The Hiding Game Ch. 06

"It's nice," Seth assured me and flopped down on the couch in an instant after putting his half-emptied cup on the table. He held his arms out for me, and I joined him, cuddling against him while his hands found their way under my blanket. Before I could even react, he had snapped open my bra clasp and was cupping my breast, causing me to take a deep, surprised breath.

"Goodness you're fast."

"I am." He used one hand to turn my head towards him and kissed me, first my lips, then teasingly my nose and my forehead. I sighed and leaned my forehead against him, relaxing. His hand snaked around to my neck and started to rub it gently, and I closed my eyes in pleasure.

"Still cold?" he asked me, but I only shook my head and urged him to continue what he was doing. I kept my eyes closed and relaxed fully against him, sighing.

"Why me?" I asked him suddenly, opening my eyes again, and raised my head to look up at him. His eyes met mine, and he seemed slightly startled by the question.

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean. Why me, out of all these girls at the school that you could be with? Or why not just keep fucking the cheerleaders, since that seems a whole lot easier than sneaking around with me?" I swallowed after I said it, realizing that I was being very blunt.

He gave me a look that I couldn't quite interpret. His hand withdrew from my neck and he moved away from me slightly, so he could get a better look at me. He chewed on his lower lip and his eyes moved across my face, while I stared at him questioningly, holding my breath.

"Do I have to answer that right now?" he asked. It wasn't the reaction I had hoped for, but I simply shrugged and pulled him closer again.

"That's fine. I was just wondering."

"Okay." He kissed me once more, but then let go of me and lay down next to me. I turned so that I could put my head and arm on his chest to be comfortable, and he put an arm around me. We lay like this for a while, not talking, and I enjoyed just feeling his chest expand and contract with each breath under me. The rain was still drumming against the windows, although it had lessened, and the effect was a very cozy atmosphere.

"Why did you ask me that just now?" he suddenly wanted to know. I raised my head slowly to look up at him. I wasn't sure if there was a dignified way to answer that question, so I just barreled out with the blunt truth.

"I'm wondering because you're the most popular person in this entire goddamn school, whereas for me, the definition of a good day is not getting teased or harassed or made feel completely worthless. Because you're upsetting all of this precariously build high school social structure by simply talking to me, and sometimes I feel like I'm starring in She's All That, only nobody told me about it."

It had come out sharper than I intended, and I was relieved when he simply grinned down at me instead of being offended.

"If you're going to compare me to Freddie Prince Jr, I may have to dump you."

"I'm serious!" I jabbed him in the ribs as well as I could from my lying position, which succeeded a little too well, making him yelp. I hadn't intended that and made it up to him by kissing him deeply and rubbing my tongue tenderly on his. When our lips separated, he looked down at me thoughtfully.

"I see," was all he said, and then he was quiet for a long while. I lay my head back down on his chest, letting him stroke my hair as we both looked out the window. The rain was picking up again. Its monotone drumming against the window was making me sleepy as well. I grimaced at the thought of going back out there, even if just to pick up my car, still at the high school.

"Marisol will be worried about me," I mumbled. Seth's hand paused for a second, then he continued stroking my hair.

"Have you two been friends long?" he asked, and I nodded.

"Since sixth grade, when she moved here. She's the closest friend I've ever had... along with Audra Hart, until last year. She turned traitor when she joined the dance team." I yawned heartily.

"Audra Hart," I heard Seth repeat blankly, and even though he looked like he had just heard her name for the very first time, I looked up at him in sudden horror as a random thought struck me.

"You didn't... she... you... ."

"What?" He was confused for a moment, until he could interpret the look in my eyes. "Oh, hell no. I don't even think I know her. I don't really pay a whole lot of attention to the dance team."

"Good," I mumbled, and snuggled closer to him. "Wouldn't have liked that thought a whole lot." I yawned again, and Seth peered down at me.

"Are you going to go to sleep on me?"

"Mhm," I said and closed my eyes.