Best Friend's Journey Pt. 05

My first year of uni didn't go how I expected it to go: I made new friends, explored new places, lived with my best friend, had my first experiences with group sex, and fucked my best friend's girlfriend with him. Twice.

The first time was good; we had both had sex with her and everyone enjoyed themselves. Unfortunately, the second time we tried it, my best friend had not been quite up to task. He had finished before he had a chance to start, and then again while I was still going. So, obviously, his pride must have been hurting, as he was extremely distant with me for the next few weeks. Things got awkward.

This wasn't entirely new. After the first time, as good as it was, he'd run away home. That only lasted for a short while, and his girlfriend had been fine with me, thankfully. This time, she was distant too.

To make matters worse, since we had all moved into flats in the same house, there was a near constant bombardment of sex. Before moving here, that would have sounded great, but it wasn't. I would be woken up in the middle of the night by the unmistakable noises of one of my friends, or I'd bump into a dishevelled stranger looking proud of themselves at the front door, and so on. Not to say that I wasn't contributing to this mess, but that's beside the point.

It had been around a month since I had slept with her and I could count the number of words that either she or my best friend had said to me since, on like... three hands.

***

"Look, Sam, your ratings are great, but we're seeing alarming patterns in your work," Phil was saying.

He had dragged me into his office at the gym where I 'worked' as a 'fitness instruction guru' as soon as I had walked through the door.

"I know that university has started up again and we expect you to focus on your studies so allow a level of productivity decrease," Phil continued, smirking from behind his desk. "But I'm afraid you're going to-"

"-Wait, so are you telling me off or praising me here? You just said my ratings are great," I cut in, impatient to destress with some exercise.

"If you would just let me finish," he sneered across at me. "I'm giving you a warning. You need to take on more clients."

"Look, mate, I know things work differently here as it's a uni gym and you pay me rather than the people I help, or whatever, but I'm not doing that," I stated.

This job had been advertised to me as something easy; I could just go to the gym and occasionally help people out as I was doing my own thing. It had been lucrative, and an easy way to pick up girls though, until now. Something clicked in my mind.

"-keep up then we will have to-" Phil was still looking proud of himself across the table as I cut off whatever he was saying.

"-This is about that Korean bird, isn't it?" I asked.

His smirk faltered, "Japanese. Yuki is Japanese, and no, it's not about h-"

"-Yuki, yeah. I saw you giving her an induction as if you owned her. Of course, she chose me over you. I wasn't creepily staring at her on the-"

"-Yuki was my girlfriend!" Phil snapped back; his smirk vanished.

'Was'. That may have complicated things here. She had started coming here a few weeks ago, just after term started. She seemed to fall into a pattern that overlapped mine; starting her workouts as the gym began to empty, late at night. She tended to focus on cardio, but eventually asked me for help with something simple, like how to use a kettlebell.

It made sense that she would have started working with me, as I was the one around when she needed it.

That naturally led to what we started doing in the showers after a set, or at my place, or that one time... Oh god, on the desk that Phil was leaning over right now. How was I supposed to know she had a boyfriend?

"Well maybe if you had been here for here when she needed it, then she wouldn't have come to me," I replied, immediately kicking myself at the phrasing.

"Get out," Phil said quietly. "Yuki said the same thing..."

"You can't do that," I replied coolly.

"Actually, I can. Obviously, it's in your contract: 'no inappropriate relationships with clients'."

"That's a stupid rule, what about Sh-"

"-Sam, in case this isn't getting through your thick head: you're no longer employed here."

The colour was returning to Phil, but his smirk had morphed into a maniacal grimace.

What was I supposed to do now? I needed the money, but more than that, I needed the outlet that the gym afforded me. Without this job, I would have to start paying to use the gym and I would need to get another job.

My best friend and current roommate, Carl, had mentioned that his girlfriend, Jess, had been making money online by selling pictures and videos of herself. If things weren't such a shitshow at home, I would have considered asking her how to start; it sounded easy enough.

"Cheers, mate," I smiled cheerily at Phil. "Oh, and if you see Yuki again, tell her she left a bra at mine."

I turned and walked out the door as Phil starting muttering behind me. Three steps into the room and I heard the door slam against the wall as it was flung open behind me.

"Get the fuck out!" Phil shrieked. "You're not welcome here at all anymore. Your membership is revoked too."

The gym wasn't busy, but there were still more than a handful of people who had turned to stare at the commotion. I smiled with exaggerated cheeriness at a few of the familiar faces as I turned to face Phil.

"Look, mate," I began. "I don't know why you're taking this out on me. It was your girlfriend, and how was I to know?"

Phil was a big man. Probably a recent graduate or something, so, young, but older than me. He was muscular and tall, but just a little smaller than me, and I think that hurt his ego. He stepped forward, as if to square up to me, his face red and blotchy.

"I'm sorry," I lied.

"If I had known she was your girlfriend then I wouldn't have fucked her," I continued, smirking, but facing away from the silent onlookers so they could only see his reaction. "She never mentioned you."

There were a few gasps from behind me, but Phil had stopped advancing.

"Oi, Phil," a familiar chirpy voice chimed in from the other side of the room. "As shitty as he is, you can't stop a student from coming here just because he's a dickhead."

Phil looked past me, then slowly turned his face back to me, jaw clenched in rage. And then his shoulders slumped and he closed his eyes, taking a deep breath before turning and walking back to his office without a word.

"Come on big guy," I felt someone's arm on my shoulder and turned to look down at a familiar face. "You've ruined my session, let's go before you ruin anyone else's."

Abby looked up at me with an expression that somehow conveyed both pain and humour. She had become one of my closest friends before things had gotten weird this year. She was one of Jess's best friends and I'd met her through Jess and Carl. We'd established a friends-with-benefits relationship as we both thought we were mature enough to be fine with each of us sleeping with other people. That seemed to have changed since we had moved into the same house.

There was a pang in my stomach as I looked at her in her gym gear. Her skin was the colour of caramel, looking smooth and uncovered by sweat, meaning she hadn't been here long. She wore a tight-fitting grey and black top that entirely exposed her toned stomach, and even tighter matching shorts that did nothing to conceal her tight, round bum.

Her dark eyes were, unusually, unobscured by her wild red, purple and black hair that had been tied back to hang down her back in a mass of curls. Her wide, thick, lips curved upwards in a reassuring smile.

"Nah, have your sesh. I, apparently, need to find a job now," I grimaced, striding towards the exit.

"Nah, everyone's looking at us now," she replied, gesturing subtly. "I'll just go get changed again and meet you outside."

I didn't even take the opportunity to watch her sway away as I walked towards the front desk. This year had barely begun and already it was getting worse.

***

I slumped against the wall outside and sighed. This was not how things were supposed to be. At least I could still use this gym - that was cheaper than finding an actual gym in the city. Although, if I couldn't find a job quickly, then I wouldn't be able to pay for it or go out. I would be trapped in the house of tension.

I sighed. I hadn't ever had to think about things like this before.

"Hey," came a squeak of a voice from the direction of the building's entrance. "Sam?"

I looked around to see a short woman with brown hair and freckles. She was cute, but not beautiful. She was wearing gym gear that hugged her curves, of which there were many.

"Yeah?" I replied, trying to place her.

"Erm... It's me, Emily?" The girl said, brown eyes narrowing. "You literally gave me my induction here last week."

That was right. I had. She looked different then, in baggy clothes that were more suited for lazing around in your home than going to the gym in. That was the day the blonde one had split her leggings bending over, so obviously I had helped her into the locker room without anyone seeing, and she had showed me how flexible she could be, later on, in her car...

"Sam?" Emily said. "Are you..."

"Oh, sorry," I responded quickly. "I'm a bit pissed off about losing my job, so not exactly on the ball. I remember you, Em."

She smiled at that, before going on, "Yeah, about that. I actually have a way you can make some money... if you want it?"

She seemed to be blushing, and her words were coming out quickly, almost garbled.

"I... know some people who... They, erm, they're in marketing. They're always looking for... umm... I... So, they need..." Emily seemed to be floundering, so I tried smiling reassuringly. "They need models!"

She was silent after that outburst for several seconds, so I opened my mouth to speak, but she spoke over me.

"They do stuff on all the socials... If you give me your number, I can give your details to them?" Her smile seemed almost hopeful.

"What would I need to do?" I asked, intrigued.

"Well... I don't really know..." She looked distant for a second. "They knew I was starting at the gym and just asked if I met any sexy people to-"

Her eyes widened as her face flushed and she began to stammer, "I mean, like, other students who are fit and attractive and-"

I chuckled, cutting her off. She looked down, bringing her hand to her face, "S-someone to be a face for their ads..."

I smiled reassuringly at her. Her blushing was cute and, although I had considered her too fat for my tastes before, looking at her in her tight gym gear gave me a good view of her body; she was voluptuous, curvy, and thick - not fit, but her breasts may even have been as big as Jess's.

"Sam? Did I offend you?" She asked, pulling me out of my lewd thoughts.

"No," a sharp voice shot out from behind her. "He's a shark, and by the look in his eyes right now: you're bleeding in the water."

Emily somehow blushed even further as Abby strode past her, but a smile seemed to be pulling at the corner of her lips.

"Leave the poor girl alone, knobhead," Abby said, stepping between us.

"She was offering me a job," I responded nonchalantly, sidestepping back into Emily's view.

"Hmm, what kind of job?" Abby cocked an eyebrow at me and mimed a lewd gesture, tongue in cheek.

I ignored Abby, "Thanks Emily, are you on-"

"-Yes, I follow you," she said quickly, cutting me off as I raised my phone. "I'll message you!"

Before I could respond, the door had swung shut behind her as she retreated into the gym.

"I want to lay on her thighs and let her suffocate me with her tits," Abby stated.

I looked at her, feigning ignorance, "Can't say I noticed them before now."

"Wow, a girl you haven't given it to. I am shocked. Look, this is my shocked face."

I gave Abby an unimpressed look, but she smiled innocently through it until my expression cracked.

"And look at you, landing on your feet as usual. What was the job?" She asked.

I shrugged, "Something about modelling, I think."

Abby laughed, "If I see you in any porn then I am immediately sharing it with everyone."

I joined in with her laughter, and she took my arm to drag me through the campus.

Within a few minutes, Abby had forced a shot down me from the student union pub and dragged me to a corner booth, a pair of short glasses in hand.

"You need to sort out whatever's going on with you," she immediately cut to the chase. "The whole house is weird and it's shit."

"I'm surprised you even noticed," I protested. "The nights you're actually in usually end with Zach trying to hammer you through the floor, or with some kind of temporary zoo opening in your room by the sound of it."

Abby's cheeks actually seemed to flush, and she didn't come back with the usual barbed witticism.

I took a sip, feeling the burn warm my throat as it sunk into me, avoiding eye contact with her.

"Are you jealous?" She asked finally.

I snorted. Jealous? Of what? I brought back girls all the time. Why would I care about one specific girl.

"Sam, you knew what this was," she continued, quietly. "Anyway, you've been bringing back girls too... There hasn't been a chance for us to be together recently. Especially after Zach's whole strop last month."

"I'm not jealous," I forced a smile at her. "Obviously, I do miss you a bit, but it's not that. Well, it's nothing. Nothing's wrong."

"Oi, knobhead," Abby chided, barely letting me finish my sentence. "You literally just said 'I'm surprised you even noticed' and 'it's not that', so... you know, you just told me something was wrong."

She looked at me with something in her eyes I didn't recognise. When I didn't respond, she shook her head and took a sip of her drink. A sip, which she promptly sprayed back out, eyes wide.

"What the fuck?" I asked, over her laughter.

She ignored me, alternatively coughing and laughing. Flapping one hand at me while groping the table with the other, eventually finding a napkin and bringing it to her face.

I looked away, irritated, as she continued laughing, dabbing her face and hands with the sodden napkin until finally, she spoke.

"It's fucking Jess, isn't it? You fucked again? I knew it! You dirty bastard!" She pointed at me accusingly.

"What?" I asked, stunned at how she'd come to that conclusion.

"Don't play dumb," she snorted, before continuing. "That's why they've been avoiding you! What did you do?"

I rolled my eyes, "Abs-"

"Oh my god, has that slut beaten me again? You're not jealous about me, but her?" Abby pulled a face of faux sadness.

"Abb-"

"What a bitch! I can't believe it! How could you do this to me?" She prodded her finger through the air at me.

"I'm not jealous!" I growled.

"Sam let's look at the evidence," she began, her voice taking on an edge of 'schoolteacher'. "One: you are constantly out - either at the gym or getting fucked up. Two: when you are in, you're either moping or violently fucking the most exaggeratedly porn-voiced women I've ever heard. And you say I'm the one opening a fucking zoo."

She took a sip, keeping her eyes glued to mine, giving me a chance to speak.

"So, what's new there?" I asked. "You know that's what I'm like. You used to be too."

"No, Sam," Abby shook her head. "It's not. We all joke about the way you act, but you're acting like this exaggerated version of you is you. You're actually a good guy, believe it or not, but now you're behaving as if this persona is you. Something has changed!"

"Maybe now that we're living together, you're seeing the real me. Not the one-"

"-Don't be that way!" She interrupted. "We saw each other just as much before we moved into the same building, and it's just that: the same building. It's not even the same flat. The only difference is we're more aware of each other now."

"You're not aware of anything other than Zach's cock!"

Abby slammed her glass down enough to make the table wobble and glared at me.

"Now you're just acting like a fucking child, Sam," she said eventually. "Maybe if you grow up, you'll see that you're the one creating a problem now. A couple of months ago, if you had that outburst in the gym and caused me to miss my workout, I would have made you give me a workout back at our place, but now I'm here trying to penetrate your thick skull instead. Think about that, dickhead."

Abby rose quickly and stormed out without glancing back. I turned to admire her leaving and noticed that, yet again, people were staring at me.

I looked away, sipping carefully at my drink. Abby was obviously wrong: she and Jess were too busy with other guys to make an effort with me. I had tried to talk to them - tried to get some time alone with Jess. I'd tried to make light of the situation with Carl... It wasn't my fault that he couldn't last long with his girlfriend and so he had to ask for help; it's only natural he asked me: I'm his best friend.

How was I the one causing a problem?

***

Abby's words ate at me for weeks, and now she was giving me just as much of a cold shoulder as the others. Of my 'original' friends here, only Zach seemed to be oblivious to the way the others were treating me.

It was going to be coming up to the Christmas break soon, and none of the others had spoken to me about driving them back home yet. I was considering staying here just to spite them.

"Dude, that's a dick move," Zach laughed when I said as much.

He had a tiny balcony in his flat that allowed him to smoke without stinking out the rest of the house. He was using it now while I sat on a sofa at a right-angle to him.

"If they don't ask, why should I offer?" I argued. "So, what are you doing?"

"I was hoping you'd all be out so I could host a few ragers. Bring back some sexy ladies to my crib without keeping it down," he smirked.

"If Abby's away, you're not getting any more pity fucks," I countered.

He winced, "See, brother, you are acting like a dick these days."

I studied his serious expression for several seconds before it cracked, and he burst out laughing. I joined in.

After he'd finished smoking, he came back in and sat down next to me on the couch.

It was a three-seater, but I had to shuffle over anyway. We had met at the gym and Zach's physique was enough evidence that he spent a lot of time there. I was muscular, but Zach was a brick shithouse. His inky bicep, visible as he was wearing a simple white vest, even though he had just been standing in the freezing cold, was perhaps once again as large as mine and that wasn't the exception.

"Look man," he looked at my conspiratorially, flipping open his laptop. "I found something you might be interested in."

"What's this got to do with your Christmas plans?" I asked, watching him clumsily type his PIN in several times.

"Could explain why they ain't asked you about a ride."

"What? Some kind of event going on down here?"

Zach ignored me and pulled his laptop onto his lap, slowly bringing up a browser and looking through his history, or bookmarks, or something.

"Zach?" I prompted.

He grumbled, still slowly moving the cursor around the screen and tapping his keyboard occasionally. I was intrigued now though. Maybe this would give me an answer about their behaviour, or at least let me know if I could have my own plans this Christmas.

Eventually, he let out a satisfied mumble and a moment later turned the laptop to face me.

"You recognise her?" He asked, smirking.

The screen showed a browser window open on a website that had a picture at the top of the screen, under the word "Bubble-gum Goddess" with a bunch of writing below, indented at different levels.