Try Harder Stupid
Disclaimer: I do not own Virals
A/N: I made Tory be so cruel to Ben. But the end will be happy. They always are in my stories. XD Anyway this doesn't have any spoilers for Code but since Tory is the type not to know her own mind (my conclusion after reading the cliffhanger) I think this is a possibly canon scenario sometime down the road especially if you ignore a bit of the ending.
"Join me at the movies this Friday?" Ben had been waiting outside of Tory's last class to make sure he didn't miss his chance. Tory had been a little surprised at his abrupt questioning but didn't seem the least bit uncertain of her answer.
"Nope." Thus she led the way to the entrance of the school. Ben followed at her heels like a kicked puppy to all those who watched.
"Want to go out somewhere to eat later this week?" He could have meant fast food or five star quality but Tory was in a set mind.
"I have plans." A few more steps and had she turned around it may have seemed like he was pouting, but guys never do that.
"For every day of the week?" Seeing as she was not going to look at him, he dropped all pretense of puppies or pouting. Now he just looked skeptical.
"Yep."
"Why do you treat me like this?" Exasperation colored his tone, but defeat was a long way off.
"You're fun to tease." If he had been level with her he would have caught sight of her grin, the type that slips on after reading a funny book. If nothing else Victoria Brennan was greatly amused.
"I have on good authority that I'm fun to date too." Ben had adopted a confident and calm manner, similar to his usual expression. Hi would have deemed it smug.
"Good authority? Don't you mean your reflection?" Girls do know how to be snarky. It was like water rolling off a duck's back to Ben. His love of water may as well have made him a duck.
"I have tickets to a concert Saturday after next." Ben quickened his pace and drew up beside her. Tory let the grin slide off her face and pretended disinterest.
"I'll pass."
"You don't even know the artist."
"It doesn't really matter." Ben rolled his eyes and reached over to take the books she had been carrying. Her eyebrows rose but she didn't say a word. Boys have their uses. No wonder pack mules are outdated in today's society.
"What do I have to do to get you?" Much like his usual manner, he figured bluntness would be best. Honest question garners an honest answer.
"Try harder, stupid." Then again girls rarely play fair, or nice.
"What about the zoo?" Tory loves Cooper and most other animals, surely she couldn't say no to some tiger cubs.
"Animals in captivity? Very romantic." With wide open enclosures, not like the days they kept them crammed in cages.
"How about I let you pick?" Put the power in her hands, perfect solution.
"So you have no confidence in yourself?" Shot down with a bazooka.
The ride home was a quiet one but Ben didn't give Tory her books back until they were close to home and he had darn well tried to walk her to her door. Chivalry is dead? Nay, just underappreciated.
"Shelton called an emergency meeting, it is in an hour." Before Tory could abandon him, Ben shouted the words to her. Her happy little self, did a one eighty degree turn and marched right back to him.
"Why didn't I hear about it?" It was Tory's turn to look skeptical and Ben shrugged his shoulders trying his best to look uncaring, funny how he managed it fine on a daily basis when she wasn't around to stir up trouble or turn him down repeatedly.
"His phone broke, Hi told me today at lunch."
"Alright I'll meet you at the bunker."
Tory turned back around to head home when Ben hollered after her, "Not meeting at the bunker, Shelton's got some crazy theory so we're taking the Sewee."
"Okay whatever you say." She didn't turn around but she did throw up her hand in acknowledgement. She never looked back, Ben knew because he didn't look away until she was at her doorway.
Hour or so later…
Tory had been standing next to the Sewee for a few minutes and Ben had yet to notice her. He had been tampering with the motor for a few minutes and when he stood up from his crouch, she was happy to see him jump.
"Where are Hi and Shelton?" Ben helped her into the boat and followed her untying the mooring lines as he went. He waited until they were a good distance from the shore before he answered her, but of course by then she already knew the answer.
"They're not coming."
"I know." Tory leaned back in her seat and watched the waves bump into the boat. Ben had turned off the motor and now they were drifting.
"I lied." She noticed Ben looked vaguely embarrassed by his behavior. Of all the times I have gotten us into trouble and he is the first one to commit a serious crime. Breaking and entering please step aside here comes the kidnapper. Ben of course being the good guy would confess in an instant unless it made his friends seem accountable.
"To get me alone." Tory looked him in the eye and was pleased to see that he didn't flinch as Shelton would have.
"Alone, unable to escape, or make excuses. Now tell me, why won't you go out with me? I'd rather have a flat out rejection than to be left in the cold like this." Honesty can hurt, but once it is out, the pain can only lessen was Ben's rationalization.
"I just wanted you to make an effort, an honest effort." Tory leaned forward and clasped her hands together. She seemed truly sincere.
"Is it working?" Feeling he may have finally gotten a foot in the door, Ben smiled causing her to blush. When Benjamin Blue smiles, it is a good day.
"Looking good so far." Being a redhead can mean a lot of sunburn but her face was red for an entirely different reason.
"Excellent, I hope you like turkey sandwiches." Tory had noticed the cooler when she first got on board but seeing as Ben practically lived on the boat she didn't think much of it. A sleeping bag might have been a bit too much but that had only been the one time.
"Well sure I do, but why did you bring sandwiches?"
"Ocean picnic, what else? Any fool can plan a decent picnic, but not too many can kidnap a girl on a boat, allow it to drift out to sea and then unveil the master plan of poorly crafter sandwiches. Besides unlike at a theater there is no one around to see me do this." When Ben kissed her, Tory had not been prepared at all. Books should never be counted as experience and TV can only communicate so much. Tory's brain switched off and all she could register was Ben in front of her.
It didn't last long but Tory was sure her face could never get redder. Trying to break the tension she said the first thing to pop into her head, "Now that is what I call trying harder."
Ben laughed and Tory let a giggle or two slip, after all no one but Ben would know she had made such a sound. Ben quickly sobered and she saw him frown.
"If I tell you a secret will you get mad?" Tory smiled and raised her eyebrow.
"Does it have something to do with the bet?" She was quite happy with his honesty. She knew most guys would have tried to hide it.
"On whether I could get you to go out with me?" Ben had been raised believing that honesty could only help but he knew sometimes it was easier to lie. Of course lying could only work short term and if he expected more than one date from Tory, honesty would be required. After all Hi was likely to pout for the next few days.
"That is the one." Ben was a little relieved and more than a little worried that she knew about the bet. Logically he knew either Shelton or Hi could have mentioned it in passing, the only question was which one.
"I was going to offer you half of the fifty that I am going to get from Hi." Sharing is caring as his mother would say.
"I'm not mad, Ben. I knew about the bet and I know the only reason you made it was because Hi goaded you." Ben moved to sit by Tory wondering if he was going to be punched in the face or the arm. It was purely strategic to slide his arm around her shoulders, conveniently making it harder for her to swing a fist or elbow in his direction.
"You are really understanding about this." Tory nodded with a small smile.
"Well Shelton already offered me half of his share." The smile grew to a full blown grin and Ben wondered if she had threatened him or if he had made a deal with her from the start.
"So why didn't you just agree earlier?"
"I didn't want it to be a fake date. Now I get you, and fifty dollars all in one go." Ben was glad she didn't shrug his arm away but rather leaned into him. The wind was blowing rather hard and he let her use it as an excuse to move closer.
"You may be getting more money but I still think I got the better deal."
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