Sing For Me

A Crappy Cup of Coffee

Ben's Point of view

I glance at my watch as I run into work, I'm not late a bloody miracle after my unique commute in. My mind is still racing with what had happened. But I don't know where to go from here. I'm completely useless at all this. Didn't dare to get my fingers burnt after everything. So what was it about her. Why did I suddenly want to find a way to see her again, Would she really want me to. I've come to sit in the staff room and find myself looking down into my quite frankly crappy looking cup of coffee, in a world of my own.

"Benny Boy something on your mind son" a voice bellows startling me

"Davy" I say looking up at him. Davy was my best mate, we had known each other since school. He's got his hand on my shoulder

"Hey you ok mate" he asks, but am I?

"Good Morning Campers" I turn as Jez has come up behind us with a similarly looking coffee judging by his face as hes taken a sip. Jez was another of my best friends, we met in University. He fitted in with our gang of misfits, each of us a lost soul for different reasons.

"You alright Ben, you look a bit lost fella" he asks

"I'm not sure where to start" I say

"Try the beginning that's usually a good place" Davy says to which I flash him an over sarcastic grin.

"Has something happened" Jez asks

"I went on the tube" I tell them

"And this is why you're so flustered, stick to the car in future mate" Davy says laughing

"Will you let me finish" I ask "I went on the tube and I met this girl" I say

"A girl" Jez says eager to hear more and I smile at him, he's twigged

"Yeah, I bumped into her while we were trying to get on the train"

"Shit she ain't one of those wheres there's blame there's a claim jobs is she" Davy laughs, I'll hit him in a minute I swear

"No" I say raising my voice causing everyone to look round

"So what happened Benny" Jez asks

"I bumped into her and we.............got chatting and..............." I look up at them and they've both got their arms folded grinning at me.

"AND" they both say like some staged double act

"She...she was upset, crying about something so I offered her my hanky"

I watch the lads look at each other and go "Awwwwwww" fucking cheeky pricks

"And, don't leave us hanging" Davey says

"Well she got off the tube before I had a chance to say too much to her so I followed her to where she works you know to see if I could talk to her, I couldn't just let her go" I say

"And did you, you know talk to her" Jez asks

"She works in Superdrug so I went in pretending to be a customer" to which they just look at me in shock

"Wait you went into a Superdrug?" Davy asks

"Yep" I say

"And what did you buy condoms" he says pissing himself

"Ladies face cream" I say to which they are both now howling at

"Are you fucking serious" Jez says

"They had a bloody poster in the window I just went with that" I tell them laughing at myself now.

"Jesus Benny boy" Davy laughs "So this poor girl is now thinking you wear ladies face cream" he says

"No I said it was for Gran" I say, well that's done it

"Face cream...........for his Gran" they both cry at each other clutching their chests

"Oh you're bloody killing me" Davy says as they both calm down

"I knew I shouldn't have told you pair of twats" I say

"Sorry mate" Jez says "Let's start again" and I tell them everything that happened

Davy is laughing "My god it's like Mills and Boon this is" he says

"Don't take the piss" I say

"I'm not Benny honest, so did you ask her out? he asks

"I didn't know how" I tell them

"I tried my best when I was in the shop, I even asked her boss on the counter was she single" I tell them

"And is she" Jez asks

"Yes she is, But what the hell would she see in me, look at me for Christ sake" I say "the first time in years I go and chat up a girl and I'm dressed like this" and they look at me

"Yeah you look a bit of a dick" Davy says making me gasp

"Davy" Jez shouts but Davy is laughing

"Come on Ben lad" he starts "You're not a bad catch, you know, you ain't bad looking, not as hot as me but you ain't bad" I laugh at him while Jez looks at him as if to say what the fuck??

"So come on Benny, tell us about her" Jez asks

"She was...................beautiful, dark red hair, gorgeous green eyes, she just took my breath away lads, she really did, she's different. But Jesus I don't know"

"Don't know what" Davy asks

"Well.........it's been so long" I say, and suddenly the chatter feels a little deeper

"It's been too long, you can't keep living in the past mate" Jez says

"What did you mean when you said she's different" Davy asks and I look up at him

"Not like her" I tell him and he leans down to my level

"All the more reason to go after her then mate, don't let what she did hurt you anymore" he says

"So you said you'd go back and see her" Jez asks and I nod "So go then" he tells me

"But what if she doesn't want me to" I ask

"You won't know unless you try" he says

"Exactly, she must have given some hint of how she felt" Davy asks as I remember flirting with her

"I made her blush" I tell them and they smile all be it a wicked one

"You made her blush and you are asking us whether she'd want you to go back and see her" Davy grins "She wants you sunshine, she fancies you even though you look like an estate manager out of Emmerdale" I let out the biggest sigh. I don't know if I can do this

"Look Benny, go back to the store and speak to her, ask her if she'd like to go for a coffee or something" Jez suggests

"You think, her boss told me that she'd been through a lot, maybe she isn't looking for anything" I tell them.

"So just let her know you'd like to spend time with her it doesn't need to be anything heavy" Davy says.

"I was thinking of sending her some flowers" I tell her "You know to the shop" Davy claps his hands together

"Perfect" he shouts and I get him to hush

"Just don't tell anyone right, last thing I need is certain people here finding out" I say to them

"You're secret is safe with us Romeo" Davy jokes

"I mean it Davy" I say quite firm

"Ben we're your best mates we just want to see you happy, we won't spoil it we swear, right Davy" Jez asks turning to him

"Of course we won't, promise" he says

"Thanks Guys" I say as Davy flops down in his seat

"Right, Let the show commence" he says.