by Anna B. Doe
Ace is still standing next to me, his tail wiggling happily.
“I hope it’s okay for him to be in the house.” Derek scratches the back of his head. “He wouldn’t let me leave without him.”
My hand brushes behind Ace’s ear. “It’s fine. He probably has better manners then Lola.”
Our fingers brush against one another, and I can feel static electricity run between us. I move my hand quickly, burned by the touch of his warm hand.
“W-when did you get him?” I stutter, changing to the safer subject and increasing the distance between us.
“A while ago. I was going home from the practice when I found him abandoned in the park. He was in pretty bad shape, but he’s better now.”
“Poor thing.”
I’ve never understood how people can be mean to animals. They are so small and defenseless. It’s like trying to hurt a baby.
“You want to drink something?” I offer, standing at the doorway. “We have…”
“I’m fine,” he interrupts me. “Why are you standing there? I don’t bite.”
A nervous giggle escapes me. I enter the room and go sit in my dad’s armchair. It’s close enough to the sofa that I’m not being rude, but also a safe distance away from the couch.
He chuckles like he can read my mind, he but doesn’t comment. “So what were you doing before I came?”
I let Lola, who is still in my arms, go because she’s getting skittish again. Without even looking at me, she jumps off the armchair and goes to stand in front of Derek. She looks up at him with her big round eyes, expecting him to pick her up, but when he doesn’t, she jumps there herself, getting cozy in his lap. Ace, on the other hand, comes closer, and curls on the rug between the couch and the armchair.
Derek looks down at Lola disbelievingly. “Your dog sure is cozy.”
“She likes you.” I shrug. “If she’s bothering you, I can take her.”
Derek smiles and shakes his head. I’m not sure if it’s a ‘no’ or ‘I don’t believe she did that’ kind of shake.
“It’s okay. So, what did the two of you do?”
“Oh, we were watching a show.”
“Something in particular?”
“Gilmore Girls. You just showed up in the middle of it.” I laugh nervously, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear.
“We can watch it now if you want.” He looks up from his lap where he’s concentrating on scrubbing Lola behind her ears.
“It’s okay. I watched it a hundred times.”
“Come on, little one. Go to your room and bring the DVD or whatever down and we’ll watch it.” He smiles at me.
“Really?” I frown, still not believing he really wants to watch Gilmore girls with me.
“Why not?”
“Ohk—aay,” I agree and run upstairs to get my stuff.
In no time, I’m back, laptop under my arm, bag of chips in one hand, and sodas in other. While I was already up, I decided to bring some snacks.
“I’ve got us…” I start to tell him, but I stop at the door, looking at him.
He looks so happy and so homey. Derek took off his leather jacket, and now he’s sitting in the middle of the couch in just a plain t-shirt and sweats with Lola cuddled in his lap and Ace at his feet.
“What?” He turns around to look at me.
“No.” I shake my head. “Nothing. I’ll just…”
I go to the coffee table and put down all of the stuff I brought with me before going to the armchair and trying to pull it closer to sofa unsuccessfully. Who would have thought that old thing is so heavy?
“What are you doing, Amelia?” Derek laughs behind me.
“I’m trying to move this damn thing,” I mutter, frustrated. “Don’t you laugh at me!”
“Why are you trying to move it?”
“So that we can watch the show, obviously.”
“Obviously,” he agrees. “You noticed this couch right here is big enough for both of us to sit comfortably and watch the show, right? Hell, I even think Ace can fit with us.”
“Yeah, but…” I start to protest. I can’t sit next to him. Every time he’s coaxed me into coming to sit closer to him we ended up doing things we shouldn’t do.
“Sit down, Lia.” His voice is stern and doesn’t leave room for discussion.
Sighing in defeat, I sit next to him, scooting to the corner and leaving big, empty space between us.
“If you go any further you’ll fall off the couch. Besides, if you don’t come closer, there’s no way I’ll get to see anything.”
I reluctantly agree with him, so I move a bit closer. Leaning forward, I take his soda and give it to him. I also open and put a bag of chips between us. It isn’t much, but it’s a barrier no matter how weak and insignificant.
Putting laptop on my lap, I turn it on and press play. The show starts running where it left off before he interrupted me, and we watch it.
I don’t even know how much time passes. One episode turns into two and then two into three and then four, until I stop counting.
“Those two…” Derek points at the screen. “They are crazy. Completely crazy.”
“They are entertaining and witty.”
“They are a handful,” he disagrees.
“They …” words get stuck in my mouth.
When did he come so close? Only mere inches separate us.
I can feel his hot breath on my cheeks. His scent—something fresh and spicy—surrounds us.
It’s yummy.
Intoxicating.
His smell surrounds me until he’s the only thing I can breathe.
Leaning into him just slightly, I inhale slowly enjoying the way his scent fills my lungs.
Now that I’m not concentrating on the show, I can feel his body pressed against my side, his hand draped over my shoulders while his fingers caress soft skin and play with a strand of my hair.
Lola is still sleeping in his lap while he rubs her head from time to time, and he doesn’t seem to mind it much. After a while, Ace moves closer and falls asleep under my feet.
“What are we doing?” I breathe softly.
Derek
“I don’t know what you mean,” I mutter not moving my eyes off of her.
“You. Me. What are we doing?”
Wouldn’t I like to know, babe. But the thought stays in my head.
I don’t want to destroy this night with some stupid comment. I’m actually having fun and enjoying this.
I am enjoying her easy-going manner, having her curled next to me while watching stupid shows I don’t even care about with her silly dog, who has some kind of crush on me, sitting in my lap, and my dog curled under our feet snoring lightly.
“We were just enjoying the show together,” I point out lamely, but it’s the best thing I’ve got.
“Why are you so close to me?” she asks, her voice low and husky.
“I could ask the same question.” I let my fingers move upwards from her shoulder, slowly caressing her exposed collarbone and up her neck. “Why are you so close to me, little one?” I lean closer, my lips almost touching hers.
My fingers curl around her neck, not giving her an option to escape me, although it doesn’t look like she’s ready or even wants to do that.
My lips hover over hers, trying to prolong the anticipation and excitement. The blood in my veins runs faster, and my heartbeat rises. Her chest rises and falls unevenly so I know she must feel the same way.
“Are you going to do it?” she questions, her lips barely touching mine. It’s like a sweet torture to have her so close, but not doing anything to actually kiss her.
“What?”
“Kiss me.”
The way she says it, it’s not a question. It’s a fact. In her little, proper world, it is almost a demand. I feel the corner of my lips lift in amusement.
Lowering my lips to hers, I don’t break eye contact. She doesn’t either. My eyes hold hers hostage, or maybe it’s the other way around, but
I’m just too stupid to notice it. Maybe it’s her that’s holding me hostage and I can’t do anything about it.
This is something completely different from anything I’ve done before.
It’s raw and more intimate.
I look at her, the way her eyes melt and darken at the same time. My lips slowly but firmly press against hers in a closemouthed kiss. I nibble at her lower lip slowly, softly, seducing her into opening her mouth for me.
And when she does I slowly slip my tongue inside.
She moans, the sound coming from deep in her throat.
Soft.
Sexy.
I groan in agreement and pleasure. Closing our eyes we keep kissing.
Slow, wet kisses.
My hand is tangled in her hair while one of hers is gripping my shoulders, pulling me closer to her. It feels like she wants to breathe me in and never let go.
Desperate need fills every cell in my body. My hands roam her body and trace the curve of her hip. My fingers find a way to slide under the hem of her loose sweatshirt and caress the softness of her flat stomach.
Amelia shivers under my touch, and I groan in need. My dick stands at attention, tenting my sweats, wanting to get out.
I want to lay her down on this coach, throw away our clothes and all these silly pillows, and I want to bury myself in her. I want to taste her and touch her. I want to feel her silky heat wrap around my cock and squeeze tightly, not letting me go.
I didn’t even know how much I want it, how much I need it. Need her.
Her soft body in my arms. Those sweet, sweet lips kissing mine. Saying my name. Begging me to make her feel good. To bring her pleasure.
But not like this. Not now. Not today.
Amelia is finally letting go, inviting me in. I don’t want to scare her off, so I make myself take a breath and release her lips from mine.
I close my eyes, my forehead touching hers because I can’t seem to let go. Not yet.
We don’t say anything. The only sound filling the room is the sound of our hectic breathing and drum of the blood in our veins.
Slowly, I open my eyes and find her staring at me. Her chocolate eyes are even darker than before and golden dots in her irises shine with need. Hunger. Passion.
“I think it’s best if I get going,” I murmur quietly. “I promised my Mom I wouldn’t stay out long.”
That makes her look at the clock standing on the wall, and she all but jumps off the couch. “Yeah, that would be the best,” she agrees, starting to gather empty cans of soda and chips bag.
Ace wakes up, yawns, and looks around. I slowly remove Lola from my side and get up. While she’s not looking, I rearrange myself before taking one step closer to Amelia. My hands find their way to her waist, and I pull her to me, kissing her exposed neck.
“Here, put your number in.” I take the phone out of my pocket and push it into her hand.
“Why?”
“Because.”
She gives me a warning look over her shoulder, but starts typing anyway. I take it out as soon as she finishes and save it.
Moving in front of her, I softly press my lips to her forehead. The only thing I’m capable of doing without jumping her bones.
“I’ll talk to you later.”
Quickly, before I change my mind, I find my way out of her house. I let the Ace on the passenger’s seat and get in the car without delay. I turn it on and go, but not without a backward glance in the review mirror. The front door is closed, but I can see a shadow standing behind the curtain of hallway window.
Only once I’m in front of my own house, I can breathe normally again.
But even that doesn’t help because her scent still lingers all around me, and it doesn’t seem like it’ll leave me soon.
Amelia
Next week, everything returns to how it was before.
There are no more sleepovers in school or truth or dare alcohol games. No more kisses and late night visits. I like it that way.
I want it to be that way.
Why am I so frustrated then?
I still see him at school every day. We have all of those classes together so there is no escaping him even if I want to. But he isn’t around all the time nor does he demand my full attention. He didn’t even come to me and try to talk. He didn’t text or call. I don’t even know why he wanted my number in the first place. It’s like nothing out of ordinary happened, like we didn’t stand on the edge of the cliff with the earth shaking beneath our feet until we fell through the thick air, only to fall down and shatter in million tiny pieces.
Maybe I’m the only one that feels this way because he’s acting like he didn’t spend just this last weekend on the couch in my family room watching reruns of Gilmore Girls for hours with our dogs and me curled into his side.
“Why are you frowning?” Brook asks me, waking me up from my dazed mind.
“I’m not frowning,” I object, concentrating on her sitting across from me. But it’s one big fat-ass lie because I can feel creases on my forehead increase.
She lifts her brow at me but doesn’t say a thing. I know that move well. It’s her ‘You know you are only lying to yourself, and I don’t believe you for a second, but I can wait, and I know you’ll eventually spill your beans’ tactic. I hate when she does that, mostly because it’s working.
“He’s been flirting with girls,” I grumble in a low voice. I don’t have to point out who, or even say his name out loud. She knows who I’m talking about. Hell, she’s been looking at me staring at him for days now.
“Doesn’t he do that always?”
Brook is right; he always does that.
Hockey players are a big thing in our school. There is also a baseball and football team, but they aren’t that good. It’s only natural for him to have all of the female attention. Even if he didn’t play any sport, he’s too good looking to not get noticed.
Derek likes the attention he gets, and he uses it to the fullest. He flirts with a different girl every single day, and his hookups at parties are legendary. His paying attention to me is probably that, just another hookup that lasted more than his usual ones.
Sighing loudly, I return my wandering gaze, the one that kept finding its way to him, back to my friend.
“He was there.”
Brook lifts her head, showing little signs of actually paying attention and being interested in our conversation. “Where?”
“My house. He came last Saturday night.”
I tell her what happened. She is being so moody and unapproachable lately. Her nose is stuck in the books more often than usual, and she rarely said anything. Not that she speaks much in general, but you get what I’m saying.
Brook is not being her usual self and if I have to guess I would say it has something to do with her mom. But she never spoke of her so I can’t know for sure. It’s just a hunch I have. Something’s happening, and I’m not sure I’ll like the outcome.
“So basically, he’s been all lover-boy on you during the weekend, and now he’s back to his manwhore ways?” She rolls her eyes. “Shocking, really.”
I shrug, ‘cause there’s nothing left to say. It’s not like Brook’s lying.
Not long after that, we split up, going on our own way only to meet in Spanish, our last class of the day.
Almost everybody is already there when I come because my math teacher asked me to stay after class to discuss some homework.
“Hey, Lia.” Max smiles from his seat next to mine.
I give him a small wave before sliding into my chair and leaving my messenger bag on the floor next to it.
“What have you been up to?” He turns in his chair to look at me. He is in his regular outfit—jeans and a dark shirt with some logo on it and a leather jacket over it.
“Everything’s the same.” I shrug and bend to get my books out of the bag. I’m so concentrated on the task you’d think I’m performing brain surgery on someone, but the best way not to turn over my shoulder and get a
glimpse of him is to stay busy. “What about you?” I grin at him. “Any plans for the weekend?”
“Funny you should ask.” His smile widens as he leans into his chair. That guy has no care in the world whatsoever.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah,” he agrees with a chuckle. “So, our first game is coming this weekend, and I was thinking it would be nice if you’d come with Jeanette.”
“What? No,” my response is instant. There is no way I’d step a foot into the hockey stadium.
“Why?” He sits straight in his chair, frowning at me.
“I don’t follow hockey.” It’s not a lie, I definitely do not follow hockey, but that’s not the reason why I never went to a hockey game in my life and why I don’t want to start doing it now.
“I don’t need a babysitter,” Jeanette adds without lifting her head from something she’s been scrawling down in her notebook. “I’ll go to your silly game like I’ve been doing for years. And I’ll go alone ‘cause I like it that way.”
“You see… She doesn’t even want to go with me.” I hold onto the fact, although at the same time I feel bad. It has to be really lonely being Jeanette Sanders.
People always think that about me, but they are wrong. I don’t have many friends and sometimes I’m alone but never lonely.
I have my parents who love me. I have Brook who is the sister I share everything but blood with. And I have my silly dog Lola.
But Jeanette doesn’t seem to have anyone apart from her brother, and more importantly, she doesn’t seem interested in having anyone else. She is always so cold and standoffish.
“Well, I don’t care.” He crosses his arms over his chest, pouting. “I want you to come and cheer me on.”
His words touch my heart. From day one, he has always been so nice to me, and now, he’s asking for one thing and I’m blowing him off?
“It’s really not my thing, Max.”
He doesn’t say anything, just keeps looking at me, his pout firmly in its place. I want to tell him to stop playing staring games like we are kids, but then he would know it’s working and would keep doing it just to spite me.
