticulate. He forgot what he was saying and wandered when he spoke. He stared off into space like he'd rather be anywhere else. He made faces, scrunching up his nose; he looked embarrassed and shifted around in his seat like he had to go to the bathroom.

Rey was actually enchanted by the "bad" interviews, as well as the charming, polished ones. She'd caught a few glimpses of all the various iterations of Ben.

She wanted to talk to him. To be real with him. To cut through the layers of everything she'd built up around him—all the shit that stood between them. She picked up the phone knowing she had access to him. She could call him anytime and, if he was available, speak to him. He would take her call and he would listen to what she had to say—as a person, not a fan.

And she put the phone down. She didn't know his schedule or his routine before going onstage in the evening. She didn't know whether he needed time and quiet to get into a particular frame of mind. But she knew that she didn't want to have major life conversations in the morning before she went to teach. She needed to focus on the coming day.

Ben Solo was a person with a job to do. Not an icon. Not a celebrity. A person, like herself, who got up in front of other people and presented ideas. Let him do his job.

Rey sat with a glass of wine instead and thought about the turn her life had taken. If Ben was a real person to her now, how would she be proactive? She'd changed her life based on his situation. What should he do for her?

She called Gwen.

"Surprised to hear your voice, fangirl," Gwen said a little sharply.

"Hey, sorry to be MIA. My life got real weird, real fast," Rey said. "I'm also sorry about the photo thing. It's not at all your fault that Poe Dameron tweeted the photo out in the first place."

Gwen sighed. "I shouldn't have retweeted it."

"Somebody was bound to recognize me and do it anyway. I would've done it myself before I met Ben."

"Thanks. Good to know you're still you," Gwen said. "So you're not on socials anymore?"

"I'm going to see if I can reopen on private. It's unreal that I have to talk to a security team to understand how to do it."

"It's that much of a risk?" Gwen asked.

"From what I understand, yes. It can be a safety issue, if someone finds out where I live and work." Rey let that sink in for a moment. She hadn't really thought about her own safety, only Ben's.

"Girl, you be careful," Gwen said. "Come over here if you need to, anytime. You know where my key is."

"Thanks," Rey said. "I appreciate it." She paused. "Listen, put the idea of Ben being famous aside for a minute. Let's talk about what makes a good boyfriend. I need to think about this relationship."

Gwen was more than willing to discuss.

At 11 pm, Rey texted her boyfriend, Ben. That's how she thought of him. He was finished with his job by now and she felt free to send him a little note.

I hope your day was good, Ben. Let's get together soon and enjoy each other.

He texted back. Yes, would LOVE to. Busy? Can I call?

Yes, call.

Rey answered with a breathy hello.

"Shouldn't you be sleeping?" Ben asked with a smile in his voice.

"I'm a grown person," Rey said. "It's only 11."

"Teachers need their sleep."

"So do actors. Why are you up?

"I just got off stage and I'm wound up." He heaved a sigh into the phone. "But I don't have to get up early."

"I wouldn't have texted you if I was too sleepy, Ben. Are you always this bossy?"

Silence. "Yeah. I'm… Yeah. Is that a bad thing?"

"Feel free to boss yourself and your staff around. I'm off limits," she said. Proactive. "In fact, you're being a shit boss if you fire Lily. Can you get her back?"

He snorted. "She wouldn't let me fire here anyway. She called my publicist, who yelled at me."

"Good. Lily was doing her job and I wasn't on the list, Skippy, because you forgot me."

More silence. "Uh, yeah. I forgot. Also, we should've exchanged numbers."

"Was it an oversight on your part? Or were you protecting yourself from a fangirl?"

"Oversight," he said immediately. "I would've given you my private number, no question. And when I realized I hadn't, I sent the flowers for fun. I could've called the school—and I would have if you didn't figure it out." He sounded a little forlorn. "Did you like the flower thing? I thought it was fun."

"Yes," Rey said softly. "It was fun, Ben. I really appreciated the flowers, too."

"When can we get together again? The only days I have off are Sunday nights, Mondays, and theoretically half of Tuesday. But on Tuesday, I usually gear up to go back onstage."

"I know you work hard at your craft," Rey said.

"Thank you, sweetheart. I know you do, too." He paused. "I'd like to show you Theatre for Life on Monday if you're willing. It's an afterschool program, and we can drop in on the first one I started."

"I'd love to, but what about your fame difficulties?"

"They don't seem that impressed with me." He laughed. "Jannah, the site director, knew me before my career took off. We were students at the same time. That's why I like going there."

"Sounds wonderful. Also, I'd like to start a tradition."

She heard him suck in a breath. "Really?" She heard the enthusiasm in his voice. "A tradition for us?"

"Yeah," she said. "We're going to call it Sunday Night at the Movies. Pizza, drinks, popcorn, and a movie of our choice. Something meaningful—either a film that we loved as kids or one we think is important. I'm going first. Oh, and your films won't be shown as part of the series. So sorry."

"What the fuck?" he asked in mock outrage. "Are you discriminating against me?"

"Yes, I'm not watching them again. Sorry. Seen them all too many times."

There was a short, startled silence on the phone. Then Rey heard Ben howling with laughter. He dropped the phone and belly laughed harder than she'd ever heard him do before.

"Ben," she said. "Can you stop laughing?" Her comment hadn't been that hilarious.

"No," he wheezed. "That was too funny. That's the first time you've made a joke about being a fan. I'm so here for it. I love it."

She smiled, though he couldn't see it.

"Thank you, sweetheart. I think we're on the right track." Ben chuckled again. "Yeah, babe, I'm so here for this."

Sunday afternoon, Rey prepared homemade pizza for movie night. When Ben knocked, she was ready to have him help her with assembly and cooking. He had a bottle of wine tucked under his arm and he kissed Rey at the door. He washed his hands and set to work, finishing up the pizza and pouring them both glasses of wine.

Rey found herself enjoying their interaction and all the sneaky little looks that passed between them. Ben looked way too handsome being domestic. Rey accidentally on purpose brushed against him. He nuzzled her neck while reaching for the shredded parmesan.

They set the table, bumping hips and trading kisses, and ate together, commenting lightly on how the rest of their week had been. Then they settled in to watch Rey's movie choice, The Wizard of Oz.

And they talked of homes past, present, and future.

"I dream," Ben said, "of a shared country home with a big dog and a riding mower, maybe a fireplace. I'd like to chop wood, light a fire, sip a glass of wine, and read books." He trailed off.

"Sounds lovely," Rey said. "I'd bake some cookies."

"I'd sneak one to the dog."

Rey swatted him on the arm. "No feeding the dog. He's too chubby already."

Ben smiled at Rey. "Yes, ma'am," he said softly.

A spark sizzled to life on the couch at that moment. Ben put his arm around Rey and dipped his head to kiss her.

It was a different sort of kiss, one that sprang from passion and desire, to show their budding connection to each other. Rey wasn't nervous. She was home.

Ben carried her to the bedroom and lay with her. And, yes, his body was incredible, just as the photos promised. He was exactly what she'd imagined.

Ben watched her touch him. "Did you think about me?" he asked.

She met his eyes. "Yes, I did. You're a sexy guy and there are lots of drool-worthy photos of you."

He took her hand and kissed it. "What'd you think about?" His smile was wicked.

"Ben," Rey said, flushing pink. "I'm not…"

He pulled her on top of him. "You'll never get another opportunity to live out your fantasies. Better tell me." He slid his big hands down her back and over her bottom. "I can make them all come true."

Rey buried her face in his neck and breathed in. She nuzzled him and kissed his warm neck.

"Whisper them in my ear, my love," he murmured. "Tell me every little dirty thought you have."

And she did, starting with those plush lips, the big hands, the soft luxurious hair, thick arms, big meaty thighs, perfect dick, and back to the lips again.

When Ben rolled Rey over and pleasured her like a goddess, using his lips, hands, hair, and other parts, she considered herself incredibly lucky that he liked sex and he liked her. She found herself eager to give him pleasure in equal measure.

The big dick energy was real and she rode it hard.

Rey stroked Ben's hair afterwards, snuggling with him and marveling at his beauty.

"I could have been a shitty lover," Ben said. "What made you think I'd be good in bed?"

Rey pondered that for a moment. She told him about her project to demystify him. His eyes got progressively wider and he propped himself up on one elbow.

"You looked for ugly pictures of me. Girl, you think I don't know I'm weird-looking? I don't think any picture looks good."

Rey stroked his cheek gently. "I know you don't consider yourself sexy, which is dead wrong. But you're not full of yourself, and that's how I guessed you'd be a giving, caring lover."

He huffed, flopping back down. "Because I have to be giving and caring to get girls to like me? Fuck."

She laughed and crawled up on top of him. "No, goofball. Girls already like you, believe me. Some men I've gone out with act like they don't have to care what a woman wants. They just want to get themselves off."

Ben digested that idea. "I'm also a decent person, believe it or not."

Rey cuddled next to him. "I believe it. And you're incredibly handsome and sexy. You're the only one who doesn't know it."

Ben snorted in disbelief. Rey smiled to herself. If he only knew…

Rey sent Ben went home that night, telling him that she needed a good night's sleep to teach the next day. He seemed a little disappointed but acknowledged that Rey's job was important.

She put her hand on his chest when he kissed her before he left. "Ben, it's not just the sleep issue. I'm also taking things slowly. I don't want to get hurt."

He gazed at her. "I understand. I wouldn't want to hurt you, Rey." He took her hands in his. "Let's do this one step at time, then."

The next morning, she contented herself with a few good morning texts and lots of heart-eye emojis flying between them.

Pick you up at 3:30, he texted. Parking lot of your school.

RU sure? People around after school. Security.

I'll stay in the car.

It didn't work. Of course not. Eagle-eyed Rose Hux and her mini-me watched Rey walk over to a tinted-window Porsche. They were at the driver's door within ten seconds.

Rey groaned as Rose knocked gently. Ben rolled down the window and smiled at Rose. He stuck his hand out to shake hers. Rey went back around the car to stand by Ben's window.

"Ben, may I call you Ben?" Rose gushed. "We're so sorry to hear that you wouldn't be able to be our guest of honor at the auction. We'd love to have you attend anyway. Teachers have mandatory attendance that evening." Rose grinned at Rey. "Right, Ms. Johnson?"

Rey nodded uncomfortably. It was true.

Ben glanced at Rey. "I haven't heard anything about an auction."

Rose looked shocked. Her acting skills were coming along nicely. Paige giggled in the background. "Well, I'm sure Rey, I mean, Ms. Johnson, has been waiting for the right moment to ask you. So, here I am, and I'll ask instead." She cleared her throat and took a deep breath. "We have an auction coming up in about a month. We're planning a Star Battles theme just for you."

Ben's smile didn't quite reach his eyes, Rey noted. "I appreciate that. I'll get the date from Rey, uh, Ms. Johnson, and check in with my agent. I'll get back to you. But fair warning, Disney doesn't allow unauthorized appearances. Please don't count on my being able to attend."

Smooth, Solo, smooth, Rey thought. She was impressed. "Oh, fuck, no" might have been her answer.

Rey said goodbye to the Huxes and climbed into the Porsche. Ben steered out of the parking lot and onto the street. He didn't say a word.

"For the record, I already said no to them. But Rose can't help herself."

He glanced at her. "I hope you know enough to not commit me to something like that."

Rey stared at him, stung by his tone. "I do, Ben. I'm not a complete idiot."

"Better if you don't talk about the franchise and any appearances at all. Don't bring it up."

"I didn't," she said. "I really didn't." She pressed her lips together.

"Even if it means your job, Rey. I can't do shit like that. Not for anyone, not even TFL gets a Kylo Ren fundraiser."

"Got it, Ben." Rey's tone was crisp. "You have to believe me."

He relaxed slightly. "I do."

"You don't," Rey countered.

He looked over at her while they sat at the red light. "I'm trying."

"It's illegal for them to make my job dependent on an auction appearance."

He nodded. "But they might find a way to shove you out if you appear to be less than a team player."

"I'm sorry, where did you get your teaching experience from? I must have missed that in your bio."

He pulled into a parking lot by another school and looked at her. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me. I know this world a lot better than you do. I'm a good, no, fuck it, I'm a great teacher. They won't push me out because I don't deliver Kylo Ren to them. If we ignore it, it will go away. Wasn't it you who said that? And I didn't question that statement when you said it, so don't question me. It's the same for this situation. They will get over it and move on. Just have Lily call the school and say no. Or if you feel so moved, donate a signed something to the auction. I have to go, but you don't."

Ben stared at Rey. "Are you yelling at me?"

She yanked on the door handle. "Yeah, deal with it, Solo." She got out of the car and stalked toward the main doors of the school.

He dashed up behind her. "Okay, that's good."

Rey turned. "What? Why?"

"You have to be able to yell at me if you think I'm out of line."

Her mouth hung open. She couldn't speak.

The big doors buzzed and the intercom crackled. "Hi, Ben, come on it."

"All right," Rey said. "Believe me, I can do that."

"Good," he said and held the door for her.

Once inside, they walked down a wide corridor with lockers on either side. The school was spotless but shabby with lockers that were bent and walls that needed paint. The old floor was polished to a high sheen, though, and one lone man pushed a big fluffy broom.

"Good afternoon," he said nodding.

"Nice to see you, sir," Ben replied. "This is Rey Johnson, Mr. Kenobi."

"How do you do, young lady," Kenobi said. They shook hands.

"Rey's a teacher over at Valley," Ben said.

Kenobi leaned on his broom. "Is that right?" He looked Rey up and down. "English?"

"Yes," she answered. "9th grade. I met Ben when I took the kids to his Broadway play."

Kenobi reached out and patted Ben. "Good on ya, boy. It's about time you found a decent girlfriend. We were all worried that those Hollywood starlets were going to turn your head. Wouldn't want to see that happen. This one looks like a keeper."

Rey was amazed to see Ben turn a dull red. "Mr. K…" he started.

"No, no, boy. You used to come in here with those big ears hanging out looking like a teenager. Hell, you almost were a teenager. What? Twenty years old? A nice kid, not like those Hollywood type actors at all, all stuck up and won't talk to anybody. But you, no, you were raised right." He winked at Rey. "You can't do better than Benny here. He might look like a celebrity, but he doesn't act like one."

Ben cleared his throat and shuffled a little. "Well, thank you, Mr. K, for the endorsement. I appreciate your support." He glanced at Rey, who was about to laugh out loud at Ben's obvious discomfort. She sucked her giggles back in.

"You're welcome, Ben. Nice to meet you, Rey," Mr. K took up his broom and slid it down the hall whistling.

"Come on, Rey, the kids are waiting for us." When they were out of earshot, Ben whispered, "Mr. K has never met anyone from Hollywood in his life. Except for me."

Rey looked up at Ben's grin. "Well, he seems pretty clear in his opinion of you Hollywood types."

They walked down to the old auditorium where a group of kids were up on the stage, along with one adult.

"Jannah," Ben called. "We made it."

"Good," she said. She nodded at Rey, who smiled. Ben introduced them.

The kids, a group of upper elementary students, waved and bounced as Ben climbed up on stage. He held his hand out for Rey to join them.

She watched in amazement as Ben ran the group through a variety of theatre games. He invited her to join in and she did so enthusiastically, even though she wasn't dressed to crawl around the stage pretending to be a dog. The kids had a blast and so did she. Ben was in his element, teaching the young ones to be present and open with their emotions, to think differently about objects—a wooden spoon became a microphone, a lollipop, and a hairbrush. Rey could tell that this giant game of pretend was the sweet spot for Ben. This was why he was an actor—not the fame or notoriety, not the money or big franchise films. She would bet that he'd be happy acting in small productions, indie films, or even running his own theatre company. Even if his brilliant career bombed out, he would find joy as long as he could act.

When they all started making faces, showing different emotions, Rey had to laugh. Ben's face was a study in every kind of expression. He could twitch an eye and make the kids think he was scared. They all tried to do the same while he showed them the facial muscles he used to create the impression of that emotion. The entire group made faces as Ben named emotions.

Then the kids called for the Kylo Ren face, and Ben made noises as if he hated the idea. The kids jumped around the stage and begged loudly—they put on quite a show, while Ben laughed. Jannah rolled her eyes and told Rey that this was a standing request. Apparently, there was a ritual of pleading that had to be followed. Rey was fascinated watching Ben tease the kids.

"Okay, okay, everyone have a seat," Ben shouted. "You've worn me out."

A cheer went up and kids plopped down.

And then in an instant Ben's smiled faded and his eyes went blank. He turned to Rey and looked at her—the way Kylo Ren looked at Kira. With longing, but without hope, with desire to make her his, all while masking it under a wash of darkness. Rey sucked in a breath as she beheld a completely different man. Of all his characters, this one had invaded her dreams most often. This one had tempted her into late night internet searches and wishful thinking.

The theater was silent. No one moved a muscle watching Kylo Ren stare at Rey—and she couldn't help but stare back.

Then it faded.

And Ben Solo was back, laughing and joking with the kids, while Rey still buzzed with adrenaline from the entire experience.

At dinner, Rey was quiet, thinking about all that had gone on. Ben didn't press her; he allowed her space to be inside her head. She was grateful for the quiet and watched him eat their simple dinner of chicken, rice, and salad.

He stopped mid-bite when he realized she was looking at him. "I probably should've taken you out," he said. "It's been a long day and you shouldn't have to make me dinner."

She shrugged. "This is what I would've eaten by myself anyway. And it's nice to cook for two instead of just me."

Ben smiled at her. "Thank you. I'm glad to be here enjoying a home-cooked dinner." He paused. "Do you want to talk? You seem to have a lot on your mind."

"Yeah," she said. "I'm always up for one of our famous hard conversations."

He laughed. "You keep trying to get me to break up with you. How's that going, by the way?"

"Shut up," she said.

He put his knife and fork down and took a sip of water. "All right. I'll start. I'm glad you got mad at me. I've been worried that I wouldn't meet your expectations—and I can't always live up to everyone's vision of who I am. I'm just a person. I mess up on a regular basis. But I guess it's okay if I fuck up because you still seem to like me well enough. I'm sitting here with you now."

"You know what? I like the fact that you're not perfect," Rey said. "Though I did want to smack you upside your head. You have to trust me or we can't do this."

He pressed his lips together. "Quit threatening to break up with me, would you? And I do trust you. I'm remembering the big learning curve I had to go through. I'm concerned you'll make the same mistakes I made. I needed to get you a security briefing, like, a week ago."

"Are we in the Military?"

"Almost," Ben said.

"How about if I just make the mistakes and we deal with them?" Rey asked. "How about if I allow you to be human and fuck up and you do me the same courtesy?"

Ben rolled his eyes. "How about if you concede that I know how to avoid mistakes and let me give you advice?"

"How about if tell you I'm a fast learner?" Rey countered. She folded her hands on the table and looked Ben in the eye.

He tilted his head and raised his eyebrows, using all his expression know-how to convey his unease with her question.

"And how about if we stop asking each other snotty questions like this and work together?" She glared at him.

He tapped the table with his fingers. "Yeah, and how about we say we're both human and give each other a break?"

"How about if we agree that you do your thing and I'll do mine?" Rey picked up the plates and put them in the sink.

Ben reached for Rey, who sat on his lap. "How about if I take you to bed and fuck the living shit out of you?

Rey turned. "How about if you do?"

And then they lay together, breathing deeply, snuggling closely.

"I'm sorry I was an asshole," Ben murmured, looking into Rey's eyes.

"Same for me," Rey said. "I didn't mean to get so pissed at you."

"I was serious when I said it's a good thing that you can get mad at me. Don't make me into a fantasy, please, or I'll disappoint you."

Rey touched his face. "You're so much better than a fantasy, Ben Solo. You're here and alive and warm, funny, sweet, annoying, loving, talented, and crazy." She paused. "I can love you much more as a real person with real faults and real feelings."

Ben raised up on one elbow. "You know I don't think of you as a fan. I mean, I know you are or were or whatever. But when you look at me, I believe you see me as me. I know you as an amazing woman, open and honest and willing to fully invested in a real-life relationship."

"I am ready and willing."

Ben leaned down and kissed her. "I love you, Rey. I want to this relationship to work. More than anything."

Rey smiled and tears sprang into her eyes. "I love you, Ben, and I want the same thing. I don't give a flying fuck that you're a celebrity as long as you're happy."

He blinked the moisture from his eyes and gave Rey a small smile. "Some days I feel like I need to go join Mr. Kenobi and sweep the floors."

Rey lay on his chest. "You'd be an excellent floor-sweeper, I'm sure." She crawled up to kiss his lips.

"With you by my side, I'd be happy to do anything."

"That's sweet, but you love acting. So let Mr. Kenobi do his job and you do yours. And it looks like fame goes with the territory."

"It's a bitch," Ben said. "But I'm glad you're with me."

"I'm asking you this one last time, Ben Solo," Rey called from the bathroom. She was putting her earrings in. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

He stuck his head in. "This tie is fucked. Why won't it work? It looks crooked."

Rey walked over and checked out the tie. "It's tied funky. Start over."

"Fuck me." He pulled on the knot. "And, no, I don't want to do this but we're doing it anyway." He yanked the tie off.

Rey took it from him and looped it around his neck. "Stand still, wiggle worm," she said as she tied it herself.

Ben gave her a grumpy look. "I'm not a 9th grader," he growled.

"Yeah, yeah, tell it to the judge," she said. "It's time to go." She patted the tie and rose up on tiptoe for a kiss.

They were headed to the hotel ballroom where the school's auction would be held.

Rey negotiated with the auction committee to facilitate Ben's attendance as merely the plus-one of a teacher. She extracted promises from them and Mr. Storm to downplay Ben's appearance and re-brand the auction as a Night on the Town instead of a Star Battles convention. With Lily's help, Rey arranged security and held briefings for key participants. Ben had kidded her that she presided over Operation Plus-One like a General going into battle, but she could tell he was grateful for her preplanning.

Then she asked him if he wanted to back out. And he said no. For her.

Rey smiled as Ben found himself surrounded by her 9th graders, who were there to volunteer for community service hours. They kept his glass of punch filled and chatted with him, taking turns so as not to overwhelm him. Rey was so proud of them.

Before the live auction began, Paige and Deonte walked Ben over to the silent auction table where they had a special surprise. The other kids gathered around the long table to present a framed poster of the class with all their props and scenery from the day Ben visited. He and Rey stood in the back of the photograph, both smiling proudly. The poster read, "Twelve Angry Men," which was neatly crossed out and replaced by the words Twenty Happy Kids, Thank you, Mr. Ben Solo."

"It's yours," Deonte said, holding it up. "No charge."

Rey watched Ben gulp hard and duck his head. The celebrity face he wore slipped and his eyes welled up a little. He stared at the poster in wonder, with his fingers on his mouth.

He opened his arms to a group hug and thanked the kids. They all piled in. Parents began to cluster around to thank Ben for his time. The whole school broke into a huge round of applause.

Rey just smiled.

"Cookies are done," Rey called to Ben.

"Great! Hey, come look," he called back.

She walked into the family room of their new country home with its big stone fireplace. Baby, their big Staffie Terrier mix, followed Rey, hoping for another bite of cookie. Ben, with hammer in hand, pointed to the wall behind their cozy sectional.

"How does that look?" He'd put up the poster the kids have given him.

Rey put her arms around him. "Perfect. It's absolutely perfect."

"Yeah," he said, kissing her, "I think so, too."

And there it hung in the place of honor for many, many years.