by Xana Jordan
Noel’s hand around my shoulders moves up under my loose hair to strongly grasp the back of my neck while the other slides down to firmly grab my bottom. We remain this way for a few minutes longer until I break away from his kiss, my need for air slightly greater than my need to get lost in him.
Resting his head against mine, Noel slows his breathing as he rubs his thumb against the throbbing pulse in my neck. “I like waking up like that,” he says and places a lingering kiss on my mouth.
“Me, too,” I say breathily, not wanting the moment to be broken.
I can feel the bus begin to slow down, and Jason’s mom announces that we are almost at the stadium so everyone should start getting ready to unload the bus. Noel and I begin to get our things gathered and the blanket folded when I notice Louisiana State University in the distance.
Mr. Scott wants us to go ahead and have our band shirts and uniform pants on before we leave the bus, so everyone starts putting their uniform pants on over gym shorts. It’s the middle of September so at least the weather is still pleasant enough that we don’t have to worry about getting too hot or cold during the day. With our uniforms being a wool blend, the cooler weather is a nice break from the heat wave we had in August.
Mr. Scott leaves everyone to their own devices as we watch the other bands perform, but makes sure we understand we are to report back at the buses by eleven fifteen so we can get our instruments and get ready for our own show. The band members break up into several large groups and we make our way into the stadium to enjoy the entertainment.
There are several really good bands before us, and we are all anxious to get on the field and show them how it’s done. You can even see some of our percussion players drumming away on their legs as they practice their music. There is just something about band contests like these. Electricity and excitement fills the air and everyone can feel it. Somehow it feels magical and seems to make us more excited about going out there and showing the crowd and judges how good we are.
Tired of sitting in the stands any longer, our group and the one behind us decides to head back to the busses a little early and get ready for warm ups. When we get there, we see that we weren’t the only people wanting to get a head start. Half of the band is already there and decides to start practicing right where we are in the parking lot. When Mr. Scott is finally able to get everyone together, he leads us over to where we are scheduled to warm up before marching.
We perform our music and drills better than we have so far this season, and everyone is full of excitement when we reach the buses and equipment truck. The final scores are scheduled to be announced around four thirty, so we will be eating from the concession stands for lunch, and stopping somewhere nicer for dinner on the way home. I’m more than looking forward to the ride home with Noel.
This contest was very exciting. We received straight ones, the highest marks given, in all areas, and were awarded a six-foot trophy for Outstanding Overall Performance. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen our band director smile that much, but it really was an amazing award to earn. The Magnolia High School Marching Band, our friendly rival, didn’t score quite as high as we did. The fact that our football teams play each other next week makes this win particularly sweet. Friday night football just got a lot more interesting.
Mr. Scott takes us to a local shopping area that has several eating places to choose from and gives us two hours to eat and report back at the buses for the trip home. Several of us chose to eat at Chili’s since we had plenty of time and it was late enough that the restaurant wasn’t extremely busy. After eating hot dogs and cold pizza from the concession stands at the competition we were all ready for a hot meal.
It’s after nine o’clock before everyone is back on their bus and the drivers are ready to leave. Those of us in the back six seats decide to play a little game of Truth or Dare on the way home. I’m not sure what makes everyone get all crazy over that game every time we have an away game or contest. For some reason, it’s always the game of choice no matter where we go.
Xana is sitting on my lap, her back resting on the pillow that lays against the window and her legs are stretched out in front of her along the seat. Cade and Stacy are sitting behind us in the very back seat while Jason and Erika sit across from them. The other seats are occupied by various brass and percussion members. Most of the woodwinds usually ride the other buses since they consider us to be too loud to let them sleep. Suits me just fine, they mostly complain about everything anyway.
I hand the blanket to Xana so she can wrap up in it and stay warm since the driver has his little window open to let in some cool air. It also covers up the fact that I have one arm around her waist and the other up the front of her shirt. Her skin is so soft and warm, I can’t help but rub my hand over her flat stomach. Xana leans her head against mine and wiggles her bottom in my lap, making it nearly impossible to hide the effect it has on me.
Everyone had a good time playing the game despite its absurdity. Erika kissed Jennifer. Stacy flashed her bra to the car in the lane beside us, which then prompted Cade to do the same thing. I learned way too much about Taylor, Ashley and Trent who only chose truth. Xana only chose dare when it was someone she knew would know her limits, and Cade did both truth and dare at the same time. Erika kept trying to explain to him that wasn’t how the game was played, never realizing he was doing it on purpose to rile her up. Jason laughed so hard at them he was gasping for air at one point. We played the game for a while until some of the girls playing start getting sleepy.
Xana slides both of her arms around my shoulders and buries her face into my neck. “You always smell so good,” she murmurs before placing tiny kisses along my throat.
I run my fingertips along the swell of her breast, just above her lacy bra. She moans softly as I palm one breast and then the other before pushing her bra over them. Turning my head to capture her mouth with mine, I dance my tongue alongside hers, savoring the taste of her. I pull away from her face just enough to whisper, “You taste even better.”
The bus is completely dark as I move the hand on her waist under the hem of her shorts to squeeze her ass. Xana shifts her legs so that I have more room for my hand in her shorts, and runs her hand under my shirt and over my lower stomach. She crushes her mouth to mine and moans slightly when my fingertips run along her lace covered groin. I can feel the heat from her center and her panties soon become soaked through.
Xana buries her face back into the crook of my neck as I place open mouthed kisses along her jaw and down the side of her neck. She roughly grabs hold of my hair and pulls on my nipple. I rub her clit harder through her underwear and she presses down on my shoulder with her teeth. It drives me wild when she does that. I can feel her nails dig into my scalp as she rocks her hips in time with my hand. Her thighs hold my hand in place and her lips break away from mine.
Both of us are struggling to catch our breath, as I move my hand from her underwear and hold onto her hip. “I almost forgot where we were,” she tells me, draping her arms around my neck once again.
“I know. Sometimes you make me so crazy I forget, too. I love you,” I whisper in her ear and kiss her neck. Xana rests her head on my shoulder and I can feel her smiling against my throat.
“I love you, too, Handsome.” I hold her tightly in my arms and we fall asleep for the rest of the ride home.
ME: Goodnight, Sweetness.
SWEETNESS: Goodnight, Handsome. I miss you.
ME: Me, too. Sweet dreams, baby.
It’s been over a month since Blain kissed Xana. He seems to have backed off and Xana is more at peace with what happened. She still wants to be friends with him, but I’m not sure that’s such a great idea. We’ve had a few arguments about it, but she’s agreed to give it some more time. I can’t really blame her for wanting her friend back, but I’m a guy and I know that he can’t turn his feelings off that easily. I know I sure as hell couldn’t. I’d never be able to get over her if we broke up.
Xa
na and I are going to a Halloween costume party at Shawn’s house tonight. I’m supposed to pick her up in thirty minutes, but I’m having a hard time with my toga. We made a bet over the last football game score, and she won. How the hell she did that I’ll never know. She never seems to pay any attention to how the game is played so I figured I’d win the bet with no problems. Man, was I wrong. She almost had the exact score of the game. And that’s how she got me to wear a toga.
I end up having to ask Mom to help me get the toga to stay in place so I’m not late in picking Xan up. Mom can’t stop giggling the entire time she’s helping me. I can’t really blame her. I do look out of place wearing it, but if that’s what Xana wants me to wear, I’ll do it.
Xana is handing out candy to a few trick-or-treaters when I arrive at her house. She looks amazing in her Greek inspired dress. A crown of flowers sits on top of her head, and I can’t take my eyes off her. She truly looks like a Greek goddess.
I stand by my car and just watch her talking to the little kids dressed up as Ninja Turtles, Avengers, and storm troopers. Some of the older little boys tell her she looks beautiful, and she does. She simply smiles at them and gives them an extra piece of candy. I’ll have to remember that and see if it works for me.
Once she is finished handing out candy, she waves for me to come inside so I do. Placing the bowl on the entryway table, she calls out to her mother that we are leaving. Before we can even open the door to leave, her mom waltzes in and takes several pictures of us all dressed up together. I should have guessed she would do that, she always does.
“You look beautiful, baby,” I tell her as I open the car door for her. I kiss her cheek before letting her get into the car. She looks up from her seat and smiles widely at me.
“You’re not so bad, yourself. I feel like you should feed me grapes or something,” she giggles and I close her door. That can be arranged, I think to myself as I walk to my side of the car.
It’s almost eleven o’clock and Xana is about to drop. She and Stacy have danced for hours and are finally starting to slow down. I’m about to join her on the dance floor when I’m interrupted. “What do you want, Le, uhm...Mercedes,” I ask her while I pull my arm out of her grip and take a step away from her.
“I wanted to see if you would dance with me,” she says sweetly as she bats her eyelashes at me. “Pleeease, Noel? Xana’s dancing with Cade so I didn’t think she’d mind if you danced with me.”
“Well, you’re wrong. She does care and so do I. You haven’t forgotten she’s my girlfriend, so you should never ask me that. There are plenty of guys here for you to dance with.” I walk away without giving her time to argue with me. Xana apparently witnessed the whole scene and opens her arms as I reach her.
“Were you being accosted again, Handsome?” she asks as she wraps her arms around my waist. I love the feel of her bare, smooth back against my arms.
“Yeah, something like that. It must be how good I look in a toga that reels them in,” I laugh then quickly press my lips to hers. Xana throws her head backward and laughs at my comment.
“I’m sure that’s it, and not the fact that she’s just a boyfriend clinging troll,” she says in the most sarcastic voice I’ve ever heard her use. This makes me laugh harder.
She just shrugs her shoulders and says, “What? It’s true. I’m just stating the facts.”
“You’re really something, you know that?” I run the back of my hand along her cheek.
“It’s either make fun of her or kick her ass. These are new shoes so I chose the first option.” Xana smiles at me and I fall just a little harder for her.
Friday the football team is playing in Benton in a state championship playoff game. It’s already Wednesday and half of the school has been out sick with a major virus that is taking several days to fully recover from. Right now, we are hoping enough players will be well enough to play in the game. It’d be a real shame if they were unable to play their best since they’ve played so well this season.
The November weather has gotten cold again, and I’m so tired right now I can barely stay awake in English. Thank coconuts Andi, Jaxson, and Blain are in the same class so I can copy their notes. None of it is making sense right now. Half of the class has missed school already this week and still aren’t completely back to normal. The bell rings and I find that I have dozed off at some point during the lecture. I don’t have drool on my body or desk so, it’s possible the teacher hasn’t noticed I was asleep.
I’m relieved when the last bell of the day announces school is over. I stumble my way to my locker, and try to remember what books I’m going to need for homework. I’m staring into my locker, for what seems like the tenth time, when Cade and Noel walk over to me. Waking me up from my stupor, Cade nudges me with his hip as he walks over to Stacy’s locker, where she is, once again, arguing with Jaxson. How did I not notice that? Noel helps me to finish collecting the right books and closes the locker door for me. He grabs my book bag and puts it over his shoulder with his own bag.
“What’s wrong, Xan? You’re not acting like yourself.” Noel looks at me with concern as he tries to decipher what’s making me act so strangely.
“I’m just so tired. I don’t think I slept as well last night as I thought. I think I just need a nap,” I tell him as I lean into his chest, my hands falling to his hips.
“Okay. Let’s get you home so you can take a nap. Do you have everything you need?” I nod in return, and Noel takes my hand in his. Cade and Stacy have joined us by this time, and we all head out to the parking lot.
Noel wakes me up once we pulled into my driveway, he said I fell asleep right after we exited the parking lot. If I had to ride the bus today, I probably would have missed my stop because I would have fallen asleep as soon as I sat down. I have never been so thankful that Noel insists on driving me to and from school.
“Go get some rest and call me before you go to sleep,” Noel tells me as he carries my bag to the door for me.
“I’ll be fine. I’m sure it’s just from lack of sleep this week.” Noel moves a stray curl from my face and tucks it behind my ear.
“You’re probably right, but call me anyway. Bye, Sweetness.” He kisses my forehead like always and waits at his car until I am safely inside my house before driving away.
Thursday starts out better than Wednesday, but by fifth hour, my throat is killing me and I just want to sleep. Stacy started throwing up after lunch and Cade told me she went home, another victim of that awful virus.
I fall asleep on the drive home, again, and Noel is tempted to turn around and take me by the doctor’s office where my mother works so she can check me over. It took a lot of convincing, but he finally agreed to leave me at home. I didn’t have much homework to finish, so I decided to do it first to get it out of the way and go to bed early. Eating dinner and taking a shower did help me feel a little more human, but my mom noticed I wasn’t feeling well and did a little exam of her own. She thinks I may have strep throat and insists on taking me to get checked out first thing in the morning. Since the band is leaving for the playoff game after lunch, I guess that means I’ll miss the game. Who knows what the doctor will say, or when I will get out of his office.
Before turning off my lamp and going to sleep, I text Noel.
ME: Hey, Handsome.
HANDSOME: Hey, Sweetness. How are you feeling?
ME: A little better. Going to bed now. You?
HANDSOME: Finishing up a History assignment.
ME: I did mine when I got home so I could go to sleep earlier.
HANDSOME: That’s good. I worked out with Cade.
ME: Mom thinks I have strep throat. Taking me to doctor in am. No need to pick me up.
HANDSOME: I guess that means no game for you, huh?
ME: Probably not, miss too much in the morning. I miss you.
HANDSOME: Miss you, too.
ME: Goodnight, Handsome.
HANDSOME: Always.
Dad took mom to wo
rk this morning so I could use her car to go to my appointment at nine thirty. Depending on what the doctor says, she’ll either bring me home or take me to school and keep her car. It felt really good to sleep a little later. I was exhausted, and the sleep has helped me to feel more functional than I am. Hopefully, the doctor will tell me I just have a cold or something and give me something to get rid of it.
After the doctor told me I did indeed have strep throat, Mom took me for a little lunch and picked up my prescriptions before she dropped me off at home. By this time, I could feel the shot beginning to kick in and I headed straight for my bed. Before climbing into bed, I send Noel a text to let him know what the doctor told me. The band will have already left school by now, but at least he can still check his phone. Part of me is sad about missing the game today, but the other part doesn’t have it in me to care about it at the moment. I just want sleep.
Blain stops by after school to bring me my textbooks and some homework Andi and Jaxson had gathered up for me. He knows me too well. I can’t stand missing school, especially when I am at home, unable to do anything. I am sad that Noel couldn’t bring them, but we talk for a little bit on the phone, until it was time for the band buses to leave. I fall asleep to Noel’s voice in my dreams.
This state championship playoff game has kept everyone on their toes. All of the players showed up for school this morning, sick or not, just to be eligible to play today. Watching them from the stands, it’s obvious that not all of them feel all that great, but are playing with everything they have. It’s been a really great game; great, but close.
