Once at a faraway college, there lived a fair maiden and an unappreciated peasant. This maiden’s name was Rose. She was a girl unlike no other. She was beautiful, kind, deserving, and good-natured. No one could ever see this though, because they were so overrun with her beauty. Her sisters envied her, and the only sibling she had that wasn’t focused on her, was her brother, Nate. Her parents were divorced, and not being able to see her mother much, she was mostly dependent on her father. Rose’s father was also like no other. He was kind and good-natured, although he felt bad for his other two daughters, Santana and Kathryn, who were beautiful, but not as featured as Rose. It’s not like Rose was always looking for the attention as much as it always came looking for her.



The unappreciated peasant was named was Ben. Ben was an only child, therefore growing up was pretty lonely for him, and he never had the chance to really make a close friend. Ben’s parents passed away when he was eight years old, and his grandmother raised him ever since then. He is a very, very smart guy, though insecure, and he’s handsome, but like Rose, it’s masked. It’s hidden by the fact that Ben is an outsider, therefore being both similar and different than Rose.
In this good world, Rose and Ben attend the same college of Princeton University.
Neither of them had ever seen each other before, let alone know who they are. They did however, come into contact one day in a Physics lesson they had together. The teacher assigned Rose and Ben as lab partners in a project for the new topic and Rose had almost no understanding on the matter.
“So class for this project, I want both of the students in each group to do an equal amount of work. First you will go through all the lab activities and neatly take down notes at each station. Next, I want you to make a poster board and a twenty page lab report. For each station you need to have...” the teacher’s voice started to break away from the class’ minds.

Except for Ben that is. He was listening loud and clear. He wasn’t exactly sure as to how well Rose’s understanding of the project was, and he wanted to make sure he would at least do well on it.

“So do you know how to do this? Because I was trying to listen, but I'm so tired from last night's party that I totally zoned out.” explained Rose.

“Uh yeah... Hang on one second,” started Ben, “Yeah. I got it. Do you understand it?”

“Not really, I don’t exactly understand this new topic anyway.” replied Rose.

“Okay, well we can work on it tomorrow during class, and I’ll explain what I can.” answered Ben, rolling his eyes.

Then Rose and Ben departed from class and didn’t meet up again until the next day. They got into class and the teacher started to go over the project once more before everyone worked on it. Ben explained everything he could to Rose, but she just wasn’t understanding it.

The two of them decided that they would meet after classes that day to work on the lab activities and begin making their poster board. Rose had two more classes, and Ben only had one.

Rose got into the classroom half an hour early, and started to go over her notes that she took down when Ben was explaining the project. She started to read, and then noticed that Ben was walking into the classroom.

Already? she thought. But it hasn’t even been ten minutes...

“Hey Rose, you ready to work?” asked Ben.

“What are you doing here so early? I thought you had class until 3:00?” wondered Rose.

“It’s 3:15... I guess you weren’t watching the time.”

“Oh wow, I guess I got so into the notes you had me take that I just stopped paying attention. Okay, so I read everything, and have a bit of a better understanding. So, you want to start now?” asked Rose.

“Of course,” Ben replied with a relieved smile, “So let’s start with looking over the project rubric one more time...”

As Ben started to read from the rubric out loud, Rose caught herself staring at him, watching him smile. She had never seen anyone smile like that before. Wow, he has a really great smile. And his eyes, they’re so brown... so pretty. Her words in her head made her drift off again, all she found herself doing was noticing Ben, and how cute he actually was. She had just never really noticed it before, because she had never actually noticed him.

It had been two and a half hours before they realized what time it was. They got a majority of their project done, and weren’t going to see each other anymore, except for in class. Rose desperately needed to see him again, for she was starting to like him. She didn’t know what to do, so she just started talking, she’d say anything to prolong their conversation.

“So, I guess you really like school, huh? I mean I was wondering how good you were in English, too?”

“Well yeah, I mean I’m-” before Ben could say anything else, Rose starting running off on endless talking again.

“Oh well okay, I’m guessing you’re good, so I have a question, could you maybe tutor me? Well, I mean, I’m okay in English, but all this grammar stuff is getting kind of hard... So do you think you could? I usually don’t have any trouble, but I think it may be just these new topics... Could you tutor me, Ben?”

“Yeah, sure. I’d love to.” said Ben, finally getting a word in.

Then Rose and Ben said their goodbyes, both leaving the room.

The night before they met up again, however, both of the lab partners had a million things going through their heads. Ben couldn’t think of one reason as to why Rose would want him to tutor her, they had never even met before, and she was absolutely stunning. She could have any guy she wanted to tutor her, why me? I mean, I don’t even know her... And there are way cuter guys who are plenty smarter that could tutor her. But she asked me.

Why?! Why on Earth would I ask for English tutoring? I’m majoring in English! Stupid, idiotic Rose! Why’d you say English?? Rose was in her dorm room wondering how she could ever need tutoring in English. It was the one subject she ever really excelled in. He’s going to find out eventually, then what am I gonna say? I just got so caught up in his eyes again. And I can’t see something like that smile for only two hours, and never be close to again like I was today. She was back onto the topic of thinking about Ben again. He’s just like no other guy I have ever seen before. He’s so nice, and smart, but... well, he’s kinda... awkward. But maybe...

Rose had gone on for the rest of the night thinking like that. She couldn’t get Ben out of her head, and he couldn’t figure out why she might even be in his.

They saw each other in Physics the next morning, and made a date that every week on Monday they would meet at 2:00 in the campus library and have tutoring. A couple weeks had gone by, and Rose was really enjoying her tutoring lesson every week, and she somehow always managed to get the topic off of English and onto she and Ben. She was learning so much about him, and he was learning all about her. Rose had learned that Ben had trouble with getting girls, and he, not getting the hints she was dropping, asked for help with girls.

When Rose heard this, she felt bad, and figured maybe if she set him up with annoying girls who were supposedly inferior to Rose (well, in her mind they were inferior), he would see her as the better person and fall for her.

She immediately thought of a girl that she had met in her first year who was an absolute brat to the teacher during class. This girl had yelled at the teacher, told the class they were all stupid, and stormed out of the classroom. She got a week’s suspension, and came back like nothing had ever happened.

She’s perfect! He’ll go on a date with her and realize that I am so much better, and when he finally comes, I’ll be waiting. Rose was thinking all about how her plan.
Rose was right, Ben did not like the first girl she set him up with. Nor did he like the second, or the third, or the fourth. But the fifth girl, that was somewhat different, because Ben couldn’t decide if he liked her or not.
Throughout the first four girls, and in some places with the fifth one, Rose was pretty sure that Ben was starting to like her, too. Rose and Ben had great times together. Now, at tutoring, instead of talking about each other, they laughed about all the horrible dates he had gone on with Girls One through Four. Girl Five had some horrible dates and some good ones.
You know, Rose has been so nice with helping me find a girlfriend, when she doesn’t have a boyfriend... That’s weird, too. You know, I have never noticed how nice her hair always looks. And she always wears really fun and cheery clothing. Like today, her hair is beautiful, and her dress looks really great on her. Man, she’s beautiful... Ben’s mind was wandering the same way Rose’s when she first met him. No, no, no. She’s trying to set me up with someone for a reason. She’s just being nice. Besides, Rose is one of the “populars”. Spoiled, narcissistic, partying populars. Why would I even want to go out with her????
But who said she would want to go out with me?

Rose was getting impatient with Ben, and how she was doing everything that she could to get his mind off of Girl Five, but nothing would work. Ben still thinks about Rose like he did before but, he talks about Girl Five all the time in front of Rose and doesn’t even realize it.

Rose had taken her English finals, and passed with flying colors. Because of this, Ben decided to celebrate with Rose and took her out to dinner. The dinner was a little different, almost awkward, but they slowly settled into relaxation when they started to talk more.

By the end of the meal they were laughing and having such a good time that the awkwardness slowly faded away to zero. Ben didn’t even mention Girl Five the whole night, and all they could do was think about each other the entire time.

All of a sudden Rose got a phone call in the middle of dinner from her brother saying that he just got engaged to his girlfriend. She decided that she would go home the very next morning to see them.

Rose’s car ride home was about three hours, and the whole way she could only think about Ben. I wonder how he’s doing... I feel bad that I just left last night without even saying thank you. But for the majority of that dinner all I could think of was Ben. I mean, I was with him, but I couldn’t stop thinking about him. Just like right now. I love the way he laughs, the way he smiles, the way he makes you smile when you’ve had a bad day, and even when he tries to be funny but he isn’t, and you just laugh anyway because it’s his thought that counts. Rose had these kinds of thoughts the whole three and a half hour car ride.

Ben was thinking quite similarly. In fact, Ben was thinking so much about Rose that he wasn’t paying attention to the road he was driving on. He was on his way to see Girl Five for a lunch date. Ben was driving on the way to see Girl Five, but he was thinking about Rose, so he crashed into a huge commercial truck.

Ben ended up in the hospital in a coma. Girl Five was by his side from the moment he had gotten there.

No one told Rose. She was still three and a half hours away visiting her brother and his new fiance. She got back a day after Ben had been in the crash, and heard about it from her roommate. She rushed to the hospital as soon as she could, went into the little flower shop inside, purchased a single red rose, and ran to one of the nurses for Ben’s room number. When she got the room she saw Ben lying on the bed, as still as stone. There were so many wires and machines hooked up to him that it looked as if he wouldn’t make it.

Then Rose’s eyes took a sharp turn to Girl Five. She sitting by Ben’s bedside in tears. Rose couldn’t figure out why Girl Five was told but she wasn’t. Her heart sank into a deep abyss. She dropped the rose and ran for it.

As soon as Rose had left, Ben started to wake up. His eyes started to open his eyes first, and then he spoke.

His only words were, “Rose, are you there?”

“No sweetie, it’s not Rose, it’s Melissa, your girlfriend.” spoke Girl Five.

“Rose, Rose, come back...” Ben was half awake now.

Melissa started to worry so she called for the nurses and the doctors.

Meanwhile, Rose had shot out of the hallway, bolted to her car, and drove back to her dorm in tears. She couldn’t believe it. She wasn’t even important enough for him that someone could call her. There are so many people on this campus! Everyone knew, and no one could even call me? About an hour after she was back at her dorm she got a phone call.

“Hello, this is Rose.”

“Hello my name is Annabell and I am one of the nurses at the local hospital. Your friend Ben Daniels is here at the hospital. He was in a coma a couple hours ago, but he recently woke up and is asking for you.” said the nurse.

“Me? Really? He’s awake? Can I come now?” said Rose with a surprised, yet happy undertone.

“Of course. He’s in the same room as before.” replied the nurse.

Before Rose could say thank you, their call was disconnected. She rushed down the hospital, and stayed there with Ben until his family came, and she gave them some time alone together. When Ben was finally well and healed enough, they started to have a relationship of their own. They admitted to each other they were in love, and Rose and Ben continued their relationship all through the rest of college, and well after that, too. Sure it may not have been a fairy tale (there were no monsters or curses) so of course they had their share of fights. Rose was too conceited, Ben too absorbed with reading. But they got past it, and fell in love a little more at the end of each fight.

They were a couple in love, and wanted to stay that way. They got married a couple years later, and truly lived happily ever after.