“Hey,” she said softly, smiling at me. I mirrored her.
* * * *
I couldn’t tell you what we all talked about for the next couple of hours. Between the beers and shots, I was losing focus. What I did notice, though, was how we had been inching closer and closer to each other as the night passed. Our knees would brush against each other’s. She used any excuse to jokingly slap my arm. I would purposely say something foolish and cocky, so that she had the excuse do this. I met her halfway. I was still taking it slow on my end because I felt guilty about how I let things end and I didn’t want to push anything on her.
To be honest, with the way that I’d ended things, I didn’t deserve to be talking to her. Or to be sitting at the same table as her even. But that was the thing about her—she was so sweet and understanding that it was incomprehensible. It was what made me fall for her, and also what made me leave her.
Suddenly, I felt something that gave me butterflies. I looked down at the table and noticed that her pinky was over mine. When I looked into her face, she was in conversation with one of our friends. To be honest, I’m not sure which friend. I couldn’t pay attention to anything other than her hand.
I thought maybe it was a mistake. It had to have been. But still, I kept my hand in place, relishing in the moment. I hoped that she wouldn’t realize it and move her hand away from me.
She didn’t. She started stroking her pinky against mine, before interlocking them. It was such a small gesture, but such a huge one at the same time.
“Okay, guys, it’s time to get out of here. It’s two o’clock,” Ber said and it made my heart sink. I wasn’t ready to leave this little bubble that I was in. What if I had to wait ten more years to see Veronica again?
“So, where are you staying while you’re in town, hot shot? Marriott? Hilton?” Her voice was so smooth, even when she was mocking me.
“Chateau De Bertha, actually. It was very difficult to land a reservation, but I had my assistant pull some strings,” I said as snootily as I could and I was rewarded with a nudge.
“Well, how long are you in town?”
“V, why don’t you come over tonight…Well, this morning now?” Bertha cut me off before I could reply and I loved her for it. She was an angel.
“I don’t know, I don’t want to impose.” There she was, being so polite and proper again.”
“Oh my God, shut up. Come on. We have a taxi outside waiting.”
* * * *
After getting lost from drunk Bertha’s directions, we finally arrived at her townhouse. It was cute, but I had to make fun of her for the white picket fence. The house itself was a pale blue, she had flower pots on the porch, and a Welcome mat. It was very cliché, but I loved it. My home in New Mexico was adobe, had a rod iron fence, and dirt instead of plush grass.
The inside of her house did not match the outside at all. She had classic movie posters framed on the walls, a projector, multiple gaming consoles set up in the living room, a wine wall… wall, not rack. It was a small home, but it was perfect for her. It fit her personality perfectly.
She invited us to play some classic Sega games with her, which I eagerly agreed to. She and I used to get competitive when it came to Sega. I normally won back then, but I hadn’t played in years.
I was losing, terribly, but Veronica was cheering me on from the beanbag chair beside me. Bertha was laughing maniacally as she beat me repeatedly. In our final round, I noticed her character was doing nothing.
“Are you just letting me win? Where is the honor in that?” I asked her but got no reply. I looked over to see her fast asleep with her mouth wide open. Veronica and I laughed and I got up to turn the console off.
As I made my way back to my spot on the carpet, I noticed her staring at me, expressionless.
“What?” I asked cautiously as I sat down.
“I didn’t realize how much I’ve missed you,” she simply stated. She was still staring and I felt like I should have been nervous or uncomfortable, but I wasn’t.
“Me too.”
We sat there, staring at each other in a comfortable silence. I don’t know who moved first, but soon she was in my lap, like we were teenagers again.
“Is this okay?” she whispered and I nodded, wrapping my arms around her waist. I looked between her beautiful blue eyes down to her lips and suddenly, she closed the gap.
* * * *
Waking up the next day, my first thought was wondering if it had been a dream. I stretched and let out a yawn. I needed to brush my teeth as soon as possible before I threw up from the alcohol on my breath. I started to get up but was weighed down. It was her. It wasn’t a dream.
She stirred a bit before waking up and sleepily smiling at me.
“Hey,” she said softly.
“Hey,” I replied and took her in. Her curly hair was tousled, lipstick smeared from us kissing all night, and I grinned when I saw that she was still wrapped up in my jacket.
“About last night…” She trailed off and sounded apologetic.
“What about it? It was amazing,” My words visibly comforted her and she leaned into me more. I loved the weight of her against me. I slid my arm around her and started drawing lazy circles on her back.
“I used to love it when you tickled my back,” she said dreamily.
“Did? You don’t anymore? Ouch,” I pretended to be offended and moved my hand away from her.
“No, no, no. I still do. Don’t stop,” she whined and I gave in instantly, smiling to myself.
“So…what are you doing today?” She tried acting casual, but I knew she was up to something.
“Whatever you’re doing today?” I asked, hoping she would agree.
“Yeah?” She questioned and then repeated herself, this time making a statement. “Yeah.” She giggled for a moment, then leaned up on my chest. “One more question.”
“Uh huh?” She was giving me butterflies again. I hadn’t had butterflies in years.
“Can I… can I kiss you again maybe?” She was holding her breath, waiting on my response.
“You don’t have to ask.” I smiled before pulling her in for a gentle kiss.
“Whoa!” I heard Bertha’s voice and pulled away, startled. Veronica jumped away from me. I wondered if it was out of embarrassment, sheer shock, or her questioning our decision to rekindle things.
My old best friend entered the room and she looked rough. She was in a robe and what looked like nothing. Her hair was pulled up in a sloppy ponytail. Her face was pale. Her eyes were red.
“Dude, I am so hungover. Oh my God.” She plopped down on her couch and flipped on the television. She was too occupied by her misery to even look at us. In fact, her eyes stayed closed the entire time she was talking. Veronica leaned into me a little more. She seemed a bit more comfortable. I chalked up her earlier reaction to shock.
“Do you guys want to go to breakfast? Lunch. Brunch. Whatever the fuck it is.” Her voice was gravelly.
“Ooh, that sounds fun! Wanna?” the brunette excitedly asked. She was so cute that I would have said ‘yes’ to anything she asked.
* * * *
When we arrived at Red’s, the small hamburger joint we’d gone to almost daily as kids, I realized my stomach was growling. I was dying to get a couple of greasy sliders and cheese fries.
The restaurant hadn’t changed a bit since I’d last seen it. It had off-white walls, old Hard Rock café signs, four stools at the counter, and four small tables. We sat in the corner and put our orders in. Collectively, we got ten cheeseburgers, two cheese fries, an order of onion rings, three milk shakes, and three sodas. The waitress looked at us like we were crazy, but I think Bertha’s sunglasses should have been a dead giveaway that we were extremely hung over.
“Oh my God, this food is the shit,” my friend said overdramatically, ketchup dribbling down her chin.
“I know, I haven’t had this in ages,” Veronica replied and I nodded in agreement.
I felt her f
oot nudging me under the table. It seemed this was her signature move nowadays. We shared a smile.
“What’s up with you weirdos?” Bertha asked, casually, but she was eyeing us.
“What do you mean?” I tried to say as nonchalantly as possible.
“You’re just—”
“We kissed last night,” Veronica blurted out, covering her mouth immediately. She turned to face me. “I’m so sorry.”
“It’s okay.” I laughed at her innocent outburst.
“Well…That’s good for you two then,” our friend responded, sounding like more of a question than a statement. “Anyways, can you pass the salt please?”
I slid the salt over to her and a smile spread across my face when I felt Veronica’s hand on my knee.
“So, are you going to just bang all weekend or are you guys serious? Are you staying in Indiana longer? Are you moving to New Mexico?” Bertha grilled us both, looking between each of us.
“I don’t know.”
“Those are all very good questions,” we both answered at the same time.
“Yeah, that’s probably too much right now. I’m sorry. Hungover. Word vomit.” She ended her sentence by shoving another bite of hamburger into her mouth. The rest of our meal was in silence.
What were we doing?
* * * *
“Okay, open your eyes!” she said enthusiastically. She had me promise not to open my eyes on the car ride. She still had the same Mustang that she had in high school. Her grandfather had worked at a Ford dealership his whole life.
I opened my eyes and looked around, trying to find my surprise.
“Umm, V…”
“This is it!” She looked at me expectedly. “Where we first kissed, stupid,” she said and jokingly shoved me.
Now it made sense why we were underneath the bleachers at the high school. It was empty, quiet, and dark aside from the stars and moon’s light.
“Oh yeah. You mauled me like a tiger that night.” I gave her a little wink and she laughed.
“Oh shut up.” She kissed me hard, pushing me against the cold steel once again, in the exact same place as our first time. She pulled away from my lips, much to my dismay, but her next words almost made my legs buckle. “Do you want to get mauled again?” She smirked and I didn’t even have to respond—she knew my answer.
Her hands went under my shirt and she dragged her fingernails against my skin. It made me jump a little. Her hands were cold, but I didn’t mind at all. I tangled my fingers in her hair and pulled her into me. She pushed her tongue into my mouth and I moaned. She tasted like the hot chocolate we had made at her house earlier that day.
“Is this okay?” She asked against my lips as she started undoing my belt. I nodded and hungrily kissed her again. She unbuttoned my pants and undid my zipper, slowly. So slowly that it was almost painful. I let out a grunt and I could feel her smile. Her teeth grazed my bottom lip.
“Is…this okay?” I almost died. She slid her hand into my underwear and I was already wet for her. I would have been embarrassed, if I wasn’t under her spell. I had no shame.
She kissed her way from mouth to my neck, alternating between soft kisses and little nibbles. Whenever she found her way to my ear, she whispered into it.
“Is…” She started making little circles with her fingertips and I could barely concentrate on what she was saying. “This…okay?”
I nodded, very quickly.
“Say it. Tell me if it’s okay,” she teased me, using more force now.
“Yes,” I barely managed to get out.
“Huh uh. Say it.” She licked my ear.
“It feels good. It’s fucking amazing, V,” I gasped as she rewarded me by sliding two fingers inside of me. Between that and her hot breath against my ear, I didn’t know how long I would last. I slid my hands under her shirt and bra. It was her turn to gasp.
“Oh my God, you’re so fucking wet, Elizabeth,” she groaned and started pushing deeper inside of me. It drove me crazy whenever she called me by my full name. I started teasing her nipples. That always drove her crazy.
“Veronica…fuck…” I couldn’t form sentences at this point. She had me on the verge of exploding already.
“Baby, cum for me. I want to taste you.” She picked up her pace and was now sucking on my neck. I obeyed her command, hoping that my legs wouldn’t give out. They shook and I clung to her body. I tightened around her fingers and moaned a little too loudly. I was glad that no one was around.
She slowly took her fingers out of me. We were both panting, but that didn’t stop her from taking her two fingers into her mouth and licking them clean. I immediately kissed her, tasting myself on her lips. God, she was so sexy.
I picked her up and she put her legs around my waist. I turned around so that she was now against the bleachers. I sucked on her neck—I wanted to mark her as mine. She was mine. And I was hers. She moaned as I grinded against her. My hands were gripping her waist so hard that I thought for a second that I might leave bruises.
“Kiss me.” She grabbed my face and smashed our lips together. We were a clash of tongues, teeth, and lips. It felt so primal.
I couldn’t take it anymore. I carried her over to the metal bleachers and laid her down on them. They were cold, but neither of us seemed too concerned about that. I lifted her shirt up and kissed and bite on her stomach and I undid her pants. She lifted her legs up so that I could pull her jeans down, not all the way, but just enough for me to kiss down to her underwear before pulling them down as well.
Her hands were on the back of my hand, gently pushing me down. I smiled against her skin and obliged her silent request. From the first lick and her first gasp, I couldn’t help but devour her. She tasted better than I remembered. She was pulling at my hair. I had to use one of my hands to hold her hips down. They were bucking up against me.
My other hand went between our bodies and I slowly teased her with one of my fingers.
“Oh my God, do it,” she begged and I teased her more. While I was tracing circles with my tongue, I slowly started pushing that finger inside of her. Her moans were the most amazing sound I had ever heard.
“Fuck me. Hard, Elizabeth!” I started moving inside of her faster. And as good as she tasted, I needed to kiss her. I made my way back up to her lips and kissed her hard. Her breath was shaky as I moved in and out of her faster and deeper. Her fingernails dug into my shoulders and back. I knew she was going to leave marks, and I was glad.
“I’m so close,” she groaned. I could tell that she was close. She gripped me harder and I could feel her starting to shake against my body. I wondered if I still knew the trick I used to do to make her get off immediately. “Fuck, fuck, fuck,” she squealed and dug her nails deeply into me.
Yeah, I still knew the trick.
* * * *
“So, that was…” Veronica trailed off and laughed. She couldn’t find the words.
“Amazing?” I finished for her.
“Yeah. It really was,” I could sense the grin on her face.
We were lying in the corner of the football field. She had brought a little blanket for us, which we were huddled underneath. It was still chilly, but I didn’t mind at all. I wondered why I was such a jerk when I was younger. If I was her, I would have never even given me the time of day again. But she wasn’t me, thank God.
“Hey…” I softly spoke.
“Hmm?” She was playing with my fingers and drawing circles on my palm.
“I’m really sorry for how I acted back then.”
“Hey, it’s okay. I mean it’s not okay. But you aren’t that teenaged jerk anymore.” She nuzzled into my neck. “At least I hope not.” She nudged me a little, causing me to smile.
“Definitely not.” I smiled widely and kissed the top of her head. “I didn’t realize how much I’ve missed you.”
“Can I tell you something?”
“Of course.”
“I…Ugh, I don’t know. Never mind.” She move
d away from me ever so slightly.
“Hey, no. Tell me,” I said and grabbed her and pulled her in close to me.
“All right,” she started, but still seemed hesitant. “I’ve missed you every day since you left.”
This was a shock. We hadn’t had contact in ten years. No Facebook messages, no Instagram ‘likes,’ no calls or texts. I had thought of her, yes, but she had missed me? All these years?
“I know it sounds crazy. I’m sorry. I hope this doesn’t make you freak out. It’s really no big—”
“Shhh,” I cut her ramble off. “It’s not crazy. I just don’t know what to say.”
“It’s stupid, isn’t it?” she spoke gently. She seemed afraid of my words. And thinking back to the day I left her, I understood why.
“It isn’t stupid. I just…I was such an asshole to you. Why be hung up on me if you could have been dating tons of other, nice people?”
“I dated,” she started and I felt a tinge of jealousy. “But every date I went on, I imagined it being with you. Every kiss, I wanted it to be you.”
She stayed still. I think she was holding her breath. I tickled her back and she seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.
“I don’t know, I always held out this storybook hope that one day, we would get back together. Things would just pick up where it left off. Like some Taylor Swift fairytale.” She chuckled.
“Well, I don’t know. Things seem to be pretty okay, huh?”
“Yeah, for now. But you’re leaving again.” She sounded so sad. And she was right. I had to get back home. This little bubble we were living in was going to be popped soon.
“Yeah, I know…” I trailed off. I wasn’t ready for this to end. “You know what?”
“Hmm?” She propped herself up on her elbow and looked at me. My God, she was beautiful. Inside and out.
“Fuck it.” I faced her. This was crazy. “Move to New Mexico with me.”
“What?!” Her eyes widened. “Are you serious?”
“Yeah, hear me out. I could get you a job doing photography at the newspaper. And even if you don’t want to work at the paper, there are tons of jobs for photographers—”
High School Reunion Page 3
