Finally...One Summer (Just One of the Guys)

by Kristi Pelton

  I took the stairs three at a time and snatched my calendar from my purse. Crap! Today was the day.

  “Hey, Runt?”

  I flipped my head toward Ryan. “What?’ I snapped.

  “Easy,” he laughed. “Something wrong?”

  I shook my head. “No.”

  “I’ve been thinking about last night. You and the girls.”

  “Not pretty. I know.”

  He shrugged. “Oh I enjoyed it. You impressed the shit out of me. Cheese dripping from Estelle’s hair. Classic.” He paused. “But I’m kind of worried about what they’re gonna do. They were pissed too. I think you should keep your car in the garage. We need to see if we can leave mom or dad’s out for a while till this passes. Then stay with someone.”

  I was nervous too. “Oh, please. You saw what I could do,” I joked.

  “Yeah. But it’s three against one. I don’t like those odds.”

  I didn’t like them either. “I’ll watch it.”

  He nodded uneasy. “I’ll see what I can do on my end. I’m headin over to see Ali.”

  My eyes searched his. “What’re you gonna do?”

  “I don’t know. Play it by ear.”

  I decided after Ryan left, I’d give my body till tomorrow. If I hadn’t started my period by morning, I’d somehow take a test by night.

  I didn’t sleep well and was fully awake by 6:30am and still hadn’t started. I lay my head on the toilet paper to the left of the toilet as my breathing lingered near panting. This can’t be happening. I checked one more time before I got up…nothing. I wasn’t sure what to do. Going to Safeway was out of the question…any store for that matter. I knew too many people and too many people knew my parents. The closest place would be Medford. I was taking a road trip…solo. I just had to think of what to tell my folks.

  After my early morning shower, I found mom in the kitchen drinking her coffee.

  “Mom. I’m gonna check out school clothes today.”

  “OK. I’m going into the office till probably 1:00 then I could go.”

  “Great. I’ll check things out this morning then I’ll have it narrowed down.”

  She smiled warmly and focused on her newspaper. “We’ll do a girls afternoon.”

  I acted excited but felt remorse for my deceit.

  The highway was new territory to me; I’d only driven it once with my father. I kept my hands at ten and two, drove right at the speed limit and didn’t take my eyes off the road. I even kept the radio turned down for the thirty-mile drive.

  The store was busy—of course—and my nerves jittery. I watched the entrance for a few minutes before I finally mustered up the courage and went in, made my purchase then walked out. I’d only been gone from home forty-five minutes and thirty minutes back would give me plenty of time to stop by a shop or two before mom got off at 1pm.

  “Do they have something in this store that they don’t in Ashland?”

  The sun was bright and his face was in a shadow, but I recognized the voice. Zach. I gripped the sack tighter in my hand.

  I laughed. “OK. Now this is weird. What are you doing here?”

  His Jeep was at the back of the lot. He grinned. “I bought you breakfast. Passed you on the way to your house. Flipped around thinking that maybe you were going to the track and here we are. You really should monitor you’re rearview mirror. What are you doing here?” His tone held a suspicious insinuation.

  “It’s been two days and I haven’t heard from you,” I said sadly. “You followed me?”

  “I’ve been thinking and yes.”

  “About?”

  “Us.”

  I was too preoccupied with what that meant. I glanced at my watch. I needed to get going to stay on track.

  “Emma?”

  I scratched my head. “Can we talk back in Ashland?”

  “Why?”

  I shrugged quickly. “I don’t know.”

  A slow grin moved across his face. “Your parents don’t know you’re here.”

  He wasn’t asking and my eyes didn’t lie.

  Suddenly, he stole the sack from my hand. “What’d you buy that you didn’t want them to know about?” he laughed.

  “Give it to me, Zach!” I shouted running toward him.

  He laughed again back stepping away from me. “A dirty magazine? Porn?” he chuckled. “Or maybe condoms…it better not be condoms.” He smiled.

  “Zach. Please.” I stopped chasing him as tears filled my eyes.

  His laughter continued till he saw a tear spill over. “Em! I was kidding.” He slowly approached me cautiously, his eyes flashed with anger then he ripped the sack till the box fell to the ground. His eyes read the name brand when he bent to pick it up. He processed the information slowly and I saw the thoughts register on his face. His brow creased with questions and I watched his Adam’s apple jet out with the long swallow. It only took him two steps to get to me. The hot tears were wiped away and I was in his arms. He held my head tight to his chest.

  “Where are we going when we get back to Ashland?” he asked.

  I shrugged. “I haven’t gotten that far.”

  After making sure I was buckled, he shut my car door then followed me closely back home. This time I looked in my rearview mirror a little more.

  My cell phone rang and when I glanced in the mirror, his was held to his ear.

  “Hello?”

  “Go to my house.”

  “OK.” The line went dead.

  He was angry.

  He took the lead on his street going out and around me and pulled into his driveway. I parked behind the Jeep. He met me at my door with a worried face.

  By the time we’d made it in the house, my hand throbbed from the strength of his hold.

  “Zach. You’re hurting my hand.”

  He instantly let go. “Sorry.” He started up the stairs.

  “Where are your parents?”

  He looked at me strangely. “At work.”

  My schedule was off because it was the middle of the week. “Oh.”

  On his bed, he faced me with the box in his hand.

  “What’s going on?’

  I shrugged. “I’m late.”

  “How late?” He was as nervous as I.

  “Like eleven hours,” I whispered.

  The corners of his mouth twitched upward. “Eleven hours? Are you that precise?”

  “Don’t laugh at me. I’m scared.”

  His arms were a fortress at that moment as he wrapped them around me. I felt safe and protected—like if I was pregnant he would still be beside me. “I’m sorry.”

  “Let’s just do this,” I said pushing him away.

  “Em. This would be my baby?”

  The anger that rushed through me made me dizzy and I stood up grabbing the box from his hands and darted for the door. He caught my arm, pulling me back and circled me from behind.

  “I hate…I can’t believe you said that,” I cried fighting him.

  “Emma. I’m sorry, I’m sorry. That was stupid and cruel and I’m sorry. Of course it would be. I just didn’t understand. You told me you were on the pill.”

  He cradled me in his arms when I stopped fighting. “I am.”

  “Did you miss a day?”

  I shook my head. “No. But Austin didn’t use a condom and…”

  Zach let my legs drop as air shot from his throat. He ran his hand through his hair and stepped away from me with a clenched jaw.

  “What?” I sobbed trying to read his expression, then it hit me what I’d said. I touched his cheek. “Zach. Austin told me about a girl who’d gotten pregnant on the pill and when they were together he didn’t use protection.”

  His face contorted into a scowl. “Did he tell you this to scare you?”

  He still didn’t understand. “No. He was telling me a story about him. But his story still made me think. Why am I late?”

  “Well, I can guaran-damn-tee you that Jaycee and I never had a discussion about sex or
protection, Emma! And I’m not sure eleven hours constitutes late.” He shook his head angrily. “But let’s take it to make you feel better.” He opened the box pulling out the leaflet and yanked me in to sit on his thigh. He held it in front of us and we both read silently. Early morning urine?

  “I went to the bathroom this morning. I didn’t know.”

  His hand gently stroked my back. “I think it’ll be fine. Let’s go to the bathroom.” He stood.

  “I’ll go to the bathroom,” I corrected.

  “Right.” He reluctantly sat as I grabbed the stick and walked out.

  I needed to pee, which was good, and it only took me a second. When I opened the door, he was there…standing…his shoulder resting against the doorframe. He didn’t seem worried at all. More amused. His long arms draped over my shoulders from behind and we watched the little window. I nuzzled my nose into his arm, the hair on his skin tickled my nose.

  “How long does this take?” I asked.

  “It said three minutes.” He kissed my neck.

  “What if?” I whispered.

  “Well I suppose I’d check on married housing.”

  I tilted my head back and glared at him. “Married at sixteen? No thanks.”

  “Emma. It’s not the way we’d plan things, but we’d do fine. I would probably go to college here for two years until you graduate then we’d go away.”

  That could never happen. I couldn’t do that to him. In fact, I could hear it now. ‘Poor Zach, that little Emma trapped him.’ Nausea swarmed over my body as the thoughts grew. “Would you consider not having it?” I asked softly and watched his face.

  His eyes narrowed and he shook his head. “I don’t know…This would be ours. Doing something like that is only if something’s wrong or if you can’t…” his words trailed off. “I don’t think so. Could you?”

  I worried that he’d judge me for considering it. “I don’t know.”

  He hugged me tightly and we stared at the vacant window.

  Chapter 34—Results

  A clear minus sign appeared in the window and he squeezed me.

  “Feel better?”

  I nodded then lay my head back against his chest smiling at him in the mirror. Pulling my hair to one side he kissed down my neck to the bottom of my throat. I watched him in the mirror as his hand moved under my shirt and caressed my stomach. My teeth pressed into my bottom lip and he nibbled on my ear lobe. One finger slipped just below my waistband and my knees buckled. He caught me and started laughing.

  “I wasn’t ready for that,” he chuckled.

  “Sorry.” I rotated my body to face him and leaned up for a kiss.

  He pecked the end of my nose and broke free. “Let’s clean this up,” he said wrapping the stick in toilet paper, and disappointing me.

  “You act like you’ve done this before,” I said as I saw him pick up and wrap the stick.

  His lips drew into a pucker. “No, Em. This is my first pregnancy test too.” He winked. “Hopefully my last for about ten years.”

  “Are you mad at me for worrying?”

  I held the box and he shoved the toilet paper covered stick inside it then touched my cheek. “I’m not mad at you. I understand your concern. I just wish you’d have told me. That’s two things you’ve gone through on your own. Why do you shut me out?”

  It’s not that I wouldn’t answer, I couldn’t. I didn’t know why. The thought of losing him scared me more than anything. “When I came home, we weren’t talking a lot…and I didn’t know if we were together or not and…”

  “And Paul…why did you want to keep that from me?”

  My shoulders rounded into a slump. “A few reasons I guess and I already explained it. I thought you’d hunt him down and hurt him.”

  “That’s not out of the realm of possibility.”

  I glared at him. “See that’s why. You could get hurt or if you did… anything…you’d get in trouble. I couldn’t handle that. Your mom would be so upset and that would hurt her. She doesn’t need that stress.” I frowned. “I worried that you wouldn’t want to touch me. That you’d think I was dirty. That I did something wrong. I didn’t do anything wrong. Well, I mean I wasn’t thinking…I thought that…”

  His fingers touched my lips. “Give me some credit. I’m a big boy. I can handle things. I would have helped or supported or whatever you needed through both. You have to trust me.”

  “I do.”

  “Then prove it to me,” he whispered.

  “I will. I promise.”

  I tried to block out the ongoing packing that was happening at our house and Zach’s; it reminded me of the inevitable. High school started in two weeks and college was three and a half. I dreaded both. My running times were getting better every day, and cross-country was the one thing I looked forward to.

  It was 1:10 and Ali and Ryan came through the front door.

  “OMG!” she squealed. “Where have you been?”

  I met her halfway between us and hugged her. “Here. Unpacking. It’s good to see you two together.”

  She eyed me skeptically. “Why?”

  Ryan scowled.

  “Oh. I don’t know. Zach and I didn’t survive so well.”

  “What?”

  “I think we’re OK. But we had some close calls.”

  “What happened?”

  I shook my head. “Another time. More privately.” I threw my head toward Ryan who rolled his eyes. They walked upstairs.

  Zach picked me up a little later and we drove to Medford in search of apartment stuff. Comforter. Towels. Soap. He was also to bring a toaster, glasses and silverware. All four boys divided things up so they’d have one of whatever they needed. Ryan picked up a microwave yesterday. We found everything on Zach’s list and a little after 3:00 headed back. We drove straight to his house to drop his stuff off. The boxes in his room made me sad. A framed picture of us was on top of one.

  “This going with you, I hope?”

  He nodded. “Don’t be sad.” he teased.

  I stuck out my bottom lip. “I can’t help it.” I sat on his bed and stared at him. “Why won’t you kiss me?”

  He grinned. “I’ve been waiting for that question.”

  “Every time I try, you won’t or if I ask…”

  He tucked my hair behind my ear. “It’s been intentional.” He smiled pulling me onto his lap.

  “Why?”

  “It’s been…our trademark. And, I know…” his grin widened. “That you enjoy our kissing. And since I was angry with you…I…”

  “You were punishing me?” My brows rose high on my forehead.

  “Not punishing exactly…more like withholding.” A low chuckle came from his throat.

  I tried to stand but he held me down. “Withholding, huh? Well, two can play at that game,” I pouted.

  His eyes rolled. “No, you can’t.”

  “Yes. I can.”

  I laughed out loud when he flipped me back onto his bed pinning my wrists down. “So you believe you can withhold from me?”

  I giggled. “I do.”

  He slowly lowered his body down on top of mine fighting a smile. I checked out my fingernails noticing a hangnail on my thumb. His lips were on my cheek and I tried desperately to ignore him. His fingers moved up and under my tank skimming over my stomach.

  “I like that picture of the Golden Gate. It is really beautiful,” I said acting completely uninterested.

  “Uh-huh.”

  His kisses brushed around my jaw and neared my mouth as his breath blew across my face. I closed my eyes so I didn’t have to see him and I bit my bottom lip. His body pressed against mine, and I struggled not to smile, rolling my lips inward. My ear suddenly was under attack by his mouth as he nibbled at the lobe.

  “There’s this new Mark Walberg movie out and I was thinking maybe you and I could…”

  “Emma,” he whispered. Along with his fluid body movements and low breaths, my lips parted trying to catch my own, which opene
d the door. His mouth was instantly on mine and I didn’t move as he worked over my lip, tasting it like a fancy dessert. My breaths grew harsher when his hand moved tenderly up my thigh. Though my mouth was still, my tongue found his for a second then retreated.

  A hoarse grumble echoed from his chest. He thought I was winning but I wasn’t…I was going down quickly. When his fingertips lightly grazed my panties, my throat arched and it was over. I surrendered cupping his head and forcing his lips to mine.

  He fought me and pulled back. “I win,” he whispered with a faint smile examining my face.

  “You play dirty. And, you’re gonna lose if you stop.”

  He reared back moving away from me and I grabbed him.

  “Zach!”

  His contagious laughter made me smile for a moment before his mouth found mine again. There was an excruciating gentleness behind his lips as they explored my mouth and the guttural moan that slid from my throat shattered the seductive illusion I was shooting for. I covered my face with my hands and he finished the kiss chuckling.

  “Why do I do that?”

  “I don’t know. But I wouldn’t change it for anything.”

  “It’s embarrassing.”

  “It drives me mad. Your…noises…make me want you. I don’t want to be irresponsible.”

  “Irresponsible?”

  His thumb rubbed over my bottom lip. “I want to do things to you that would not be the responsible thing to do.”

  I smiled. “Like what?” I asked teasing.

  “Like rip your clothes off.” He gripped his hand on both sides of my shirt like he was going to rip it and I didn’t stop him.

  “I wanna try being together again.” Blood rushed to my cheeks as the words came out.

  “Me too,” he said yanking me up. His actions contradicted his words. “But since my parents will be home in less than an hour, we’d better wait.”

  I snapped my fingers, frustrated.

  Back at my house, Ryan and Ali and Zach and I hung out on the deck and decided to grill out for dinner. The boys ran to the store while Ali and I threw some baked beans and macaroni salad together then fired up the grill. The guys came back with burgers and chicken.