The Apple Blossom Tree

Ben looked out at the dark sky and its stars from inside Adam's car. Soft music played on the radio. Ben didn't know the song or the band, but he liked it. He decided he'd play it on his Ukelele when he got home. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Adam look at him numerous times. Ben liked the way Adam looked at him. It made him feel... safe. Though he knew it was the sexual attraction he felt towards the beautiful man, an attraction he wasn't sure he was going to deny this time.
Ben didn't like one night stands. He was never one to actually have any sexual feelings at all. There were a few times when he felt the sudden urge, but he was always able to resist them. But now, looking at Adam from his peripheral vision, Ben couldn't decide if he wanted to tonight. He wanted to know what it was like to feel... wanted.
Ben checked his phone, noticing he had several texts and a missed call from Kasie. Mentally cursing himself for forgetting about her, he quickly sent her text that he had a headache and went home, apologizing for not telling her. Kasie just said okay with a smiley face and that was that. He knew she wouldn't be mad at him, if anything she saw right past his lie and thought that he went home because he was sick of everyone talking about him. Which was partially true, he just wasn't going home.
After putting his phone in his pocket, he noticed that Adam had turned into a driveway. The car was parked and the engine shut off. They both got out of the car and Adam led him up to the front door of a beautiful, two story house. Ben followed him through his mudroom and into a kitchen with cherry wood cabinets and marble counters. The floor was also a cherry wood.
“Your home is beautiful,” Ben said, still looking around.
Adam chuckled. “Thank you.” He took two glasses from one of the cupboards and a bottle of wine. “Would you like a drink?”
“No, thank you. I don't drink.”
Adam chuckled again. “What? You pregnant?”
Ben frowned. “That's impossible.” Adam handed him a can of soda.
“It was a joke,” he explained with a genuine smile.
Ben sipped his soda, feeling his nerves spark a churning feeling in his stomach. He was now so nervous, his hands were sweating. Why was he here? He was being so irresponsible and utterly embarrassing himself.
“Would you like a tour?” Adam suggested, raising a brow over his wine glass as he took a sip. Ben couldn't help finding the way Adam presented himself completely attractive.
“Absolutely,” Ben agreed.
Adam led him from the kitchen into a relatively small, but cozy living room. The wood floor was adorned with a plush, cream carpet. On top of the carpet was a coffee table surrounded by a couch, a love seat and an old rocking chair. A TV sat on the wall, an Xbox, controllers, and a stack of games set in the corner. He was then led through a small hall to the left that turned into a spiraling stair case going up or down. Adam led him down, explaining.
“My bathroom, bedroom, and laundry room are upstairs. Not all that interesting.”
Downstairs, there was a large room with a pool table, a bar with a lot of alcohol behind it, a large flat screen TV, a fireplace underneath it, some couches, and many closed doors. The walls were painted a light blue color, the floor was the same wood upstairs by the bar, but over by the TV it was carpet.
Adam pointed to the first closed door on the left. “That's a bathroom.” He pointed to the next one. “That's a spare bedroom and that...,” he looked over at Ben with a smirk. “Is my torture room.”
Ben giggled. “Surely, you don't plan to tie me up and rip off my nails one by one?”
Adam met Ben's gaze with a steamy one of his own, his hand resting on Ben's chest. “I was thinking of a different kind of torture,” he purred, setting his glass down on the bar behind Ben's back.
Ben swallowed back the lump forming in his throat. Could it be possible that Adam's eyes had transformed from a milk to a dark chocolate? Before he could protest – not that he would – Adam's lips descended onto his. The kiss was deep and slow, but... needy. Adam's hands glided over his shoulders, down his back, and under his bum, lifting him up. Automatically, Ben wrapped his legs around Adam's waist. Backing him up against the wall harshly, but not hurting him, Adam brought his teeth down on Ben's neck. To his surprise, a groan made its way through his mouth. His fingers twisted into the thick locks of Adam's dark hair, nails scraping against his scalp. Their hips clashed, the friction on their hard ons almost unbearable.
“Adam,” Ben breathed weakly.
The man looked up at him and smiled knowingly, kissing him as he palmed Ben through his jeans. In moments their clothes were discarded and they were lying on the carpeted floor. They moved slowly in the dim light of the fireplace. Everything felt so good and so right, even though Ben knew Adam was much older than he was. The poor chap had no idea. But what did that matter? He would never see the man again, anyway.

Two Weeks Later
“Did you hear? Mr. Beschke died this weekend of a heart attack,” Kasie informed Ben as they walked to Uni together. Mr. Beschke was their psychology teacher and one of Ben's favorites.
He frowned. “That's awful. I'll have to attend the visitation.”
“It's next Tuesday, I think.” Kasie looked at her phone quickly. “James says the new teacher is a Mr. LaVinci.” She cooed. “Sounds French... and sexy.”
Ben rolled his eyes. “His name has nothing to do with what he is. He could be 90 and crusty and smelly.”
Kasie giggled. “Touche.”
They reached the building and walked in together, finding their classroom on the third floor, last door on the left. They sat in the middle of the room, near the windows. Kasie wasn't much for Psychology, she rather hated it, but had to take it as a required class for nursing. Ben on the other hand loved it. He knew he wanted to do something with it, but hadn't decided. Definitely not a dreary psychiatrist. God forbid.
“Alright, settle down class,” the teacher commanded with a light tone. He sounded young. “I'm Mr. LaVinci, the new Psychology teacher. I'm very sorry about Mr. Beschke, I know many of you were close to him.”
Ben opened one of his books and began to read, already disinterested.
“I'm going to do roll call. Please say here.”
“Gale Adare.”
“Here.”
“Freddie Bell.”
“Yup.”
“Kasie Drumm.”
“Heeere.”
He paused. “B-Ben Fredrekson.”
“Here.” Ben said behind his book absently, turning the page. The roll call ended after two more names, it was a small class, and then Mr. LaVinci stood. He wrote his name on the board and the page everyone needed to turn to.
“Since you are all adults and I'm going to be your new teacher, I don't see why the formalities should stay. You may all call me Adam.”
Adam.
Ben's entire body turned to ice. It couldn't be. Not the Adam. He took a small peek over his book and clamped his mouth shut to keep in the squeal. Oh, it was definitely theAdam. How could this be possible? What were the chances Adam would be his teacher? He was screwed. So, so screwed.
Maybe he hasn't seen him yet. He should just keep reading and switch classes. That's not so hard. Only now, the book wasn't at all interesting. It was only there to cover his face.
“Today's lesson is about morality. Could someone please explain to me what that means? Ah...Freddie?”
“Right and wrong?”
“Yes, that is definitely the basis of it. Thank you, Freddie.” Ben watched as Adam sat on the corner of his desk, his eyes scanning the room. Ben ducked behind his book again. “Morality is different for every person. Morality is set in a society, a culture, and it changes with time. What would it mean to be immoral?” Adam scanned his attendance sheet. “Ben? Could you answer that for me?”
Shite.
Kasie nudged him with her elbow when he didn't respond right away. Ben slowly put down his book, lifting his gaze to meet Adam's. If Adam was surprised to see him, he didn't show it. Somehow, that made Ben all the more nervous.
“To be immoral is to have no right or wrong,” Ben said calmly, keeping his voice in check. “But that doesn't necessarily mean it's voluntary. A person could be immoral, but also be ignorant of his ways. Basically unaware that he is...dissolute.”
Adam simply nodded, neither praising nor disproving his response. The class continued without Adam speaking to him again. There was only a heavy weight in Ben's chest. When the hour was over, Adam asked that Ben stay behind and discuss with him. Kasie glanced at him as she left, signally she call him. He nodded that he would, standing in front of Adam's desk. The door closed. Ben flinched. Adam turned on his heel. Flinch.
“Are you dissolute, Ben?”
“Diss...olute?” Ben's brows furrowed, he refused to meet the eyes of his accuser.
“Immoral,” Adam snarled. “You don't drink. It's against the law. But you go around fucking men without telling them you're still a student.”
“You didn't tell me you were a teacher,” Ben said softly. He jumped when Adam slammed his hands on his desk, meeting his angry gaze.
“I figured I could trust you to tell the truth when I invited you to my home, to my bed.”
“I figured I could trust in the low chance I'd ever see you again.”
Adam's eyes flashed with hurt. He looked away. “How... old are you?”
“Sixteen.”
Shock molded itself into Adam's handsome features. He stared hard at Ben's tall, built figure. “Sixteen?”
“I graduated High School two years ago. Technically, I should be a third year in the High. But, considering the circumstances, I'm a second year in University.”
“You look so much older...”
Ben shrugged. “It's the late night studying.”
Adam sunk into his chair, leaning his head on his thumb and forefinger, no longer looking at Ben. Adam had this look of disbelief on his face that concerned Ben, but he didn't know what to do.
“Adam, I... I honestly don't do that kind of thing normally. You... were my first.”
Adam's eyes snapped to Ben's face, searching it for something. What, Ben had no idea. “Your first? As in...” He didn't have to finish the sentence. He understood. “Oh, God...,” he moaned, burying his face into his hands, elbows on the desk.
“It's not that big of a deal,” Ben tried to explain. He didn't think it was. Rationally, sex was as natural as the sun rising from the horizon every morning. Every creature did it. Humans were the only species that really thought anything of it. For Ben, it was nothing more than mating. It was natural. It was needed.
“But it is,” Adam stressed. “I'm twenty five. You're of consent, but not within five years. I took your virginity two weeks ago as a one night stand thinking you were much older than sixteen and now you're my student. That is a very big deal, Ben Fredrekson.”
“Nobody has to know. I'm not going to tell anyone and I'm sure you're not. Why does this have to be stressed over?”
“Because Ben, when I see you in this class every day I will always think of you lying underneath me, the light of the fire lighting up your skin and the way your eyes lit up every time I kissed you.”
Ben felt his cheeks flush deep red. He never thought of it that way, his face as a constant reminder. But as he looked Adam over, he understood. He would never get the images of Adam's naked body out of his head, the sounds Adam made. It would be constant torture to them both.
“Then I'll transfer out of the class,” Ben practically whispered, his whole body warm now from the memories.
“You don't have to do that, Ben. That's unfair.”
“It's not a big deal. I was going to do it before.”
“Before I realized you were in the class?” Adam concealed the hurt in his eyes, but not before Ben saw it. It was silent between them for a long while. “Why did you say yes?”
“What?” Ben asked, confused by the sudden question.
“Why did you agree to come home with me? If you never did it before?”
Ben's brows furrowed. At the time, he hadn't known. But now... “You didn't judge me,” He simply said. “You treated me like a normal person.”
“Why wouldn't I treat you like a normal person, Ben?”
“Everyone else is intimidated by my intelligence. I have an IQ of 190 at the age of sixteen. They hate how smart I am and sometimes... so do I.”
Adam laughed softly. “Benjamin, you should never be ashamed of what is up here.” He tapped his head with a light smile. “The mind is a brilliant thing as this very class is meant to teach you. I strongly believe that you and your mind are going to do incredible things. My one night with you proved that much.”
For the first time in his life, Ben felt the strings of his heart being played in a song of love. He knew at that moment he fell a little bit in love with Adam. A smile twitched at his lips.
“Thank you.” He murmured, the gratitude in his voice making Adam smile back at him as he nodded towards the door.
“I will see you tomorrow, Mr. Fredrekson.”
Ben left the room with a feeling he couldn't describe any better than as hope.