by Mj Fields
Tessa smiled. ���Pretty much the same.���
* * *
The boys walked into the church with Tessa���s father. Tommy wondered where Jade was. They sat in the third pew on the left, next to Tessa���s mom and younger brother and sister. Becca and her family sat behind them. The chorus walked in, and Lucas smiled when he saw Tessa in her long green robe.
The Pastor asked for announcements, and John announced Tessa���s eighteenth birthday. She blushed and looked at Jade who sat next to her. The sermon was on adultery. This is lovely Tessa thought, Lucas and Tommy won���t ever want to come again.
Tessa, Jade, and three others stood and walked to the front of the church. Becca sat at the piano. Tessa squeezed Jades hand sensing her anxiety. When Becca began to play Jade squeezed Tessa���s hand harder.
Tessa wasn���t nervous. The song, Blessed Be Your Name, was the same one she���d sung alone as a child at vacation bible school in Cape Cod while she stayed with her aunt. It began with Tessa���s solo, then the chorus joined in. Jade���s solo was next. She sang softly and sweetly, and Tessa smiled at her as they sang the bridge together, then squeezed her hand when she was finished. When the song ended, Tommy stood up whistling and cheering. Jade���s face turned red as she grinned at him.
When church ended, Tommy and Lucas stood in the fellowship room with the congregation. ���Hey pretty girl,��� Tommy said, when Jade came up to them. ���You sang beautifully.��� He kissed her cheek.
���Where���s Tessa?��� Lucas asked, looking around.
���Right over there,��� Jade said.
Lucas followed her gaze to the corner of the room where Tessa stood talking to an attractive man who seemed to be in his twenties. Lucas watched as they laughed and chatted. When the man hugged Tess, Lucas narrowed his eyes and walked toward them.
Lucas touched Tessa���s back and smiled, staring intensely into the stranger���s eyes. ���Hi, I���m Lucas, Tessa���s boyfriend.���
The guy took his hand. ���Nice to meet you Lucas. Tessa you never told me you had a boyfriend.��� He looked at her. ���See you soon.��� He gave Tessa a hug and then smiled at Lucas.. ���Nice meeting you Lucas.���
When he left, Tessa turned to Lucas. ���Hi.���
���Hi, good job singing.��� He was clearly annoyed.
What just happened? ���Thanks, I guess.���
���What? Why are you acting like that? I came here to be with you and you���re hugging some guy right in front of me. That���s not how I want my girlfriend to act.��� He took her hand and pulled her through the crowd.
She pulled away and glared at him, then walked to Tommy and Jade.
���What were you and Pastor Zach talking about?��� Jade asked Tessa.
Lucas���s eyes widened as Tessa answered her. ���He asked if I would sing at his wedding next fall. Apparently, he proposed Friday night.���
���Awesome, she must be so happy,��� Jade said.
Tessa wouldn���t look at Lucas. She avoided him completely. Her parents and siblings said they would meet her at home in thirty minutes.
���Tessa, you sang beautifully,��� her Mom smiled.
The boys followed Tessa and Jade as they went downstairs to hang their robes.
���Want to see the eleventh and twelfth grade classrooms? They���re pretty cool,��� Jade said to the boys.
���I���m going to the bathroom. I���ll be right in.��� When she came out of the restroom Lucas was waiting. ���Tessa, I���m sorry I acted like that. I just can���t stand to see another guy touch you.���
���First of all, you don���t know me, and I certainly don���t know you enough to do this��� this ��� thing.��� She stuttered. ���My family is falling apart. With that, school, hockey, choir, church, and trying to keep things normal for my little brother and sister, Lucas I���m not ready for this, not now.��� She continued as a tear fell down her cheek.
Lucas wiped it away and hugged her. She didn���t fight him. ���Don���t be sad, Tessa. You weren���t sad last night. I am sorry about what just happened. I was being stupid, but this thing, as you call it, Tessa, can be the distraction you need. I���ve been through the family nonsense. Let me help you, I want to help you. I���m sorry. Please say you���ll forgive me?��� he asked, searching her sad crystal blue eyes.
���Just don���t get angry at me,��� she said. ���Ask me questions/ I���ve never done this; I���ve never been anyone���s girlfriend, but I can tell you I���m nothing if not trustworthy and honest.���
Lucas kissed her hard. She gasped, and as his tongue entered her mouth, she fell back into his arms. She grabbed his face and her tongue met his.
���Tessa!���
Tessa and Lucas jumped away from each other as Jade came into the hallway.
Tessa turned to Lucas, ���That can���t happen again here, okay?���
���If you say so.��� He winked.
* * *
Tessa looked at her mother. ���It���s beautiful. Thanks Mom.���
���We helped, too,��� Jake yelled.
���Well, thank you too. Do you think it tastes as good as it looks?��� Tessa grinned at him.
They ate cake and ice cream, and then it was time for presents. Her parents gave her a new hockey stick, one that she had admired at the sporting goods store with her mother while they were school clothes shopping, along with money. Her brothers and sister gave her new cleats and beautiful family portraits they had made. She hugged them and thanked them.
���Tessa, I would like you come stay with me one day this week? Is that doable?��� Maggie asked.
���I guess so. I have a game Tuesday. Maybe after that.���
Her mother left at eight o���clock and Tessa helped to get the kids ready for the week. She tucked them in and went downstairs, then grabbed her phone from the counter and looked at her messages.
- you did great today, I think I will be playing piano at the wedding, we���ll have to practice, see you tomorrow���Becca
- You were very naughty at church today :) how was dinner?...Jade
Lucas had sent several texts.
- hope we are ok; sorry for being an ass, just don���t want anyone else touching you���Lucas
- how was dinner, everything ok?..Lucas
- You sang beautifully today���Lucas
- I think I miss you���Lucas
- Tessa are you mad at me?...Lucas
- alright, I guess you���re busy, see you tomorrow��� Lucas
She smiled as she texted back
- Things are good, Mom left an hour ago had to get the kids set for tomorrow, left my phone home, see you tomorrow���Tessa
She received an immediate reply,
- sleep well���take that bear with you so you���ll think of me when you fall asleep and not all the other stuff���Lucas
- will do…Tessa
CHAPTER FIVE
Tessa and Jade were standing at their lockers talking, the boys walked down the hall staring in their direction. Lucas had on faded jeans that hung on his hips and a black polo shirt. Tommy was in long khaki cargo shorts and a white tee. Tessa looked around to see who was watching them; everyone was. Their smirks and gazes gave them away. ���Check out the girls,��� Tessa whispered to Jade. ���It���s like the guys are fresh meat or something.���
Jade laughed, but Tessa was annoyed. She grabbed her books for first period and was about to walk away when someone grabbed her from behind.
>
���Good morning, Tessa,��� Lucas said, turning her toward him. He took her hand. ���Can I walk you to class?���
Tessa smiled. ���Do you get this reaction often?��� she asked, looking down the hall.
He looked and laughed. ���Tessa, you���re dating the quarterback. You���ll have to get used to it. Let them look, only you can touch.��� He kissed her hand. ���Want to see them squirm?���
She didn���t have a chance to respond before his hands were on her face, his lips on hers. He slipped his gum in her mouth with his tongue and gently pulled away, staring in her eyes.
���Check them out now,��� he whispered in her ear.
He grabbed her books and then her hand, and they walked through the gawking crowd of Lucas groupies. She no longer cared that they all looked. He was hers. He had said so.
She laughed. ���You left something in my mouth.���
���Tessa don���t say that.��� He smirked and Tessa was confused.
She looked behind her at Jade and Tommy. Jade seemed so happy, finally.
Tommy took Jade���s hand. ���Good morning, pretty girl.���
She hugged him. ���Good morning.���
He took her books and they held hands walking down the hall.
At lunch the boys joined them and everyone stared. Tessa was embarrassed at first, but seemed to be getting used to it.
After practices she hung out with Lucas ant their friends for a bit and then the boys gave them a ride to Tessa���s house.
* * *
On Wednesday, Tessa went to her mother���s after practice. She walked into the small two bedroom apartment and looked around, wondering how her mother could choose to live like this. What the hell had happened to her? She and her mom had French onion soup and a large salad for dinner. They ate quietly without conversation.
���Tessa, do you like that boy?��� her mother asked, breaking the uncomfortable silence.
���Lucas is my boyfriend, Mom,��� she said blandly.
���He���s cute, Tessa,��� Maggie said. ���Just please remember what you were taught.���
���I got it, Mom. I���ll try to remember that none of it means anything, because after twenty years it won���t matter anymore.���
���Tessa, you don���t know what I���ve lived for those years. I don���t expect you to be happy about it. I do, however, expect you to be respectful of me and respectful of yourself always.���
Tessa excused herself and went into the spare bedroom to do her homework. She was working on her English essay when Lucas sent her a text message.
- how���s it going baby?...Lucas
- Baby huh? Lol. As good as could be expected���bored:)���Tessa
- yes baby, my baby;) Sorry to hear that. Sneak out I���ll come get you���Lucas
- don���t you have homework? I do ��� lots of it. I will suffer through���Tessa
- All done���want me to come over and do it for you?...Lucas
- I would love that however she would not���she asked me about you today���told her that boy was my boyfriend���.Tessa
- How did she take it?!?!?....Lucas
- as well as could be expected, she���ll get used to it, got to go���babe, see you in the morning���Tessa
- can I pick you up, it���s on my way?���Lucas
- Alright, she leaves at 7:10���Tessa
* * *
Lucas was at the door at 7:12. ���Punctual,��� Tessa said. ���Please excuse the place.���
���I���ve seen worse. So we have about thirty minutes before we have to leave. What do you want to do?��� Lucas asked.
���I don���t know,��� she said as her eyes widened and she looked away.
���Baby, look at me. You never have to be nervous around me.��� She looked at him. ���That���s better. Now, what do you want to do?���
���Kiss you, because it feels good, but there has to be more than that, Lucas. I want to know you and your heart, too,��� No way did that just come out of my mouth.
���Look at me baby.��� He said lifting her chin. ���I have an idea; you ask me a question and then I get to kiss you after I answer. It���s a win, win.���
���I don���t know about that.��� She bit her tongue trying to remove the cheesy ass grin on her face.
���Aw, I see you want to, Tessa. it���s written all over that gorgeous face,��� he said, smiling.
His eyes were sparkling. He looked so cute. ���Okay, but we can���t be late for school,��� she said.
He laughed. ���You couldn���t lie if you wanted to. Sit knee to knee, right here.���
They sat on the floor.
���Ask away,��� Lucas said.
���Parents divorced or married?���
���Divorced, since I was three. Now my turn.��� He leaned forward and kissed her on the mouth.
���Who do you live with?��� Tessa asked when he pulled away.
���My mom. My father lives in New Jersey. We see each other a few times a year. My turn again.��� This time she leaned forward and kissed him lightly on the mouth. She started to move back but he stopped her. ���If that���s all I get, we can move to yes or no questions.��� He kissed, gently biting her lip
She sat back. ���So the deeper the question the longer the kiss, huh? Okay let���s see… parents remarried or not? Siblings or no siblings?���
He laughed. ���You���re tough, Tessa. After I answer this one you may want to take a deep breath. My parents divorced because they both had affairs. My mother remarried first, to someone younger. They lasted three years. She���s a drunk. My father has remarried three times. The girls get younger every time ��� well, the soon- to- be- ex is older. He has two kids with wife number four, both girls, one is two, the other three. I see him on occasion and feel like an outsider. He owns a construction company and several properties. He likes to buy my love, which at this point I���m okay with.���
Tessa took his face and kissed him. Her tongue moved into his mouth. She kissed him harder, tasting him. Her tongue pressed against his. He groaned, and she kissed his face and his neck. She moved up to his ear and tugged on his lobe with her teeth.
���Tessa, you need to stop.��� His voice was gruff.
She looked embarrassed. ���I���m sorry.���
���Don���t be sorry, I love how curious you are. But it makes me want to do things to you,��� he said, closing his eyes.
���You want to do things to me?��� she asked seriously
���God yes, Tessa. You turn me on just by looking at me,��� he said, grabbing her by the waist and sitting her on his lap. He kissed the back of her head and down her neck. He bit at her ear.
Oh, she thought, that was nice. She turned her head back facing him, and he kissed her hard on the mouth. She grabbed his face and crashed her mouth into his. She began kissing him harder.
He lifted her and sat her on the floor. ���Wow, Tessa what was that?���
���Is that a question?��� she asked him, smiling and biting her lip.
���Tessa, you���re playing with fire. I am on fire right now.���
���Shall I be the fireman?��� She raised her eyebrows.
���Holy fuck, Tessa, I thought you were a virgin and you���re talking to me like that?���
���I���m sorry, Lucas. I didn���t mean���wow, no ��� – that���s not what I meant. Oh
my God, I was just trying���I���m sorry.��� She stood and ran to the bathroom and shut the door.
He tried to open the door, but she had locked it. ���Damn it, Tessa. I���m sorry. I didn���t mean to. Tessa, please open the door. Look, I wasn���t trying to upset you. I apologize baby��� please open the door.���
She walked out, cleared her throat. ���Will you please take me to school? I don���t want to be late.���
He grabbed her face. ���I said I was sorry. I just thought because you���d never been kissed, you were a virgin, and then you started talking about role playing. I thought you wanted to take this slow. I���m sorry.���
���I am a virgin, you asshole. You were my first kiss. But I haven���t been living under a rock for 18 years. I���m a virgin, not an idiot,��� she snapped,. He laughed, and she pulled away from him. ���If you are not going to take me to school, then you should leave now.���
���Tessa, I���ve never met anyone like you. And when you���re sitting on my lap and kissing me, well, your kisses do things to me. I want you, but I was trying to respect you and not, well��� you know. Damn Tessa, you confuse me,��� he said, searching her face.
She looked up at him and whispered. ���Can we go, please? We���ll be late.���
���No,��� he said, grabbing her shoulders. ���Not until I know we���re okay.���
���We will be. I���m just embarrassed.��� She put her hands on his waist and looked down.
He pulled her into him, hugging and kissing her tenderly. ���I���m sorry Tessa.���
���Me, too,��� she said.
He kissed her again, took her hand and walked out the door.
���Was this from your father?��� Tessa asked when they got into Lucas���s car.
���Yep, for my seventeenth birthday,��� he answered as he pulled onto the street.
