Against the Wind Ch. 01

"Yeah man, she just walked out through the doors. She looked pissed."

I took off out the doors at full speed hoping to catch up with her. About a block away from the school, I saw what looked like a girl walking home alone. Breaking into a run, within seconds I was next to her.

"What happened in there?"

"I was going to ask you the same thing Hugh. I've never seen you like that before. What came over you?"

"I don't know. I just saw him grabbing on you and it made me crazy. I felt this overwhelming need to protect you."

"I can take care of myself you know. He's not the first guy who's wanted to get physical with me. The last one is likely still trying to pry his balls from his ass."

A laughing fit hit us both, right there in the middle of the street. I can only imagine what the two of us must have looked like, having run out of the dance without our coats, bristling against the chilly October air. The breeze was picking up, whipping fresh fallen leaves across the neighborhood lawns.

"I know you can, Jane. It's a guy thing. We like to protect pretty girls; we can't help ourselves. Want me to walk you home?"

"I'd like that Hugh. I'm getting a little cold too, since we left our coats inside."

She nestled in against me as we walked to her farm at the other end of town. Aside from the activity at the school, the town seemed deserted this time of night. The sparse streetlights were our only light source; otherwise, we followed the stars as our guide. We were comfortable, like an old couple who had been together for years.

By the time we arrived at her laneway, we were chatting back and forth about nothing in particular. I sensed the time was right to move in and kiss her but was too nervous. There was so much riding on one little touch of skin that I hesitated. My hand reached out and held hers, looking into her eyes. They shone back at me, radiating an inner light of happiness I hadn't expected.

The pressure was overwhelming, so I turned as if to go. In that moment, my courage galvanized as I pivoted back towards her quickly, collected her in my arms and pressed my lips against hers for the first time ever. Our lips touched and I breathed in her scent carried on the wind around us, the omnipresent breeze. My heart skidded to a halt at the touch, unable to imagine the powerful emotions she invoked.

My eyes slammed shut by involuntary reflex and I pulled her closer against me, feeling every curve of her lithe body. A red-hot spark ignited my desire, causing me to pull back from the kiss lest I get too far gone to control my impulses. With a mind of their own, my fingers moved up to her cheeks, feeling her smooth skin as we broke apart. We didn't need words spoken between us; that one look sealed our bond.

We both turned in sync and walked away. If anyone had been around to see my face on the journey home they would have thought that I was on drugs from the delirious expression I wore. I felt like I was floating on a giant cloud and never wanted to come back down.

****

That night featured some of the best sleep of my life. Jane followed through my dreams all night long and by morning, I was ready to see her again. I called her house, but she was busy with farm chores all weekend long. Monday morning was to be the first time I'd see her since our kiss.

To my surprise the voice I heard call my name while I stood at my locker wasn't Jane, it was Claire.

"Hugh?"

"Um yeah. Hi Claire."

"What did you do to my best friend?"

I didn't know how to respond since I couldn't tell if she was angry or not. She was a beautiful girl as well, with shimmering blonde hair, whose looks had always been intimidating to me even with my experience talking to other girls.

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, I don't know. She's been grinning like a silly little school girl all weekend. She seems really happy."

"I kissed her, but that was it, I promise."

"Relax; I'm glad she's happy. I know you would never break her heart, because you'd have to answer to me, right?" The look on her face was friendly and yet very serious at the same time.

"Of course not, I really do like her Claire. Her happiness is important to me."

"Good, good. Well, she had to stay home and help around the farm. She wanted me to ask you if she can pick you up tonight. I guess there's something secret she wants to show you."

"Yeah, I'd love to see her again."

"Is seven all right?"

"Perfect."

"She'll meet you at your house then. Just remember to treat her right and be a gentleman."

Claire walked away down the hall, leaving me confused in her wake. I had a date for tonight where Jane wanted to show me something. But what could it possibly be? My mind churned trying to figure out the possibilities.

****

The remainder of the day was a painful process of watching the clock toil away at what seemed like mere seconds at a time. School let out for the day and I walked home with Scott as usual. It was not meant to be a secret that I was going out with Jane tonight but I really didn't want to tell anyone about it, maybe so my hopes didn't spring too high.

At home, I hurried around trying to get myself as presentable as I could not sure what she had in mind. I felt like a nervous schoolgirl trying on different clothes, posing in front of the mirror. By the time she finally arrived out front, my stomach was so full of knots I felt like it would tear me apart.

I'm not sure to this day what I was expecting, but an old beat up emerald green farm truck wasn't it. There were hubcaps missing and paint scraped off the fender but it seemed to run fine. I could see her sitting behind the wheel, her hands fidgeting and knew then that she was as nervous as I was. My heart felt as if it was convulsing as I dashed through the front door and into the old truck beside her.

"So where are you taking me?" My voice wavered, although she didn't seem to notice.

"You'll see," she replied, with the cutest little grin.

I could tell she was nervous by her habit of biting her lip every time she looked in my direction. After several glances, I noticed her hair was down for only the second time that I could remember.

"I like the way you have your hair tonight, Jane."

"Oh thanks, I didn't do much to it, just let it hang loose."

We drove out of town and turned on some back farm road it seemed. I was becoming a little nervous as to our destination, but I think I disguised it well. Conversation was sparse though we shared a few smiles. During a long pause, I turned the radio on to a local classic rock station that I liked.

"Hey, you like this kind of music?" Jane inquired.

"I love the old stuff, it's much better than most of the crap they play these days. The garbage that passes for music today is ridiculous."

"Yeah I can't listen to that either. I'm more a sixties, seventies, eighties fan. Anything that has a beat with people who actually play instruments is a plus. I don't mind a little country either. That Willie Nelson is pretty good."

"Yeah, he has a few good tunes. I really like "Always on my mind". It's such a sweet romantic tune."

"I prefer the more upbeat ones though. I love to dance. How about you?"

"What you got the other night was the best you're going to get from me, although I know how to polka. We had to learn that in gym class years ago."

The casual chatter helped to pass the time as we drove through the fields. Finally, she stopped the truck in what seemed like the exact geographic center of nowhere. My mind, which had calmed down as we drove, now swam with possibilities of what we were going to do here.

"We're here."

"Where exactly is here?"

"It's my private spot where I come to get away from life. I wanted to share it with you. Come on and give me a hand, I have blankets in the back."

I followed her around, picked up the blankets and trudged through some slight underbrush finding my way in the dimming sunlight. She had a large blanket she unrolled on the ground in a well-prepared setup routine. The way she moved, graced me with generous views of her ass in tight jeans that molded themselves around her heavenly form. It was a challenge, not to stare at the efficiency with which she flitted from spot to spot preparing the area while I stood around feeling like topiary.

"Need any help?"

"Nope, all done. Could you put the key back in the ignition and turn the radio louder so we can hear it?"

"Sure thing." I went back and did as she requested. Soon the sounds of "Dust in the Wind" by Kansas wafted over the speakers. I lay down on the blanket beside her, looking up at the stars that were beginning to appear in the sky. The combination of the stars and the music made me begin to appreciate the weight of the moment.

"Jane, I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what? The other night?"

"No for three years ago. I never meant to hurt you. I just couldn't deal with all the teasing you were getting. I know it sounds immature, but even then it was hard just being your friend."

She turned to look at me, giving me a quizzical look. "What do you mean?"

"I liked you, but when you started getting teased, I knew there was no way I could ask you out like I wanted to. There was no way I could handle the ridicule I would get from dating you."

"So that's a mature response. Just run away from it. The peer pressure was too much for you? I thought you were a man."

The sting of her comment was like a slap. No, it was worse than that. I could handle my guilt and even what I'd done to our friendship, but having her hold that low an opinion of me was beyond painful.

"We were just kids back then. I'm a different person now. I wouldn't sacrifice you for anything."

"Do you really mean that?"

Looking through her eyes and into the depth of her soul I gave my answer. "Yes I do."

Minutes passed with us simply lying together, having cleared the air of our past issues not sure where to move the conversation. My head still throbbed from her criticism and also from nerves at being this close with her. Just the mere sense that I could reach out and touch her made my stomach lurch. I wanted to climb on top of her and unleash my lust on her unsuspecting body, but I wanted more than that. I wanted her to feel the same heat and pent up lust that consumed me. Her next comment shattered my reverie and caused my mind to concentrate on other issues again.

"Do you ever feel like you're running against the wind, Hugh?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean things in life are just that much harder all the time than they need to be. How our path is preordained and we really struggle if we go against where it wants us to go."

"I know the feeling. I've wanted to go off to college and maybe become a lawyer but with my grandma being sick and all I'm not sure I'll ever make it out of this town.

"Don't tell anyone I said this, but even with all the work I do to try and get a college scholarship, all I really want to do is to get out there and see the world. I feel like I'm missing so much going on everywhere if I'm just going to sit in a classroom for another four years."

"This is a pretty deep conversation for a first date isn't it?"

"It's my way of getting to know you, since I suck with small talk. I just don't get the point. Oh Mr. Simpson how bout the weather today, beautiful isn't it? How about those Red Wings, yeah it's a shame they lost the cup finals but they'll get it next year. It just seems so pointless. If you'd rather us have inane banter back and forth, maybe I'm not the girl for you."

I burst out laughing in spite of myself. It was perhaps the most honest comment I'd heard in my life before or after that moment. The look on her face was so serious; I just couldn't deny her the conversation.

"No, I enjoy a serious conversation. The more we talk the more I like you. People do talk about stupid stuff just to fill time in a conversation. It's more than how's the weather though. It's trying to figure out how people think and see situations. You can learn a lot from a simple chat like that. Like this one, I've learned you think way too much about some things."

"I think about how sexy you are all the time."

A grin appeared out of nowhere on her face, lighting it up like a vast galaxy of stars twinkling. The look in her eye was so intent, it was obvious she was telling the truth.

Her comment shocked me and melted my resistant down to nothingness.

"You don't mess around when you want something, do you?"

"Oh, I mess around plenty."

She planted her lips on mine, tender at first and then with increased vigor, exploring my mouth with her tongue. The heat grew between us, and emboldened by her forwardness my hands crept over her shirt towards her breasts. Fingers danced over her curves until they felt the soft swell they sought. To my surprise, she didn't resist, only pressed her mouth harder against me.

Her sweet scent and hot mouth drove me to heights no other girl had managed even going all the way to sex. Something different about her caught me like a wildfire out of control, and pushed my desire to levels I thought impossible. My mouth burned with her kiss and my hands sought to go under her shirt, to touch her naked breasts. That's when her hand came across and stopped me.

"What kind of girl do you think I am," She tried to keep a straight face at first and then burst out in hysterics. "Sorry Hugh, that was mean. Let's just take it slow, there's no rush."

My face was flushed and my cock felt like an iron bar pressing against my pants. She must have been able to feel it against her. Perhaps the level of my passion overwhelmed her. "It's okay, we'll take our time." I could never tell her even later how much I wanted to make her mine that night, to take her warm body and bury myself in her.

"It's not like I'm a virgin Hugh. I'm not that innocent, I just want everything that comes with the sex this time."

"You're not? I didn't know you'd been with anyone." I was shocked. Although she'd never said anything, I was under the impression that I would have been her first. It's not so much that I was disappointed, but more curious.

"You sound almost hurt by it."

"No. Just curious, actually."

"It was nothing special. People make a big deal over a girl's first time. It's not that important."

"I thought girls only wanted sex with someone special."

She burst out in hysterical laughter. "That may have been the way it was but I'm not like that. Sex is sex. Making love is a totally different thing. That's what I've never done. When we do it, I want it to have all the feelings and emotions that come with it, not just putting tab A into slot B."

"If that's what you want, why did you do it?"

"Like I said, people make a big deal over virginity. The other girls were always talking about how I was still a virgin and how they lost theirs, different positions and stuff. I was curious and wondered how it felt. Also, I wanted my virgin label gone for good. The funny thing is that I've never told anyone, until now."

"I'm the only person who knows about it? You didn't even tell Claire?"

"Nope, just you. I trust you and want to be honest if we're going to have that type of relationship. Want to know the details?"

"Um, not sure I really want to hear about another guy touching you."

"I'm not going to go into detail, silly." She grinned at me and wrapped her arms around my neck, pulling me into another long slow kiss. "It was last summer, I was at my cousins and we met this older guy named Gary. I wanted to lose it, so I came on to him and one thing led to another and we had sex. Just sex."

"What do you mean, just sex?"

"There was no emotion or connection, just raw passion. He was good, I mean he had experience and knew what to do. I didn't enjoy it much since there was no connection. That's what I meant the first time we talked about wanting it all. I need someone who makes me feel alive and wanted when I'm with them. You do that to me."

"You have no idea what you do to me, Jane."

She reached down and felt my pants bulging in her hand. "Oh I think I do. Some day you'll get to put that to good use."

By that point, the light had faded to a forgotten memory and the stars were fully in the night's sky. They were even brighter out of town without all the lights to compete with them. We lay together for a few hours enjoying being together under the stars. The wind picked up, howling across the ravine that was no longer visible in the darkness.

Before we knew it, I checked my watch and it was time to go. We packed up and drove back through the narrow driveway and into town. Instead of turning down my street Jane kept driving straight towards the hill at the far end of town.

"Where are we going now?"

"I have something else I want to show you tonight." Her tone was thoughtful and yet an air of nervousness still crept into her voice

"I thought we'd shared everything already."

"Oh there are lots of things left to learn. You know how I told you about helping out at the church on weekends, cleaning and such?"

"I remember you mentioning that."

She reached into her pocket and held out a key for me to see. "Father Gilchrist gave me a key to the church, so that I could go in and do my work even if nobody else was around. I want to show you something inside, after dark."

What could I possibly want to see at a church? It had been years since I'd gone to service. Grandma's heart was in the right place, but she wasn't much of a churchgoer herself. My parents had been regular attendees, but after they died, I'd stopped going.

Jane pulled the truck into the parking area and we walked towards the front door. She slid the key into the lock and turned it with a loud click. Candlelight came into view inside, giving us enough light to navigate by as we crept around the outside. The candles came from a memorial that had been setup for one of the church's main contributors who was dying in the hospital. I had no idea what she wanted me to see and she wasn't giving anything away.

She opened another door revealing a very long circular staircase ahead.

"This is the stairs to the churches bell tower. It's one of the areas I'm responsible for cleaning. The view is amazing and I wanted to share it with you."

We trudged upwards, Jane leading the way, with my eyes looking around trying to avoid staring at her ass wiggling in front of my face. I pride myself for being in good shape, but the climb put that to the test, as we both started to huff and puff. When it got to the point where I thought I'd have to stop, we crested the top of the stairs and found a small chamber with a large steel bell hanging in the middle over an open hole.

The tower was open to the outside on two faces allowing for an amazing view down over our sleepy town below. We crept to one of the openings to get the best view.

"This view is almost as beautiful as you, Jane."

She leaned back against me as I wrapped my arms around her, feeling her warmth. The swirling breeze pummeled us as we watched the storm clouds building off in the distance. It was as if the electricity charging through me from Jane's touch ignited the air, setting off the first flashes of lightning. Sparks would fly from that tower before too long.

*

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