Part 03: Devon - Fallen Touch

I was hurrying to my last class of the day when I accidentally bumped into her. She dropped her books and I knelt to help her pick them up.

I apologized for my clumsiness. When I looked up into her face, I froze. It was Tamara Jensen. I couldn't believe my eyes. From a distance, she was frightening. I had never seen her up close before. Most people were afraid of her, because of the way she dressed and the black lipstick she wore, but I was never scared of her. She was a mystery to me.

Tamara had a style that was all her own. She sometimes wore brown or navy blue, but her usual color was black.

"It's all right," she assured me as we stood up.

I stared at her for a moment and then I introduced myself. "I'm Devon."

"Tamara."

I nodded. "I know."

She grinned. "Of course you do."

I stared into her dark, mysterious eyes. She held my gaze and I couldn't look away. Something in her eyes was not allowing me to.

Well," she said, breaking eye contact. "I better get going. I'm already late."

I nodded. "So am I." But I didn't care. I wanted to keep admiring her unique beauty.

She walked around me and started down the hallway. I turned and watched her a moment.

"Tamara." It came out before I could stop it. She turned and looked at me. "Um...will I see you again?"

She stared at me a moment. "Do you want to?"

"I'd like to."

"Maybe," she said her face expressionless. "Maybe not." She turned and continued down the hall. I watched her until she went into her classroom and then I turned and rushed to my own.

Forty-five minutes later, the final bell rang. I went to put my books in my locker and was on my way to my van when I spotted Tamara walking across the school parking lot. I ran to her side and slowed to a walk beside her.

"Hi."

She glanced at me. "Hello."

"Is it okay if I walk with you?"

"People might see."

"I don't care."

She sighed. "It's a free country. Do what you want."

"I don't want to be here unless I'm welcome."

She looked at me and forced a smile. "Fine. You're welcome to walk with me."

I looked at her for a long moment. "You are so pretty," I blurted.

She stopped walking and turned to me, abruptly. "Why are you even talking to me? Are you afraid your friends might see? Aren't you scared I might put a spell on you?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Will you?

"You don't think of me as a freak?"

"No. I just think you've been misunderstood."

Her expression softened and she continued walking and I didn't say anything else. After a few minutes, she stopped walking again and looked at me. "Do you have to go home now?"

"No," I told her. "No one is home. My parents are both working."

"Can we go somewhere?"

"Where?"

She shrugged. "Anywhere but here."

I smiled. "I know a place."

We walked back to my van and I drove to a secluded spot along the river that not very many people knew about. We climbed out of the van and went to stand on the river bank.

"I never knew this was here," she said.

"Most people don't," I told her. "My friends and I stumbled onto it a few years back. We play here sometimes...makes our music sound different than my basement does."

I sat down on the grass and she sat beside me, watching the river.

She looked at me. "I'm curious about something. Why me? I mean, why do you like me? People usually pity me."

"You're different from most people," I said. "And I don't pity you, Tamara. If people took the time to get to know you, I think they'd like you. They would understand you better."

"But you don't even know me."

"No. not yet. But I've been taught not to judge a book by its cover. I know it's cliché but that's what I believe. It's in the Bible."

"You read the Bible?"

"You sound surprised," I said. "I don't read it as much as I should, but that's one verse my parents drilled into me growing up."

She smiled. "I wish everything thought the way you do."

I looked at her. "So do I, Tamara."

When she looked at me, I leaned forward and pressed my lips to hers. When I pulled back, our eyes met, her dark eyes caused my heart to speed up.

"You are so beautiful," I told her.

"No, I'm not. I'm..."

"Beautiful," I finished for her. "Don't ever let anyone tell you any different. I don't know how I could have missed it."

"People judge first and ask questions later," she said. "You probably did the same."

I couldn't deny it, because she was right. I have judged her by her appearance.

"I'm sorry if I ever said anything to hurt you."

She was quiet, as if trying to remember. "I don't think you ever have."

We stared for another moment and then I leaned in and kissed her again. This time I kept kissing her, moving my lips down her neck. She closed her eyes and let her head rest against my shoulder. My hands moved along her ribs, over her dress, my fingers sliding over the material and then up to her breasts. She brought her hand to mine, as if to stop me, but the she let me continue.

I sensed her hesitation and then her quick surrender. That made me kiss her faster, harder, longer, my lips rushing over hers before going to her neck, while my hands lifted her breasts, my thumbs caressing her nipples.

A soft moan left her lips and I gently pushed her onto her back. I was over her. I didn't really know what I was doing. It was as if I was being guided by some unseen spirit. My fingers found the zipper behind her and carefully moved it down her back. She lifted her arms and I helped her fold the top of her dress to her waist. Her eyes were closed as my fingers continued to explore until they unfastened her bra.

"Wait," I heard her say, finally. "We're moving too fast, Devon. I've never...I'm scared."

I lifted myself from her and with my eyes closed; I took a deep breath and caught hold of the wild passion that was pulling me forward.

"You're right, Tamara," I told her. "I just couldn't stop myself."

"I know a lot of girls wouldn't stop you and I'm probably the last person you'd expect to. I understand if you're angry."

"No," I said smiling. "It's just the opposite. I don't want to do anything to push you away. I want us to be something special."

"You do?"

I nodded. "Yes. I want this to last."

She nodded and reached up for me again, but I shook my head.

"If we don't stop now, I won't be able to, Tamara," I confessed.

I sat up and then she sat up and fixed her clothes I had to help her with her dress zipper.

A few minutes later, I drove her home. No one said anything until I walked her to her front door. We looked at each other for a moment. We kissed.

"Um," she began. "I'm not sure if I want anyone knowing about this. Not yet."

"Why?"

"Because I think it will cause both of us more problems than we need right now. Your friends are just like everyone else.

"I can handle them."

"Devon," she said. "Please."

I nodded. "Okay. I won't tell anyone until you say so, but how is I going to go all day without talking to you?"

"Just leave a note in my locker."

"Okay."

"Good night, Devon."

"Sweet dreams, Tamara."

She nodded and went inside. I headed home quickly, knowing that I was already late for practice. When I got home, my friends were waiting for me on the front porch.

"Hey, guys, sorry I'm late."

"Where were you? We've been calling you," Billy told me.

"Oh, um, I had some things I needed to take care of," I lied and unlocked the front door. They couldn't know about Tamara yet. They wouldn't understand.

Lance was watching me curiously, like he already knew.

The next day, I didn't see Tamara until our lunch hour. She was sitting in the cafeteria with Raven. She glanced at me quickly before turning away. When Ronnie saw her, he gasped, like he always did when he saw her, and shouted, "Oh, no! It's Tamara!

Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at Tamara.

"Don't look her in the eyes. She'll put a spell on you!" he shouted.

Laughter filled the cafeteria and I was getting angry. "Ronnie, stop," I told him. My friends looked at me. "What?"

"What's with you?" Dalton asked me.

"Nothing. Just leave her alone."

"You never cared before," Ronnie stated.

I got up and walked away from them. I didn't want to say or do anything that I might regret later. I glanced at Tamara and walked out of the cafeteria. I went to my locker and took out the books that I needed for my next class. When I closed my door, Tamara was standing beside me.

"Hi," I said.

"You took up for me back there," she said. "Thanks."

"No problem."

I glanced around the hallway to see if we were alone. I didn't see anyone so leaned toward her and kissed her. She didn't pull away like I expected her to. Instead, she put her arms around me and kissed me back. When we pulled away from each other, she turned and walked away from me. I watched her until she was out of sight.

I went class, and anxiously waited for my last class to end. I found Tamara at her locker and we hurried outside to my van before anyone saw us together and I drove to her house.

"My mother isn't home," she told me. "She's probably with her boyfriend again."

"Are you here alone often?" I asked her.

"Most of the time," she said. "But I'm used to it. Besides, I've got Shadow," she said, indicating the black cat that came to greet us when we walked in the door.

"We've got something in common, at least," I told her. "My parents are always working."

"That's not so bad, is it?" she asked. "I mean, you free to do what you want."

"Sometimes."

She smiled at me and took my hand. "Come on." She led me up the stairs and then to another set of stairs. "My room is up there," she said.

"In the attic?"

"Yeah. I like it that way," she said, leading me up the steps. "It's quiet, secluded, and all mine."

"It's so big," I said, as we entered the attic. The room was very dark. Her bedspread was black, all the way down to the sheets and pillow cases. "So, um, what's with all the black?"

She looked at me and smiled. "It's the color of my soul."

"Your soul is not black. If it were, how could you love?"

"I don't," she said. "At least, I didn't used to."

"What about now?"

She shrugged. "I'm not sure. Everyone I get close to has hurt me in one way or another. My mother hates me. I was just another one of her mistakes."

"You can't mean that."

"I do. My mother told me once during one of our many fights."

"oh." I was quiet for a moment. "So, all those witch rumors were..."

"Rumors," she said. "Well, not entirely rumors. I do believe in it, but I don't practice it. People tend to make up things to make their lives more interesting."

"I thought so. I didn't think you were evil."

"I never said I wasn't evil," she said and then smiled.

I laughed and walked toward her, pulling her into my arms. I hugged her to me. A moment later, I pulled back and looked into her teary eyes.

"Don't hurt me," she said, pleaded.

I looked into her eyes and swore that I would never hurt her. I kissed her. When we sat on her bed, she let herself fall backward. I lay down beside her, stroking her hair and kissing her cheeks.

"You were on my mind all night last night," I confessed. "I just wanted to be near you."

She smiled. "Really?"

I nodded. "Yeah."

I kissed her again, this time my hands moving over her shoulders. I brought my lips to her neck. When my lips touched her skin, she took my head into her hands and kissed my hair while my lips moved down, over her collarbone, unbuttoning the first and second buttons on her blouse, and then kissing the tops of her breasts, unbuttoning another button and then another until I was able to peel away her blouse.

She let me unfasten her bra and lift it away so I could bring my lips to her nipples. I moaned her name and moved my hands over her thighs and lifted her skirt so that I could press my palms to her thighs. She but her own hands over mine and held them there.

My heart was pounding. "Tamara," I whispered. It didn't even sound like my voice.

She let go of my hands and they moved to her panties. When my hands moved over her hipbone and down, she uttered a small cry. I brought my lips to her belly button and pressed my lips to her warm skin.

"Devon," she said, suddenly. "Devon, wait."

I pulled away and looked at her. "What's the matter?"

She sighed heavily and sat up, straightening her clothes.

I sat up straighter and looked at her. "Tamara?"

"This is exactly what everyone expects of me," she said.

"What do you mean?"

"When I was younger and read novels in which girls were seduced or went too far, I swore I would never be like them, no matter how much I thought I loved the boy."

"I'm sorry. I just thought..."

"Why? Because of what you've heard?"

I shook my head. "No, not at all. I just..."

"Despite what you might've heard, I'm more innocent than I look," she said, fixing her dress.

I smiled at her. "So am I."

"You could have fooled me."

"I'm sorry," I said, looking at her, suddenly feeling ashamed.

She looked at me for a moment and then stood up. "I think you should go."

I nodded and stood up. "Okay. I'll see you tomorrow."

The next morning at school, my friends caught up with me at my locker. I was in a sour mood because of what happened the night before and she was avoiding me.

"Where were you last night?" Billy demanded.

"We waited half the night for you," Ronne threw in.

"I know," I told them. "I should've call. I just got distracted. I'm sorry."

Tamara avoided me all morning. When lunchtime rolled around, I was becoming irritated with Tamara. I hated that she was so mad at me. I ate my lunch quickly and then went to look for her. When I found her at her locker, I walked up to her.

"Tamara," I said my voice low.

"Hello," she said, but continued to root through her locker.

"Tamara, please look at me."

"Not here. People can see."

"I don't really care," I told her. "I'm sorry about last night. I don't want you to think that's what I thought. It wasn't."

"It's okay," she said. "I'm used to how people feel about me."

"But I'm not them."

"I know. It's okay. Let's talk later."

"I don't want to talk later," I told her and seized her wrists and pulled her to me, pressing my lips to hers. When I pulled back, she looked into my eyes. "Tamara, I think I'm falling in love with you," I said, my voice so low only she could hear.

Her eyes widened as if I'd just frightened her. "No," she said. "You can't."

"I can't help it. I..."

She turned and ran away from me.

"Tamara!" I shouted after her, but she didn't stop. "Dammit," I swore under my breath and started back toward the cafeteria when the bell rang. I had Math after lunch, it was my worst subject. Tamara shared that class with me, along with Ronnie and Lance. Toward the end of the period, Tamara passed me a note. I opened it and read it quickly.

Meet me after school. You know where. Tamara

I looked back at Tamara and nodded slightly.

"Devon, is that a note?" Mrs. Colman asked me and snatched it out of my hand before I could reply.

"Read it!" someone shouted behind me.

Panic shot up my spine. "No!"

But the class continued to yell and I covered my face while she read it. When she said Tamara's name, I heard some gasps from the class and Ronnie looked at me so fast I was sure he had broken his neck. Tamara snatched up her books and ran out of the classroom.

I stood up and looked at Mrs. Colman. "Thanks a lot," I told her and left to find Tamara. I went to the nearest restrooms and knocked on the door to the girls' room. I called her name softly, but loud enough for her to hear. When I didn't hear any response, I pushed the door open and went in. Tamara was standing by the window. I walked up and stood beside her. "I'm sorry for that," I apologized.

"It wasn't your fault," she said softly and looked at me. "Did they say anything?"

"Who?"

"Your friends."

"No," I told her. "I think Ronnie might have broken his neck, though." She laughed and I smiled at her. "That's better. I love it when you smile."

She turned to face me, her face serious. I stepped forward, pressing my lips to hers. My hands traveled down her ribs, over her hips, my fingers reaching the hem of her skirt.

"Devon, wait," she said. "Someone might walk in."

"So," I said. "I'm sure everyone already knows about us."

"I know, but..." her voice faded away and she inhaled sharply when my fingers began to lift her shirt. Her backside was bare and I realized that she was wearing thongs. My hands gripped her buttocks and I lifted her off the floor. She wrapped her legs around my waist and I carried her to the window sill, gently placing her on the cold surface.

As we continued to kiss, I felt her hands reach my jeans. She began to unbutton then when the bell rang, startling us both. I swore under my breath and rested my head on Tamara's shoulder, breathing deeply to calm myself. I heard her giggle and I laughed and pulled back to look at her.

She was smiling. "Can we get out of here?" she asked. "I don't want to face anyone right now."

I stepped back and smiled at her. "My parents won't be home tonight. We can go to my place."

She took my hand and we snuck out of the bathroom without being seen. Coming down the steps, I spotted my friends standing close to my locker, like they were waiting for me. Tamara and I stopped a few feet away from them and looked at each other. I handed her the keys to my van and kissed her cheek.

"Go ahead," I told her. "I'll catch up."

"Okay." She let go of my hand and walked outside. I took a deep breath and approached my friends.

"Is that where you've been all week?" Billy demanded, coming toward me and pointing his finger in Tamara's direction.

I looked at him. "Her name is Tamara."

"How in the hell did you manage to hook up with her?" Ronnie asked me.

"I don't know," I replied, with a shrug. "It just happened."

"Why didn't you tell anyone?" Dalton asked me.

"Tamara asked me not to," I told him. "She was afraid my friends wouldn't approve."

"I can't see why," Ronnie said, but I ignored him.

"We don't," Billy said.

"Speak for yourself," Lance spoke up.

I looked at Billy. "Why?"

"Isn't it obvious?" he replied.

"Man, Devon, why her?" Ronnie asked me. "You know what people are saying about her, don't you?"

"I don't care," I told him.

"I can see that. Everyone knows what Tamara Jensen is like."

"No, they don't. You don't even know her. I've taken the time to get to know her."

"Yeah? Did she show you her witchcraft, too?" Dalton asked.

"Those are just rumors. It isn't true."

"She's going to ruin you, Devon," Ronnie said. "If she hasn't already."

"Stop!" I shouted finally. "Stop this. What gives you the right to judge her? You don't know her. She doesn't deserve to be treated like some piece of trash." I turned around and started to walk away.

"Well, if the show fits..."

He didn't have time to finish the sentence because I spun around and punched him. He stumbled and then landed on the floor. Billy and Dalton rushed to his side and helped him up. All activity in the hallway came to a halt and everyone stared. My friends were looking at me as if they'd never seen me before. I swore under my breath and walked out the door.

Tamara was waiting for me by my van. I stopped in front of her and kissed her gently. When we climbed into the van, I looked at her. "Are we going to my place?"

She looked at me and nodded. "Okay."

I started the van and pulled out of the parking lot. When we passed the city limit sign, Tamara leaned forward and turns the knob on the radio until we heard music. I was surprised when I heard her singing along with a country song.

"Wow," I said.

"What?" she asked when she saw the look on my face. "I'm not a total freak."