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#another of ben x paxton

furoruisa · 2 years

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I'm once again taking volunteers to read my fanfics because that's my writing process

#i have like #one of #fab x aneesa #another of ben x paxton #and one of ben x devi #nah that's a lie #i have like 3 fanfics for #benvi #yeah nhie has me writing again after 7y inactive

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domxmarvel · 11 months

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Better

Masterlist

Pairing: Ben x Female!Reader

Prompt: I could be a better boyfriend than him

“You shouldn’t be with him,does he even know anything about you?”

“Ben, I've had enough of this. Why is me dating Paxton such a big deal?” Ever since you started dating Paxton,Ben had been annoying you about how he wasn't good enough and how anyone would be better.

"Because he doesn’t date,he probably doesn’t even care about you”

“I-I’m done! This conversion is over!” You had to get away from him before you did something you'd regret,but he grabbed your arm as you tried to walk off.

“You know I could be a better boyfriend than him”

“You caused this mess just because you’re jealous?” You were only getting angrier with every word he said.

“Y/N,we both know I care about you more than he does,I know more about you than he ever will” He paused for a moment before saying “And I’ll love you more than he’ll ever do” You wanted to leave but your body froze,you couldn't move away from him. You did have feelings for him but you didn't have the guts to tell him so instead you just pushed him away.

"I think you should leave" You walked off before he could say anything,but he quickly pulled you back and into a closet. "What the hell are you doing?" He kissed you before you could say another word. You knew you shouldn't but you couldn't stop,you finally had what you wanted and you didn't want to let him go. He didn't stop until you were out of breath.

"I told you I'm better"

#ben gross x reader #ben gross #nhie x reader #nhie Ben #nhie #Netflix nhie #never have I ever x reader #never have i ever #never have I ever ben

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gredandforgeweatherby · 11 months

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All the Way Across the Country?

Ben Gross x reader

WC: 825 Warnings: None, just fluff. Nothing romantic between Devi and Ben has happened for the sake of this fic (dw I'm team Benvi 100% :)) I do not own any of the dialogue from Never Have I Ever, I am just writing about Ben Gross because no one else will, please do not sue me.

A/N: This is not proofread, and the ending kinda sucks, but I really couldn't figure out how to end it. I hope you still enjoy <3

It was the night before you and all your friends left for college. Last night, you, Fabiola, and Eleanor had what was supposed to be your last hurrah, but Devi's grandmother invited you guys to her wedding the next night. She actually invited all of Devi's friends. You were excited you were going to have one last night with your friends before everyone left, though there was one person missing: Ben.

Ben left for an internship in New York right after graduation, and while you were happy that he got the opportunity, you wished you had been able to see him again before he left.

While Devi and Ben's relationship was based on academic validation and rivalry, your and Ben's relationship differed. You and Ben were friendly with each other through Devi and Ben's rivalry, (sometimes bothering Devi in the process. "You're supposed to be my right-hand girl not canoodling with my nemesis!). Though Devi and Ben often time butt heads, that somehow never got in between your and Ben's friendship. Eventually, your feeling turned into more than platonic, and you could never tell if Ben felt the same. The two of you would kiss, but neither of you would bring it up ever again. You because you were afraid of ruining the friendship and making it awkward, and he because he was afraid you would reject him.

The two of you had never been great at talking about your feelings.

¤•¤•¤•¤•¤•¤•¤•¤•¤•¤•¤

You and all your friends, sans Devi, were sitting at a table playing a game of never have I ever.

Alright, never have I ever hooked up in my bestie's bed." Eleanor said, her gaze directed at Fabiola.

She and Fabiola met each other's gaze, and Fabiola's mouth hung wide open, a look of faux betrayal on her face.

"Fabiola you better pick up that damn cup," Eleanor said, her eyes narrowed at the girl in question.

Fabiola obliged.

Everyone gasped in surprise while you spoke up.

"Woah, woah, woah, whose bed?" You questioned, hoping that your name didn't fall from her mouth.

"Remember that party Devi had where she two-timed Paxton and he got hit by a car and his swimming career was over?" Fabiola questioned.

Chuckling a bit, you nodded. "Yup, everyone remembers that. How could you not?"

"Me and Eve had a make-out session on her bed."

Yours, Aneesa's, and Paxton's mouths dropped in surprise, while Eleanor and Trent looked at each other excitedly.

"Wow."

"Damn."

"You think she'd be mad if she found out?" Fabiola questioned.

"Well, I guess I should also drink," Trent spoke up. Paxton questioned why.

"I definitely had a couple of solo seshes on your futon." This, once again, made everyone gasp in surprise (and probably a bit of disgust).

While Trent and Paxton were talking about Trent's "solo seshes", Devi came over to you.

"Hey Y/N, I need your help with something in my room."

Thinking it was another way for your friends to sneak alcohol like you, Fab, Eleanor, and Devi did earlier, you didn't question it. You followed her to her room while she was talking nonsense the whole time. As the two of you were rounding the corner to her room, you felt her hands on your back give you a push into her room. Confused, you turned around to question her when you noticed someone in there.

"Ben?" You questioned. "What are you doing here?"

He was standing by Devi's window in a sweatshirt and jeans looking a bit bewildered.

"Uh, yeah, it's weird," he began, " Uh, well, I was in New York, and Devi mentioned that her pati invited all of us to her wedding and all of a sudden, I got this feeling that I needed to tell you that I... like you."

You chuckled lightly. "You flew all across the country to tell me you like me?"

"Well, yeah. Uh," he seemed conflicted with what to say next. "Actually," he chuckled, "I think I love you, y/n."

You stood there, not quite believing this was happening. "What?" You breathed out.

"I love you."

Hearing those words fall from his mouth made you realize this was real. This was Ben Gross, who hoped on a cross-country flight the night before you left for school to tell you he loved you.

"I love you too Ben."

The two of you smiled at each other before he suggested you guys left. You grabbed your things, (that were luckily in Devi's house and not in the tent,) and guided him to your car, driving to his house. The two of you made it to his room before your lips met.

¤•¤•¤•¤•¤•¤•¤•¤•¤•¤•¤

You and Ben spent the night together, deciding to try and date during the semester. You were both going to be in New York-- him obviously at Columbia and you at Cornell, you guys could totally make it work.

And the two of you certainly did.

#never have i ever #never have i ever netflix #netflix #ben gross #devi vishwakumar #ben gross x reader #ben gross x you #never have i ever x reader #paxton hall yoshida #benvi

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fishyyyyy99 · 10 months

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Why do I see Never Have I Ever in everything? I am wayyy too obsessed with this show. People will probably think I'm trying too hard to find similarities in the below cases, but I can't help it.

I was reading The Forest of Enchantments (a retelling of the Ramayana from Sita's perspective) by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni and my mind just went, "OMG, THE GOLDEN DEER IS SITA'S PAXTON!!!!!" Basically, you know how Devi clings extra hard to Paxton because she's dealing with the grief surrounding her dad's death? That reminds me of how Sita is obsessed with the golden deer and the obsession mingles with her personal grief (losing her queenship, kingdom, and especially not having a child), and she really wants it as a sort of compensation. And it's obviously not really what it seems to be, just like Devi's idealisation of Paxton in her head.

And today, I couldn't help but see parallels between Nimona x Gloreth and Ben x Devi - the loneliness and not being able to find a genuine connection anywhere for the longest time (Nimona, Ben), and finally finding it with someone (Gloreth, Devi) who seems to truly see you and accept you for who you are, only for them to betray your trust (thanks to being influenced by other people's opinions). Luckily, Ben didn't have to wait for a 1000 years to get his happy ending.

Another parallel - Devi being seen as crazy, and Nimona being seen as a monster, because people can't handle them being fully themselves. I'm glad they both found people who love them exactly as they are. And honestly, I love seeing them both rage!

#devi vishwakumar #never have i ever #ben gross #ben x devi #benvi #maitreyi ramakrishnan #jaren lewison #paxton hall yoshida #nhie #nimona #nimona gloreth #gloreth #the forest of enchantments #chitra banerjee divakaruni #ramayana #sita #anti daxton #rama #golden deer

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loveourfuture-c · 2 years

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Hey! Expectations for nhie s3? Or something you're hoping is going to happen? 👀

I’m trying really hard not to get my hopes up, but here I am getting my hopes up anyways. I’m certain that Devi x Paxton will break up. I am almost positive that Devi will break up with Paxton.

I am hoping for another dance possibly prom. I want Ben and Devi to go together as friends (but we all know that’s lie). I just really really need a dance scene with them. They deserve to have their dance. You know Ben was going to ask her at the winter formal, I need this remedied.

I want more banter with them, pining jealous looks. All that! I need them to be in deep deep denial of their feelings because they are certain the other one has moved on. I would love a sort of “it’s always been you” love confession from Devi but we could probably save that for season 4.

Essentially I need a mixture of this:

And this:

#never have i ever #benvi #devi x ben #season 3 #maybe one day we will get some more nhie content #asks #mutuals ❤️

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seeyoumondaydevi · 2 years

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Sorry you've probably answered these a few times I haven't come across any info on reading some. Do you have any new prediction on S3 of NHIE? 🙂

Hii thanks for the ask :) I know I said I won't answer asks till 13th.. but I wanted to answer this lol. I don't have like actual proper theories I’m just trying to avoid coming up with theories about writers butchering Paxton's character for love triangle drama or Paxton and Devi's inevitable break up. There are so many things I want for the season that it clouds my prediction making abilities lol. Soo anyways.. The episode titles for season 3. Here.

Season 3 Episode 1:.. Been Slut Shamed

Table read links for those who haven't read it yet.

Season 3 Episode 2:.. Had My Own Troll This episode is obviously about the anonymous person DMing Devi. She probably constantly receives texts and images from this person, especially about her relationship with Paxton thus making her insecure. If the writers want drama, she won't go to Paxton about it.. she'll try to figure out who it is and what Paxton is "hiding". Eleanor and Fabiola are definitely a gonna help her, Aneesa I'm not sure. She'll probably go behind Paxton's back and this will all blow up.. it's gonna suck esp bc Paxton said he trusts her this time in 3x01 and Devi going behind his back again? Or if the writers don't want some messy drama, she'll directly go to Paxton about this troll.

Season 3 Episode 3:.. Had a Valentine Devi probably is still receiving the texts, but it's valentines day.. we hopefully get to see daxton go on a date and see the actual date. Also there is no way Mindy isn't not gonna make Ben x Aneesa and Daxton go on a date.. Ben and Devi probably banter or have a moment which makes Paxton and Aneesa feel awkward or uncomfortable. Darren (here) said the love triangle is gonna be "up down and all around and I promise you it is not going to be boring” So I think this episode is gonna have some of that love triangle drama.

Season 3 Episode 4:.. Made Someone Jealous So many possibilities for this one? Aneesa and Paxton being jealous or insecure about the "moment" Ben and Devi had at their double date, or Ben being jealous of Daxton, or the new kid Des.. both Ben and Paxton are jealous of him? bc Darren said he's like the Indian Paxton and another article mentioned Des is as smart as Devi but goes to a private school. Probably more love triangle or love square drama. Still from 3x04 👇🏾

Season 3 Episode 5:.. Been Ghosted Again so many possibilities. I feel like Devi was trying to play it off and not reply to the DMs she’s been receiving but in the previous ep she probably replied and the texts stopped all together.. like the anonymous person texting her just started ghosting her? Ben could also be the one ghosting her. Or.. Paxton too.. so like there is this pic of s3 table read the cast had via zoom.. it wasn’t streamed but one of the writers had uploaded this pic and in that zoom meet/break room all the writers present, Darren and Poorna were the only cast members on the call, so like what if Paxton had another horrible encounter with Nalini similar to season 1 which scared him off?

Season 3 Episode 6:.. Had a Breakdown I’ve read lot of posts and theories and it’s probably Ben’s POV episode. It could also be Aneea’s POV-centric episode bc in s1 we had a Ben POV episode narrated by Andy but we also had Fab and Eleanor centric-ish eps.. McEnroe narrated those.. probably something similar? It could even be Devi having a full on breakdown, Devi has lost her shit a lot yes, but I don’t think we’ve seen her actually have a break down or acknowledge that she’s having one. It could even be Nalini having a breakdown who knows.

Season 3 Episode 7:..Cheated Bro don’t even get me started on this one. I just really hope it isn’t Devi cheating on her boyfriend.. again. Idk she probably cheated in a test or sum? But all we know is that Des is in the episode

Season 3 Episode 8:.. Hooked Up With My Boyfriend So look, my trust issues is telling me the ‘boyfriend’ is not Paxton.. Do I want it to be Paxton? Yes. But I won’t be surprised if it’s not Paxton. If it actually is Paxton I’d be surprised bc I thought Mindy would break them up in like 2 episodes..

Season 3 Episode 9: No title I know this episode doesn’t have a title, but I found a BTS pic here. You can also see few guys in suits?

Season 3 Episode 10: No title Again, no title but based on the BTS here. All we know is it’s something big, they wrapped in Malibu.. it could be prom but Poorna and Richa on set. It could be a family thing but Hanna(Shira) was on set too. Both Hanna(Shira) and Maitreyi(Devi) were getting glammed up soo..

#I cant really make theories for Paxton bc idk? in 3x01 he had no role outside daxton #I cant predict what happens with Nalini or Kamala either #all of this probably not gonna happen but anyways #Devi Vishwakumar #paxton hall yoshida #daxton #Devi x paxton #paxton x devi #devi and paxton #paxton and devi #nhie netflix #nhie #never have I ever #never have I ever netflix #nhie s3 #nhie season 3 #never have I ever season 3 #maxi pax #my asks

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infinite-wanders · 2 years

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Ok after watching S3 how are you feeling?

I'm honestly still shocked, about the cliffhanger I never thought Ben and Devi would get together in the end well I sorta did. After S1 it was kinda obvious that he'd still have those feelings in place for her. Also they could of gave Devi and Paxton more time with their relationship but I've now come to an understanding that maybe it was for the best Devi let her insecurities and other gets to her. I hope he has helped her understand that and focus on herself a lot more.

Do you think Ben and Devi will go further with what happened in the end of S3?

Also how did you find Devi this season?

What are you predictions on S4?

I'm good after s3 watch, considering my Daxton heart broke and currently feels 6 feet under at the moment.

What's a dramady without a bit of heartbreak right lol. Are we Daxtons just feeling the pain that B*nvi did in s2? Lol.

I feel that as soon as they announced s3, that is when my stages of grief began, and by the end of watching s3 I had come to accept Daxton was 99% not going to be endgame. Even though we only got 3 eps after 2 seasons of build up, I wasn't angry because they didn't trash Paxton's character for Des/Ben. So for that I am grateful.

Call me a bad Daxton stan if it feels like I've given up, but I'm just in self preservation mode so I don't go into depression over fictional characters. I'm sure future me will have posts that go through waves of denial and bargaining haha.

I love them so much, but if MK and LF won't give me Daxton endgame, I know that I can write it for myself.

I haven't had much thought for s4 B*nvi and probably won't post anything as I find these attract unsolicited opinions where people feel the need to argue with me. As you know, I love Ben's character arc and I am 100% Team Devi, but I'm Daxton first, and any time I make a comment regarding Ben, it's often taken the wrong way. And nobody got time for that.

S3 Devi was ... a dream? Lol jks.

I loved how she was a better friend to the girls. I loved the growth of her relationship with her mum. I loved her quick wit and banter all boys. I loved that she still made some rash decisions but nothing crazy as previous seasons. Like umm yes girl, throw that drink in your lying ex-boyfriend's face.

I'm sad she let her insecurities affect her relationship with Paxton, but I 100% relate and have been there, so I felt very seen.

I feel like im rambling so I'm gonna leave s4 predictions for another post and will tag you bestie x

#nhie asks #never have i ever #never have i ever netflix #paxton hall yoshida #devi vishwakumar #daxton #nhie #nhie s3

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furoruisa · 1 year

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Paxton this, Ben that... that trailer make me think more about my Paxton x Ethan headcanon is time for another fic ✨️

#nhie teaser let's goooo

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inthefleur · 3 years

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In the Defense of Devi x Ben

Ever since the release of S2, I’ve seen a lot of interesting discourse about Benvi vs Daxton. However, I’ve noticed that a lot of people have unfairly analyzed Ben and Devi’s relationship, especially a strong misunderstanding of Ben’s reaction to everything. So, I thought that I’d give a semi-short defense for their relationship. I have a lot of thoughts on the matter but here’s my top 3 points.

To start, people argue that Ben only likes Devi when she’s with Paxton and that Devi forgets about Ben when she’s with Paxton. However, this is not the case. Some have implied that Ben “randomly” started liking Devi during the MUN trip after confronting her about the sex rumor with Paxton. I think that his crush started earlier than that, possibly during 1x2 when he says it seems like her date didn’t go well. This was before he even knew that the guy her “date” was supposed to be with Paxton. As the first season progresses, it becomes more obvious that he’s liked her for some time. Even the picture of him and Shira he had in his locker during the first couple of episodes is no longer seen. Even in 2x10 at the dance when he thinks that Devi is no longer interested in Paxton after what he told her in the bathroom, a spark is still shown between them and Ben was going to offer her to dance. As for Devi, even while she was tutoring Paxton and he would be flirty towards her and forgave her sooner, she kept thinking about how to get back with Ben. Even with the pros-cons list, it shows that even with Paxton as a contender, she was leaning towards choosing Ben (until her El and Fab interfered).

Next, some people have been very critical about Ben’s reaction during the aftermath of Devi’s cheating. I’ve seen many people say that it’s Ben’s own fault that Devi chose Paxton instead of him. People frame him as a bratty and cowardly person who should’ve either forgiven her quicker or fought for Devi. However, I think that some people seem to not fully understand that cheating hurts. In Ben’s case, it was even more hurtful because after always being considered second in people’s lives, he had to witness it again from someone who he thought actually cared about him. Many may debate this but, there’s a lot of chemistry between them and it’s clear that they have strong feelings towards each other. It was easier for Paxton to forgive her because rather than being upset because she cheated, he was upset because she was a nerd who cheated on him with another nerd. He also blames her for him getting hit by the car. These actions were hurtful to his ego and took away his opportunity to go to Stanford. However, these were things that were easily rectified by him having Devi do his work, tutor him, and keep her a secret for a while. For Ben though, he had deep feelings for her. He was heartbroken and it’s difficult and can take a lot of time to forgive the one you love for cheating on you. However, even while still being (rightfully) angry at Devi, he continued to help her in some way. For example, when Ben gave Devi a pep talk in the girls’ bathroom (that also mirrored Mohan’s advice in her dream). Just as it takes time to mend a heartbreak, he’s slowly starting to repair his relationship with Devi.

Lastly, one of the biggest criticisms of Ben I’ve seen is the motive behind his relationship with Aneesa. Is he trying to replace Aneesa? Is he trying to make Devi jealous? Why would he go out with Devi’s friend? Well, to make it short, it’s just that Aneesa was the first girl after Devi who he seemed to connect with and who also liked him. Even though he still has feelings for Devi, he tries to hide them and thinks that she’s moved on. So why can’t he move on as well?

All in all, it’s not surprising that more people ship Daxton now. He’s the popular guy that Devi’s had a crush on since she was a kid so to see them get together is nice for some people. Even I was rooting for them at the beginning of S1. I mean, that was practically what the show was marketed as: let’s root for the nerdy teen girl to get with the popular boy. Devi and Paxton were also shown together way more this season than Devi and Ben. But many people’s analysis of Ben and Devi’s relationship are way off. And, as a romcom enthusiast like Mindy, I know for sure that there’s going to be a greater development to Ben and Devi’s story in S3!

#tv: nhie #nhie #benvi #devi x ben #devi vishwakumar #ben gross #in the defense of...

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feisties · 3 years

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OK NOT TO READ DEEPLY INTO A SILLY LITTLE STILL AND CONFIRM WHAT WE ALL ALREADY KNEW ABOUT THE DYNAMICS IN THE LOVE TRIANGLE but notice how the pros associated with ben are all related to who ben is as a PERSON

like im assuming if you are a fan of ben x devi then you are probably really compelled by the fact that devi's attraction to ben has a lot to do with ben as a person. although thus far theyve been put into a lot of adversarial positions, their developing friendship is based on a mutual appreciation for other aspects of each other's personalities, despite having perceptions of each other that were negative and having already known about the other person's flaws.

here it appears that the pros that ben has are "smart", "challenging", and "hella rich". I can concede that hella rich is not a personality trait or an attractive element that is a super central aspect of someone's character, the other pros read more that way. of course devi and ben have had a history of facing off academically, and so it makes sense that she has respect for his intellect, but to appreciate him for being "challenging" is something that i find super interesting. it shows that there's so much more substance to their relationship (as we have already known) and that she can appreciate how he pushes her to be her best, to go outside of her comfort zone, or anywhere in the realm of self growth and betterment.

meanwhile, paxton's pros/cons seem really superficial to me, for obvious reasons. part of me wishes devi and paxton had a deeper connection during s1 so there could be more to work with here, but clearly the benefits she sees w going the paxton route are related to his looks and status. she doesn't see him as a fully fleshed person. his cons reflect this too - one of the cons is a value judgement based off of the character of another person entirely. it just seems like devi still doesn't like paxton for paxton, and doesn't value him as a person but really as a gateway for various rites of passages like first boyfriend, first time having sex, etc.

anyway. to me it seems extremely clear that she has much more of a deeper connection and attraction to ben, and it feels very much like im stating the obvious. but i wanted to geek out over this image bc this is one of the most explicit demonstrations of this difference in her attractions to either character and i'm so excited about the development of both relationships

#nhie #ben gross x devi vishwakumar #never have i ever #the level of excitement that this image brings me is unparalleled #i love to spectate and spew my nonsense #im sure there are so many other people on this website that could articulate what i tried to say in this post better than i could #but i really wanted to freak out over this one image #*

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onefinedayirise · 3 years

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First. Mindy how could you! Ben and Devi are so obviously meant to be endgame and the Paxton episode was good at fleshing him out, but he still treated Devi like trash and I know this way we're guaranteed another season ( I hope) because it can't end like this we need Devi x Ben.

#NHIE #NHIE S2 #Never have I ever #devi vishwakumar #Also the Indian representation was so much better this time #I'm going to write about it

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loveourfuture-c · 3 years

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8, 14, 15, 19, and 20 for NHIE ask meme!

8. What is your favorite thing about this show?

How relatable it is and the diversity. I just love how many women are in it as main characters, particularly women of color. It’s so effortless to in its diversity, it’s not forced and doesn’t rely on stereotypes.

14. What’s your favorite ship? Besides Benvi and Daxton.

Nalini x Mohan. Their dynamic and chemistry is unmatched! Whenever, you see the flashbacks you can just see how much they love each other.

15. Who do you love more Devi’s grandma? Or Paxton’s grandpa?

Devi’s grandma. Nirmala is a queen and the mother-in-law we all deserve.

19. What is something you want to rant about? Get something off your chest.

Ooooo I’ve already answered this before, in regards to Ben’s storyline, but I have lots of other things. So here we go!

After taking to some friends on here and reading lots of meta. I personally have began to feel like Ben’s reaction to Devi cheating on him was very in character. I think a mistake a lot of us make is assuming that Ben and Devi are the same, which they are not. While both very competitive, smart, and driven their personalities are different.

Devi is an impulsive hothead who tends to make snap judgments and lashes out easily, She however, forgives very easily.

Ben on the other hand is an obnoxious know it all who loves to win. He has a very controlled type of anger which we see after the tattoo incident, while he is less prone to out bursts, he can also be impulsive and judgmental. He also holds on to things longer and has a harder time with forgiveness. (He also definitely has abandonment issues but that’s for another post)

Ben has been constantly abandoned by everyone in his life, first by his parents, then his friends, now his girlfriend. She not only left him but cheated on him. While he was clearly heartbroken, he was also angry. Not only with Devi but himself for trusting her and thinking that she would be the one to stay. His refusal to go back to how things were before or even an angrier version, is a sign how just how mad he is. Both Devi and him viewed their bantering and arguing as a sort of frenimie relationship. As we saw in episode four, Devi assumed they could just go back to that. Ben however chose to completely shut her out and ignore her besides a few pointed quips. This however definitely affected Devi more than a return to arguing would have. Ben’s cold behavior let her know that it would take a lot more than words for him to forgive her.

I hope that made sense. I had to write this on my phone, my computer is being ridiculous.

20. Why are your hopes/ theories for season three?

I think Devi and Paxton’s relationship will sort of fizzle out and they will decide to be friends. I think however that Ben’s and Aneesa’s will end with her breaking up with him after realizing he definitely still has feelings for Devi. I think this will happen over the course of the next season. Maybe all accumulating before the final episode, and having the final episode end with Ben and Devi reveling their feelings for each other. Idk. That’s the hope and dream.

#never have i ever #nhie ask game

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piccolina-mina · 4 years

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I have very mixed feelings about the sudden policing of shows and movies for casting “teen” romantic leads whose actors have an age difference. Whether you like it or not, this is how Hollywood works.

Yes, adults are usually cast to play teens to get around working hours, child labor laws and schooling. Yeah, there is something to say about the disproportionate casting of mostly older guys as teens when casting actual teens as female leads.

And yeah, in the past 40 years of film and television some of it has been downright disturbing, but there’s the almost irksome tone policing that’s happening now where we’re hyper-critical of works where romantic leads have real life age differences between actors, even when the actors are both legal, and even when the characters they’re playing don’t have an age gap.

And people being told they can’t promote or enjoy a work’s in canon love story because of the age difference between the actors portraying the characters. And even comparing or accusing shows who happen to have this type of casting and who have a love story as essentially peddling kiddie/philia, and I just cannot … I can’t. Sorry. No.

Things aren’t taken into consideration such as typically an entire story may be written before casting even happens. Sometimes casting the right person for the role will include someone who isn’t the same age as the character. This is how the acting field functions, and within reason, this is something that all actors, including the young ones and their parents are aware of etc.

I do find it interesting and have noticed an unfortunate pattern that folks are particularly critical of this when it comes to young actors of color as romantic leads, and it doesn’t sit well. Because while the concerns are valid and shouldn’t be discounted, only being this consistently vocal about it to the point of policing fandom and chastising and discouraging fans from daring to enjoy a ship between the CHARACTERS … there’s a lot to unpack there too.

I’ve seen this recently with Never Have I Ever. Maitreyi Ramakrishen is 18, and Darren Barnet is 29. Yeah, no lie, it is hella weird even within the context of the show because of Devi actively seeking out a physical relationship and also Darren LOOKS like a 30 year old man.

I saw it with The Sun is Also a Star with Yara Shahidi and Charles Melton who are like a decade apart in age. But was something I didn’t notice while watching at least.

But I’m also seeing this with Julie and the Phantoms. The show could not get more wholesome and chaste. The romance between Julie and Luke is innocent pining, but folks are still super worked up about Madison being 16 and Charles being 21, and you would think the characters got it on with no clothes in the backseat of a Volvo or something. And I’m just trying to understand what the guidelines are now.

Because there are DEFINITELY some fkd up and problematic age gaps. Brooke Shields’ mother basically p*mped her daughter out doing films like Pretty Baby. It’s grotesque and should be criminal. She was 14 doing s*x scenes. Simonetta Stefanell was 16 doing them and playing Al Pacino’s wife in The Godfather. Kristen Stewart, Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Lawrence, Dakota Fanning (ironically with Stewart) and more have definitely been in some questionable roles doing questionable things with questionable age differences.

But then, specifically teen stuff we’ve collectively enjoyed is open to critique, no doubt, but it’s also not dissected the same way or has the same expectations? And I don’t know.

No one batted an eye over 19 year old Tyler Posey paired with 26 year old Crystal Reed, and it definitely didn’t discourage anyone from enjoying their ship…

Trina Mcgee was 28 when she started playing Angela Moore on Boy Meets World and was even expecting at some point, and Rider was 17, but we weren’t discouraged from enjoying Shawngela (because of that anyway 😒).

Mila Kunis was 15 on That 70s Show with a 20 year old Ashton Kutcher.

Selena Gomez was 16 and Drew Seeley was 26 in Another Cinderella Story.

Andrea in the original BH90210 was in her 30s.

Taylor Momsen was 13 on Gossip Girl (still weird AF casting choice honestly) With 19 and 22 year olds over time.

Claire Danes was 14 to Leonardo Dicaprio’s 22 in Romeo and Juliet. And to 21 year old Jared Leto (which eww) in My So Called Life.

Lyndsy Fonseca was 14 with a 25 year old costar playing teen love interest on Y&R

Peyton Kennedy was like 15 with Sydney Sweeney being 22 years old in Everything S*cks.

Mischa Barton was 17 The O. C. with 24 year old Ben Mckenzie.

And Sasha Pieterse was 14 made out with 23 year old Shay Mitchell in PLL.

Cobra Kai, which is two seasons in now, has a love triangle between Sam, Mary Mouser who is 24, Diego, Xolo who is 19, and Tanner Buchanan who is 21.

I’m not arguing that people shouldn’t feel some kind of way about some casting choices or aren’t entitled to feel a certain way about this. I’m not even arguing that Hollywood doesn’t have an issue here because they clearly do as evidenced by examples above.

But I’m just genuinely trying to understand where we’re expected to be as consumers and fans of fictional works, characters, and relationships (again, within reason) if we’re not allowed (by public opinion and fandom space) to enjoy the fictional stories and relationships, romantic or otherwise because of casting choices…

Because I’ll admit, Devi and Paxton on Never Have I Ever was distracting as hell because Darren has like crow’s feet and everything and doesn’t pass as a teenager even by the absurd tv standards, so I couldn’t get into the pairing.

But I’ve been a diehard Shawngela fan for years, and that age gap between the actors didn’t deter me back then and it still doesn’t now.

And imagine my surprise when I bingewatched one of the most wholesome shows of this godforsaken year only to discover it’s now wrong to enjoy two adorable teens singing to each other lovingly and hugging because apparently there’s a five year age gap between the actors playing them and therefore it’s problematic to like the fictional pairing.

Like, I guess this is controversial, but Tumblr, I’m tired.

#julie and the phantoms #never have i ever #but let me hush...

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a-lockman5 · 4 years

Text

Lucky Love {Devi x Paxton}

A/N: Another request! More Devi and Paxton being adorable! I made a lot of jumps in this one and changed POV, so hopefully it is not too confusing. There was a lot of time together, and I really liked the pieces so I didn’t want to let them go, but also I would have written an entire novel of filler if I didn’t make time jumps. So ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Hope you enjoy!

Summary: Paxton doesn’t know what it is, but the more present Devi was in his life, the better things seem to be for him.

Warnings: Fluff.. that’s about it

Requests are closed at this time as I’m already like 4 behind (you guys are awesome!), but ask is open.

MASTERLIST

“Oh, hey, umm, I’m in your neighborhood. Thought maybe we could hang out, but uh, it seems like you’re busy, so… Uh… Anyway, you can give me a call or text. Whatever… Okay.”

The first time Devi listened to Paxton’s voicemail, she saved it, but told herself she wouldn’t listen to it again. She was with her mom and Kamala on their way home from Malibu. She’d just kissed Ben Gross, and Kamala, thankfully, distracted her mom long enough that Nalini was none the wiser. Devi’s mother wasn’t the reason she wouldn’t listen to the voicemail again though, Ben was. She just had the most amazing moment topped by the most amazing kiss with Ben freaking Gross. She could hardly believe it herself, but she wasn’t going to taint that by listening to a voicemail from another guy.

“Oh, hey, umm, I’m in your neighborhood…”

The second time she listened to Paxton’s voice crackle across the line, was when she was lying in bed trying to fall asleep. It was the same day that she promised herself she wouldn’t listen to it ever again. She lasted six hours, and honestly, she was proud of that. It was five and a half hours longer than she thought she would last. He sounded vague and detached, and she knew that. Ben was expressive and he wore all his emotions on his face. Why would she throw away such a great moment with Ben to listen Paxton ask her to hangout or whatever? Logically, it didn’t make any sense. She just needed to think about Ben and fall asleep.

“…Thought maybe we could hang out, but…”

The third time Paxton’s voicemail reached her ears was after she’d sat bolt right up in bed from a weird (not entirely bad) dream. Paxton and Ben were fighting over her. Not like fighting in the cafeteria though, no. Instead, it was a medieval joust, with horses and swords and giant sticks, and an amazingly detailed crown for her to wear. In the dream, she thought she gave Ben her favor, but after Paxton knocked him off his horse, he magically had her favor instead. She was so thrilled for his victory mid-dream that she didn’t question it. Then to top it all off, they kissed… again! Except, it was a dream this time, but it reminded her of the real time, and… well shit.

*Can we talk?* she sent the text without another thought.

*Yeah. On the phone?*

*In person. I’ll meet you at school?*

*Sounds good.*

“… uh, seems like you’re busy, so… Uh…”

The fourth time she listened to the voicemail Paxton left nine hours earlier, she hung up before it finished as the very person she dragged out of bed was getting out of a town car. He walked over with a bag full of Devi’s things, smiling sheepishly. When he reached her, she graciously took the bag from him and met his eye for the first time since they’d kissed. Almost instantly, she saw his face fall.

“You didn’t mean it, did you?”

“What? No, it’s not like that. I” –

“It’s okay, I get it. It was a big moment, you were emotional. It’s no big deal,” Ben told her.

“It was a big deal… and I really appreciate everything you’ve done for me the last couple weeks. I think I was just swept up in the moment or some other Hollywood cliché… I should have found a better way to say thank you.”

“I’m glad you told me. I care about you, I think you know that,” he nodded. “Nothin’ hurt.”

“You’re not mad?”

He sighed. “Can’t be mad at you for being honest. Now, if you make it weird and blow me off at school when we just started becoming friendly rivals, I’ll be mad. Friends?” he asked sticking his hand out.

“Friends,” she met him for a handshake. “Thanks, Gross.”

“Anyway, you can give me a call or text. Whatever… Okay.”

The fifth time she listened to Paxton’s voicemail, she recognized every nuance in his voice that slipped past her the previous listens. He was vulnerable. He came to her house to ask her to hangout even though the last time he came to her house, her mom called him an idiot. He was trying to sound aloof, but she could tell he was scared. Scared of what? Her mom? Or was he scared of her?

She didn’t want to waste another second waiting to find out so, at 9:30AM she found herself riding a scooter to the Hall-Yoshida residence. When she got there, she was about to knock at the door when Rebecca and her parents opened it, fully dressed. It looked like they were leaving.

“Devi?” Rebecca greeted quizzically. “What are you doing here?”

“Hey, Becca, Mr. and Mrs. Hall-Yoshida. Is Paxton here?”

Rebecca’s expression changed into a wide grin before she answered. “No, he has a swim meet this morning and is already at the pool. That’s where we’re going. Want to come?”

“Uh…” Devi hesitated, taking that moment to realize she didn’t even change out of her pajama pants which were adorned with several pink frosted donuts. “You know what, Becca? I will see you there. I’m going change into something a little…”

“Less pathetic?” she finished, as her parents stepped by them. Devi was sure she heard Mr. Hall-Yoshida snort in laughter at his daughter’s sass.

“Assessment noted. See you in a bit!” Devi called over her shoulder as she retreated to her scooter.

As soon as she got home again, she ran up to her room. Hair curly and half up? Done. Makeup? Applied. Red glitter on cheeks? Lightly brushed. Cricket stickers in place of eye black? Nailed it. Red knee-high socks? Donned. And the final touch – a white Sherman Oaks High School Crickets t-shirt cut into a cut-off and worn over her red tank top with denim shorts. She looked like a real-life superfan. Unfortunately, after perfecting her appearance, Devi realized she was late for the meet.

The next thing Devi realized was, while you always see people dressing up for football games, no one does that for swim meets. At least, not at Sherman Oaks High. Sure, there was plenty of red and white spirit wear, but nothing quite like what Devi had done. As she stood at the entrance to the aquatic center, Devi thought to run straight back home before anyone realized she was there. Besides, was a grand romantic gesture really what Paxton’s voicemail called for? It’s not like he poured his soul out to her. One could argue, he didn’t put himself out there at all. At most, he extended an olive branch after blowing her off before. Yep, sending him a text later today was a much better alternative to the embarrassment she was inevitably racing toward the longer she stood there. Devi turned on her heel, and immediately found herself face to face with Rebecca who held a mountain dew and an orange Gatorade.

“Devi!” she brightened up immediately, before taking in her outfit. “You look great!”

“Really?” If Rebecca was complimenting her outfit, then maybe she was wrong. Maybe she was just a trendsetter.

“I mean, it’s a little cringey for a swim meet, but it’s a look for sure,” she elaborated. After her shrewd assessment of Devi’s clothing choices for the second time that day, Rebecca’s eyes lit up. “Oh, will you take this to Paxton?”

“Me? I don’t know. I don’t think I” –

“Yes, you have to! He sucked in his first event, and he needs a boost,” she told her, thrusting the sports drink into Devi’s hands. “Look he’s right over there with Eddie waiting for their next race.”

Okay, Devi, deep breath. Own it. She told herself. With her thoughts racing, Devi attempted to strut toward the side opposite end of the pool where Paxton sat talking with Eddie Tan. As she got closer, she worried about stumbling in her steps, or tripping over a swim block. That fear was, of course, ridiculous because all the blocks were at the end of the pool, and she was walking down the side. No, this time she was not going to be clumsy. She was a different woman now. She’d kissed two boys in the last two weeks – she was a GD siren.

“Devi?”

“Paxton, hey,” his voice broke her from her internal monologue. She advanced the last few paces, as he stood to meet her. “Becca asked me to bring you this.”

“Thanks,” he breathed in a smile.

“Hey, are we finally getting cheerleaders?” Eddie asked, coming up beside Paxton. “You look fire.”

Devi’s smile grew tenfold. “Thanks, Eddie, but no, not a cheerleader. Just trying to be supportive,” she grinned looking at Paxton.

“Dope,” Eddie nodded, before being called away by their coach.

“Thanks for this,” Paxton told her as he uncapped the Gatorade and took a sip. “Hey, you know I came by your place yesterday?”

“Yeah, I know. I came by yours this morning. You were already gone.”

He nodded with a small smile. “Cool. Well, I better get back. My next event should be up soon.”

“Cool.”

***

Paxton took another gulp of the Gatorade as he watched Devi’s retreating form. She heard his voicemail, and now she was at his swim meet looking like she wanted him to give her his jersey. If he had one to give her, she’d be wearing it. He was nervous when he never heard from her yesterday, and if he was honest, he slept poorly because of it. He felt tired when he got to the pool this morning, and it showed during his backstroke race. Eddie was trying to get him out of his own head when Devi showed up.

“Yoshida!” Coach Bryant called down to him. “You’re up next for breaststroke. You good?”

“Yeah, coach,” he replied, capping his drink. “Good to go.”

After putting his earplugs in, pulling his goggles on, and securing his swim cap. Paxton was waiting behind his block for the previous heat to end. Five deep breaths, and he would be ready to go. 5…..4….3…2.. –

“Woo! Paxton!” he heard a cheer from the stands. When he looked up, he saw his favorite nerd in the bleachers, standing with his mom and sister. They started in on a rehearsed chant, each one yelling a different letter of his initials. “P! H! Y! – P! H! Y!”

He couldn’t fight the smile from his face as he stepped up to his block. Devi came to his house this morning. She dressed up for his swim meet today. She was sitting with his family, and they were enjoying her.

When the starting gun sounded, Paxton dove into the water. It was effortless – such a stark contrast from his previous race. He couldn’t even describe how he was gliding through the water. If he didn’t know any better, he would think Rebecca spiked his Gatorade. Before he knew it, he was finished.

Coach Bryant hoisted him out of the pool by one arm as people cheered all around him. “That’s a PR, kid! 58.8!”

Paxton pulled his cap and goggles off just before his coach wrapped him in a bruising hug. A moment later, he was thrust back, and Bryant landed a sound clap on his back. “I don’t know what changed between your first race and now, but don’t change a thing. Got me?”

Paxton’s eyes flickered over to Devi in the stands, she was beaming right back at him. “Got it, Coach.”

***

“Paxton, you were amazing!” Rebecca told him when he came out of the locker room.

“That breaststroke was Olympic qualifying time, kiddo,” his dad wrapped him in a one-arm hug, “at nearly 17! You keep that up, we’re going to be watching you win gold medals.”

His mom put an arm around Devi’s shoulders with a sly smile. “Well, if you ask me, I think Paxton had a good luck charm.”

“Oh, no,” Devi shook her head with a smile as her cheeks reddened. “I didn’t do anything.”

“I know one thing,” Mrs. Hall-Yoshida continued, “we would be happy for you to ride with us to Paxton’s meet on Tuesday.”

“Mom’s right, we can’t take any chances. As long as you’re free, Devi, we’d love to have you,” his dad nodded.

Paxton gave Devi a lopsided grin. “Come on, I’ll give you a ride home.”

“You were amazing. I mean, I’ve seen you swim before, but you were just so fast today. Becca said you struggled in your first race, but you looked fine to me,” Devi rambled as they climbed into the jeep, “better than fine. And what your dad said about the Olympics! Do you think you’ll try to qualify for 2024?”

He huffed out a smile. Her mind moved so quickly her mouth could barely keep up, and it always left him speechless. It embarrassed her, but it just reminded him of how smart she really was. “I don’t know.”

“Aren’t you excited? How are you so chill about this?”

He shrugged. “I just swam. I didn’t even try; I don’t know how to explain it.”

“Wow, you should not try more often,” she smiled.

Actually, he was planning to try a lot harder than he ever had before. “You want to get some food?”

Her smiled widened. “Sure.”

“Cool.”

They drove on for few minutes in silence, and he noticed Devi tapping furiously on her phone screen. For a moment, he wondered who she might be texting, but then he remembered.

“I’m guessing your mom doesn’t know where you are?”

“Yeah, she’s freaking out,” she scoffed before her eyes widened in alarm. “No, not because I’m with you! Just – I left this morning before she woke up. I’m just letting her know I went to the swim meet and that I’m going to Fabiola’s to study for history at 4:00.”

“Conveniently leaving out what you’re doing right now,” he pointed out.

He glanced over, and she drew her bottom lip between her teeth while she stared out at the road. Paxton could almost hear her thoughts pinballing in her head as she figured out what to say to him. Should he tell her how much her mother’s disapproval – no, that’s not quite right – her disdain for him, hurt his feelings? Well, not in those words certainly. Hurt his feelings? Yeah, right.

“I should tell you, I’m sorry,” she finally said, as they swung into the parking lot of a local burger joint. “I should have stuck up for you when you came to my house after Ben’s party.”

“You did,” he shrugged. “We’re cool.”

She shook her head. “I stuck up for me. I should have warned you about how she is with boys. To be fair, I don’t have a lot of experience yet myself, but I did know that she reminds me constantly, I can’t have a boyfriend until I’m old enough to rent a car. I knew that she would freak out if she knew I kissed you, but you didn’t.”

“It’s really okay. Not the first girl’s mom to not like me,” he grinned. It wasn’t true. He’d won over the mother of every other girl he’d gone out with. Some of them made him uncomfortable like Mrs. Harrison, but others just found him charming. Devi didn’t need to feel bad about it though. It’s not like she said those things, and like she said, it didn’t even have to do with him really. “Can we go in?”

She supplied a weak grin in return but nodded. Just as they were going to get out, it started raining. He watched his companion deflate as she watched the big raindrops plop on the windshield. Paxton grabbed around the backseat for his extra jacket, handing it to her once he had it. “Here, it’ll keep you dry.”

She nodded with a suppressed smile, pulling it on and putting the hood up. Without another word, they slid out of the vehicle and jogged into the restaurant. While they waited to be seated, Paxton turned to Devi. He noticed her shiver and clutch his jacket tighter around her. Between the downpour outside and the cranked AC inside, she was probably freezing. Without thinking, he placed a hand on each of her shoulders, rubbing them furiously in attempt to help warm her up.

“Thanks, but aren’t you cold?” she asked, subconsciously leaning into his touch. “You didn’t even put your hood up.”

“Me?” he replied with a devilish smirk. “Nah, I spent the whole morning in a pool. Besides, my hair was already wet,” he told her, shaking his head so drops of water showered her lightly. When a delighted laugh was her response, he smiled victoriously. He didn’t have to be smooth or suave with Devi. She liked him when he was raw, genuine, and dorky. If he was honest, it was a relief – no stress of trying to impress her because she already liked the real him.

He needed to tell her how he felt. Wasn’t that the whole point of going to her house yesterday? He wanted her to know that he liked her, that he was glad they kissed, that he didn’t care if her mom thought he was stupid. He liked her. They sat opposite each other in a booth after ordering their food. She hadn’t said a word since they sat down, but neither had he. The tension between them was running high as Paxton realized this was the first time things really felt like a date. In hopes of making their first date official, he reached across the table and covered her hand with his. Her eyes zeroed in on the action and grew wide. If she thought she was surprised now, just wait until she heard what Paxton was about to say.

“I kissed Ben!” Devi blurted.

Paxton’s head drooped as his brow furrowed in disbelief. “What? When?”

“Yesterday.”

He looked away from her as his hand dropped to his side. His face screwed up as he tried to process the information she gave him – mouth opening and closing as he fought to think of something to say. After a deep sigh, he hung his head until rubbing his face briskly with one hand. Finally, he made eye contact with her again. “So what? You guys together now or something?”

“No, it didn’t mean anything. I just – okay so yesterday, I almost missed spreading my dad’s ashes because I’ve been in a huge fight with my mom and ran away from home since the day after Ben’s party. My mom and cousin were in Malibu, and I wasn’t going to make it in time. Ben drove me all the way there, and I made it. And I made up with my mom. And we spread Dad’s ashes together, and I just got to really remember him. I got to remember him without it coming up at an inconvenient moment, without trying to push the memories away,” her eyes filled with tears. “I got to remember him with my mom, and I’ve been so unfair to her because she lost him too, and… and Ben was still there after we left the beach. He was still there waiting for me. And things have just been so hard, I’ve felt so abandoned and alone, and I probably would have kissed that little weasel Russia from model UN if he’d been there – I know you don’t know who that is, but the point is, the kiss wasn’t about Ben. I would have kissed anyone if they were there for me in that moment. I…” she trailed off, tears escaping and sweeping down her face. “I’m sorry.”

Paxton’s chest felt tight as he watched cry silently. His body moved of its own accord, carrying him over to her side of the booth and wrapping her in his arms. He pressed her head against his chest, before hushing her gently. “It’s okay… shh… I got you… you’re okay.” Tucking her head under his chin, he rested against her until he felt her body start to relax too. He scooted away when she started to pull her head up.

“Aren’t you mad at me?” she sniffled before chewing on her bottom lip.

“For what? Devi, if I hadn’t blown you off at school, I would have been the one in Malibu with you,” he told her. “You’ve been through a lot, and I’m done dumping on you. It’s not fair.”

She nodded with a weak smile. “Thank you,” she whispered.

He smiled back and slid back out to take his seat across from her again. “Can I tell you what I think?” he asked, waiting for her nod to continue. “If you really would have kissed anyone in that moment, and I believe you when you say you would have, then it doesn’t sound like you’re ready to have a boyfriend right now,” he watched her hang her head at his words. “Hey, this isn’t me telling you that I don’t like you. It’s the opposite of that. I like you. I like you a lot actually.”

“You do?” she asked perplexed, brow furrowing in a way that made him want to kiss her.

“Yeah, I do. That’s why I went to your house yesterday, but, Devi, I don’t want to date you if you’re not ready for that…”

Her voice was barely above a whisper as their food was placed on the table. “Yeah, that’s fair.”

Paxton thanked their server before turning his attention back to the girl across from him. She looked broken again. The only other time he’d ever seen her look that way was after Gross’s party. After her friends walked out on her. “Devi, I’m not going anywhere. I just want to be your friend while you figure stuff out. If we end up dating, I want you to be sure it’s what you want – not something to distract you from your problems.”

Things were silent between them for a few moments as they started in on their meals. Paxton glanced at her, and she was eating – he was glad of that – but she was still kind of sulking. An idea sparked in him as he tapped her foot under the table. “Hey,” he smiled. “You know what I could really use?”

“What?”

“Some help studying for the history test.”

“Well, I’m supposed to at Fabiola’s in forty-five minutes,” she reminded him.

“Right… do you think your friends would mind if I came along?”

For the first time since they sat down, Devi smiled.

***

“I got a B?” Paxton gaped at his own history test.

“A job well done, Mr. H – Y,” Mr. Shapiro nodded as he continued passing tests back.

“Dude!” Trent exclaimed, fist bumping Paxton. “You get a tutor?”

“I got three,” Paxton smiled, turning around to look at Devi. She was already smiling at him. “I couldn’t have done this without you.”

“I know,” she teased. “Seriously though, you did the work. I’m happy for you.”

“My mom was on to something, you know?”

“What are you talking about?”

“You’re my good luck charm. I stick with you, you’re gonna get me on the Stanford swim team.”

And she did. After that history test, Devi started unofficially tutoring him in all his classes. She was officially tutoring him as far as her mom was concerned, and therefore, it was a job, not her hanging out with a boy. They studied at the library, at either family’s dining tables or at Eleanor or Fabiola’s. The last time they had studied at Devi’s, her mom invited him to stay for dinner. If that wasn’t enough, she actually conversed with him about how much she had heard about his swimming career. Apparently, Coach Bryant’s wife worked at her Dr. Vishwakumar’s dermatology practice. It felt like a big victory to Paxton. A comparable victory was Devi’s help in preparing him for the SATs and a resulting 1300 score. He couldn’t believe how much things had turned around for him academically, but with Devi’s help and support, he felt unstoppable.

He ended up with a scholarship that covered 75% of his school fees to join the swim team, and his parents could not have been prouder. He wasn’t crazy about being five and a half hours from home, but he was thrilled, shocked even, to have gained admission to such a prestigious school. He knew that things were going to be challenging but was grateful when his new coach told him they had a team tutor. Devi suggested making sure he had a strong relationship with the tutor. As a collegiate athlete, he’d have a lot of pressure on him both in the pool and in the classroom.

“You’re smart though,” she told him as she helped him pack before move-in day. “Your SAT score shows that. Don’t second guess yourself, and don’t let people think you’re just a pretty face.”

Paxton smirked. Even after everything they’d been through, she wasn’t afraid to admit physical attraction. They never started dating after that conversation about making sure she was ready, but he’d be lying if he said he didn’t want to. All he’d learned in the last two years was, Devi was far more special than he’d realized when their friendship began. Watching her heal after her father’s death and blossom into the woman he saw now was beautiful, and Paxton was just thankful to have a front row seat. Hearing her stories about Mohan and seeing how much she shared with her father made his heart swell, and he never missed an opportunity to tell her, her dad sounded a lot like her. He loved the smile she’d give him when he did too.

“I’m gonna miss you, Vishwakumar,” he murmured, pulling her close.

“Stop acting like you’re going off to war; it’s 2021. You can facetime me whenever you want,” she replied into his shoulder. She tried to pull away but stopped when his hold tightened.

“I’m going to hold you to that.”

“I’m counting on it.”

***

“Mom, come on, this is the only school I’m going to see without you.”

“Yes, khanna, I know this. That is why you must be prepared,” Devi’s mother responded, pages of her questions pouring out of the printer.

“I’ve gone on three other visits with you, mom, I know what to ask. And you’re going to ask the admissions office again if I decide this is what I want.”

“I do not know why you are even visiting this school. You are to go to an ivy league school.”

Devi groaned. “Mom, they have the number two law program in the country. They are every bit as prestigious as any of the ivy leagues and you know it.”

“Yes… and you are certain you want to be a lawyer?”

“I’m certain I have plenty of experience with fact-based arguments,” Devi smirked.

Her mom glared playfully at her. “They are usually riddled with emotion in my memory.”

“Part of the charm,” she smiled back. “It would be nice to be closer to you too, Mom.”

Her gaze softened before pulling Devi tight to her chest. “Just be safe, sweetie. I love you. I will see you on Monday.”

Sherman Oaks had two weekends per school year for upperclassmen where they were invited to take a long weekend for a college visit. Devi, Eleanor, and Fabiola decided to take this opportunity to visit the one school all three of them planned to apply to. Devi’s mom had taken a great deal of convincing, but in the last two years the relationship between Devi and Nalini had remarkably improved. They’d gone to therapy sessions together to process Mohan’s death – they learned how to be more open and sympathetic to each other along the way. They still argued. Nalini still had high expectations for Devi, but they never doubted that they loved each other. And Nalini’s trust in Devi had flourished as a result. Thank goodness, otherwise she never would have gotten the opportunity for an unsupervised college visit with her best friends.

Did they listen to way too many showtunes on the drive up for Devi’s taste? Yes. Yes, they did. Had Fabiola developed a weird taste for country music? Yes, she had. Thankfully, when a road trip is five and a half hours long, everyone gets a shot at picking the music. With plenty of snacks to go around, they were set for a great weekend.

Once arriving on campus, they congregated with other prospective students at the student union for the beginning of their visit. After a quick tour of the union, their next stop was housing and where they would be staying for the weekend. After housing, they toured the Cantor Arts Center, SLAC, Bing Concert Hall, and so many other destinations that it made Devi’s head spin. When they broke for the day, all three girls were happy to go rest in their room.

“Wow, this campus is like its own city,” Devi collapsed on a bed.

“You’re telling me! They have five different venues for their performing arts,” Eleanor gushed.

“And the number one engineering school in the state,” Fabiola agreed, “in one the most progressive areas in the country.”

After a few minutes of tired but enthralled conversation about the different things they liked about campus, the girls fell silent, all lying perpendicularly across the same twin bed. Devi was close to dozing off when Eleanor shifted beside her.

“So… have you told you know who that we’re here?”

Devi tried to suppress her smile. “No, I figured I would surprise him tomorrow after his meet.”

“Has he called yet?” Fabiola smiled.

Paxton and Devi had maintained a strong friendship through the recent months of his first semester and swim season at Stanford University. He facetimed her the night before every meet because “it’s the closest he could get to having his good luck charm with him.” She often told him, he was silly, but man, if she didn’t love every second of it.

“Nope, but he better hurry, otherwise I’ll be asleep,” she joked.

“Do you think he’ll recognize the dorms?” Fabiola asked.

“Good point…”

***

“What’s up, Pax? You seem tense,” Michael asked, tugging one of Paxton’s earbuds out.

“I don’t know,” he shrugged. “It’s stupid, just some superstition.”

“Didn’t talk to your girlfriend last night?” his friend smirked, tossing an arm over his shoulder to stretch.

Paxton smiled despite himself. “Shut up, man. She’s not my girlfriend.”

“You made her your woman-crush-Wednesday last week, and I didn’t even think people did that anymore.”

“Dude, whatever. She’s my best friend, and she’s the reason I’m here,” he shook his head as they both continued to stretch through their conversation.

It was true after all, at least in his opinion. If Devi had never approached him at the beginning of his junior year, his future may never have looked like this. She had mentioned before he moved up here, he could facetime her whenever he wanted. He systematically took advantage of that. Rationally, he knew that Devi could not affect how he swam. However, the more present Devi was in his life – the better things seem to be for Paxton, so he talked to her the night before every swim meet. Did it have to be deeper than that?

Of course, it did. Paxton had never let go of his feelings for Devi. In fact, they only grew. She’d changed him into a completely different person with her friendship. Or did she just let him be himself? Yeah, that’s what she did. Devi saw him more acutely than anyone else he’d ever met… and she liked him. He wanted to be better, smarter, more motivated because she believed he could be. It made him believe it too. Did her not picking up his call last night change any of that? Absolutely not, he knew that. Did it make him feel like something was missing, just like if he didn’t get to listen to his music during warmups? Yes. Yes, it did.

“Huh… maybe you’re the reason she’s here.”

Paxton’s brow furrowed at Michael, before the latter nodded over Paxton’s shoulder. Paxton turned, and there she was, just like that first meet when everything changed. She had her red knee-high socks, her Stanford t-shirt and her denim shorts. Eye black under her eyes, and he couldn’t tell for sure, but he suspected the vertical lines would prove to be redwood trees. He wasn’t sure when the smile spread across his face, but his cheeks were already hurting from how happy he was to see her there.

Fabiola and Eleanor were with her, dressed similarly, and it was Eleanor that saw him first. She waved happily with one hand while nudging Devi and pointing toward him with the other. Devi beamed at him with the biggest smile he’d ever seen her wear. He wanted to wave. Hell, he wanted to run over to them, and wrap Devi in his arms. He wanted her to know how much having her there meant to him. He didn’t do any of those things though. He was stuck in his own shock and his body felt warm everywhere, so he just smiled at her and didn’t stop until Michael finally nudged him again.

“Get movin man, you gotta be in the pool soon,” he said with a laugh. “Don’t want to tear a muscle in front of your girl.”

Paxton rolled his eyes, shoving Michael’s shoulder good-naturedly before returning to his stretches.

When it was time for him to assume his starting position in the pool for the backstroke, Paxton followed his same routine – five deep breaths. 5…..4….3…2.. –

“P! H! Y!”

Just like almost every meet for the last two years of high school, he could hear his initials being chanted. And just like all those other meets, he knew Devi was the one that started it. It tapered off quickly while the starter waited to give his command, but it took effect.

When the starting gun sounded, Paxton had an out of body experience. It was like magic how easily he glided through the water. Somehow the race felt faster than the few seconds it took for them to start. When he brought his head fully out of the water, he could hear the raucous, thunderous cheering. He saw his time flash across the board: 51.8. A world record. A world record.

The rest of the meet was a daze. His other events were good, but not world record good. His teammates were congratulating him and talking about the parties they would be throwing for him – away from the coaching staff, of course. That all was great, but Paxton only had one thing on his mind, one person really. As soon as coach had dismissed him and he had his sweats donned, he was out the door.

People were shaking his hand. Smiling at him. Pulling him into hugs. Some were friends, classmates, teachers. Some were strangers. Paxton offered polite smiles and thanks as he continued to push past them. She was lingering toward the back, leaning against a wall with her friends talking about something on Instagram. When he finally made it to where no one stood between them, she was still probably eight feet away, and he froze. In that moment, he took all the little things he loved about her all at once. Her beauty, her intelligence, her faith in him, the way she reached inside him and pulled his walls down, the way she laughed at his jokes, and even then how she pretended to bored and look casual, but was chewing her bottom lip, his favorite sign that she was excited and nervous to see him again.

“My girl,” he breathed out, just loud enough to catch her attention.

Her eyes lit up when she saw him, and they both closed the distance between them. He wrapped her in a soul-crushing hug. Anyone around them might think it had been years since they’d seen each other instead of the few short months. He pulled away just enough to lean in for the one thing that had been on his mind all day – but then he stopped short.

“You didn’t kiss anybody yesterday, did you?” he asked.

She shook her head ‘no,’ as her cheeks took on a pink hue.

“Good. You think you’re ready for a boyfriend?”

She grinned with a small nod.

He matched her grin with a toothy smile. “Cool,” and he dove in. Finally, after two long years of not feeling Devi Vishwakumar’s lips against his, there he was kissing her, and boy, was it worth the wait. One hand cradled her jaw, the other clutching her back, holding her close as though if he let go, she’d disappear. He couldn’t even begin to describe how the actual kiss felt. Instead, he was so caught up in the monumental fact that is was finally happening. There was no one else – no Ben Gross to get in their way. She’d grown so much over the last two years, and so had he. She was ready. They were ready.

“Wait,” he pulled away. “Just to be clear, you are ready for me to be your boyfriend, right?”

She smiled, rolling her eyes, and pushing him away playfully. “Yes, dork.”

It was then he heard the cheers coming from their friends. Behind Devi, Eleanor and Fabiola gave them a thumbs up. Over Paxton’s shoulder, Michael let out a low whistle. When Paxton caught his eye, he winked and said, “thought she was just your best friend.”

Paxton looked back at Devi, her eyes finding his again immediately. “She is so much more than that.”

***

“Paxton Hall-Yoshida has done it again! He’s broke his own record!”

Paxton overheard the highlights of his 100m backstroke earlier that day as he walked the tunnel to where they were waiting. It was better than he could have imagined. He told his parents that he really wanted to give Devi one of the tickets for his events today. When he told them why, they were happy to help fly her out to them. It was five years since he realized Devi Vishwakumar was his good luck charm. And sure enough, she came through for him again today – sealing a gold medal for the backstroke. He was going to come through for her too.

“Hey,” she said when she saw him before tilting her head to the side. “What are you wearing?”

He glanced down at the expensive suit he’d donned in the locker room – the best suit he owned. “This? It’s nothing,” he smiled as he reached her.

“Where’s your bag?”

“Don’t worry about it,” he told her as his left hand slipped into his pocket. “I have everything I need right here.”

“Paxton, you can’t leave your stuff – what are you doing?” she asked suddenly, as he knelt down in front of her. Her eyes grew wide when he popped open the ring box.

“I’m feeling lucky, Devi. What about you?”

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