Teenage Fantasy Ch. 01

"I plan on it," Jake replied with a lopsided smile.

"Then no. I'll take the surprise."

"You trust me?"

Mabel thought about it for a moment. If he'd asked her this question even a couple of days earlier, she would have said no. Now, she knew she didn't have a reason not to. "Yeah, I do."

He pulled onto a gravel road, and they drove for a few more miles. A gripping feeling tightened Mabel's gut, and she struggled to understand the meaning. It finally dawned on her, and her stomach dropped.

"Does Tonya know you picked me up?"

Jake glanced over at her. "No, not really. Why?"

"Well, um," Mabel thought of the encounter in the hallway. "She's your girlfriend; shouldn't you be with her right now?"

Jake tensed up, shifting his jaw, and concentrated intently on the road ahead of them. It seemed like a sore subject, though she wasn't sure why.

Jake shrugged. "Tonya..."

His words faltered as Mabel watched him search for an explanation. Was there something wrong between them? Could it be her fault? Her thoughts from earlier resurfaced. She didn't want to lose Jake's friendship.

"I didn't want to deal with Tonya tonight," Jake finally said. "It's been nice hanging out with you."

Moonlight reflected off of shimmering black water as they pulled to a stop in front of an expansive lake. Mabel tore her eyes away from Jake and took in the view in front of them.

"This place is amazing," Mabel breathed, clearly awestruck. Crisp night air, unhindered by a breeze, caressed her skin as she exited the car. Cicadas chirped around them, hosting their nightly concert. "How did you find this lake?"

Jake got out of the car and walked around to his hood, leaning against it. "I used to come here as a kid."

"This far out?" Mabel asked, taking in her surroundings. A full orange fall moon was perfectly mirrored by the lake, and large barren oak trees surrounded the far end of the shore. The sky was endless with billowing clouds and twinkling stars brighter than she had ever seen them.

"Yeah. I didn't always live near the city. My dad used to take me fishing out here."

"I don't think I've ever been out of a city," Mabel admitted, turning her attention towards Jake. She walked to the front of his car. "Even when me and my mom travel, I've never been anywhere like this. It's beautiful."

Moonlight illuminated her skin, and her eyes shone as she pulled herself up to sit on the hood of his car, still entranced by the surrounding area. Jake enjoyed her reaction, captivated by the girl next to him.

"I'm glad you came, Mabel."

"I thought it was strange," Mabel admitted, looking up at him. "When you asked me to come with you. We haven't known each other that long."

"Four years is a long time," Jake retorted.

Mabel rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean. I've never talked to you, and you've never talked to me. We might as well live in separate worlds."

Everything in him wanted to touch her. He wondered if she had ever been kissed before. It didn't seem like she had. After all, Mabel blushed at the slightest thing. She was right. They'd only talked for a week, but she'd turned his world on its head.

"Not anymore, Mabel."

Jake gave into the impulse, tucking her bang behind her ear and grazing her neck with his fingertips. Her skin was soft. Even in the moonlight, he could see the blush filling her cheeks. Wide hazel eyes met his and her mouth parted in surprise.

It was hard for her to breathe. Mabel couldn't tell if her heart was beating too fast or not at all. His shiny pupils consumed her as his hand held the side of her neck. His thumb grazed just below her bottom lip. Mabel sipped air through parted lips, trying to ignore the profound feeling heating her body.

She had to put distance between them. "So," she said as she hopped off the car hood and walked towards the lake. "Fishing, huh?"

He watched her walk away, kicking himself for being so reckless.

"Yeah." Jake began following her to the edge. Mabel turned back to face him, still taking small steps towards the shore.

"It's always filled with bass. Never a dry season."

"I've never been fishing." Mabel bent down, picking up a stone from the ground. She threw it, causing a small plop and then a ripple of water.

"Can you skip a rock?" Jake bent to pick up a stone for himself.

Mabel gestured towards the small waves. "That is my best and only effort so far."

Jake laughed and flicked his wrist. The rock bounced four times against the shimmering surface.

"Ok. Show off much?"

Jake glanced down at her. "I was just demonstrating proper technique. Here, I'll show you."

"Proper technique?" Mabel laughed.

"That's what it's all about." He found another stone and handed it to her. "Now, bend a little bit. Relax your hand."

Mabel awkwardly bent her knees and let her wrist go limp.

"No." Jake laughed. "No, like this."

He moved behind her, resting his hand against her waist and guiding her to the right level. His other hand wrapped around her slender wrist. "See?"

Mabel's breath caught, and she didn't see anything. Her focus was on how close Jake was. He smelled intoxicatingly good, and his hands against her were warm.

"Now just throw." He moved her hand back and then forward.

To Mabel's surprise, the rock collided with the surface twice before sinking beneath the water.

"You did it," Jake said with a grin.

She turned toward him with an ear-to-ear smile on her face. "I did!"

She bent to retrieve another rock, and Jake stepped back, letting her try without his assistance. He shook his head, watching her get another two good bounces on the water. What was he doing? He had brought her out here to his lake, the same spot he had taken Tonya on their second date.

He thought back to that night and remembered how unimpressed she was by the area. They left after only a couple of minutes and didn't come back after that day. Watching Mabel grab another stone made up for the disappointment he'd experienced then. It felt good to see her enjoying herself.

"Now that I've taught you to skip a rock," he said, trying to clear his mind. "You can't bail on being my tutor."

Mabel's face fell when she looked back at him. "I wasn't going to. Tonya's restrictions will make it difficult, bu-"

"Tonya's what?" Jake chuckled.

Mabel seemed confused, and then her eyes went wide. "Nothing."

She shook her head and turned back towards the water, watching the small waves crash against the rocky shore.

"What did Tonya say?"

Mabel's heart pounded as she searched for an answer. "She thinks I'm a huge nerd."

"That's not a restriction." Jake took a step closer, easily reading the lie on her face. God, this girl would not be good in an interrogation.

Mabel shrugged, turning towards him. "Maybe restriction wasn't the right word. I meant disdain."

He ran a hand through his hair and took a breath. "What happened, Mabel?"

"Oh, nothing happened," Mabel shook her head, taking a step back, "nothing at all, we just-"

A rock caught her foot, and she stumbled backward. Jake reached for her, trying to prevent her fall. She grabbed his hand, but it was too late, and she fell, splashing the water and knocking Jake off balance.

"Oh, shit!" She squealed.

Jake was able to catch himself before his full body weight landed on her. Taking in the girl beneath him caused Jake to pause. Waves from the collision splashed against her, fanning her red hair around her. The cold water caused small bumps to cover her skin. The tight tank top had soaked through to become sheer fabric and clung to her full breasts. They rose and fell with shaky breaths as her eyes opened to meet his.

Mabel's thorough embarrassment sat like a stone in her gut. For a moment, she kept her eyes closed, not wanting to believe she'd fallen into a lake. Blinking up at him, her breath caught. His fervent blue eyes captured the moonlight as he looked down at her. Mabel became aware that he was merely inches away; his strong arms holding his weight kept her pinned on either side. Water dripped from his hair, traveling down his face and neck.

A water droplet landed on her cheek, sliding down her smooth skin and dripping into her mouth. He followed the path, lingering on her full lips as they closed around it. Mabel shifted beneath him, lifting herself a couple of inches out of the water.

His body eclipsed hers, but it was his gaze that made her feel powerless beneath him. He seemed to be contemplating his next move. She forced air into her lungs, and her gaze moved to his mouth. Pressing forward, her mind was focused on one thing. She wanted to kiss him.

"Fuck," he whispered. She was beautiful.

Jake's voice cut the silence, his whisper sending her crashing back down to earth. She had pulled him into a lake!

"Oh, my God! I am so sorry!"

"What?" Jake shook his head, suddenly remembering what had happened. Oh shit! She had to be frozen.

"It's ok. You alright?"

Quickly, pushing up from the water, he stood and reached a hand out to her.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she mumbled, grabbing his hand.

"It's nothing compared to how many times I've gone swimming in this lake."

Jake forced a laugh as he lifted her from the water. He cupped her chin between his thumb and forefinger, looking over her for assurance.

"You didn't hit your head or anything, did you?"

Mabel watched his concerned expression as he checked over her.

"No. I'm ok. Thanks."

Nodding, he released her, trying to clear his head as they waded out of the lake.

"I think I have an extra change of clothes in the car." Without thinking, he pulled off his shirt, wringing the water from the fabric. "You want a shirt?"

Mabel turned beet red, running her eyes over his muscular torso. She confirmed that he was a sculpture. Blonde hair trailed over his chest and down his ab line, swirling around his navel before disappearing beneath the waistband of his jeans. Each muscle cut into his skin, and drops of water running down his torso caused his body to glisten in the moonlight.

"Shirts are nice," she responded, choosing to watch the sky instead.

Laughing, he jogged over to his car, opened the trunk, and rummaged through his football gear. "You like Zeppelin?"

"Yeah."

Mabel shook her head, kicking the dirt beneath her feet as she pulled her hair over one shoulder to wring it out. How could she be so clumsy? Falling into a lake? Not the best first date. No! Not a date! It's a... hangout. Her mind pictured Jake dripping wet above her. A hangout where she desperately wanted to kiss him. Tonya's threat rang clearly in her mind, and she mentally kicked herself again. He has a girlfriend!

"Here," Jake said, holding out a shirt with the band's logo on the back, drawing her attention away from her thoughts.

"Thanks," she mumbled.

She glanced at the bare horizon. "Uh, could you turn?"

"Oh, yeah." Jake turned toward his car.

Mabel lifted the hem of her shirt and pulled it off, realizing there wasn't much she could do about the shorts she was wearing.

"You done?" Jake glanced back at her.

"No," she called, pulling the shirt over her head.

Jake slid his eyes over her frame. Her slim stomach was the color of fresh snow and toned, leading towards her breasts, which proved to be larger than he thought. They were barely contained by the light green bra she wore. The movements she made caused them to spill over the confines of the cups.

He quickly looked away as she pulled the fabric over her.

"Ok, I'm done."

After clearing his throat, he turned back to her.

She wrung her shirt out, watching water drip on the ground.

"Again, I'm really sorry for pulling you into the water."

"As I said, it's fine." He tried to lighten his tone and clear away the image of her body, but it remained.

"You ready to go?" he asked, motioning towards the car.

"Yeah, I guess I should be getting home."

He walked around to open her door, then made his way to the driver's side, glancing back at the lake one last time.

_________

For a while, they were silent on the way back into the city. Mabel softly hummed along to the radio. Her mind was racing through tonight's events.

"You never answered my question," Jake said, lowering his eyes toward her. "About Tonya."

Mabel glanced at him. "I thought we had dropped the subject."

"We fell into a lake."

"Isn't that the same thing?"

Laughing, Jake shook his head.

Mabel sighed. "Look, she's your girlfriend, and you're..." She gestured her hand up and down. "You know, you're you."

A smile split his face. "Yes, I am me."

"You know what I mean..."

Mabel turned her attention back to the window as her mind conjured an image of Jake shirtless by the lake. She needed to pull herself together! It was one thing to have a crush, but she had been ready to kiss him!

"What?" Jake nudged her with his elbow.

"Tonya, she loves you, you know? So, she is just trying to make sure that no one hinders the love you guys have for each other."

Jake kept his eyes on the road while listening to her explanation. He thought of Tonya.

"That's what she said? She loves me?"

"In so many words, yes. Don't you love her?"

Mabel found herself holding her breath while waiting for Jake's response. Of course he did! They were always together, and their displays of affection practically bordered on porn sometimes. Clearly, they were in love. Mabel shook her head again, remembering how she wanted to kiss him at school. He didn't even like her. Was she that desperate? She realized Jake had been silent through her musings. She turned towards him and watched him drive in the dark cab of the car. It wasn't a hard question.

"Jake?"

"She's my girlfriend."

Mabel's brow furrowed. His answer felt hollow and emotionless.

"Well, yeah, and she just wants it to stay that way."

"She threatened you, Mabel?" Jake asked, anger scratching at the surface.

"What?" Mabel's voice got unnaturally high, and she cleared her throat. "No."

He hit the clutch, slamming on his brakes. "Did she?"

Mabel's eyes went wide at the reaction. "You can't just stop in the middle of the road, Jake!"

"There's no one out here! Look... " Jake took a breath, trying to quell his frustration. It shouldn't bother him so much. Tonya had always been the jealous type. Putting the car in gear, he shook his head.

"Just... don't worry about Tonya. I'll talk to her."

"I don't think that's a good idea."

"Why not?"

"Technically," Mabel started, "I'm not supposed to be hanging out with you. I don't want to interfere in your relationship, so just don't say anything."

"Not supposed to be hanging out with me? Tonya can't control who I hang out with."

"Then why didn't you tell her you were picking me up for a drive?"

"Because," Jake answered, shaking his head.

Mabel waited, watching him as he drove. "Beecause?"

"Because I don't have to."

"No," she disagreed, "it's because you and I both know she would go crazy if she found out. It's clear that she's not a fan of us working together."

Jake shook his head but didn't respond. Mabel took his silence as an affirmation, smugly folding her arms in front of her.

"Hm."

"What does that mean?" Jake teased, trying to hide his smile.

"What?"

"The little 'hm' you did?"

"Oh, that simply means I'm right."

He lifted his eyebrows incredulously. "I never said that."

"You don't have to."

"Yes, I do," Jake replied, laughing. "If I don't say you're right, then you're not necessarily right."

"I don't need you to admit it, Jake." Mabel beamed, "I already know that I am."

When they pulled up to her house, the lights were on in her mother's room and downstairs.

"I had fun," she smiled. "Thanks."

"Yeah, me too." Jake watched her gather her things. "We should hang out again sometime."

"Yeah, that would be nice." She glanced at her house, then back to him. "Maybe we could study on Saturday instead of after school."

He raised an eyebrow.

"I mean, we have to make sure you pass your classes this semester. There's more time on Saturdays." Mabel stammered. "It would just make more sense if-"

"Saturday sounds good." Jake got out and walked around to open her door.

"Should I come over this weekend then?"

She thought about being alone with him again, and her heart skipped.

"Yeah, my house works. See you at school, Jake." She waved and made her way up the pathway.

"See you, Miss Mabel." Jake watched her enter before getting back in his car and driving off.

*****

Jake's rough hands roamed over her body, his tan skin contrasting with her pale flesh. She squirmed beneath his touch as he trailed kisses from her lips down her neck and over her breasts.

"Mmmm," she moaned, running her hands through his sandy blonde hair. Piercing blue eyes captivated her. "You like that, Mabel?"

"Yes, Jake," she whimpered, arching into his touch. Her breath caught at the strength of his grip. Pressing forward, his lips encircled her strawberry nipple. Gentle pangs of pleasure emanated within her. Gripping his hair, she pulled him to her lips. Her chest rose and fell with shaky, short breaths.

"Please fuck me, Jake!"

She wrapped her legs around him and used them to pull him closer as his lips claimed hers. She could feel the pressure of his hard body against hers. Her pussy was soaked, and she ground against him, using her body to beg. Breaking the kiss, he licked her neck.

"Mabel," he whispered against her skin, "get up."

"Mabel, get up!"

Mabel's mom stood over her, the blaring beeps from the alarm clock loud and persistent.

"Wh-wha, what time is it?"

"You're late! It's already 7:30." Her mom looked exhausted.

"7:30!" Mabel screeched, throwing the blankets off of her.

"Turn off that damn clock, Mabes!" her mom yelled, making her way back to her room.

She hurried around her room, putting on jeans and a crumpled shirt from the floor and running her hands through her hair. Slamming the button on the alarm clock, she ran out.

_________

As the first bell sounded, Mabel made her way through the halls of rowdy teens and toward her locker. Thankfully, she had been able to walk the distance to the school in a reasonable amount of time and wouldn't be late. She thought back to her dream and could feel the embarrassment boiling her blood. Had she been dreaming about Jake? Worse, about having sex with him? Shaking her head, she opened her locker.

"I didn't know you had a Zeppelin T-shirt." Maggie skipped up to her. "That's really cool. They're one of my dad's favorite bands. He has the original vinyl albums, even though I told him he doesn't need them anymore because, duh, streaming. Old people, you know?"

Mabel had tuned out her best friend and instead stared horrifyingly down at the shirt she was wearing. Jake's shirt.

"Shit," she groaned.

"What's wrong?" Maggie asked. "I think you look fine. Totally retro. You know what's weird? I think Jake Edwards has that same shirt. Actually, I'm positive. He wore it in drama class one day, and it fit him like a glove." Maggie sighed, recalling the memory. Her face fell when she looked at her completely pale friend.

"Wait!" She leaned in and sniffed the fabric, her eyes widening at the smell of cologne. "This is his!"

Mabel quickly covered Maggie's mouth with her hand.

"Be quiet!"

Humming her response behind Mabel's hand, Maggie stared wide-eyed at Mabel.

"Fuck!" Mabel released Maggie. "Do you have an extra shirt in your locker?"

"Yeah, but my locker's upstairs."

The bell rang, signifying that they were late.

"I don't think we have time, though." Maggie glanced at her watch.

Mabel ran a hand through her hair before desperately searching through the books piled in the small space for a hoodie.

"How'd you get Jake's shirt?"

"I don't know."