Scarlet

The windows were rolled down as my car strolled quietly down Flounder Street. I always thought it was funny as a little kid, living on Flounder Street. I guess a little kid who will laugh at "wiener" will also laugh at "flounder." The 93 degree heat was beating down on me through the windshield. It was times like these that I wish I was actually financially sound enough to own a car with air conditioning that worked.

The dash said it was just past 2 o'clock. I'd gotten stuck in a traffic jam on the highway, so I was a little late to my parents house. As a 25 year old just getting his master's in journalism, I was shit broke. I was taking a week to visit with my family before heading back towards college to look for a summer job. I just graduated from Ohio University's Journalism program and was now stuck in a terrible economy with a less than practical degree at this point. I was just hoping to find work. Something that would pay the bills and rent on my apartment. Jonathon and Mark, my roommates, were holding down the fort while I was gone.

My car finally rolled into the gravel driveway and I shut her off. I stayed there for a few moments, breathing in the fresh North Carolinian air, however humid it was that day. Then my silence broke, and the front door flew open with my mother running out to my car.

"Oh Kenneth, Oh my baby." She oozed and instantly wrapped me in a bone shattering hug. I hugged her back with as much fervor, equally excited to spend time with my family for a week. It was hard, living as a college student in a different state. You weren't able to come home often and hang with the folks, which I really did enjoy.

Plus, not to mention, my Ducati was sitting in the garage here, waiting for me to return. I didn't dare take it with me to school, with nowhere safe to put it.

"Oh honey, I missed you so much." She kept kissing my cheek. "Oh... honey, you need to shave." She scratched my scruff, then backed off and smiled. "Lemme look atcha." I sighed, honestly just wanting to get out of the heat. "Grown into such a fine young stud."

My dad came out second. He looked so much older that it almost choked me up a bit. His hair, albeit most of it is gone, was completely gray and he was starting to hunch over slightly. Still, he insisted that the motorcycles and guitar playing kept him young, and far be it for me to tell him otherwise. Then my little sister, Carley, ran out, and I couldn't even believe how big she'd gotten. I crushed her into a hug too, missing my little sister's incessant chatter almost too much.

"Carls, who the hell are you?"

She smiled and twirled. "You've been gone too long, I'm not that much different."

"How old are you now, 12?" I joked. She hated it most when I joked about her age and punched me.

"Asshole. I'm 17."

It still amazed me. Just yesterday, I was her big brother, chasing away the monsters in her room. Now, I'm probably going to have to come home more often and beat off the boys with a stick.

My mom ushered us in and a wave of her hand and a "Lunch's almost ready, come on come on."

We chattered easily as we ate, and I found myself loving every minute of it. While I loved the single college life, with parties and girls all the time, it was nice to be able to talk with my family like the old times.

"Oh, Kenneth, I almost forgot." Mom suddenly jolted. "The Fallats, you remember them?" My eyebrows scrunched up, and I slowly put my fork down.

"Yeah... Scarlet and Tony. They moved when I was in high school."

She smiled and nodded. "Yes, yes. But their parents have moved back here. Apparently New York was too crazy for their lifestyle, so they got John's old job back and moved back here a couple months ago."

Huh. Well wouldn't you know. Scarlet was my best friend growing up and Tony was her little brother. I was a year older than her, but she was the most amazing thing I knew at the time. We'd grown up in the same neighborhood with the same group of kids, but she was my best friend. Her heart was set on picking up snakes rather than playing with Barbie dolls.

The best memory I have of her is when we were 13 and sitting by the old pond a few miles behind our houses. We were talking as usual, enjoying the summer air. Then she asked me if I'd ever kissed anyone. I remember my heart hammering. Why'd she ask me that? I said yes, I had. I hadn't. Scarlet looked defeated, yet determined, and immediately stuck her lips against mine. Whether she knew it or not, Scarlet gave me my first kiss that day, and it was something I'll never forget because my lips tasted like her mothers honey when I licked them afterwards. I don't remember what we said afterwards, but I know that night I couldn't stop thinking about her.

Then we got into our middle school/high school years and she changed. Not for the worse, but became more feminine, and I couldn't help but forgetting the old her. Boys chased after her, and it almost seemed like she didn't know what to do with the attention she was getting. Eventually, she found even ground, but that even ground didn't include much of me in it. It was sad, seeing our friendship grow apart in those later years. Then, in our sophomore year, her dad got a new job in New York, and they moved almost immediately. We stayed good friends in those early months. Almost every night, we'd be on the phone. I helped her through her days of not knowing anyone, to the days of knowing a few people, to the days of going on her first date. Then, the phone calls kept coming fewer and fewer, and we eventually lost most touch with each other.

Suffice to say, she dated, and I dated, and nothing ever came of it. When the time to choose colleges came around, I chose Ohio and she chose Florida. She came back to visit in the summer of her senior year. Only for a little while, but still, it was nice, and very playful on the surface. The day we said goodbye was weirder than expected. We spent a while reminiscing on all those times as kids that we'd had together. When we'd climbed to the top of the tree on Harp Street and her mom and my mom almost had heart attacks. When we'd ate all her mother's honey from her cabinet and were sick for days.

I hadn't seen Scarlet in years and haven't kept much contact with her besides the occasional phone call, which were still pretty rare.

"Well, Scarlet's visiting, and so is Tony. I told them you were in town and that you'd stop by later tonight."

I nodded, wondering what I was ever going to say to them. After so many years, what do you say to the two little kids you lived down the street from?

After dinner, I walked over to the old house that Scarlet and Tony grew up in. Another family owned the house now, but it was still nice to see that much of it hadn't changed. There was still the big crack in the bricks, and still the big oak with moss towering over the roof.

I kept walking towards their new house, a couple of streets over. I knew I was there when I got to the old Grand Am sitting in the driveway. It was Scarlet's first car. She loved that thing and told her parents that they couldn't ever sell it.

I went up to the front door and knocked slowly. Mrs. Fallat answered after a few seconds, and she looked almost identical to what I remember her as. "Oh my god, Kenneth?" I smiled. "Kenneth Graham? My god, boy, you must've grown about 10 feet. Please come in dear, sit down." All the older women I knew said things like "honey" and "dear" and "sweetheart." I'd grown up around that kind of hospitality and warmth.

We talked for a little while about how college was, how long I'd be in town, if I had work, etc. Tony walked in and we exchanged a handshake and a nice hug that was long overdue. He'd grown into a nice looking kid, almost 19.

"Well, I know you want to see Scarlet. She's really excited to see you. She's outback." Mrs. Fallat leaned towards me. "Working on her masters thesis. Can you believe it? My baby's going to be a psychologist." I smiled, and thanked her and hugged her once more.

Then I trekked into the backyard, which was overgrown with weeds and plants. I looked around for her, but couldn't find her. "You're not looking hard enough." A voice came from above me. I shielded my eyes from the sun and looked up just in time to see a pair of overalled legs jumping out of the tree at me. Scarlet landed right next to meet, right side up and smiled. "Ken!" She exclaimed, then covered her mouth, unable to stop herself from using her childhood nickname for me.

I was, however, speechless. She was still the same old Scarlet, yet so much older. Her features had matured greatly, she'd grown taller, almost 5'10 I'd say. Her hair was longer, the dark brown curls hitting almost the middle of her back now. She'd finally gotten breasts and a figure; curves in all the right places. The same green eyes stared up at me, but I still hadn't said hi. She was so very, very beautiful.

I finally found my voice. "Scar... wow... who is this?"

She laughed. "Who is this?" She countered. "Mr. Macho. Mr. Muscles. What, did you buy a gym?" Almost instantly we slipped back into the childhood banter and poking fun at each other.

"Oh, har har."

She gasped and covered her mouth. "Your voice!" She squeaked, and I laughed. "It's so much huskier." She put her hand on her hip and leaned to the side. "And to think just yesterday you were little Ken. Still hadn't hit puberty and had bad acne."

"Whoaa, that's uncalled for. And to think that just yesterday, you were little Scar, the girl picking up snakes and had no boobs."

I said it jokingly, and meant it jokingly, but I think I almost saw the hint of a blush in her cheeks. It made me smile wider. She shoved her hands inside her overalls, looking like the most adorable thing to hit the planet, and I had to stop myself from crushing her in a hug. I wanted to so badly though.

"You're different..." She said sadly. "Not in a bad way. But you're different." Then she smiled. "I don't know... I was expecting my little Ken to run up here, ready to toss baseball or something. Not this..."

I nodded.

"You cut your hair." She reached up and ran her fingers through my hair gently. "Still golden from the sun, I see."

I couldn't help staring at her. Her voice was still Scarlet. Everything about her screamed Scarlet. I felt like no time had passed, yet I couldn't help telling myself that 6 years had passed and nothing was the same. "Do you want to go to the pond?" I don't know what made me ask that. It just seemed like a good idea. The right idea.

We started walking, her bouncing her usual bouncy step, and me trudging along side. She glanced up at me and laughed. "I can't take you seriously with you all the way up there. Can you try to be my size a little?"

I laughed, bent at the knees and made a funny face. Scarlet's original laugh escaped her lips, and I hadn't realized how much I missed that sound until now. "Sorry, my doctor said I'd stop growing after 6'3. Apparently not. Almost 6'4."

We'd reached the pond and she sat near the edge of it. I went to sit next to her, but she spoke. "I thought about you a lot... did you know that?" She asked quietly.

I was almost too stunned. I lowered myself to the ground next to her and turned my head slightly. "I didn't..."

Scarlet nodded. "When we were little... I remember one time," she started, smiling. "we were being babysat together. And you, being your cute, shy little self, asked the babysitter to marry you..." She trailed off. "And I just remember being so jealous that you didn't ask me. I was so mean to that babysitter after that."

My lips curved into a smile. "I remember that. You made her life hell." Scarlet laughed and nodded. "I missed you a lot. I didn't realize until now how much."

"Best friends, weren't we?"

I nodded. "We still are..." We stayed silent for a little while, listening to the frogs croak and the flies turn around our heads.

Then she nudged me. "So, where's your girlfriend?" I just smiled at her, stuck out my tongue and shook my head. "Oh come on! You've gotta have one!" I shook my head again. She sat up more facing me. "Lemme get this straight. Kenneth: Doesn't smoke." She started ticking things off with her fingers.

I laughed. "Nope."

"Don't drink?"

"Not often."

"Does't use women for sex."

"Never."

"Never gets in trouble."

"I got into trouble."

"Taking your little sisters gummy worms doesn't count as trouble."

I laughed again, and she stared. "I can't get over how much you've changed. Physically." She said.

"And you..." I trailed off. "Scarlet, you're beautiful. Truly. I mean, you were before, all covered in mud and picking up bugs. But, it's different now. More you." I nudged her knee gently with my knuckles.

This time, there was no denying the blush, and I stared wondrously. "You've been called beautiful numerous times before, Scar..."

She nodded and looked away. The blush was still there. "Never by the one person who I wanted to..."

This time, I really was stunned. Because I was almost certain I'd called her beautiful before. I had. I definitely had. I had to of. Hadn't I?

"Scarlet... I'm leaving at the end of this week... I..."

`"I know. I just wanted you to know. I'm always here for you." She said gently. It looked like her eyes were watering. "I know, I didn't expect you to come rushing back and sweep me up into some Prince Charming kiss, I know that, but I was hoping things might be different, or somet-"

I cut her off. Somehow, somewhere, something in my brain had come loose and I instantly knew that I loved Scarlet and never stopped. I was kissing her so softly, my fingers holding under her small chin. He lips were soft against mine and she was watching me through hazy eyes, I could tell. But all I could think was how stupid was I, to never have realized that Scarlet was one of the most important things in my life. Her green eyes penetrated mine, and all in one moment, every fantasy I'd ever had about a woman now was about Scarlet. I hardened a little in my jeans and instantly pulled away.

Scarlet fell backwards into the grass. "Shit, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to let you fall-" I started. But she laughed and just stayed laying in the grass, staring up at me with her green eyes. Internally, I groaned. I felt her small hand wrap around my wrist and tug gently towards her. I couldn't help but oblige.

I held my weight off of her and she leaned up to me, her soft lips waiting. I kissed her nose, my lips brushing each eyelid, each cheek, before touching her mouth again. Her breath had the very faint hint of a sigh in it. "Scarlet..." I whispered her name in her ear and gently bit her earlobe while her arms wrapped around my neck. She smelled like lavender when I kissed her neck, and I let my tongue taste her. My hands rested at her sides, right below her breasts, and she didn't object. I moved back to her lips, and this time her tongue slid into my mouth and mine into hers. I slipped my hand down her side to her waist and her thigh, then pulled it up against my hip so she was pressed against me perfectly.

She pulled her lips away and I went to her neck again, devouring her. "Remember," she whispered breathlessly, "when I kissed you. When we were little?"

I moved back to her lips and groaned my reply into her mouth. When we broke free again, she was even more breathless. "Was that your first kiss?"

"Yes."

She bit her lip, and smiled. Her eyes sparkled, and the sun was just on the horizon now, setting. I traced my thumb across her cheek ever so gently, treating her like a porcelain doll. I decided right then and there that I would never lose Scarlet again. She leaned up to me and I slid my arms around her back, pulling her body up and sitting with her on my lap. She let my hands wander down to her thighs, and I pulled them around me, keeping my hands under them while we kissed even more passionately. Our breaths were mixing with the sounds around us.

Then her hands started wandering. Down my neck, my chest and my stomach. My jeans were already straining against her, and I'm sure she could feel it. I didn't want to ruin this moment at all, but I felt like I would if I tried to take it further.

But Scarlet tugged my shirt over my head and pressed herself against my chest. She kissed my shoulder, gently biting and I groaned. I wrapped my arms around her tightly, holding her to me and staring into her eyes. "Kenneth..."

"Mmm?" I responded, leaning in to kiss her exposed shoulder. Her breath was becoming jagged and her fingers were curling in my hair more.

She moaned softly when I unsnapped her overalls. I looked at her, and she stared right back just as intensely. Then she nodded, and my heart started hammering faster. I tugged down her overalls all the way, leaving her on top of me in her panties and a white cotton shirt. Her legs were so soft and smooth, and I wanted so much to be able to kiss them, but I didn't want her to have to sit in the grass.

Ever so gently, my fingers ran underneath her panties, and I waited to see if she'd object. She didn't, and I kept kissing her, our tongues moving passionately, and my fingers slipped past her lips to find that she was soaked. "Mmm, Scarlet..."

I gently touched her clit, and felt her fingers dig into my back. My calloused fingers moved slowly along her slit, listening to her moaning as I pleasured her. My cock was getting harder in my jeans and I ached to have her touch me. Almost as if hearing my thoughts, Scarlet unzipped my jeans and my cock sprang free. She moaned and licked her lips.

That alone almost made me loose it, but I kept enough control except to let out her name jaggedly when she started teasing my cock. I felt her lips at my ear, gently biting and nibbling. "I want to taste you..." she whispered in my ear.

A loud groan escaped my lips, and I leaned in and bit her neck tenderly. I couldn't let her do that here, no matter how much I wanted her moist lips wrapped around me, with her beautiful green eyes gazing up at me like she was taking care of me.

I kissed her, promising her with my lips of much more times to come. Then I pulled of her panties and pulled her hips towards me. She was breathing hard on my lips and moaned so softly and femininely that it took everything in my power not to run home with her naked and shaft her into the mattress.

I lowered her body onto my cock, and kissed hard to suppress the moans. Hers escaped though, enough to make the frogs stop croaking for a while. She started moving up and down, her lips open and eyes closed, looking like the most beautiful and sexiest thing I've ever seen. She threw her head back and I gripped her waist, thrusting up in her. Her squeals were getting louder, and I wrapped my hand around the back of her neck and pulled her lips to mine, smiling. Scarlet was bouncing on my cock, almost lifting fully off then slowly coming back down. The sensation was enough to drive me wild. I inadvertently pulled her curls.

She grabbed my hand, pulling my fingers towards her lips. She locked eyes with me, lips slightly parted while she road me hard, and pulled my index finger in-between her lips, moaning around it. Then she started sucking gently.

My mouth was open and I leaned my head back, willing to last longer for her to orgasm. I leaned forward and started whispering dirty things in her ear, making her whimper and move faster, digging her nails into my back and contracting around me. She grabbed my hand hastily and shoved it on her clit, and I instantly starting rubbing her. I could feel her orgasm building and I moved my fingers faster while she bounced faster.

"Oh, Scarlet...Ohh..."

She answered by moaning louder than before, then opening her lips, throwing her head back and shaking on top of me while she orgasmed. Her nails dug into my back more and she let out a very small scream, then bit my hand.