Something Like Stories - Volume One (Something Like..., #7)

by Jay Bell

Benjamin Bentley (aka Ben) Born: October 27th 1979 Height: 5’9” Build: Slender. I’ve witnessed him pack in a ridiculous amount of carbs, none of which seem to stick. Other physical traits: His light-brown hair gets a tinge of blond in the summer, and I’ve seen those chocolaty eyes plead with me more times than I can count. I’ve always told him he’s a handsome guy, and he always denies it. Hobbies and interests: Love, boys, relationships, and trouble. Singing too. Noteworthy relatives: Jace (first husband), Tim (second husband), Jason (son), Karen (sister), Adam (father), June (mother) Motto/Quote: “It’s better to have loved and lost than… Ugh. You know what? Loss sucks, but love is eternal.” Bio: Ben is brave. He came out of the closet at fourteen. In Texas. At a time when public opinion was generally negative about gay people. When he first came out, he did so rather naively, thinking the guys he messed around with would want to do the same. For them those experiences were the product of raging hormones. For Ben it was about love. If you need further proof of his bravery, once Ben saw the negative reaction and lost friends just for asserting himself, he didn’t run back into that closet. He could have denied it or pretended he was joking. Not my Ben. He swallowed his disappointment and kept on searching. This led of course to Tim Wyman, who wasn’t nearly as resolute. Ben had another tough lesson to learn: Not only were people not accepting of him, but some people aren’t ev...