Come As You Are Ch. 07

Previously on "Come As You Are" - Four lifelong friends reunite for their ten year high school reunion -- professional chef Brenda Lattimore, video game streamer Sadie Bedford, professional ski instructor Michelle Min and local business owner Colette Hansen. Over drinks and dinner the night before the reunion, the girls discover that they all share a secret lover in one of their classmates, the quiet social outcast Garrett West.

Michelle and her college roommate Irina plan to spend their Spring Break skiing in Wyoming. Much to Michelle's surprise, she runs into two of her high school classmates -- her prom date Anthony "Gio" Giovanni and his best friend Garrett West. Irina and Gio are instantly attracted to each other while Michelle's attentions are focused solely on enjoying Spring Break without the involvement of boys, something she lets Garrett know repeatedly despite his repeated assurances.

A drunken night of dancing, however, sees an absolutely plastered Michelle escorted back to her hotel room and tucked in by Garrett, who puts up with her pointed barbs along the way.

In the middle of the night, Michelle stumbles upon Irina and Gio hooking up and discovers that watching the two is a major turn-on for her, leading to a frenzied masturbation session while she looks on in secret...

X X X X X

Come As You Are

Volume III - Michelle's Story

Chapter Two - "I Can See For Miles"

X X X X X

"Michelle? You with us this morning?"

"Mmmm?"

"How are you feeling?"

"Blergh..."

Michelle reluctantly opened her eyes. The only light in her room shone through the gaps around the thick window curtains, which were thankfully drawn shut. She groaned as she rolled onto her back. Sitting on the other side of the bed, Irina laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Come on, you should get some fluids in you."

Michelle threw her arm over her eyes. "Go away," she said. Her head pounded with every word she said. "Just want to lay here and die."

"I can't let you do that." Irina squeezed Michelle's shoulder. "Seriously, you're seriously dehydrated. Both of those bottles of Gatorade are still full."

His throbbing headache protested loudly as Michelle forced herself into a sitting position. Irina handed her the bottle of red Gatorade that sat untouched on the bedside table. Michelle took a small sip at first before carefully draining nearly half the bottle in one smooth, fluid gulp. She immediately felt better as the liquid settled in her stomach. "I am never ever drinking that much alcohol again."

Irina smiled as she gently rubbed Michelle's back. "Do you remember anything from last night?"

"Dancing," Michelle said, her voice raspy as she took another small sip. "Coming back here. I think I went to the bathroom in the middle of the night. And now being woken up by someone who is a little too cheerful for whatever time of the morning it is."

"9:30 am. Gio got the text saying you were safe and tucked in around 1 am. You've been passed out for eight hours."

"And I could pass out for eight more." Michelle tried to flop back on the bed only for Irina to catch her.

"No," her friend said. "You're awake." Irina put her chin on Michelle's shoulder and wrapped her arms around her stomach from behind. "The sooner you get up and move around the sooner your hangover will pass."

Michelle nodded. "Yeah, you're right." Irina let go as Michelle pushed herself to her feet. "Gotta pee."

"Make sure my bathroom door is closed," Irina called out. "I have a guest."

"Gio?"

"Yeah," Irina answered. "He's still asleep. We went back to the club to settle the tab...my bank account probably feels like you do this morning...and ended up going across the street to another bar. We talked, one thing led to another, and...well, we didn't wait for Thursday. You just used the bathroom when we stumbled in." Irina sighed happily. "My God, that boy..."

"Stop," Michelle called out from the central bathroom. "Trust me, this is not the morning to talk about that kind of stuff... wait, if you and Gio didn't bring me back here, who did?"

"Garrett," Irina said. "You guys walked back from Wonderland. Well, according to him it started as walking and by the end, he was all but carrying you. He said you'll be hearing from him this morning."

Another flash of memory hit her. This one brought about a pang of regret, though she couldn't put her finger on why. "About what?" she asked hesitantly.

"Getting his parka back. He forgot to grab it when he left."

Michelle was steadier on her feet as she walked back into her bedroom. Garrett's purple parka lay on the floor next to the pile of clothing she had worn the night before. "Cover your eyes," she told Irina before grabbing the bedroom curtains and throwing them open. Beyond the fourth-floor window, blue skies shone down on white snow with dozens of skiers already making their way down the slopes of the basin. "What's on the agenda for today?" she asked Irina.

"Garrett's bringing Gio's stuff down. The three of us will probably go skiing together. You're more than welcome to join us if you're feeling up to it."

"Not right now." Michelle dropped onto the edge of the bed, successfully fighting the urge to lay back down. "Maybe later. Going downhill would probably make my head explode."

"Your phone's been going off all morning, by the way. Someone's been texting you non-stop."

Michelle rubbed her eyes before grabbing her phone from the nightstand, where it had been plugged into the wall charger. "Oh no," she moaned. "I forgot to text Colette and Brenda that I made it back last night."

As Michelle sent a message to her friends letting her know she was OK, there was a gentle knock on the door leading into Irina's room. "Hey," the deep voice of Gio called out through the tiny crack that he opened, "can I come in?"

Irina looked to Michelle, who nodded and called out. "Come on in."

The door opened, and the tall Italian walked through the bathroom into Michelle's room. He was wearing light blue boxers and a tight white t-shirt. "Morning Michelle," he said, a blush appearing on his dark features. "How are you feeling?"

"Like garbage." She ran a hand through her greasy hair. "Thanks for covering for me last night. I hope I didn't kill your evening."

Gio smiled at Irina. "It all worked out. You were absolutely smashed. What happened?"

"Too much drinking, too many problems, and too many emotions just collided head on with each other."

Gio came forward and put a reassuring hand on Michelle's shoulder. "I've been there. Sure you're OK?"

"Yeah." She put her hand over his and smiled up at her old high school friend. "My problems seem a lot less worrisome now that I'm just hungover and not hammered. I guess I should thank Garrett for getting me back here in one piece, huh?"

"That's why I came in here." He looked over at Irina. "Garrett says thank you for the invite, but he's going to go cross-country skiing today."

Irina nodded. "Guess it's just you and me then," she said before turning to Michelle. "As I said, you're more than welcome to come with us if you feel up to it later today."

Michelle rubbed at her face before making a snap decision. "Would you mind texting Garrett and asking if I could go with him?" Irina blinked in surprise at Michelle's request. "I don't want to spend all morning in here," she explained while Gio began typing on his phone, "but I'm not up to downhills. Going cross-country sounds like a really good idea. I can work up a sweat and the cold air might help clear my head."

Gio looked up from his phone. "Garrett says it's fine. He says to give him fifteen and he'll text us when he's in the lobby. And please don't forget his parka when we come down."

X X X X X

Garrett looked over his shoulder. "Pace still good?"

"Still good," Michelle called back. "This is a 'stop and smell the roses' kind of excursion." Garrett nodded and continued to push forward. Michelle followed in his wake as the two skiers kept to the marked trail. "I can't believe we're the only people out here today. It's gorgeous. You'd think more people would be taking advantage of it."

Garrett slowed down, allowing Michelle to catch up as the path widened in front of them. The grooved piste sloped slightly uphill, lined by thick pine trees as it ran along a ridge set into the side of the mountain. A series of poles with bright red tape lined the edges of the path. By the time they reached the top, both young adults stopped for a moment to catch their breath. "How's the half-mask working out for you?" he asked from underneath his own.

"Still getting used to it," Michelle answered, gesturing to the gray half-mask that covered her chin, nose, and mouth. "But it's helping. My throat doesn't feel sore like it did yesterday. How are you holding up?"

"I feel great," Garrett said as he adjusted the backpack slung over his shoulders. "Cross-country is so relaxing, especially when there's no one around."

Michelle nodded in agreement as the two resumed their trek. The jagged snow-covered peaks of the Grand Teton range stretched in both directions. The soreness and weariness had vanished from her body and mind during their hour-long journey, allowing her to take in the fresh mountain air - sharp, crisp, and smelling of evergreen. The remnants of the morning's hangover slowly boiled away with every breath of cold, clear air Michelle took.

Garrett kept up an easy and gentle pace. At first, Michelle had the urge to push past him, but after half an hour she was thankful that Garrett wasn't in a rush. Not only did it give her body a chance to rest but she was able to better appreciate the beautiful scenery around her, something difficult to do when going downhill at 25-to-30 miles per hour.

As the piste began to slope downward Garrett came to a halt. After looking around for a few seconds he pointed towards one of the guide poles. "There. Come on." He turned his skis towards the tree line and began to push towards it.

"That's off the piste."

"I know. You up for it?"

"Of course," Michelle said, trying not to feel insulted. A red ribbon had been tied tightly around the pole. Just underneath it, almost hidden by the portion of the red ribbon that was gently flowing in the breeze, was a black ribbon. Michelle would have missed it if Garrett hadn't pointed it out.

A small thrill ran through Michelle when Garrett led her off the beaten, tracked, grooved path. The pine trees closed around them immediately. As he pushed forward Michelle realized they were following a path. It wound tightly through the trees, at some places just big enough to allow them to pass through if they tucked their poles against their body. After about ten minutes the forest came to an end. Garrett pushed out of the treeline before stopping. Michelle pulled up alongside him. "Well, here we are," he proclaimed.

Her breath caught in her throat at the stunning view. The pair stood on a long ridge that ran along the length of the forest. The ridge extended in front of them before dropping off, with only a small boulder off to one side to break the seemingly endless snow stretching out in both directions. From where they were standing Michelle could see the entirety of the back slopes of Blackcreek Basin off to the left. The skiers were only visible by the virtue of their clothing standing out against the bright white snow. Before them and to the right was a series of tall mountains and deep valleys, gray stone and green trees, white snow, and rich dirt, spreading out in a breathtaking vista as far as Michelle could see. "This is amazing," she breathed as she pulled down the half-mask.

Garrett just nodded. For a few moments, the pair stood quietly side-by-side, taking in the natural beauty around them. "Let's sit down," Garrett eventually said.

"Sit down?"

"I brought lunch." He unlocked his skis and proceeded to prop them against a tree. Michelle followed his lead before following him to the front of the boulder. Her boots sank into the snow, leaving a trail of footprints behind her. Garrett swept the snow away from the front portion of the boulder, revealing a flat divot that ran along the outer edge. "Grab a seat," he said while shrugging off his knapsack. "There's plenty of room for both of us."

Michelle carefully made her way to the natural bench carved into the boulder. The ledge extended twenty feet from the boulder before dropping off into the basin. "So," she asked, "what potent potables did you bring for lunch today?"

"At first I had the usual packed -- water and energy bars. And while I still do have those inside here..." Garrett pulled out a bottle of water and handed it to Michelle. She twisted the cap and took a refreshing sip as Garrett continued to talk. "...I figured if I was going to have company I should bring a proper lunch." He pulled out a metal thermos. "And then I realized I didn't have anything to make a proper lunch, so I just made lunch. Hot chocolate," he said, holding the thermos in the air, "and grilled cheese."

"I can get behind the hot chocolate. But cold grilled cheese?"

"Warm," he explained as he took off his half-mask. "Not hot off the stove warm but good enough." Garrett pulled out two more thermoses. "Trick my grandfather taught me," he said as he unscrewed one before handing it to Michelle. "Make grilled cheese. Cut it in four sticks. Put in the thermos. It won't be crispy but will stay warm and gooey. Especially since I packed both thermoses in hand warmer packs."

"That's clever," Michelle exclaimed. She pulled off her mittens and tucked them in the pockets of her jacket. The thermos was warm to the touch as she pulled the top off. Inside were four rectangular sticks of bread and melted cheese. It was closer to lukewarm than warm, but the gooey cheesiness and the buttery taste of the bread were still paramount. "Oh my God," she said with her mouth full of sandwich, "your grandfather is a genius!"

Garrett smiled as he poured the hot chocolate into Michelle's cup. "Was a genius. But he taught me enough tips and tricks, sometimes it feels like he's still here."

The drink wasn't piping hot, but still warm enough that Michelle carefully sipped at it. The pair looked out at the vista as they ate lunch. The only sound aside from quiet chewing was the rustle of the gentle breeze as it sent whispers through the trees behind them and kicked up small puffs of snow that drifted across the ground. Memories of last night were slowly piecing themselves together in her brain. She regulated that process to her subconscious. Michelle breathed in the clean air before letting it out slowly, blowing the steam from her mouth like she was exhaling a cigarette - she assumed as she had never smoked in her life. The cloud hung in front of her for a moment before drifting away, sending a little piece of her out into the mountains beyond.

She eventually broke the tranquil silence. "How did you find out about this place?"

"From some locals. I went back to the bar after dropping you off and shot some pool until last call. When I mentioned I was going cross-country skiing they told me to look at the guide pole with the red and black ribbons. Said it led to a little hidden vista." Garrett smiled at Michelle. "I'm a sucker for a good view. And I figured after last night, you could use one too."

"You guessed right. I love views like this." She handed her now-empty thermos back to him. "I can still name every single peak you could see from Taylor Peak. It took two hours to hike to the highest viewpoint, but if I got up early enough I'd climb the trail. I've lost count of the number of times I'd climb up there if I didn't have weekend ski practice or a test to study for." She sighed deeply. "I never told anyone else I went up there. Not my parents, not my friends, no one. It was a place I could go when I didn't have to be... Irina calls it my extra gear. I didn't have to be on all the time. I could downshift, just a little bit, and enjoy the view."

Michelle laughed quietly. "One time I made the hike at night. Middle of July before senior year. I don't know why I did it but I just grabbed a flashlight, threw some supplies in a backpack, and left a note for my folks telling them I had gone to Sadie's. They never checked. They trusted me. I snuck onto the trail and by midnight I was lying on a bench looking up at the stars. I didn't come back down until the sun came up. More than anything else, that's what I remember. Watching the sun come up over the Continental Divide..."

She suddenly blinked. "Wow. Sorry. I didn't mean to ramble."

"All good. Your secret is safe with me," Garrett smiled. "It's nice to have a place you could go to be alone. Everyone needs one or else they'd go mad."

"Did you have one?"

"My basement. My grandfather moved in with us when my grandmother died. He turned our basement into an apartment that was also a hangout for him and his buddies. He built a working bar complete with a keg, got a TV, and hung up a dartboard." Garrett's laugh echoed off the rocky landscape. "We pretty much rotated through our houses during high school - my basement to play bar games, Gio's house for dinner, and Vienna's place to listen to music."

Garrett scratched at the back of his purple knit hat. "I guess now that I think about it, maybe Gio and Vienna were my places. Not their houses but them. I was always around one or the other until my senior year. It's kind of ironic that the best parts of my senior year all happened when I was flying solo."

Michelle laughed, causing Garrett to look over at her with a raised eyebrow. "Sorry," she said, covering her mouth with one hand. "I'm not laughing at you. It's... I just told you something I never told anyone else and now you sound like you had a self-realization." She gestured to the vista in front of them. "This is a weird time and a weird place to be doing either."

"One of Gio's sisters told me that the life-changing conversations and self-realizations never occur during some dramatic moment or climactic confrontation. They occur on a Thursday afternoon at 3:17 pm when you least expect it. We're only off by, what, one day and roughly three hours?"

"I guess. Mind if I finish the hot chocolate?"

The pair were quiet for a few minutes, both of them looking out over the mountainous expanse as Michelle enjoyed the warm beverage. She glanced over at Garrett, who was leaning back against the boulder, arms stretched out. As she watched him, Michelle felt a heavy knot forming in her chest, and a frown came over her face. "Garrett," she said quietly, "was I a bitch to you last night?"

"You were drunk," he answered after a noticeable pause. "Don't worry about it."

"That's not what I asked." She turned to face him. "I don't remember much about last night. I didn't even remember you bringing me back to my room. But for some reason, I look at you and I feel like I did something wrong, or said something wrong."

"You said a bunch of things. But seriously, it's nothing..."

"Garrett." The forceful way Michelle said his name caught him off guard. "I appreciate that you're trying to play it off, however, I'm asking you honestly and directly. Don't worry about hurting my feelings. Trying to hide something I can't remember feels disrespectful."

Michelle waited quietly as Garrett took a drink of water before answering. "You told me a bunch of times that you had no interest in me. Like, when I walked up to you sitting on the bench you pointed at me and declared that I was the one guy you had no interest in fucking their brains out."

"I actually said that?"

"You yelled it to the world. Then I said we keep running into each other. You stressed that it was on accident, never on purpose." A cloud of vapor appeared in front of him as he sighed. "And when I offered you my arm you said not to try anything funny."