Dream Girl

Oh No

Ben's P.O.V

Ben was a lucky man. After a week of ducking and dodging and blowing him off, he finally got Rhys to agree to go to dinner. Rhys had settled on Little Nonna's on Locust Street. He was waiting in the restaurant for her, holding a table for the two of them. She walked in and was wearing a corduroy wine colored A-Line dress with a white form fitting turtleneck underneath with tan colored oxford flats. Her hair was tousled again. She came and sat down at the table. "Thanks for agreeing to come," Ben said. "I don't think I had a choice". Her voice was as soft and haunting as he remembered. It's a voice that he could recognize instantly and knew he would never forget.

"I just had to see you again," he smiled. "We both live in Philadelphia. Our paths would've crossed again eventually, even if you didn't know it". She looked over the menu. "Why'd you pick this place?" he asked. "It's great Italian food and I never pass up a chance to come". She took a sip of the water that had already been placed on the table. "What do you suggest I try?" he said trying to make conversation. "Whatever you think you would like," she responded.

"Can you at least try to make conversation," Ben stressed. She looked up from the menu at him. "All I meant was that I shouldn't be a guiding force in what you choose to eat. But if you really want my input, the eggplant parmigiana is really good". Rhys smiled gently at him before she looked back down at the menu. His insides filled with the flames of passion. She was alluring and he couldn't get enough.

Ben's intentions for inviting her to dinner were to see if she would come back to his place and have a little fun with him. As much as he liked her, he didn't want to or know how to take things slow. Being a well-known NBA player came with it's costs. One of those was having women at your fingertips. They lined up and did anything you asked for their chance. And if a girl wasn't with it, he could find five that were. So he just wanted to try her out because that's what had been programmed in him during his time as a player.

"Well I will take your word for it and make that my order," he said as he sat the menu down. She didn't say anything as she looked the menu over. When the waiter came to take their orders, Ben ordered the eggplant parmigiana and Rhys ordered Noni's spaghetti and meatballs. "You don't want anything to drink?" he asked. "No. I'm fine with water". When the server walked past them, Ben stopped and ordered a glass of the trebbiano blend, a white wine. "So you're from Philadephia?" he asked. "Yeah. Born and raised". Rhys was finally making eye contact with him. Her chocolate brown eyes burned into his soul.

"You ever thought about leaving?". She shook her head. "This is all I know. I can't imagine myself anywhere else". Ben couldn't quite put his finger on it, but her energy was off. She seemed detached from the situation and from herself altogether. Although she lit a fire in him, there was a longing in her voice. "Have you ever left Philly?" he asked. "A few times. I've been to LA, Salt Lake City, and Boston". He smiled. "All basketball cities," he said. "Purely a coincidence".

Their food came out and Ben looked at the meatballs. "Those are huge," he said. "Yeah they're pretty big. You want a piece?" she asked. He shrugged in surprise and said, "Sure". She cut a piece off for him and placed it on the edge of his plate. The two ate their food with brief conversation in between bites. "When I met Ziggy, she told me that you're 'your own person' and that I should leave you alone". She nodded as she finished up her plate.

"Ziggy's right. You should've left me alone," she said before she drank some water. "Why? You seem like a perfectly okay person to me," he said. She sat her fork down and looked at him with sincerity. "I'm troubled. I don't bring any good to men I encounter". She sat her hands in her lap and Ben quickly glanced at the notification on his phone.

zigtack is now following you.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he tittered. "I'm too troubled to be involved with anyone. The things I carry are too much for me to bear so it spills into the life of others. I joke about it all the time but one guy said I was poison and I have to agree". Ben was concerned for her now. This was a girl that he hardly knew, but he couldn't help but want to help her with whatever she was going through. His attraction filled his overwhelming sympathy for her. "I don't think you should refer to yourself as a poison," he said.

The waiter came over and asked if they wanted anything else. "Tiramisu to go please," Rhys said softly. 

Rhys' P.O.V

The two of them had left the restaurant. Rhys had her bag with the tiramisu inside. "I was thinking we could head back to my place," Ben said. He's still interested in me still after that conversation? "I don't think that's a good idea," she said. "At the very least let me drive you home". She didn't want Ben to know where she actually lived so that was an automatic no. "I can just walk," she said. "That's quite the walk," he said as he looked into her eyes. "I walk everywhere," she said.

"But it's late". She scoffed at his persistence. "I have pepper spray and a knife with me. I'm fine to walk alone. Besides, I have plans tonight so I need to clear my mind before I head home". With no hesitation, she turned and walked towards her house, leaving Ben in front of the restaurant flabbergasted. Rhys dug around in her purse and pulled out a set of keys when she turned the corner. She walked with them tightly grasped in her hand as she walked down the dimly lit street.

Her phone vibrated and she answered the call. "Are you heading home?" Ziggy asked. "I am, yeah," she answered. "Did you get my tiramisu?" she asked. "Yes but you'll have to come to my place if you want it". Ziggy groaned. "Just keep it. I don't feel like coming out that way tonight". Rhys turned down another street, which was better lit than the last. "Are you sure you don't want to come out with us tonight? I'm sure the girls would love to see you," Ziggy expressed. "As appealing as that offer sounds, I have a few plans at home that need to be taken care of".

"Suit yourself. I'll give them your love". Ziggy ended the call and Rhys continued her walk home. She stopped under a streetlight and sent a message to Ben.

callmepadge
It was nice seeing you tonight.

She took a deep sigh and continued her walk home.