by E. L. Todd
She drove to the aquarium, changed, and clocked in. She didn’t know what she was going to say to Derek when she saw him, but at this point she didn’t care. She doubted he did either. She would just tell him it was over and walk away. There was no point in explaining why it was over. He wouldn’t get it anyway.
She cleaned the tanks and kept thinking about Derek, knowing the relationship was dead as soon as it began. There would never be any love between them. Derek would always be an immature asshole and she didn’t want that anymore. She wanted something more.
“Hey, is everything okay?” Andre asked as he approached her.
“Oh, hey. I didn’t see you.”
“You seemed pretty focused.”
“Yeah.”
He sat on the floor and took a drink from his water. “You wanna talk about it?”
She wiped the window of the tank then tossed the rag in the basket. “You don’t want to hear about it, Andre.”
“You know I’m gay, right? I love talking about relationship problems.”
“How did you know I was having relationship problems?”
“Like I said, I’m gay.” He winked at her and tapped the floor next to him. “Come on. We’re friends, right?”
She sighed then sat beside him. “It’s Derek.”
“I figured. Tell me about it.”
“He’s just a horrible boyfriend. He doesn’t treat me right or respect me. I’m dumping him the next time I see him.”
“You can’t work it out?”
“I don’t want to work it out.”
“So you don’t like him anymore?”
“I do like him—a lot. Whenever I kiss him, I melt. Whenever he’s sweet to me, I fall for him. But when he breaks my heart, he takes it all away. I can’t keep living for the good days, trying to forget the bad ones.”
“I can understand that,” he said as he patted her shoulder. “You have to do what’s best for you, right?”
“I do.”
“Well, for what it’s worth, he lost a lot more than he realized.”
She smiled. “You’re sweet, Andre.”
“I’m not just saying that. You’re beautiful, sweet, and so much fun to be around. If he can’t see that, he’s an idiot.”
“You think I’m beautiful?” she asked in surprise.
“I may be gay, but I know a beautiful woman when I see one. I even think Ren is beautiful—but don’t tell her I admitted that.”
Nancy chuckled. “I’ll keep your secret. Are you seeing anyone?”
He shrugged. “Sorta.”
“Sorta?”
“I’m fooling around with this guy but he’s still in the closest. He doesn’t want anyone to know yet.”
“Oh. Is it someone I know?”
“Yeah, actually. But I’ll keep his secret.”
“Do you love him?”
“I don’t know. Sometimes I think I could. It’s hard for me to trust guys that aren’t open about their sexuality. Some hide it their entire lives. They get married, have kids, do that whole thing.”
She patted his arm. “I hope it works out for you two.”
“Yeah. One can only hope,” he said.
Nancy looked at her watch. “My shift is over—thank god.”
He laughed. “Why do you work here if you hate it so much?”
“I need a job.”
“Well, there are other places.”
“Why did you start working here?”
“The hours. My school schedule is hectic, and this is the only place I could find that would accommodate it.”
“I guess I’ll look around,” she said. “At first, it was cool to play with the animals all day, but now the novelty has worn off.”
“Smelling like poop every day can do that,” Andre said with a laugh. He stood and helped her to her feet. “Let’s get out of here.”
“Alright.” They walked into the break room and clocked out before they locked up and left the facility. When they opened the front doors, they stopped.
A line of candles led across the parking lot, making a straight line until they reached a truck. Derek was holding a bouquet of flowers, staring at her with an intense look. Nancy didn’t know what to do. She was frozen to the spot, surprised by the act. It was so unexpected.
Andre leaned toward her ear. “Maybe you want to hold off on that breaking up thing.” He patted her back then walked away, giving them privacy.
Nancy followed the candles until she reached him. He didn’t say anything as he looked at her. The wind ruffled her hair and the candle flames flickered. The flowers he held were bright and beautiful, an assortment of colors. Her eyes softened when she looked at him, feeling her heart squeeze.
He stepped closer to her, still holding the flowers. “Please don’t break up with me.”
She looked into his eyes, seeing the sincerity in them. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, feeling nervous. He looked so handsome. His light eyes seemed darker in emotion and his lips were pressed together.
“I’m sorry about everything. I don’t mean to be a dick. It just happens. I won’t do it anymore. Please don’t go. I’ll work on it.”
She still said nothing, staring into his beautiful face.
“I got you something.”
She looked down at the flowers. “They are beautiful.”
“Not just these.” He handed them to her then opened the back of his trunk. He pulled out a fresh paint set and an assortment of brushes. “I thought you could use these while you paint.”
Her eyes softened again and her heart convulsed. It was exactly what she wanted from him for the longest time, an act that showed he cared.
He came back to her and placed his hands on her hips. “Will you have dinner with me tonight? I would like to take you somewhere.” He pressed his forehead against hers, rubbing his nose against her skin.
“Derek, you’ve done enough.”
“I want to do something nice for you.”
“I’m not hungry.”
“Do you want to come over and spend the night with me?”
“You want me to stay over?” she asked.
“Of course I do. And we can watch a movie. Just watch a movie.”
She smiled at him. “It wouldn’t be the end of the world if we did other things.”
He leaned in and kissed her, parting her lips with his tongue. Nancy felt herself crumble as they touched. It was a night she always wanted, a moment when Derek realized the error of his ways. Now she felt her heart repair itself, knowing she was right for being patient with him. Derek broke away then held her to his chest. “You look beautiful.”
“I do?”
“You always look beautiful.” He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Please don’t leave me.”
“I won’t.”
He breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you for putting up with me.”
“You were worth the wait.”
He smiled then grabbed her hand. “I’ll meet you at my place?”
“Okay.”
Derek escorted her to her car then helped her get inside. He walked away and started his truck, waiting for her to pull out of the parking lot first.
After they arrived at his apartment, Derek showed her a stack of movies.
“Chick flicks?” she asked with a smile.
He shrugged. “I thought you might like one of them.”
She was moved that he was trying so hard. “I don’t want to watch a movie.” She took off her clothes then crawled into bed. He watched her for a moment before he stripped his clothes away and followed her underneath the sheets. Derek turned on his side and rested his hand on her waist, not making a sexual advance.
Nancy drifted her hand down his chest, feeling his heart flutter wildly. “They told you?”
He nodded, knowing she was referring to their friends. “Coen and Henry gave me a serious talk.”
“I told them not to say anything.”
“I’m glad they did.”
She snuggled closer to him. “I’m glad they did too.”
“I’ve never had a girlfriend before,” he said, gliding his hand down her side. “I’m sorry. I’m just not very good at it. I don’t mean to hurt you, be mean and insensitive, or just be an asshole in general. It just comes out. I’m sorry.”
“I know.”
“I’ll try to be better.”
“Don’t try. Just do.”
“Okay.”
“Why do you want to be with me anyway? It seems like you’re indifferent to me most of the time,” she said.
“I’ve never been indifferent to you.”
“It seems that way.”
“I—I just can’t express my emotions like others can. I’m not like Coen and Henry.”
“They don’t express their emotions either,” she said.
“They don’t?”
“No, they show them. I see the way Coen looks at Sydney.”
“Well, they are married.”
“He’s always looked at her that way.”
“I’ll try, Nancy.”
“And stop checking out other girls in front of me,” she said.
“Done.”
“And don’t ever call me mom again.”
“Okay,” Derek said. “But you shouldn’t boss me around.”
“I wouldn’t need to boss you around if you weren’t a jerk.”
He placed his fingers over her lips. “I feel the argument starting. And I don’t want that.”
She sighed. “Neither do I.”
“I like you because you’re my friend. We fight a lot, but we have fun together. And the sex is mind-blowing. I’ve never had better.”
“It is pretty great.”
“If you’ve been so upset with me, why have you stuck around so long?”
“I kept hoping you would change,” she said. “And the sex, of course.”
He laughed. “I’m glad I rock your world.”
“You do more than just rock my world.”
“Maybe we should start having sex without condoms.”
“I go on the pill?”
“We aren’t sleeping with anyone else, right?” Derek said. “Coen and Henry keep telling me how amazing it feels. I want to give it a try now that I’m monogamous.”
“You better be monogamous.”
He smiled. “I know I’m an asshole, but I wouldn’t even do that.”
“What if I told you I was already on it?”
“Why would you be on it?”
“I used to have bad acne. The hormones keep it away.”
“Oh,” he said, clearly interested. “Why didn’t you say something before?”
She touched his chest, feeling the muscle. “I don’t know. I wasn’t sure if we were ready for that.”
“I am if you are.”
“Well, are you clean?” she asked hesitantly.
“Yeah. I just got checked out a few weeks ago. I’ll show you my papers.”
“No, your word is good enough.”
“I don’t mean to be a dick, but I have to ask. Are you clean?”
“Of course.”
“Well, I’m ready for that level whenever you are. No pressure.”
“I would like to try it,” she said as she pressed her face close to his.
“Now?”
She nodded.
“When I invited you over here, it wasn’t to have sex. I want to talk to you and do things with you. We can do it another time.”
Nancy leaned in and kissed him gently, parting his lips with her own. He moaned into her mouth, not expecting the intimate touch. His hand hooked around her waist and pulled her to his chest. She felt warm in his embrace. It was a moment she had been waiting forever for. She had never made love to someone before, giving herself to someone else completely.
Derek crawled on top of her and continued to kiss her, their bodies separated by an inch. She wrapped her legs around his waist, digging her fingers into his hair. She felt her heart slam in her chest, beating in tune with his. Derek would break their kiss and look into her eyes while he rubbed his hands over, enjoying the moment with her. The sight made her spine shiver. She felt loved by him, appreciated. He finally looked at her the way she always wanted. His mouth sealed over hers again as he positioned himself over her body.
Nancy grabbed his hips, anxious to feel him.
Derek licked his hand then wiped the head of his cock before he pointed it at her entrance. He slid inside with no resistance. Nancy gasped loudly, feeling his bare flesh touch her own. It felt so much better than the latex of a condom. He moved against her, making her shake.
Derek held himself over her, shaking as he moaned incoherently. “Shit, this feels good.”
“Yeah,” she said as she dug her nails into his skin.
He moved slowly, reaching all the way inside her before he pulled out, pushing the tip back in. The sound of his cock sliding into her center was loud on her ears. She could hear just how wet she was. She ran her hands up his chest, feeling him move deep inside her.
Derek kept biting his lip as he looked at her, trying to control himself.
“I’m almost there,” she said, reading his mind. She gripped his shoulders and rocked her hips into him, increasing their pace as they made love on his bed. It felt so good, so different than any other experience she had, and she continued to sigh and moan.
Derek reached down and rubbed her clit in circles, trying to bring her to the edge that he now stood on. The combination of both gave her the final push she needed.
“Derek,” she said as she breathed into his mouth.
He pressed his lips against hers, kissing her while the orgasm rocked through her, the best she ever had. She moaned into his mouth, enjoying every second until it was finally over.
Derek pulled away and looked into her eyes. “Can I cum inside you?”
“God, yes. Please.”
He moaned at her words and increased his pace, grabbing her face as he looked into her eyes. “I’m there….I’m there.”
She gripped his back, holding onto him.
He grunted as the explosion hit him. “Oh…yeah.”
She ran her fingers through his hair while she kissed his neck, letting him finish.
When he was done, he pulled out of her then lay beside her, catching his breath. “That was fucking amazing.”
“It felt good, huh?”
“I had no idea pussy felt so incredible.” He wrapped his arm around her waist and held her close.
She snuggled next to him, feeling safe in his arms. The light from the streetlamp filtered through his blinds and made the room slightly illuminated. Even though his eyes were closed, he still ran his hand up and down her side.
“Derek?”
“Hmm?”
“Have you ever had a girl stay over before?”
“No.”
“I’m the first?”
“Yeah. I don’t like sleeping with people.”
“Then why are you sleeping with me?”
“You’re different. You’re my girlfriend. And as long as you aren’t a blanket hog, we’ll be fine.”
She laughed. “Okay.”
He grabbed his phone and set the alarm. “Your dad okay with you staying over here?”
“He won’t even notice.”
He didn’t say anything to that. He pulled her closer to his chest. “The guys didn’t tell me to do this. They just told me you were dumping me. I just wanted you to know that.”
“It didn’t make a difference to me.”
“I still wanted you to know.”
“Well, now I do.”
He kissed her on the forehead, making her flinch, then snuggled beside her. “Good night, baby.”
“Good night.”
5
Nancy came home early the next morning, a smile on her face and a skip in her step. She walked into the kitchen, still wearing the same outfit as the day before, and put two frozen waffles into the toaster.<
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Her dad walked down the hallway a moment later, fixing the tie around his neck. “Got a long day today,” he said as he opened his briefcase and moved his files around.
Disappointment flooded her body when she realized her father didn’t notice she was gone all night. She wearing the same clothes, her hair was a mess, and her face was makeup free. It was an advertisement for the walk of shame and he didn’t give a damn.
Her dad poured himself a mug of coffee and downed it.
“At least the weekend is here,” Nancy said, squirting syrup onto her plate.
“Thank goodness,” he said. “I’ll be doing some business, so I’m staying at the other house because it’s closer.”
Nancy thought he was a horrible liar. “Whatever.”
“I’ll be gone all weekend.”
She wanted to grab the toaster and throw it at his head. He didn’t listen to anything she said. “I had sex last night with my boyfriend.”
He was bent over his briefcase, looking for something when he spilled a drop of coffee on his tie. “Damn. I just got this one.” He went back to his room, leaving his coffee and briefcase on the counter.
“Fucking asshole,” she mumbled under her breath. Her waffles popped up and she threw them on her plate. She stood at the counter and ate, waiting for him to come back. When he emerged, he was wearing a yellow tie. He grabbed his suitcase then headed for the door.
“Bye, kiddo.”
She didn’t say bye because he wouldn’t hear her anyway. As soon as the door closed, she felt the silence in the room, her loneliness echoing around her. Even the wonderful evening she had with Derek couldn’t make her forget about the pain in her heart. She pushed it to the back of her mind and forgot about it.
When she finished her morning classes, she went to the cafeteria and saw her friends already sitting there.
Nancy sat down, a smile on her face.
“You’re in a good mood today,” Henry said.
“Because I got laid.”
Sydney smiled. “You aren’t breaking up after all?”
Nancy looked at Coen. “Thank you for talking to him.”
“What did he do?” Coen asked.
Nancy told them about the moving gesture.
Both Ren and Sydney awed.
“I’m so glad you worked it out,” Sydney said.
“Yeah,” Nancy said. “I was waiting for him to change but I never thought it would happen. I’m glad I was wrong. I even spent the night over there.”
