A Valiant Effort Ch. 01

"Oh Ben. Benny. I'm in trouble. I didn't know where else to go. Please?" She avoided my question again, and this time, I caved.

"I guess I can help Katie, but really, what's the trouble? I'm concerned, but I've also got my own things going on." A blatant lie, but it was worth a shot.

"Ben, I need a ride. Back to school. I kind of left... in a hurry... and forgot some... things. I don't know. It's all messy. Things haven't been so good for me recently, and I need support. That jackass I was dating... and classes... and Daddy, and the sorority, and..." she started to sniffle a bit, but I could tell it was fake. She was good at faking the crying thing, and even though I had the softest of soft spots for her, I wasn't going to be duped by fake crying. Not again, anyways; high school had taught me a lot.

Katie was 19, I think. I wasn't sure. She might be 20, now. She was 3 years younger than me, and when I was a senior in high school, she'd been a freshmen. It wasn't a true three years, closer to three and a half, but it didn't really matter. Sometimes she was 4 years younger, sometimes three years younger, depending on the birthdays. The last I'd seen her was her sophomore year, and that was quite a while ago.

Nowadays, it looked as if she was going blonde, but when I'd last seen her, she'd had dark brown hair cropped short. It was longer now, nearly natural, if I recalled correctly, and looked like it was soft to the touch. When one of those stray hairs covered her face, I'd always really wanted to brush it back, but I knew that was a line that could never be crossed, even if it was innocent.

"Katie, cut the crap." I started, "I know you're not really crying. What's up, and let's talk about it. I might be able to give you a ride." Thinking that the airport was only about 45 minutes away, it really wasn't that big of a deal, considering I had no other things going on.

She smiled at me through the fake tears, and immediately started laughing "ok, you got me big brother. I'm having a mental collapse, my boyfriend was a jerk, so I left him, and the sorority was putting too much pressure on me, so I just up and left. Daddy wants me to go see him, but I don't want to hear how disappointed he is in me. I don't want to go back to school, but I need some things that I left. I didn't really think it all out- I just left. I heard from Daddy that you were quitting your job, so before you had any other plans, I thought I'd stop by and see if you might be willing to give me a ride..." Another fake sob followed, and then a giggle, as she realized that the fake crying wasn't doing much good.

I just looked at her. So all she needed was a place to crash, and then I give her a ride to the airport, and then I can start my vacation. Awesome.

"Yea, Kate, I'll give a ride. I can do that... it's only 45 minutes away. When does your flight leave?" I remembered she went to school in Idaho, so I assumed that it was a quick flight for her, and it wouldn't be hard to book a quick flight to Spokane and get a ride down.

"Well, actually, I'm not needing a ride to the airport. I was hoping for a ride to school. Like I said, I have things, and... I can't afford to ship them back... I know gas is expensive, but I can pay that... it's just... please, Ben? Just a couple of hours driving there, and dropping me off, and I'll take care of the rest. I promise. Please?" She was begging now, and her voice was ringing with sincerity.

I mulled it over, and came to the conclusion that a couple hours of driving over to her school would be fine. However, a couple hours was kind of a stretch, as I recalled that it would take me about 5-6 hours to get to Moscow, especially with the traffic the way it was these days, considering Memorial Day, Father's Day, and all of the high school and college students getting off for summer break.

"Let me be clear, Katie. You want me to give you a ride to your school, in Idaho, and want me to leave you there. Although, you claim you need to get some things you can't afford to ship, and you have no new location in mind, correct?" I wanted to make sure I understood what I was getting into before I agreed.

"Basically, yes. Well, no, but kind of. I don't know. See, Ben, there's more, but I don't want to talk about it right now. So, yea, I guess. Just take me to Moscow, and I'll be fine. I can manage from there. I shouldn't have freaked out, but since all of my friends have left by now for summer, I have no way to get back to get my things... can you help me? Please?" Her lips were quivering, and I couldn't think of a legitimate reason to say no.

"Yes, as long as we can leave today. I'll probably need to come back tonight, so I'll just be dropping you off and leaving. Is that ok?" I asked, noting that it was already 11:30am, so I'd be driving until well past midnight. That was ok with me- I loved driving my car. It was a 1964 Plymouth Valiant, red in color, with a push button transmission, slant-six engine, and was in good repair. I loved that car, and even though the gas mileage was horrible, and it really didn't like to drive around the city, that monster was made for the freeway. I'd wanted to plan a road trip this vacation, and here was my chance.

"Oh Ben! You're the best! She leaned over, and kissed me right on the cheek, leaving a smear of her lipstick or lipgloss (whatever it may have been) on my face. I smiled; it had been years since she'd kissed me, and that was always my reward for helping her out of whatever jam she was in.

It only took a few minutes for her to get her stuff packed back up, all tossed back into her bag haphazardly, and I grabbed my satchel, which contained all of my emergency items; a pipe, some weed, a pack of smokes, a calculator, pencils, pens, paperwork, bandana, extra clothing, and a fork. These were all things that I needed in the event that I broke down and was stuck overnight in a strange location. I could continue to work, plan, and relax, if needed. In the car there was already an emergency 6-pack in the trunk, a case of water, spare tire, jack, batteries, and other odds & ends that helped keep my worry to a minimum. It had only taken being broken down once overnight to make sure I always kept emergency supplies with me everywhere I went.

During the packing of her things, Katie had changed again, this time into some cutoff jean shorts that rode nearly up to her crotch- Daisy Dukes, and a bright red halter top that accentuated her ample rack. It was rather distracting in the middle of packing to look up and see the perfectly formed figure of a sexy woman bending over her bag, giving me a great view of her ass, and seeing those pockets hanging outside of the line where her shorts met her thighs. Those pockets must be for show, as I couldn't imagine getting anything in or out of them, while they were on her. Actually, it had always been a thought of mine, wondering why girls would wear clothing that was revealing and essentially useless to carry any additional items, such as change, a wallet, etc. I didn't ask, though, and I tried not to stare, but my willpower was slowly broken down as my hormones took over. The heart shaped booty that was wiggling across the room continued to capture my attention as I gathered my own travel items.

I was content in my own jeans, tee shirt, and flannel, and had no real need to get any other clothing items. However, I was familiar with the Eastern side of Washington, and knew that the temperature could be very volatile, so I grabbed an extra jacket, and a pair of cargo shorts, just in case. I didn't want to be caught in the cold, nor in the extreme heat. It wasn't really necessary, though, because I knew I'd be back before the sun came up the next day. The AM radio worked fine in the car, and since there was no other way to play music in the behemoth, I figured CD's would be an unnecessary addition. Not to mention, on the station I was listening to regularly, they were always reading books on the air. I didn't really think too much about how to occupy myself on the way back, but I wasn't too concerned; if it got too late, I could always crash at a hotel, and charge my cellphone, which had the ability to play music.

The view that my little sister was giving me had begun to cause the "man downstairs" to wake up, but I made a point to not take care of business. I wasn't going to go jerk off in my bathroom to the thought of my Sister. That was inappropriate, even given the sights I was seeing.

I was a guy that needed to beat my meat at least once a day, and since I hadn't had a chance last night, nor this morning, the need was getting stronger, but I managed to keep my head in the game, and focus on other things. Slowly, the pressure released, and the thought of spurting my hot load faded from my mind.

We finished packing and made it down to the car, loading the last of our things for this impromptu trip.

At noon on Saturday, the road trip began.

--

Before we left the city, I'd stopped and gotten gas, and a few snacks. I had hoped we'd be able to make it on one tank of gas, but I planned on stopping in Ellensburg to get more fuel. Being stuck on the east side of the mountains on I-90 had no appeal to me, so I was going to be extra cautious.

The moment the tank was filled, and the snacks had been acquired, we hit the road for real. The traffic was awful, per the norm, but once we were on I-90, heading eastbound, it lessened considerably, and the road began to call to me.

I loved road trips, and driving this beast across the state was something I really had been wanting to do for years. I'd gotten the car in Chelan, and driven it back to Seattle once upon a time, but since then, it had been purely city driving. This was the first time since bringing it west that the Valiant was going to be taking me places other than the local pub or grocery store. I'd had another vehicle for commuting to and from work, but the engine had given out about a month ago, so I'd been forced to rely on carpools to get to work. That may have been a contributing factor to me voluntarily quitting, but I didn't count it. As a matter of fact, it was one of the furthest things from my mind; I was mobbing in the Valiant, The Beast, The Behemoth, The Big Red Tank. And I was with my sister, who I'd missed immensely, although I really hadn't had a chance to talk with her yet, and I was completely free from responsibility.

The AM radio was blasting some old classic rock that barely could be considered rock, but both Katie and I enjoyed the music. Sometimes she'd sing along, and sometimes she'd just sit back, and nod her head to the beat, as I just watched. We didn't talk much, and the first mountain pass went by as a silent movie would- quickly, with lots to watch, but not really understanding what's going on without further examination. I could tell Katie was getting anxious, as she was scooting around much more than she should have, so when Ellensburg came, I pulled into a gas station I was familiar with, and got out to pump the fuel. Over half a tank later, the pumping mechanism clicked, and I got back into the car.

Eastern Washington was much warmer than Seattle, and I was sweating by the time I got back into the car. I removed my flannel, and looked at Katie to see how she was doing. She was sweating as well, but didn't seem to mind, so I started the vehicle back up, and with a loud roar, we were back on the freeway. Moments after we'd gotten back onto I-90, Kate informed me that she needed a restroom. Of course, I was pissed, because we just stopped at a gas station, where I'd used the facilities, and she'd just sat in the car. Silently, I took the next exit, and circled back, this time heading to a Burger King, where I thought food might be something else she might need. Sure enough, when she came back out of the fast food chain restaurant, she had a bag with the Burger King logo, and a giant soft drink.

I chuckled, knowing that I was right, and had we gotten back on the road, within minutes she would have asked for food, too. We hadn't broken into the snacks yet, so I was prepared, but it was good to know that I was right, and could predict her actions.

"Ben, do you have a cup holder I can put this in?" she asked, indicating the drink. Sadly, three things the Valiant lacked were a cup holder, a working cigarette lighter, and any form of AC.

I shook my head, "No, sorry Kate. We're kind of stuck without." I shrugged my shoulders, and revved the monster back to life.

Kate pouted, then decided to chug a bunch of the drink first, so that if she set it between her legs, it wouldn't spill out everywhere in the event of an unexpected swerve or pothole.

We still hadn't chatted at all, and I was getting kind of annoyed with the silence, but since I was just being a delivery boy, of sorts, I wasn't going to break the silence. Dropping her off was the goal, but the drive was the part I was enjoying. I loved that car.

No sooner than I'd thought it, Katie began to open up a bit. "Why are you still driving this piece of shit? Didn't you get a real job? Can't you even afford a nice vehicle?" She snapped a bit, clearly annoyed that the car did not have exactly what she wanted.

"Katie, this is my car. I love this car. I make do. If you don't like it, tough." I was annoyed too; I hated it when people mocked my car. It was a classic, for God's sake. This thing was a tank, and reliable. I couldn't think of anything more fun or safe to drive, minus the fact that it didn't have shoulder straps or airbags. I wasn't going to mention that, though.

She sat, silently, still fuming, now munching on her fast food. The road was eaten up as we continued to cruise along I-90, watching the passing traffic, the fields on either side, and the sun still climbing up, considering it was only about 3:30 by now. It had been a bit longer of a drive than I'd expected, and I was realizing that my return trip would be even later than previously anticipated. Regardless, I didn't make any more waves, and just listened to the sounds that the road created.

Minutes passed, and I was starting to get irritated. I realized I was now driving my Sister, who seemed less than pleasant company, across the state, in silence, and still wasn't really sure why.

"Kate, I think it's time we talked about this... what the hell is going on?" I decided a smoke was in order, so I pulled out the pack from my satchel, and lit one up, blowing the smoke out the window.

She wordlessly grabbed my pack, and lit one up herself, somewhat surprising me.

"Ok, Ben, I'm going to tell you everything, but it's going to make you upset." She inhaled again, and then looked over at me before continuing.

"I dropped out of school. Last semester, about three months ago. I was living with a guy, and he turned out to be... not good for me. So, I decided that I needed to leave. I caught a flight with my last few dollars, and went to see Daddy. He told me that I needed to go back to school, or I'd be cut off. I tried to explain to him how bad things had become, but, well, you know Daddy. He told me to figure it out and get the things done I needed to do. So, I told him off, and left. I met up with some of my old friends in the City, and all was well, but... things got bad again. I realized I needed to be on my own, but also realized I didn't have any of my stuff. I talked to Daddy again, and told him that I needed his help getting my stuff from that guy's house, and Daddy, like the asshole he is, told me that I should figure it out on my own." She began crying into her cigarette, and took a big swig of the soft drink. "I asked him if he had suggestions, and he said that you, Ben, were going to be unemployed soon, too. At that, he closed the door in my face! IN MY FACE!" She sobbed again, ashing the cigarette on herself in the process, thankfully not any hot coals, though.

"I called your mom, and she said the same thing, though she gave me a rough idea of where to find you, so I made a few calls to your work, and got the address, and the skinny on what you were doing. I wanted to wait until you were completely out of there before I asked for the ride over here... but... I found all that out about a week ago. I've been living... well... I haven't had a bed to sleep in since... it's been a while, Ben..." She was all out crying now, and I was shocked.

I'd had no idea that her Dad, my Ex-Step Dad, was such an ass. And my Mom, being who she is, and not wanting to take any responsibility herself, dumped it all on me. I couldn't believe my boss went along with it all, though. This was bullshit. Here I was, trying to take some 'me-time', and everybody in my life is trying their hardest to stop it... Fuck them all. I was pissed.

At least it wasn't Katie's fault. I mean, it was, but at the same time, I could feel for her. I wasn't quite mad at her, I just didn't understand why her Dad was so mean, my Mom so crafty as not to tell me, and my Boss... well, fuck him. Maybe it was retaliation for me quitting. I wasn't sure.

And then it clicked- we were going over to her ex boyfriend's house to get her stuff, unannounced. Oh fuck. This wasn't so great anymore.

"Katie, I take it to mean that you had nowhere else to go, and now you need help getting your stuff back, and I'm supposed to neutralize your ex while you get this all taken care of, right? And why didn't you come sooner? I wouldn't ever let you be homeless, you know that, right?" I was trying to be calm, but this wasn't the road trip I'd planned. As a matter of fact, this was something completely different. I was just trying to relax and take a vacation, and the world was against me.

"Oh, No, Ben, I couldn't ask that of you. I just need you to drop me in Moscow, and I'll manage it all. Don't worry about me." She smiled through her tears, although I wondered if I'd just committed to helping her out anyways. Great.

"No, really, I can help. It's the least I could do. And if you need a place for a few days, I think you would be fine at my apartment. I can figure something out. I don't know. Are you broke?" I didn't want to know her financial situation, but I couldn't be supporting my sister forever.

"I have ways to make money, if I want, Ben. Don't worry about that." And that was the last we talked about money for a while. I should have asked sooner, but I respected her privacy.

We were silent for the next 20 miles or so, and traffic had started to pick up again, so the going was slow. The temperature was still creeping up in the Valiant, so I tilted the wing windows to blow air into the vehicle. As long as we maintained 55 mph, the car didn't warm up too badly, but I was wishing I'd put on my shorts.

Finally, she broke the silence. "Ben, are you mad at me?"

"No, Katie, I'm not. I wish you'd told me the whole story sooner, but... I get it. I understand. It's been good seeing you though, but seriously, no more lies or misdirection, ok? I need information, not stories. You remember how I work, right?" I'd been a kid that got frustrated by misdirection for as long as I could remember. I always wanted to know how things worked, no conjecture, speculation, nothing like that. I wanted facts so I could analyze and understand.

"Yes, Ben," she giggled, "I remember." I'm sure she was remembering one time or another that I completely blew up because I was lied to or the whole truth wasn't told, and I made a mess of things based on false information. She'd done that to me several times in my life, and seemed to love to get a rise out of me.

Speaking of rise, for some reason the heat in the car was increasing, and my internal temperature was spiking. I was overheating, and I needed to get cooler soon, or I would pass out; another one of my odd quirks. Strangely, though, it wasn't the only thing on the rise. I hadn't been aware, but Katie was slowly scooting her way towards me, and when I realized, she was sitting directly next to me, with her leg rubbing mine. It wasn't sexual, it was just her being close that caused my cock to start growing.