Ben's Day Ch. 01

B What?

V He already saw it, might as well get his opinion. After all, you're biased ;-)

Ben turned around and looked at the guy. He was a thin black guy with a button up plaid shirt and a pair of glasses, and his laptop had a sticker from one of the universities in the city. He was still diligently working on his laptop, but when he saw that Ben was looking at him he looked up and smiled politely.

"Hey how's it going?" the student asked with a smile.

"Uh...fine," Ben said awkwardly, "Sorry about that picture before—I'm not like, a creep looking at porn in a cafe. My girlfriend just sent me it and I didn't expect it."

The student raised his eyebrow and chuckled a bit, "You're girlfriend. Sure dude. Look just don't actually start jacking off in front of me and whatever you look at on your phone is your business."

Ben blushed and turned back to his phone.

B He didn't believe you were my girlfriend. Now I need to find a new cafe.

V If it helps your self esteem, I can help you prove I'm yours ;-)

Ben was a bit stunned by the suggestion. He had to admit it was a little exciting to have Vic be so...enthusiastic...but it was edging in on the territory of her being with other guys, and after what he had heard Sam say earlier, that thought was making him more than a little uneasy.

B No that's ok

V So what about tonight?

B I won't even see Tomm until after the conference, but I'll let you know

Ben left the coffee shop in as dignified manner as he could, throwing on his coat and stepping out into the blustery street. It wasn't snowing, but the wind was picking up snow from rooftops and tossing it about. The accumulation on the ground was a grey and brown slush from so many pedestrians and cars sloshing through it. Ben looked at his phone and saw that it was almost noon. The MORE Conference was at twelve thirty, so he didn't have a lot of time to find it.

After some frustrating manipulation of his smart phone with cold fingers, Ben managed to bring up a map on his phone to the conference center. It was about a fifteen minute walk away. Ben decided to just hoof it rather than try to find a cab for such a short trip, so he memorized the directions from his phone before he stuffed his hands in his pockets and started walking.

The conference center was about what he had expected—a big tall grey building with glass doors that opened up into a fancy looking lobby. He went up to the front desk, gave his name and the name of the conference he was going to, and they gave him a room number and a floor, and sent him on his way to the elevator.

The MORE Conference was fine—boring, but Ben hadn't come expecting a fun time. Various people from the industry came up and gave their talks about innovative ways they had found to market the idea that saving the planet was a good idea so maybe you should pay a bit extra and install these very nice solar panels. As the only representative from his company, Ben didn't really know anyone else, so he kept to himself, listened to the speakers, and collected pamphlets and materials that he thought might be of interest to the company back home. The conference ran over an hour long, but eventually it was over, and he texted Tomm to see what was doing.

B Hey man the conference is over sorry it took longer than expected

T No problem I'm actually pretty close to you I think. Hungry? Thirsty?

B Both. Food at the conference was lackluster

T I know a place. meet you at Solomon's Bar and Grill?

Ben tapped the link in Tomm's text for directions, and saw that it was only a few blocks away, and had a lot of good reviews.

B Looks good to me

A short and frigid walk later Ben was at Solomon's. The winter sun had already started to set even though it was barely five o'clock, and with it went what little heat it had been providing on the city streets, and Ben began to feel woefully underdressed. He briefly thought about the Irish girl, Ashling, from the bus. He wished he had bundled up as much as she had now.

Tomm was waiting just outside the restaurant. He waved Ben down, threw an arm around him in a welcoming hug, and led him into Solomon's. Tomm was a big guy—over six foot five—with a personality of similar proportions. Ben had been friends with Tomm since high school; in college they had drifted a part a bit, but had reconnected senior year, and since then they had stayed in touch, mostly by playing games together online.

"Good to see you, man. How long has it been? A year?" Tomm boomed as they entered the warm comforting atmosphere of the bar.

"Something like that," Ben said, "too long."

They got a table—they were still well ahead of the dinner rush—and ordered a couple of drinks. Tomm caught Ben up on the lives of a few of their mutual friends in the city, Ben told Tomm about how things were back in Kingsburgh where they had both gone to college. By the time their meals had been ordered, they had caught each other up pretty well.

"So what's eating you, then, Ben?" Tomm asked as he drained the last of his beer, "You look like you're worried about something."

Ben paused, not sure if he should tell Tomm about what was going on. After all, Tomm had dated Vic for a month or so before Ben had even met her, and he knew Juliet too—probably even Sam. They had all gone to college together.

"Look if you don't want to talk about it that's fine, just letting you know I'm here for you."

Ben smiled and thanked him, and after a few more minutes of reminiscing and idle conversation their food arrived. Tomm had ordered a barbecue veggie-burger along with some potato leek soup—he had been a vegetarian for as long as Ben had known him—and Ben had gotten a blackened haddock sandwich with some spicy seasoning and a side of fries. The spicy aroma of the food was intoxicating, and as soon as the plate was on the table Ben had started eating voraciously.

"I don't think I realized how hungry I've been all day. All I've had is a scone," Ben said between bites.

Tomm nodded, chuckling at how Ben was attacking his plate.

"Slow down there man, don't hurt yourself."

They both got refills on their beers, and once Ben had eaten enough that his hunger allowed him to slow down a bit, he decided he should tell Tomm what was bothering him.

"So...you asked before about what was bothering me. It's Vic."

"What about her?"

"Well...ok you know Juliet and Sam from college?"

"Sam Wexford? From the basketball team?"

"No Sam...Sam Something-ski? Girl Sam. Samantha. I think she majored in Computer Science?"

"Oh—yeah I know Sammy," Tomm grinned, "I actually knew her before college. We went to summer camp together when we were like thirteen. Her last name's Strahovski. I'm actually still pretty close with her."

"Yeah ok well—this morning when Vic dropped me off she got a text, and she said it was from Juliet—but it turned out that Juliet and Sam were actually on the bus with me, coming into the city for some concert or something."

"No shit! Sammy's coming into town and she didn't even tell me?" Tomm started to get his phone out, "Girl made me promise I'd be the 'Man of Honor' at her wedding when we were thirteen, dress and everything, and she doesn't even tell me she's in town!"
 "Wait Tomm—don't text her—let me finish."

Tomm raised his eyebrows and tucked his phone back in his pocket.

"Yes, Captain."

"Ok so Vic told me Juliet had texted her at like four in the morning—but then on the bus, I heard Juliet and Sam talking. I don't think they saw me at first, because they were talking about Vic. Juliet said that Vic wasn't talking to her any more, that they hadn't spoken for something like a month."

"She say why?"

"Yeah...I guess they were drunk and Juliet told Vic that she had a thing for me or something," Ben answered vaguely.

"Well she did in college," Tomm chuckled, "before you and Vic started going out Juliet was crushing on you hard man. She once asked me what section of organic chem you were in, and the next week she had transferred into it."

Ben stopped in his story for a second. He remembered that class—Juliet had always sat next to him, and had been his lab partner for most of it. He had had a crush on her too, but had been to nervous to say anything.

"Huh," he said after a short pause, "well anyway—so either Juliet was lying to Sam about not talking to Vic, which I don't know why she would, or Vic was lying to me."

Tomm nodded.

"But that's not all—after Juliet told Sam about that, Sam told Juliet that she had never liked Vic. Apparently, according to Sam, Vic did some pretty twisted shit to her freshman year of college."

Tomm furrowed his brow, "Freshman year? I remember something about Sammy being pretty beat up after some dirtbag cheated on her."

"Darren. It was Darren. Apparently according to Sam, Vic was dating Darren's roommate Robby, and heard about how Robby thought Sam was hot or something...and then Vic got Sam to show up the the room while she was fucking Darren?"

Tomm's eyes were wide at that, "Damn that's cold."

"If it's true."

Tomm shook his head, "Believe me man, Sammy and I are really close. She cried on my shoulder for like a month after that, but all she ever told me was that Darren had cheated on her. That asshat was her first, you know? Sammy's good people, I don't think she'd just make up a story like that, or spread lies about someone, especially about something that was so traumatic for her."

"I dunno man. You know Sammy, but I know Vic. I've been dating her for two and a half years and I don't think she'd do anything like that."

Tomm froze, the remains of his burger halfway to his mouth. He put it back on his plate slowly.

"I thought you guys started dating in like January Senior year?"

"No it was the August before that—August fifteenth. We started dating right when the semester started. We didn't start like, living together until my roommate moved out in the Spring."

"Oh," Tomm said, his eyes a little wide, "Ok then."

"What?"

"I don't know how to tell you this, man. I kinda thought you knew? Or that Vic had told you and you were cool with it? Vic and I were like, fuckbuddies for a couple months before you started dating. Or I guess, after you started dating, but before I knew. She used to come by my dorm on Friday nights—sometimes she'd even bring a friend. Me and my roommate Sanjay both...uh...you probably don't want to know about it. Anyway that was like, October and November that year. I didn't start hanging out with you again until the next April, and by then I knew you were already with Vic and I figured..."

Ben's face went ghostly white.

"I thought you guys had dated when we were all Juniors. Fuck."

"Yeah man. I'm sorry. Believe me, I just thought we were having fun—Vic never said anything about dating anyone. If I had known..."

Ben tried to shake the mental image of Tomm—the giant handsome viking of a man—and Sanjay, who had been one of Tomm's teammates on the basketball team—with Vic. He remembered when they had first started going out, Vic had always been busy Friday nights with some club she had said she was in—apparently she had been busy fucking other guys.

"Look I get it if you're angry at me—but it sounds like Vic is more of a piece of work than either of us knew. I hope you know I wouldn't—"

"I know, Tomm, just give me a minute ok?"

Tomm nodded.

"I'm gonna go to the bathroom—tell you what, drinks are on me—and dessert if you want it," Tomm offered awkwardly, to no response from Ben, before standing up and walking to the bathroom.

A few seconds later, Bens phone buzzed in his pocket; a text from Vic.

V Hey babe, how was the conference? Any chance you'll have some private time tonight ;-)?

Ben stared at the phone. Who was this woman he had been dating? Certainly not who he had thought she was.

Another buzz—another snap from Vic. Ben didn't open it, putting the phone back into his pocket.

When Tomm returned, he just sat down quietly and took a long sip on his beer, looking over at Ben with a grim, apologetic expression.

"Do you think she's fucking other guys in Kingsburgh?" Ben asked sharply after a few more seconds had passed.

"I don't know, man."

Ben's phone buzzed again. He ingored it.

"She's sexting me right now," Ben stated matter-of-factly before taking a sip of his own beer.

Tomm gave him a puzzled look, and then snorted a short laugh.

"Wow, that woman has no idea."

For some reason, Ben couldn't help but chuckle at that—and then he started laughing harder, and harder, until the whole bar was looking over at their table. Tomm chuckled too, all the while keeping a watchful eye on his friend.

"So you want dessert man? Another drink?"

Ben shook his head.

"No—I'd rather not embarrass myself in a public place any longer. How far is your apartment?"

It took Ben and Tomm about fifteen minutes to get to to Tomm's place—a one bedroom apartment on the fourth floor of a pretty large complex. It was small but cozy; Tomm was going to law school so he couldn't afford much yet, but what he did have was nice. After shedding their winter clothes, Tomm gave Ben a comically short tour of the place, from the one bedroom to the one bathroom to the combination kitchen living room where Ben would be sleeping, before they sat down on the couch.

"So," Tomm said, "what do you want to do?"

"You mean like, in general, about Vic? Or like, right now?

"Either or both, man. I'm at your service. Videogames? Watch a movie? That new season of Star Trek? Cry all night? Hell if you want to go out again and get wasted and try to find a willing woman, I'm not sure I recommend it in your state, but you have the comm."

Ben shrugged. His phone buzzed again.

"You want to hear that? If not just turn off your phone or block her or something. No reason to let it bother you if you're not ready to talk to her about it anyway."

Ben took a deep breath and looked at his phone: two new texts, two new snaps, all from Vic. What did he want? He was angry and sad and a little bit drunk, but there was some part of him that wanted to read those texts, and more than that, look at those snaps—have one last look at her as his girlfriend before everything fell apart. Maybe even call her? Even with everything else, he had to admit that Vic had a particular talent when it came to turning him on, and the thought her naked, while filling him with anger and sadness, was also making him more than a little horny.

"What d'you think I should do?" Ben asked helplessly.

"About Vic? Probably talk to her, eventually—though it won't be easy."

"I guess I should call her then. Get this over with."

"I can give you some privacy if you want?"

Ben looked at Tomm; his friend was clearly trying his best to make amends for what had happened between him and Vic over two years ago, but Ben knew that it hand't been Tomm's fault.

"I mean...I don't know if I can have this kind of conversation with an audience. I'm not gonna kick you out of your own apartment, Tomm."

"Ok, I'll just go to my room. I'll watch something with some headphones on—if you need me, just come in. I promise I won't be naked."

Ben chuckled.

"Thanks, Tomm. Really."

Tomm just nodded and got up to go to his room.

"Good luck, man."

Once Tomm was in his room, Ben looked back at his phone. He was going to call her. His hand hovered over the call button for a few moments before he decided he should look at his texts first.

V You should really check your snaps babe

V I REALLY want to 'talk' to you later ;-)

Dreading the act of actually calling her, Ben flicked aside the texts to look at the snaps she had sent.

The first one was relatively innocent—at least relative to what she had sent him in the coffee shop earlier. Vic was standing in front of the bathroom mirror, posing with a suggestive wink, wearing a simple pair of baggy pajama pants and a flannel shirt of his—though the shirt's buttons were far enough apart that it was clear she wasn't wearing anything underneath. Underneath the photo she had written the caption I can change into something a little sexier for you if you want?

The second snap—the one that she had only sent him a few minutes ago—was a bit more seductive. She was lounging on their bed, wearing a silky red robe she sometimes wore—though usually not to sleep. She was holding her phone away from herself so that he could see her lounging, everything from the gentle curve of her hip underneath the thin robe to the pool of black curls around her head. She was smiling an inviting smile, with one arm reaching out to take the picture, the other toying at the neckline of her robe, pulling it down just enough that Ben could see where the smooth curves of her breasts met. I'm ready whenever you are.

Ben took a deep breath, put his earbuds in, and swiped out of his snaps and to his contacts, pausing briefly as he saw a new number listed as 'Ashling Grace ;-)" before calling Vic.

The phone rang four times before she answered.

"Hey, there, Babe. You all alone?" she answered lustily.

"...Yeah, but I think we should—"

"—I want you cock so badly right now babe. I'm undoing your belt..." she gasped dramatically as the clink and flap of a belt being undone came through from her end.

"What was that? Are you doing like, foley work for this?"

"Yeah babe, I got a whole setup with some of your clothes—and a few of my toys," there was a muffled sound of the phone being moved for a second, and then the sound of a zipper being undone, "are you keeping up, babe? you're fly should be down...my hand is in your pants now."

Ben felt his cock twitch to life. Despite everything, Vic's breathy voice was making him hard. The conversation he needed to have with her seemed unimportant—at least for the moment. He started to undo his belt.

"Yeah," he said after unzipping his pants and reaching his own hand inside.

"Good. I can smell your cock, I love it," there was a rustling sound on her end of the line along with a giddy giggle, "I'm on my knees, nuzzling the tent your cock is making as I peel down your jeans and push you slowly back towards our bed. What are you doing, babe?"

"Uh...I...I run my fingers through your hair and I...I...what are you wearing?"

The was another naughty giggle on the other end of the line, and a click—before his phone buzzed with another snap. He looked at it immediately, and saw her kneeling, wearing that same little red robe she had been wearing earlier. She was holding the phone up so that his view matched the fantasy she was weaving. From this angle, and in this position, the robe was flaring open at her chest, giving him a delicious view of her cleavage as well as the frilly black edges of whatever lacy thing she was wearing beneath the robe. Her eyes were full of unbridled excitement, smiling with her mouth open, her tongue licking her lips. Vic's bluetooth headset was in her right ear—the only thing that seemed a little out of place.

"You see what I'm wearing, babe?"

"...Yeah. Yeah I see it."

"So what do you do?"

"I back up to the bed, and I reach down to touch your face—"

"I pop one of your fingers in my mouth and," there was a slurping sound on the other end, "I suck it. Are you getting hard yet?"

Ben looked down at the tent in his boxer briefs.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm getting hard. I reach my other hand down and start to pull your gown off your left shoulder—"

"It falls, and I slide my other shoulder out of it to. I push you back onto the bed," there was a brief muffle on the other end of the line and the creak of springs as Vic was probably jumping onto the bed to simulate the sound, "and then I stand up and—oops! my gown just fell in a puddle at my feet."