Eighteen Ch. 06

After practice, we meet as usual, but instead of heading towards the library, he takes a left and walks away from me.

"Where're you going?"

"To the parking lot."

"Why?"

"To drive my car to the library."

"Your car? When did you get a car?"

"My grandma sold it to me for a dollar, if you can believe that. She wanted to give it to me, but my dad wouldn't allow it, so she sold it to me. It's not much of a car, really, more a bucket of bolts, rusted and running on three cylinders, but I'll get her fixed up, so she's reliable."

Excited, I quicken my pace to walk with him to the parking lot. Now that he has a car, we can spend more time together because Nicole won't have to pick me up.

It's getting more challenging to focus on chemistry when I'm with Tom in the library. Sitting across from him, I daydream about lying in a field of long golden grass, kissing. When I sit next to him, I want to run my fingers through his hair and fall into his strong arms as he ravishes me, like some Victorian romance hero. It's a no-win situation, though. He seems oblivious to my signals: fingernails lightly grazing his arms, laughing at his jokes, or giving him a toothy smile. I keep hoping he'll ask me out, but he seems content to just sit here and study. I'm so frustrated right now.

Monday, December 14^th

Christina

It's the day before the big test, and we're in the library again. Tom understands the chapter really well. In fact, he helped me with a few problems I couldn't grasp. We're sitting next to each other, and the clean smell of chlorine wafts up my nose as I sit as close to him as I dare.

I snap the book shut. "Well, I think that's it. We're as prepared as we're going to be."

"I can't thank you enough for all the help you've given me. You've been a real lifesaver."

He touches my hand, and electricity shoots through me. He begins to stand, and I notice him lean towards me like he's going to kiss me...he does kiss me...on the cheek? Not wanting to waste the opportunity, I quickly turn my head and peck him on the lips. Oh God, what have I done? I've never been that forward before...what've I done?

Tom freezes and then sits back down, his eyes riveted on me. A feeling of dread falls over me because I really screwed up. There's a knot in my stomach, growing tighter each second that he stares at me. Time slows to a crawl, and it feels like he's been fixated on my eyes for an hour. In reality, it's only a second or two, but it seems longer. Finally, he places his hand on my cheek and leans forward as he kisses me gently on the lips.

The floodgates open, and my sexual tension releases. I put my arms around his neck, and he embeds his fingers in my hair as we kiss. It's soft at first and then becomes frantic. He pulls away, and I panic but then feel the tip of his tongue under my top lip as he pulls it to his mouth. I take the cue and reach for his bottom lip, tugging it gently between my teeth before I open my mouth to meet his lips. His tongue reaches into my mouth, and I accept him; no, I beg him to go further as our tongues curl around each other.

My insides spark when I feel the texture of his tongue slide against mine, and I'm energized from head to toe. My pulse quickens, and it's hard to breathe. There are goosebumps on the back of my arms, and my face is hot as the redness burns my cheeks. We're just getting into a groove when he pulls away, leaving me gasping for his love and attention.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that. I got carried away," he pants.

"No. No, it's fine." I stutter as I catch my breath. "It was nice; I liked it."

He leans in again, and this time when I put my arms around his neck, I hold tight so he can't get away. We kiss again, an extremely passionate kiss that I've never experienced before. It's as if my whole soul reaches into him and touches his inner sanctum.

My mind drifts, fantasizing about us making love, as my panties dampen. Our tongues duel for real estate, and his strong arms hold me tight against him. Our lips are in perfect unison when I hear someone behind me clear their throat. I panic at being caught making out in public. Prying my mouth from his, I turn around to see who's there. It's Nicole. I love her, but she has the worst timing!

"Sorry, kids, but didn't you want to go shopping this afternoon, Christina?"

Bringing myself back to the here and now, I inhale deeply to catch my breath. I haven't let go of my prize, so I slowly release my grip and back away.

"Uh...yeah...I forgot. Give me a few."

I move my hand to his cheek, his blushing cheek, and hold him as I give him another kiss, a quick one this time.

"See you at school tomorrow?" I ask.

"Of course."

I don't want to move, and I certainly don't want to leave, but if I don't go now, I'll be like a tattoo--affixed to his lips forever. At least now, he'll ask me out.

I grab my stuff and walk with Nicole to her car. When we're out of earshot, she asks me how we started kissing.

"So much for no boyfriend your senior year," Nicole teases.

"I know, I know, but...there's no way I'm passing him up."

"Did he ask you out?"

"No, but I'm sure he will. Maybe tomorrow at school."

It's winter, but it feels like spring. The birds are chirping, and the sun feels warm on my skin. My feet feel lighter, and I can't wipe the smile off my face as we talk about Tom; he's the only thing I can think of.

Nicole drops me off at home, and I burst through the door, excited to tell Mom the great news.

"He kissed me, Mom, you're not going to believe it. He finally kissed me!"

"Who kissed you, dear?"

Who? Duh! "Tom, you know, the new guy at school that I've been helping with chemistry?"

"Sounds like there's a whole different chemistry the two of you've been working on," she says with a chuckle.

"Yeah, I suppose you're right." I laugh and see that Mom's busy making supper. "Can I help you?"

I set my books down and get to work in the kitchen, so everything will be ready when Dad gets home.

Tuesday, December 15^th

Tom

The water's cold this morning, and I'm pushing hard because I want to get my times down. Mark and the coach have helped me improve my style, and I can feel the difference when I swim. I asked the coach to teach me butterfly, but he instructed me to focus on the three strokes I already know because it takes a couple of years to learn it well enough to compete.

I feel exhilarated; it could be the cold water, or it could be how Christina and I ended our study session yesterday afternoon. I can't believe she likes me enough to kiss me; she's so hot and way out of my league.

Asking her out crosses my mind, but my confidence wanes. A girl that pretty doesn't go out with someone like me, especially with the car I drive. Kissing is one thing, but dating is another. I think about Candice. She loved to kiss, and we had great sex; at least, I thought it was great, but she made it clear we weren't going to date. She taught me about intercourse and oral sex and which areas on a woman to pay attention to, but she didn't want to date. I think about Lindsey and the one date we went on. She seemed to enjoy it but didn't want to go out again, and she certainly never spoke to me at school. No, I don't want to blow it...if I ask Christina out, she'll probably blow me off and not talk to me anymore.

Christina

I'm sitting on my desk facing the door, waiting for Tom to walk in. Someone slaps my knee, so I look over. It's Nicole; she's exasperated with me.

"Hey there, I'm talking to you."

"I know. I'm listening."

"Yeah, maybe, but you haven't stopped staring at the door."

"Yeah, yeah...I'm watching for Tom."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah...," her voice trails off as she turns to the front of the room because the bell's going to ring soon.

His shadow appears down the hall before he does, so I stand up and smile at him as he walks through the door. The bell rings, so we don't have a chance to talk, but a wave of calm washes over me when he smiles back.

When class ends, he doesn't bolt like usual, and when I turn around, he's sitting there gazing at me. Now that's more like it! We talk about the test and how we thought we did. Nicole gets tired of waiting for me and leaves. We walk into the hallway to spend a few minutes with each other before going to our classes. He leans in and kisses me, and I feel the same shockwaves as yesterday. He clutches my hand and tells me he wants to see me at lunch, and I fight the urge to hold onto him so he can't leave. My breath escapes in a heavy sigh as he walks away--that gorgeous ass, what a babe.

***************

Tom's sitting next to me at the lunch table as we listen to Nicole talk about Jim and what they're doing on their next date. Hint, hint, Tom...are you getting the hint?

When Nicole stops talking, I feel more than see Tom lean into me. Then, with his hot breath in my ear, he whispers, "Wanna find someplace quiet to make out?"

Heck yeah! Maybe he'll ask me out if we're alone. I nod and tell Nicole we need to leave. She shrugs and leaves, walking in the opposite direction, presumably to find Jim. I know just where to go where it's quiet; there's a dead-end hallway that leads to a classroom, and nobody will be there because it's lunchtime. So we spend the rest of the lunch period kissing, but he doesn't ask me out.

Thursday, December 17^th

Christina

Two days have passed, and we've done the same thing both days at lunch, make out, which is great because I love kissing him, but I really want him to ask me out, and I'm getting tired of waiting. Do I need to ask him out instead? Me? Ask a guy out? Phht.

Nicole catches me after dance class. "How's it going with Tom? You haven't said anything about him in the last couple of days. Getting tired of him already?

"No. I'm frustrated but not tired of him."

"Why? Because he hasn't asked you out?"

"I don't know what else to do. I know he's attracted to me; I can feel it when we're together. The way he presses his body against mine makes it obvious."

"Maybe he's just dense."

"He's no dunderhead. We know that...c'mon now."

"No, not stupid. Dense, clueless, you know, as in he doesn't know much about women?"

"Maybe...I don't know...the way he kisses...do you think I should ask him instead?"

"No. Try drawing attention to your body and see what he says."

"Like what?" I ask. "You mean...ask him if he likes my butt or something? That's lame."

"No. Compare yourself to the other girls, like maybe, the size of your tits or something. Guys can't resist talking about boobs. Just see what he says, you know, what his interest level is."

"Maybe. Tomorrow is our last day before Christmas break, and I want him to ask me out before then."

I meet Tom after practice, and we go to the library and sit at a table hidden away in the back. We don't need to study, but it's a quiet place to talk and make out. When there's a lull in the conversation, I think of Nicole's advice. Taking a deep breath, I ask what I believe is a ridiculous question.

"Tom, how do you feel about breasts?"

He gives me a weird look, raises his eyebrows, and then smiles.

"I like them. A lot."

"No, I mean, do you like them big, small, what?"

"Near as I can tell, your breasts are perfect, Christina."

"That's not answering the question."

"Okay. In my view, more than a mouthful is a waste." He then reaches down and pulls me in tight, and gives me a deep kiss.

Friday, December 18^th

Christina

I jump in Nicole's car when she picks me up for school, and she asks how it went.

"He didn't ask me out. But, when it comes to breasts, he says: "More than a mouthful's a waste."

Nicole laughs. "That would make a funny bumper sticker."

"Ha. Ha. Ha. You're right though, that would be funny. I have a project due in woodshop today and have been trying to figure out what to do. I'm going to make him a plaque with that saying on it."

I meet Tom after his last class on his way to practice. I give him the sign, and he gives me a deep kiss in exchange.

"That's awesome! Thank you," he says.

"Today's the last day of school for the year," I remind him.

"I know. What are you doing after I get out of practice this afternoon?"

"Leaving on vacation for a week, to my aunt and uncle's house."

"So, I won't see you?"

"No." I want to drop a hint for him to call me or ask me out, but I talk myself out of it because he has to make that move, not me.

Tom gives me one final kiss and tells me goodbye. He turns around with his head drooped as he walks away. Why didn't he ask me out? I fight the urge to run after him and do what he should have done a long time ago. But, just as I'm about to give in, Nicole walks up and puts her arm around my waist.

"No dice?"

"No."

"C'mon, let's go hang out at the mall," Nicole suggests.

We walk to her car slowly. I keep hoping that Tom will run up behind us, and he'll ask me out, but I'm disappointed as I open the car door and crawl in.

Friday, December 25^th

Tom

It's a little after ten in the morning, and I'm cold, so I turn on the heater in the apartment. I woke up at seven for who knows what reason. I'm alone and cold. I took a shower this morning and put on some sweats to warm up, but they don't help my coldness inside.

I haven't seen my father since Wednesday morning and Christina since our last day of school. I was bummed when she told me that I wouldn't see her after school, and I've thought about going over to her house, but she said she'd be on vacation all week. Besides, this time of year is traditionally for families. I don't know what her parents would think about me interrupting their holiday by showing up on their doorstep.

I feel so lonely, and I miss Christina. I want to call her, so I look up "Taylor" in the White Pages, but there are at least thirty of them, and I don't know the names of her mom and dad. I don't see her address listed, so I figure that her number must be one of those listed without an address. I'm so stupid for not getting her number.

This is the first time I think I've ever been alone on Christmas. We don't even have a tree. Grabbing a book, I sit down to read. I'm a couple chapters into it when there's a knock at the door, causing me to nearly jump out of my skin. I get up to answer it, wondering who it would be. Before opening the door, hoping it's Christina, I take a deep breath and straighten my hair with my fingers. It's not her, but instead two women I've missed dearly and my heart leaps!

"Mary? Candice? What are you doing here?"

"Are you going to invite us in?" Mary asks.

"OH...yeah, of course!"

I step aside, and they walk in. I reach out and give Candice a tight hug, and as I release my grip, she reaches up and kisses me. I step over to Mary and hug her too.

"What are you guys doing here?" I ask.

"Well, since you never call or come to visit, we decided to visit you. This place doesn't look too Christmassy. Where are all the decorations and stuff?"

"Dad didn't want to get a tree because he would have to buy all the decorations for it too."

"Where is Dad?"

"I don't know. I haven't seen him for a couple of days. He said he was going to a party and that he'd see me in a few days. That's the last I've heard from him. How'd you guys find us?"

"Grandma. She came to visit last week and said you guys had moved here. What happened to Dad's place at the beach?"

"Dad and Karen broke up."

I tell them all about the few months I lived at the beach with Dad. I tell them about the parties, the orgies, and the random sex we had all the time. I tell them about Lindsay, surfing, and how much the school sucked.

"Wow, that's quite the adventure for just a few months," Candice says. "So, you only went out with Lindsay once?"

"Yeah. The only time she'd talk to me was when we were surfing. The rest of the time, she didn't even acknowledge me. It was really weird and random."

"What about here? How do you like this school?" Mary asks.

"I love it! The coach let me work out with the swim team for a couple weeks, and then he let me try out. I made the team, so now I'm practicing with them every day...well, almost. We don't have practices on Sundays, and of course, we don't have one today either."

"Have you met any girls here?"

"Yeah. I've met a couple. I have a girlfriend...I think."

"You think?" Candice asks. "That's something you pretty much know...you do, or you don't."

"Well, I'm kind of confused about her. She loves to make out with me but hasn't said she wanted to go out on a date or anything."

I tell them all about Christina and how she helped me catch up with chemistry and all the time we've spent together. I even tell them about the sign she made me in woodshop.

"You're an idiot!" Mary exclaims.

"What'ya mean?"

"She doesn't ask you out. You ask her out!"

"I thought about asking her out, but I was afraid she'd say no and tell me to get lost."

"What? You are an idiot!"

"Look. I've only been on one date in my life, and that was with Lindsay. I asked her out again, and she said she wouldn't date me. The only time she'd see me was when we were surfing." I look at Candice and continue, "When we were together, you said we weren't boyfriend/girlfriend. Fuck, if you wouldn't date me while we were having sex together, then and Lindsay wouldn't go out with me a second time. What hope is there?"

I slump back into the couch and hang my head. Then, looking up at Mary, I say, "Fuck, I must be the only guy in the world that's had as much sex as I have but have only been on one date."

Candice gets an exasperated look on her face and sits next to me. "Tom. Yes, I said I wasn't your girlfriend. But we did go on dates. Don't you remember going to the movies together? What about all the other things we went out and did?"

"Those were dates?"

Candice leans back and shakes her head. "Yes, Tom. Those were dates."

"I'm an idiot!"

Mary reaches over and pulls me into her to give me a hug.

"The first thing you do when you see Christina next week is apologize and ask her out. Got it?"

"Yes."

"Good. Now show us around your new place and then we'll find someplace open and get some chow," Mary says.

It takes all of thirty seconds to show them the apartment. Mary tells me that she's concerned with how long Dad's been gone, but I explain that it's no big deal because I usually only see him a few nights of the week and that he's gone just about every weekend.

I get dressed, and we get in Mary's car to find an open diner. They tell me what they've been up to, how Mom and Lisa are doing, which lifts my spirits. By the time they drop me back off at home, I feel much better, even happy. I still miss Christina, but I've resolved that I'm going to ask her out, no matter what.

Monday, December 28^th

Christina

Christmas break is crawling by. At first, it was great being at my aunt and uncle's house, but there wasn't much to do after Christmas. So we came home the day after Christmas, and I've sat here hoping Tom would show up on my doorstep or that the phone would ring and it would be him, but nothing.

I have a week left of break, and I'm sitting here on my couch moping. I've concluded that it shouldn't be my problem if he doesn't want to date me or even talk to me. When we go back to school, I'll cut him off and tell him no more making out. My heart and brain have an intense argument because I love how he kisses, but he's such a lameoid for not asking me out.