Foreplay: Isn't it strange at times, in that a person's whole life can change within a very short space of time? Ben reluctantly takes the place of his sister's now ex-boyfriend, on a holiday that changes everything. Of course this is a story, total fiction, dreamed up by the author's fertile imagination ... Or is it? Could it really have happened? You decide.
"And, of course, I was the last one to get to know. That bastard made me feel just 6 inches tall. I just can't get it out of my head that he was fucking Jenny behind my back."
You could almost see steam coming out of both ears as my sister, Rosie, was talking on the phone to one of her friends.
"Just how I'm going to get my money back I don't know. I guess the travel insurance would only pay out if I got knocked down by a runaway bus and I can't just tell them my boyfriend was fucking one of my best friends." There was a break as Rosie listened in to yet another stream of advice. This was the seventh phone call of that morning after the world's worst nightmare and it seemed most of her friends already knew, or at least had a very good idea something was wrong.
The weekend came, Rosie hadn't calmed down at all. Although we had grown up together, our three years difference in age meant that she had always been my bossy older sister. Teenage years were fraught with arguments and fights. There had been many times we'd wrestled as an end to a day of constant bickering; when we were younger I would always win but not now, not since she'd started to go to that martial arts gym.
I couldn't remember the name of what she did there ... it was something ending with 'sudo' - crapsudo I think because she was always spouting some crap about who she'd beaten.
We still wrestled now, against my best will, because I wasn't going to let her have the last word. Words were something I COULD fight with, which made her even madder. If I was totally honest though, especially just recently, we didn't wrestle often enough. I'd begun to actually enjoy it and even though I hadn't a snowball in hell's chance of winning I'd often get a boner.
"What's up, sis? Boyfriend not like you pinning him down on the bed?"
"It's none of your fuckin' business. Get your snout out. Go read your porn mags and have a good wank. Give your teeny weeny a bit of pleasure and leave me alone."
As if to add more insult she waved her little finger in front of my eyes. "Yes, mister two inch, give it some exercise."
"Take a chill pill. Rag week coming up?"
I walked out, slamming the door behind me. She'd chill. It might take an hour, it might take all day, fuck knows - it might even take the bitch all week. It always happened that way, though this time it was serious. Boys came, boys went. Sis was an easy target and a gullible one, tits to fantasise about, slim and trim. I had to admit my sister was a real looker and easy prey to any guy who had cash to flash. Which presented a conundrum; this one had an overused charge card. He'd spent what he hadn't got.
I knew that Rosie had stumped up the deposit on the Ibiza holiday as her 'serious' boyfriend had maxed out his card. Although the holiday was a bargain he didn't have the deposit, so Rosie paid it until his monthly wage temporarily took care of his bank overdraft. But the bank had charged him dearly for overstepping his overdraft. The charges, the fines had not only left him broke but the direct debit for his charge card had been cancelled. Not only did he owe the bank but he also owed two months on his Visa card.
Rosie was already fifty quid down. Unlike boyfriend #14 (or was it #15, I'd lost count), Rosie had savings. Not much, admittedly, but enough to cover her half of the holiday and most of what she'd need in euros to enjoy her stay in Ibiza. Not only was her balance due in two weeks' time but, as the booking was in her sole name, so was her now ex boyfriend's.
I was right about rag week. It came and it went and Rosie excelled herself in being a cranky bitch the whole way through. She phoned the travel agents and got probably what was a well rehearsed story, possibly read back to a thousand and one people before her; in summary, tough shit. Two plane seats had been reserved, one hotel room for two people had been booked, even two seats on the shuttle bus and two lots of airport taxes.
"So is there nothing you can do?" she asked finally.
"Your only option is to find someone to take your boyfriend's place. As you haven't already paid the balance, we could alter the name and amend the flight details, but there would be an administration charge. If you want to cancel or amend one reservation after the final date the balance is due, you will still have to pay the full amount, plus the new booking."
Rosie was genuinely distressed after the phone call. Her eyes were red, her make-up in multicoloured streaks, tears ran down her cheeks.
"Why don't you ask Ben?" I heard mom ask.
"Mom! My brother? Sleeping in the same bed, in the same room? Going to foam parties tanked up with cheap alcohol?"
"I'm sure you can manage. The hotel could put you in a twin and you can get changed in the bathroom. And having your brother as a minder at a party surely isn't a bad thing."
"I don't need a minder, I don't want that wimp of a brother with me. I AM NOT going with my brother. End of.
It wasn't till the following day that Rosie spoke to me. I was in my room, watching TV.
"Ben, mom suggested I ask you to take Martin's place on the holiday."
"Sorry, sis. I just couldn't afford it."
I left school at 17, managed to get work with only maths, English and my wits to get by on. Store work as a junior didn't pay well, despite the raise after my 18th birthday.
"Come on, you tight fisted git. You must have something in the bank." She jabbed me playfully in the ribs, then on my sides where she knew I was very ticklish."
"No, sis. I can't afford. And why would I want to go on holiday with my big sister?" I pushed her hands away but my sister didn't give in that easily.
"Don't call me sis, I have a name." She jabbed me again where she knew I just couldn't stand the tickle torment.
"It still doesn't make any difference, Rosie. Anyway I'd have to get leave from work and you know it will be mid holiday season." This time it wasn't a jab, but a thumb and fingers deliberate tickle. Despite me fending her off, I stumbled against the bed and lay awkwardly on top of the mattress. Within seconds Rosie was on top of me, expertly pinning me down so I couldn't move, totally at her mercy.
"So we wrestle for it brother? Eh? What do you say? Or do I pin you and tickle torture you?"
I gave in like I always gave in. Rosie was knelt in such a way that was causing me a full erection. "I can't afford to pay for the full holiday and beer money as well," I bleated. "And I don't really want to spend 14 nights in the same bed as you."
Rosie's full weight was on my hardness and she must have been aware of the embarrassment it was causing me. "Oh you don't? Really? I don't snore, I don't fart while I'm asleep and, believe me brother, you won't touch an inch of my bare flesh. Anyway, we'll get twin beds."
Then suddenly Rosie had a quizzical look on her face; a half smile and a really unsure look. Maybe she needed to think it through some more. The look faded and she returned to taunting me, easily fending me off as she hit my tickle spot time and time again. Usually that would be the end of it, I'd submit, not wanting to wrestle or struggle more for she'd learned the skills to turn anything to her advantage.
