Outcome

by Kim Pritekel

  Haley was laughing when I got back, holding my sweatshirt for me. "Come here, you." I was shivering so bad, my teeth felt like they’d break from chattering. I clung to the warmth of the soft material of the sweatshirt, glad when Haley closed the big garage door, then the door to the house. "You okay?" she asked, and I nodded.

  "Rrround th, th, three." She chuckled, and we headed downstairs, though somehow by the grace of Satan we were right back upstairs within ten minutes.

  "Hmm. Let’s see," Haley, smug as ever, looked around the kitchen, looking for that perfect stunt for me to perform this time. She opened the cabinet above the fridge, and called out in joy. "Okay. Come here, Andi."

  "Yes, mom."

  "Now, now. No sore losers."

  "No, just cold ones."

  "Well, I think this will help warm you up." She showed me the bottle of Vodka that she held, and I shook my head.

  "Unh-uh. I don’t drink."

  "Come on. It’s a dare, Andi. Be a good sport." I sighed and nodded.

  "Fine. If I die, you get to explain why." She smiled as she grabbed the shot glass I handed her. I watched with dread as she poured the clear liquid. Never in my life had I done a shot of anything, and really didn’t want to start now.

  "Here you go. Just down it all in one shot, and you’ll be okay."

  "Bottoms up." I raised the glass in salute, then down it went, burning a nice path all the way to my toes. I coughed, nearly dropping the glass. Haley took it from me, and put an arm around my shoulder, rubbing the back of my neck.

  "You okay?" I nodded as another coughing fit attacked. I took several deep breaths, feeling a weird heat rising all the way up to the roots of my hair. "How are you feeling?" she asked, looking at me with concern.

  "I’m okay. That stuff just really sucks." Haley smiled, nodded.

  "I know. You should see your face, it’s so red."

  "Great. Come on, you. I’m going to go," I reached out to grab the counter. "Whoa."

  "You okay there, stud?" Haley grinned, grabbing my arm to steady me.

  "Unh, huh. Just peachy keen." I grinned, already feeling the effects of the strong liquor. "Come on, so I can kick your ass."

  I hurried down the stairs, nearly falling down the stairs, in my haste to beat Haley and have her do some stupid monkey trick like I was having to do.

  Ten minutes later, Haley turned to me. "You happy now?" I grinned and nodded.

  "Oh, yeah." I stood, and looked down at her, looking her over. She stood, her eyes on me.

  "Okay, what’s going through that brain of yours?"

  "Follow me." I hurried up the stairs, back to the kitchen, and turned on the backyard light. It was dark now, but the light illuminated the entire yard.

  "God. What do I have to do?"

  "Strip."

  "What?"

  "I want to see you in just your skivvies and bra."

  "Well, Andi, why didn’t you say so earlier?" She looked at me, giving me one hell of a sexy smile as she removed her flannel pants and tank, then her socks. "So? Now what?" looking at her, standing before me like that. Oh, the things that went through my brain, especially since the Vodka was already in there playing.

  "Now I want you to run out back, do a full snow angel, and come back."

  "Like this?" She indicated her lack of clothing. I nodded. "Oh, you are cruel. Okay." She took several deep breaths, readying herself.

  "Just think of yourself as an honorary member of the Polar Bear Club." I grinned. She glared at me, and headed to the sliding glass door, unlatching it, then opening it. The cold blew in, chilling you to the core.

  "Here I go." She ran out, and I ran to the living room, grabbing a blanket from the back of the couch. Haley was screaming obscenities at me as she did her snow angel, then popped back up out of the snow, and ran back into the house. I immediately felt horrible, as she was blue, and her teeth were chattering far worse than mine had been after my stunt.

  "Come here." I quickly wrapped her up in the blanket, holding her to me to give her some of my body heat, and began to rub her arms and back. "You okay?" She nodded, but was still shaking. "Come on." I grabbed her clothes, and pushed her downstairs, sitting her on the hearth of the fireplace. I flipped the switch, and the gas fireplace whooshed to life.

  "Oh, that feels so good," she moaned, basking in the warmth.

  "I think we should stop, now." I plopped down on the couch, my head still doing cartwheels on me.

  "No. One more try. I’ve got to beat you one last time," she said, beginning to gain some semblance of a normal color.

  "You sure, Haley? It’s getting late,"

  "No. I want to play one more time."

  "Okay. Your call. Just tell me when you’re ready."

  "Load them up, chief."

  I stared at the controller in my hand, trying not to break out into an all-out grin, but it wasn’t working too well.

  "I don’t get it!" Haley looked at me, the blanket barely around her shoulders now after that intense, winner take all, three rounds. "Even slightly looped you still manage to beat me. It isn’t fair."

  "Rules are rules, Haley, and you made the rules."

  "I know." She tossed the controller to the floor and stood. "Okay, what now?" I could tell she was frustrated, but still enjoying herself, so I thought I’d have her do something amusing.

  "Come on. Grab your clothes." She did, and we headed up stairs to my mom’s bedroom. "What do you think of cheerleaders?" I asked as I opened my mom’s closet door.

  "I like them just fine. Kelly’s a cheerleader."

  "Well, good. Then you’ll feel right at home." I brought out my mom’s cheerleading outfit from college, and tossed it at her. "The skirt may be a little short as you’re taller, but other than that, it should fit okay."

  Haley looked at the outfit in her hands, then up at me. "What, do you have some sick fantasy about cheerleaders?" She raised an eyebrow, and I grinned.

  "Not exactly. I want you to do a cheer for my winning the final game of Mortal Kombat." She chuckled, then began to dress in the uniform.

  "I can’t believe I’m doing this." She muttered, then looked at me once she was fully dressed. I couldn’t help my snicker. She looked so funny, barefoot, with the pompoms hanging lifeless at her sides. The skirt was a bit short, but showed her legs off nicely, and the shell of the uniform was a tad loose as my mom was a bit larger on top. "I’m telling you right now, I feel like a complete ass."

  "Duly noted."

  "So?" She stood, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "What shall I do for you, ma’am?" She grinned, raising an eyebrow.

  "Cheer."

  "What?"

  "I want you to do a cheer for me; for my victory." She chuckled, looked toward the window.

  "Don’t worry. This is a second-story window, and I don’t imagine there’s much in the way of activity in the streets."

  "Okay, okay. Let me think for a sec." She tucked her bottom lip in, and began to chew on it as she thought. I thought she looked adorable. "Okay." She lifted the pompoms up over her head. "A-N-D-I, PlayStation queen, PlayStation queen. A-N-D-I, makes you gamers want to cry. Yaaaaaay, Andi!" She yelled out and jumped around, kicking her leg into the air, then the other one, like a can-can girl. I was dying laughing by this point. Though the Vodka had loosened me a bit, I was still quite aware of hilarity when I saw it, and I had just witnessed it.

  Haley put the pompoms down, and walked over to me, sitting on the floor against the wall, still laughing, about to slump over onto the floor.

  "So how was that, stud?" She knelt down, a smirk firmly in place. I held up my hand, giving her the thumbs up. "Well, I’m glad you’re pleased. But," she tossed the pompoms to my mom’s bed. "I think my cheerleading days are over." She sat next to me, then lowered herself so she laid on her side, holding her head up with her hand. I slid down so I was laying on my back, staring up at the ceiling.

  "Did you have fun today?" I asked, glancing at her. She nodded.
>
  "I did. You?"

  "I did." She sighed as she stared down at me.

  "I really like you, Andi. You’re so different from anyone I’ve ever known."

  "Thank you. You’re certainly a lot different than I ever thought you’d be, and I can definitely understand why you’re so loved by all of Winston." She cocked her head to the side.

  "Oh?" I nodded, wondering if perhaps I shouldn’t have said that. "And you?" Oops.

  "Well, I think you’re great. Far exceeding any expectations I had of the popular crowd." I used to my fingers to emphasize the word popular. I still couldn’t get that word out without it sounding bitter and distasteful to even my own ears. Hopefully just my own ear.

  "Did you mean what you said earlier?" she asked, her voice lowering to a more quiet, almost intimate level.

  "I don’t know; I said lots of things earlier."

  "Well, hopefully you meant everything you’ve said." I glared up at her, she smiled. "But, I meant about me being who you’d sleep with, should you ever be with a woman."

  "Yes." I didn’t hesitate, tired of lying.

  "Have you ever wondered what it’s like to kiss a woman?" she asked, her eyes briefly glancing at my mouth, then trailing back up to my eyes.

  "Yes. It’s crossed my mind." Almost like they had put a spell on me, my gaze fell from blue eyes, down a straight nose, and finally settled on full lips, still moving as Haley continued to talk, her pink tongue licking across straight, white teeth unconsciously.

  "Me, too. Women’s lips look so soft, and usually full." She reached toward me with her hand, trailing a finger over my bottom lip. "I love your lips. The bottom one is so full. It looks so kissable." She smiled.

  "Um, well, maybe we could find out?" I looked up into her eyes, hoping she wouldn’t laugh at me, and that she was being serious and not trying to goad me into doing something, then laugh at me. I didn’t think this was the case, though.

  Blue eyes fell to my mouth, then looked into my eyes again. There was something there that I couldn’t quite read, but if I had seen that look in my dreams, I would have taken it for desire.

  "Okay." She said quietly, still looking at me. Was she worried about the same thing I was? Did she worry I’d be cruel? Before I could ponder that question any further, I saw her leaning in a bit closer, her arm reaching across me to balance her self on her hand, placed near my shoulder. My body was vibrating, for so many reasons. I was nervous, could not believe what was about to happen, and oh yeah, I really wanted this.

  Soon there was barely any space between us at all, the tip of her nose teasing mine, then teasing my cheek as she got even closer. I could feel her breath, so hot on my face, her body heat immense. I felt just the barest touch of her breast against mine as she adjusted her body, not fully laying on mine, but resting against it, her arm still taking the biggest brunt of her weight, her other hand playing with the hair that laid around my head on the carpet. My arms stayed glued to my body, my hands clasped on my stomach.

  Soft, almost tickling me, her lips teased, almost shy in their advance. I tried holding my breath so I wouldn’t all out pant. I didn’t dare want her to guess my excitement level, or my nervousness.

  "You can breathe, Andi," she whispered against my mouth. It sent shivers through my body, and I exhaled in a small, quick puff of air. The lips came again, softer than I ever imagined they’d be, almost stroking mine, her bottom lip pushing against mine. My fingers began to dig into themselves, craving the feel of her skin, her hair, anything.

  Both lips were on mine now, pushing, yet gentle, tentatively seeking the best place to rest. I didn’t know what to do, should I move my lips to kiss back? Should I just lie still? The lips pulled away a bit, and my mind screamed out in protest, my lips trying to hold on to what they craved, but the softness quickly returned, bringing with it a little more pressure.

  One of my hands found its way out from between our bodies, and rested on Haley’s shoulder, warm and soft next to the scratchy material of the cheerleading outfit. My fingertips barely touched the skin, rubbing, just brushing. I felt a shiver run through Haley’s body, and I smiled inside with satisfaction. This gave me a bit of confidence, and I pushed back with my mouth, opening my lips just a bit, just enough to capture her bottom lip between mine.

  Haley lowered her body a bit, lowering her weight to rest on her elbow now. I could feel her breasts against mine completely. My god, they were so soft. I had no idea. She moved her head a bit to the side allowing more room for exploration, her lips following mine, opening to capture more inside, and to allow the softest, warmest, most sensual feeling of her tongue, barely touching my top lip, tasting. At the sensation, my fingers dug into her shoulder a bit, messaging the skin, and moving up, along the cheerleading shell, and then the warmth of her neck, so soft and smooth.

  No wonder men loved women so much.

  Finally my fingers found themselves in her hair, brushing it from its dark halo around us, pushing it behind her shoulder, running my fingers down its long length.

  This seemed to get Haley going as I felt that tentative tongue from before finding its way into my mouth, searching, soft, gentle caresses. To my surprise, and arousal, Haley moaned, long and unbelievably sexy. God, I wanted to moan, too, but didn’t dare. My tongue met hers, and they slid against each other, Haley’s breathing coming faster with each caress.

  "Hang on, man. I gotta get my stuff."

  I froze, my heart stuck in my chest when I heard my brother’s voice downstairs. Haley must have heard it to, as she stopped, lifted herself and listened.

  "Shit. Chris is home," I whispered. She pushed to her feet, pulling the shell over her head, and pushing the skirt down her legs as she scrambled to get her clothes on. I ran over to the closet, and put the uniform on its hanger, stuffing it into the closet, then grabbing Haley’s hand as we ran for my bedroom. I heard Chris’ footsteps on the stairs just as I closed my bedroom door, leaning against it.

  I heard him barge into his room, rummaging around for God only knows what. I looked at Haley who stood by my dresser, staring at the wall that connected Chris’ and my room. I wondered what she was thinking. All I knew was that my body was still thrumming.

  There was a knock at the door. I stepped away from it, and opened it to see my brother standing there with a bag over his shoulder.

  "Tell mom I’m staying at Brian’s again tonight."

  "Sure. You guys be careful. How did you get home?" He shrugged.

  "Just walked. Plows haven’t been out yet, but they probably will be by tomorrow."

  "Cool. See you later."

  "Later." I closed the door again, and listened as he hurried down the stairs, and the front door slammed.

  "Well, at least he got the door to open." I turned to see Haley grinning.

  "Yeah. No kidding." She walked toward me, and I could feel my pulse begin to race all over again.

  "Feel like a movie?" she asked. I nodded.

  "Yeah. That sounds great."

  The basement was warm as I had forgotten to turn the fireplace off, so I turned all the lights off, and unhooked the Play Station game.

  "Do you have anything particular in mind?" I asked as I flipped through the channels.

  "Oh hey, it’s Meg Ryan." Haley said, pulling her feet under her on the couch.

  "You a fan?"

  "Who isn’t?" She grinned at me.

  "Good point. I like this one, ‘You’ve Got Mail’."

  "Me, too." The movie was nearly half over, and Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks’ characters were beginning to like each other and hang out. "I hope I find a love like that someday." Haley sighed, sounding wistful.

  "Yeah. I want to get comfortable. Come on." I tugged at her shirt as I stood and walked over to a closet, grabbing two beanbag chairs, and dropping them on the floor in front of the fireplace. "Stay warm, and watch the movie."

  "You’re so smart," Haley said as she flopped into one of the chairs, moaning.

  "I try
." I sat next to her, watching the movie with my eyes, but my mind wasn’t into it. I had only one thing on my mind, and Meg Ryan and Tom Hands had nothing to do with it. I wanted so badly to touch Haley. She sat not six inches away from me, but I felt like we were miles apart. God, how to get back what had been stolen when Chris had come home.

  My brows drew once I realized the background noise was gone, and the room had gotten darker. I looked to see that Haley had turned the TV off, and when I turned to look at her, to ask why, I saw her eyes boring into me. I swallowed hard. For some reason the old adage ‘watch what you wish for,’ was roaming around in my brain.

  She said nothing, just reached her hand out, and I put mine in it. She squeezed my fingers gently, rubbing her thumb over the back of my hand.

  "So soft," she said, barely a whisper. I watched our hands, the dancing flames of the fire bouncing shadows around our fingers, throwing a golden hue on everything. My eyes trailed up to Haley’s, not surprised to find I was meeting her gaze. Her eyes were turned nearly transparent in the firelight, the shadows clinging to all the curves of her facial structure, broadening her brow just a bit, turning her hair a deep red color.

  She scooted closer to me, wisps of her hair tickling my nose. She smiled as she ran a hand through her hair, pushing it all behind her shoulders. There was a silent communication between us, almost as if our eyes, bodies and senses could say it all. I felt absolutely no need to speak.

  Haley’s face came closer, her eyes closing as it did. I followed suit, bringing my hand up to touch the fire-warmed skin of her neck, the underside of her jaw. I felt her lips brush against mine, then trail lightly down the side of my cheek to my ear where she kissed the top, then whispered,

  "You’re so soft, Andi. I could touch you all night." I shivered, my eyes closing, mouth opening as I felt her lips finding their way back to mine, tenderly taking my bottom lip between hers, tugging playfully.

  I fell back against the beanbag, Haley falling with me until she settled against me, scooting her body even closer until every inch of her touched me. My fingers traced her ear, running a fingertip along the edge of it, feeling the soft, delicate skin, then running along her throat, feeling the texture of her face, and finally finding our mouths that played, teased each other. I took a deep breath as I felt Haley kiss each fingertip individually, then taking my hand and kissing my palm before returning to my mouth.