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Ben and Archer – Chapter 3
"I really can't stand this job," I think to myself while folding a pair of jeans that were left in the dressing room. I gather up all the rejected clothes and head back to the floor to put them away. Thankfully, it's a Thursday afternoon so the mall is pretty dead. Then again, it's a struggling mall so it's always dead.
"Hey there! Welcome to Express!" I say with my fake, shit-eating grin. They make us say the to every customer that walks in. Whatever. It's a dumb little throwaway job but it pays the bills and I get good clothes with my discount. I just got back from my break, which means 3 more hours and then I'm free! I have the next 3 days off so I plan on being lazy around the apartment and catching up on a little schoolwork I'd been neglecting.
"Ben?"
I think I recognize that voice so I stand up smiling and greet Archer and his friend like the model Express employee, "Hello there, sir, and welcome to Express! May I help you find anything?" I finish and give him the fakest smile I can manage.
"Fuck off" he says with a smile and introduces his friend. Her name is Ashley and she's a violinist in the symphony at school. I gotta say, she's extremely hot. She's Asian with thick, black hair that stops just below her shoulders, a set of perky boobs that are staring at me just as much as I'm staring at her, and a small, tight little body. In this moment, I'm so happy Archer has Emily back home because Ashley is all mine now!
"What are you two doing here?"
"Ashley was looking for some good club clothes for the weekend and said she was coming here and I remembered you saying that this was your other part-time job so I tagged along"
I can't believe he remembered that. It had been about 3 weeks since he slept over at my place when his roommate needed the room that night and we had hung out maybe 3 or 4 times since. As far as guys go, he's extremely laid back kinda like me. Not douchey or conceited and, thankfully, doesn't think with his dick so when we hang out our conversations actually have a little substance rather than just going on about tits and pussy. Don't get me wrong, I do have guy friends who are like that but I have to admit that it's nice to shake up my friend portfolio a bit.
I was talking to Archer for a while and couldn't help but notice Ashley giving me eyes while we talked. She excused herself to go browse the store while we kept talking. My eyes were definitely all over her tight, little ass in those skinny jeans as she walked away. "Dude, chill. Could you be any more obvious?"
"What?" I said finally coming back to my senses.
"Bitch, I'm basically standing in a puddle of your jizz right now the way you were eye fucking her!" Archer said laughing at the look on my face. Guilty, I was caught.
"Whatever, fuck you. So you're not here to shop? Just wanted to come see little ol' me? Why, sir, I must say I am flattered!" I teased batting my eyelashes at him with a hand on my chest like an old Southern Belle. He started laughing at me and my Texan accent.
"You wish, bro. Nah, I just needed to get off campus for a bit. I'm getting a little burnt out and we're only a month and a half in. Sucks." Just then he gave a huge yawn and stretched. Again, his shirt rose up exposing his toned midsection. Without missing a beat, I flicked his abs hard causing him to yelp.
"Ahh!! Fuck that shit hurt!" he said laughing and massaging the spot where I hit him under his shirt.
"Then buy longer shirts you homo!" I said with a smile.
"Whatever, obviously you like it since you can't keep your hands off me" he said still massaging the spot. "What are you up to this Saturday?"
That was in the middle of my 3 days off and I don't usually have weekend plans so I told him I had nothing on the agenda as of yet.
"Cool, there's a football game on that I wanted to catch and was wondering if you wanted to hang out at your place and watch since you're the only one I know that has a good TV and cable? I'll bring the snacks and the beer!" he said pleading. Now it was his turn to bat his lashes over those golden eyes of his.
I'm not a huge football fan but it beats sitting at home alone on a Saturday. I accepted his offer and he said the game starts at 6pm so he'd probably be there a little before then. He asked what beer I like and before I could stop myself I was asking, "Aren't you only 18? Where are you going to get beer?"
"I have my ways" he said with a devious grin while motioning over to Ashley. I guess I didn't notice before but she didn't look to be our age. I'm only 19 and Archer is 18 but Ashley looked to be around 21 or 22. Maybe she's a Senior or a grad student.
"I'm not gonna lie, I hate beer. Tastes like cold piss. Just bring some snacks and I'll be fine"
"What?! Watching a football game sober?! It's un-American!"
"I mean, I don't do beer but I like whiskey if you've got the hookup. Just be sure to bring Coke, too"
"Your wish is my command. Thanks for letting me come over."
At that moment, Ashley came over with a bag full of clothes and said she was ready to leave. Then, without warning, gave me one of the store's business cards with her number on it and left with a wink. Archer was jumping up and down behind her with his hand over his mouth trying to be quite but was clearly excited for me while simultaneously frustrated that he didn't have a shot with her. Sucks having that long distance girlfriend now, huh bud? I tucked the card into my wallet and went back to work.
The rest of the shift passed by uneventfully and then when 6pm rolled around I was finally free. I should really get some food for the apartment but I hate cleaning up dishes so I made my way to Freebirds World Burritos on the way home. It's like Chipotle, but way more hipster and with a lot more options on what to put on your burrito. It's an Austin based company so I like it. Reminds me of home.
Friday comes around and I go through my usual routine: social media while lying in bed, ground and start the coffee, jerk off in the shower, then coffee and the news before heading to campus. I like routines.
I only have 2 classes on Fridays so it's not too bad, just a Comm. class and one of my core English courses. After, once again, seeing part of Archers fit body yesterday, it made me self-conscious when Ashley gave me her number. Again, I'm nice and lean but he's leagues ahead of me in terms of physical fitness and she obviously likes being around him so it casts self-doubt in my mind. So I figured I'd make one of my rare appearances at the school gym today after class.
Much to my annoyance, I arrive at my English class to find that it had been cancelled at the last minute. Not that I'm a nerd or anything, but I don't really give a shit about that Comm. class so if I would have known this was cancelled I would have dragged my ass all the way up here. Extremely agitated, I decide I may as well still go to the gym so I head that way.
It's not a far walk and when I walk in I'm immediately met with the familiar smell of sweat, testosterone, and then the way too strong air fresheners that the janitorial staff uses to cover the aforementioned smells. I change in the locker room and store my bags in the nearest available locker before heading out onto the floor.
It is in that moment, standing around all of this foreign equipment, that I realize I have no idea what I am doing let alone how to use any of it. Still, I refuse to look like an idiot so I make my way to the nearest machine that works your biceps and begin working. I hope more than anything I'm doing it right. I have slight anxiety and loathe looking stupid in front of people let alone this crowd of gym rats.
I'm on my third set when I look up at the balcony and see a large group of people suddenly appear with foam mats. A yoga class must have just let out when an attractive female catches my eye. It's Ashley! Damn she's looking good in her workout gear; slightly glistening with sweat from the class she just took. Then, of course, right behind her with his mat is Archer. They're closer than I thought, I guess.
I'm in plain sight from the stairs they're coming down and it's actually Ashley that notices me first and waves. Archer laughs and comes over but Ashley keeps on her way toward the exit and I have to admit I was more than a little disappointed.
"Hey man! Twice in 2 days? I'm starting to think you have a crush on me" he teases with a wink.
"In your wildest dreams bro! Hey, where's Ashley going?"
"She has to go home to shower and change. She has studio later but we have the same break on Fridays so she invited me to do yoga. Bro, it's fucking hard! I just thought it was a bunch of stretches but it's way harder than that. It's, like, weight resistance with your own body. I can barely feel my arms!"
He was wearing a tight tank top and I could definitely tell his muscles were swollen and bulging more than usual. Note to self: do yoga.
"First time to the gym? Sorry, man, I've just never seen you here before" he said smiling after seeing the look on my face. I didn't realize it was so obvious that I'm new to all of this.
"Yeah, and to be honest I'm not quite sure what the fuck I'm doing" I said with a defeated smile.
Archer offered to show me a couple of tips on the machines as well as a few techniques but made sure to let me know that we'd have to hurry because he also has studio later. I had no idea what that meant, but whatever.
We made our way over to the bench press where he showed me how to adjust the chair to where it should be most comfortable for me and started adding on the weights. As I was lifting, he was spotting me and explaining exactly what muscle groups I was working and what my muscles were doing. Then without warning, he put both hands on my chest.
"Keep lifting... yeah, this feels like you're doing it right. Your pectorals are completely engaged so you're using the correct muscle group. Good job! You learn fast." It was an odd couple of seconds but I didn't mind. I'm an open guy.
"Thanks, I've got a good teacher." This made him smile. It felt flirty but whatever. Guys flirt innocently all the time. That's why god invented the phrase "no homo". Which reminds me... no homo.
He hung around for another 20 minutes showing me various things before saying he's heading off to studio. "What's studio?" I finally asked.
"So, in music, we all have a teacher for our instrument and collectively we're considered their "studio". We meet privately for an hour each week with our teacher to practice the pieces they've assigned us. In my case, I have Mr. Osadchy as my cello teacher. Once or twice a semester, the entire studio gets together and we perform our pieces for each other and do peer review. Then, closer to the end of the semester, we have to perform a solo piece in front of the entire music program; undergrads and graduate students alike."
"Fuck. Talk about pressure. Well, obviously, I don't want to keep you. Thanks for your help, man. We still on for tomorrow?"
"Hell yeah we are! Ashley and I are making a booze run tonight so she has stuff to pre-game with tomorrow before going out. I'll probably get the snacks tomorrow before coming over. I was thinking wings." Sounded good to me!
We bumped fists and he made his way out. I waited probably 30 seconds after he left before giving up and heading back to the apartment. I wasn't going to say anything in front of him, but my muscles were hurting so bad now that he was helping me. I felt good, though. Maybe this could become a usual thing. After all, I do like routines.
I spent the rest of my day hanging out at my friend John's dorm. Remember those straight guys that I told you about that only like to talk about tits and pussy? That's John! He was my lab partner my first semester here and he was pretty cool so we kept hanging out even after we were done with the class. He was majoring in art and graphic design. I know what you're thinking, "art"? But trust me, he's a total bro who just happens to be an amazing artist.
I was going to invite him over to watch the game tomorrow and introduce him to Archer but I was fortunate enough to bring up Ashley first and that was all he needed. The Facebook stalking started and once he saw her, it was all about her tits and tight little Asian pussy. Once he was on that track, there was no pulling him back. Don't get my wrong, I love women and their bodies but something about the way he objectifies them like that just makes me uncomfortable, like they're a slab of meat. I'm glad my mom raised me better than that. After that, I decided that I had my fill of my John time and didn't want to hang out with him again tomorrow.
Once he was coming down from his rant, I could see him toying with the bulge in his pants. Not full on rubbing it in front of me, but his hand was at his crotch and there was no mistaking the occasional squeeze. I decided that I'd had enough of his company for the day and told him I was headed out. He didn't get up to say bye which I was thankful for because I didn't want to see his cock fighting to get out of his pants. We've known each other over a year but we're definitely not cool like that!
Maybe it was just because I had been up all day or maybe it was the workout this afternoon, but the second I got home I was passed out in my bed within seconds. I didn't even both to get into my pajamas.
Saturday came with uncomfortably bright sunshine. Normally, people don't complain about a beautiful day but there's something to be said about that beautiful day waking you up by shining in your face through the fucking window. I was pissed and my eyes hurt from the sudden adjustment. Not a good way to start the day for sure.
I made my way into the kitchen to start my morning routine, however, there are variances from my weekday to weekend routine. One constant, however, is the coffee. It's muscle memory at this point. I shuffle my feet into the kitchen while holding onto my throbbing morning wood and make my way to the coffee pot and then my heart sinks.
I ran out of coffee beans yesterday.
"FUCK" I yell out loud. I'm pissed but it's definitely my own damn fault. I was supposed to stop by the store on the way home and pick up another bag as well as a few other things but I guess I forgot because I was so tired. Needless to say, this morning had gone from bad to awful in a matter of minutes. To top it all off, my wood was gone. Great.
I take a quick shower that I cut short because I'm not in the mood and head out to the store after putting on a cheap pair of sunglasses. It's too early for sun.
I wish I could say that my mood got better throughout the day but I'd be lying to you. I just stayed consistently grumpy which made me a little worried because Archer would be here in less than 30 minutes. I know he's excited about the game and I didn't want to ruin it so I forced myself to smile. It actually does cheer me up because I can't help but truly smile at how dumb I probably look fake smiling. That make sense? Good.
Then, because today is just not my day, Archer shows up but with no snacks and no Coke for the whiskey. Like, seriously? Are we just drinking straight whiskey? Ugh.
"Hey bud! Sorry but I forgot to go pick up some wings and the Coke. I figured we'd just mix it with whatever you've got here. Woah, you okay?"
I guess my frustration was on my face and he read it clear as day. Through my frustrations I started feeling bad at the concerned, hurt look on his face. I know he meant well and it's not his fault I'm having a shitty day so with this new emotion I start to finally calm down and relax.
"Yeah, I just woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning and it hasn't gotten any better, man. To be honest, I was looking forward to drinking and chilling out a bit. I've never had straight whiskey but we'll make it work."
This only made him look more miserable thus making me more miserable.
"Aww, cheer up Arch! It's fine! I'm just glad there's still booze to be had"
He gave me a half smile and made his way to the kitchen to unload. Holy shit, he brought an entire handle. I didn't think we were drinking that much but, still, his presumption made me smile.
"That's what I'm talking about! I knew you'd cheer up when you saw what I brought! Sorry, again, for not bringing the Coke but this stuff is super smooth and will be good on the rocks. So be happy!"
He made his way behind me and massaged my shoulders for a few seconds which felt good because I was tense, hurt because of my sore muscles, and weird at the same time because a dude is massaging me. Whatever, still felt good... no homo...
Finally the game was underway but I wasn't too interested to be honest. I just wanted to drink and Archer made sure my glass was never dry. I was way more relaxed than before and was starting to get pretty tipsy. Archer was shouting less and less at the TV so I knew he was in the same boat as me but the drinks kept flowing.
Maybe it was because the team he was rooting for lost, but by the end he was mellower than I had ever seen him and he was slurring his words heavily. We sat in the recliners carrying on a drunk conversation for about an hour after the game ended before he unexpectedly stood up.
"Well, I had better head home and get out of your hair" he said swaying on the spot.
I looked up at him like he's a fucking idiot. Like I'd let him go anywhere when he's this drunk. "Bro, you're way too drunk to drive. You're staying here tonight. Give me your keys."
"Man, fuck that. You know how uncomfortable these chairs are. I can't sleep on these again. Remember how bad my back hurt the last time?"
Oh yeah, I forgot about that. He was joking and bitching about his back for 2 days afterwards the last time he stayed over. But hell no, I'm not letting him get behind the wheel to go kill himself or some innocent family.
"Dude, just stay here. You can sleep in my room, I've got a king size bed. But I'm not letting you drive. You're hella stronger than me but I'll put up a good fight."
He looked at me and I guess it took a minute for me to come into focus but he started smiling and said, "Bro you're so drink!" (Yes, he said, "drink") "But yeah, I guess that's cool. I need to piss first. Hold on" and then he made his way to my room to use the bathroom.
I take a minute to put the glasses in the kitchen and then hear him throwing up in the bathroom. Fuck. He had better not be throwing up all over the floor and toilet. I hear the door open but he was the first to talk as I went into my room to meet him.
"I know, I know. I threw up. I got it all in the toilet so don't be mad. I need to sit down, though" he winked and he stumbled towards my bed.
He sat down on the edge of the bed as I walked into the bathroom to make sure. He didn't flush and the bathroom reeked of vomit but, true to his word, all of the puke was in the toilet. Holding my breath I peed with the door open for ventilation real fast avoiding eye contact with the toilet making sure I didn't get sick and then finally flushed everything down. Gross, I know, but when you're broke like me you don't waste water.
I turned and went back into my room to find him passed out in the spot I normally sleep. Ugh. I like that spot. Too drunk to care or do anything I make my way to the other side of the bed and pass out with my clothes on next to Archer who is a surprisingly warm bodied person. Makes me miss falling asleep with my girlfriend last semester. The memory combined with his warmth makes me hard but I quickly lose consciousness while holding onto my throbbing cock. Oh well, I'll take care of it tomorrow in the shower after he leaves.