When Does Love Begin Pt. 02

This 2-part story is a prequel to another that I published some time ago (When Does Love End) that told the tale of two of my favourite characters. It's always been at the back of my mind to write it but somehow I have never got round to doing it, until now that is.

For those after a lot of erotic content I suggest you pass. There are some sexual scenes but these are in the minority.

As always comments on the writing are appreciated but please remember it is just a story. It isn't real.

Enjoy

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When does Love Begin- Part 2

No sooner had Debbie got back to her friends than they besieged her with questions about her lunch meeting with Jackson; what was he like, what colour were his eyes, where did he live and, most importantly, did she have his phone number.

She did her best to reply to all their questions as honestly as she could, although she was unable to tell them the answer she would have liked to give when they asked if she was going to see him again. Of course, Michelle was disappointed that there was no juicy gossip to be had. Especially when Debbie confided in her that after they had exchanged papers and finished their drinks they had simply gone their separate ways.

Muddling her way through her afternoon classes she tried to put Jackson Maitland out of her mind but for whatever reason she couldn't quite manage it. Whenever she paused from what she was doing he crept back in and a couple of times she found herself daydreaming about him. So much so that she was glad when the day was finally over.

"I... err I... need to see Danny so I'm going to wait for him." Michelle told her as they reached the gates, "Do you want to wait with me and see Nathan? Maybe sort out going to the dance with him?"

"No thanks, I'd rather stay at home."

She had just started to walk away when a voice startled her.

"Hi Debbie."

Both the girls jerked around to see Jackson ambling towards them.

"You going my way?"

"And which way is that?" Her heart had already started to flutter.

"Westmorland street, number 27. We moved in on Saturday." Virtually ignoring Michelle, he spoke directly to her.

"Really. We've got a flat in Haverford Park."

He seemed puzzled by her statement and she giggled, assuming he didn't know the street she lived on, "That's just five minutes away from me."

"Really? Care for some company then? As we're going the same way." Jackson suggested nonchalantly.

"Aren't you going to wait for Nathan?" Michelle interjected quickly, glaring at her friend, "He'll be out in a bit."

"Oh sorry. I didn't realise you were waiting for your boyfriend." Visibly embarrassed Jackson quickly turned and started to walk away.

"No, I'm not." Debbie hissed angrily at her friend, "I told you I don't want to go to that ball with him. I don't like him."

"But... I thought...."

She never got to finish her sentence as Debbie turned away and started to walk quickly after Jackson.

"Wait up. I'll walk with you."

Hearing her call out to him he stopped and turned back, waiting for her to catch up.

"Giving the boyfriend a miss?" The tone of his comment sounded more than a little brusque to her.

"I don't have a boyfriend." She declared rather more tartly than she intended.

"Really? Nathan seems to think you are or you will be."

"Well, he's not my boyfriend, he never was and he's not going to be."

Debbie was starting to get a little annoyed, mostly because his misconceptions seemed to be making him indifferent towards her.

Jackson shrugged apathetically, "Whatever, it's really none of my business."

She stopped and grabbed his arm pulling him around to face her.

"Can we start again, please? We got off on the wrong foot and... well I'd like to be friends."

"I'd like that to." His amiable grin sent a shiver of desire down her spine and again she felt a warm moistness at the top of her thighs.

It wasn't what she wanted but it was better than nothing although the fact that Nathan obviously had designs on her worried her. She had never given him any encouragement and she wondered whether Michelle was stirring things. The boy she had started seeing, Danny Griffiths, was good friends with Nathan Tanley and she was clearly keen to match her up with him so they could double date.

Pushing it out of her mind for the moment she set off towards home, walking alongside Jackson as she chatted amiably trying to get to know him a little better.

By the time they parted fifteen minutes later; him to go to his new house while she continued on her way, she felt a little happier.

He had no girlfriend hidden away where he had come from and had just moved to town with his mother after the death of his father almost a year before. At nineteen he was a year older than her and hoped to spend time travelling after college before he found a job, although he had no idea what he wanted to do.

Over the next couple of weeks, the pair fell into an easy routine, walking to college together most mornings and then again strolling home whenever Jackson wasn't training with the football team or working out in the gym.

It was both satisfying and frustrating for her. Being so near to him and sensing what she saw as his reluctance to get closer did nothing to diminish her feelings for him. In fact, the more she got to know him the more it confirmed what she already knew; she was head-over-heels in love with him.

Nathan did try on a couple of occasions to ask her to the fresher's ball, getting a rejection from her the first time and an 'I'll think about it.' the second time. Not that she wanted to date him but she did wonder if going with him might make Jackson just a little bit jealous.

With Michelle also trying to persuade her she was still without a date and beginning to weaken when, just a couple of days before the ball, it happened.

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The days after he started college were busy one's for Jackson.

Apart from his studies he also attended the trials for the football team and was immediately selected to play at centre-half for them. That meant he had to go to training two evenings a week. He also registered at the college gym, wanting to keep up his other fitness routines.

Despite all of this Debbie Randall was seldom far from his thoughts.

Once he was over the initial shock of realising that he was in love with her he spent some time trying not to become too disheartened by the fact that she saw him as nothing more than an acquaintance.

He had begrudgingly accepted that they could be friends in the hope that perhaps it might become something more in the future. However, the longer things went on the more likely it seemed that that wasn't going to happen and the more miserable he felt.

Nathan was still bragging about how he was taking the cute little blonde in year 1 to the ball with the intention of finally 'nailing her'. Hearing that, it didn't take a lot of imagination on Jackson's part to visualise Debbie with him.

Added to that was the fact that he had seen the two of them talking on a few occasions. Then when he had overheard Debbie's friend Michelle encouraging her to go to the ball with him he had more or less given up hope of asking her out.

"What's up Jackson?" His mother asked over dinner one evening.

It had been two weeks since he had started at his new college and every day had been a little worse than the previous one.

Nothing mum. Everything's fine." He had lied unconvincingly.

"I'm your mother Jackson Maitland and I know when something is bothering you. Now what is it?"

He sighed resignedly knowing there was no way he was going to avoid telling her.

"There's this girl."

"That's a good start." Melissa Maitland smiled at her son, "I take it you like her."

"I think I more than like her." He didn't smile back, "But she just wants to be friends."

"She said that?"

He nodded miserably, "Yeah."

"Tell me about it. How did you meet her?"

Taking a deep breath Jackson started, slowly going back to his first day at college, the collision in the corridor and how she had come to find him later in the day.

"It sounds to me like she wants you as more than a friend." Melissa eyed him thoughtfully.

"I don't think so." He shook his head, "There's a guy on the football team who wants to take her to the fresher's ball."

"Oh, she's going with someone else?"

"I'm not sure. I know he's asked her and he keeps telling everyone he's taking her but I'm not certain she has actually said yes yet."

His mother looked at him for a moment, "So, you ask her. Sounds to me like she's holding out for someone else."

"No way. What if she says no."

"What if she says yes?" Melissa came straight back at him, "At least then you'd be certain one way or the other."

Jackson didn't answer. He knew his mother was right and when he was rejected then at least he could try to move on with his life.

By the following morning he had summoned up as much courage as he could muster and decided to ask Debbie to go to the dance with him.

Leaving home at his usual time, with his stomach in knots, he hoped to meet up with her on the way to college, just like he normally did, but for whatever reason she wasn't there. Disappointed he wandered in through the main gates his eyes searching the courtyard for her only to see her with Nathan Tanley.

They were deep in discussion and he felt a sudden wave of nausea at the thought that she might be accepting his invitation to go to the fresher's ball with him.

He was just about to turn away when Nathan walked off leaving her by herself.

"Hey Deb's." Taking every ounce of his courage he went straight across to her.

"Hi Jackson."

"Umm... can I ask you something?" His heart felt like it was about to burst out of his chest.

Her smile sent a feeling of despair through him, certain he was going to be rebutted he struggled not to turn and run.

"Sure."

"Would you... I mean if you don't... I understand... but I thought you might.... unless you're going with...."

Struggling to get his words out he felt the wave of uncontrollable panic start to overcome him, his chest tightening until he struggled to breathe.

"What is it Jackson?" She could see his discomfort and she put her hand on his arm.

"Would you... like to go to the ball with me?" He finally blurted out.

She didn't answer and just stood there staring at him her mouth open.

"Shit, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked... you're going with Nathan aren't you? I... I'll just go. I'm really sorry."

Turning away he tried to force down the blanket of despair that wanted to engulf him.

She clearly wasn't interested and now he knew.

"Wait... please, wait."

"Forget it. It's ok if you've already said you'll go with Nathan...." He let his sentence tail off not wanting to imagine her with the other boy.

"No, no I haven't.... I don't want to go with him and I'd much rather go with you." She grabbed his arm and pulled him round to face her again.

"What? Really?" Jackson stared at her in amazement.

Debbie giggled at the relief in his voice, "Yes, really."

And with that it was settled.

For the next two days Debbie floated around college with a huge smile on her face. Jackson had asked her to go to the dance with him and that meant he liked her, didn't it?

Of course, Michelle had wanted to know why she was suddenly so happy and although she didn't tell her how she felt about him she did say that he had asked to take her to the fresher's ball.

Debbie's one major problem was what to wear.

With that in mind she was up early on the Saturday morning to head off shopping with Michelle. Her friend had been disappointed when she had told her that she wasn't going to go with Nathan but she was more than happy to help her shop.

"You really like this guy don't you?" Michelle asked her as they started their shopping expedition with a stop in the Coffee Pot.

Unable to stop grinning Debbie nodded, "Yeah I do. I just have a feeling about him."

She wasn't about to admit that she was in love with Jackson. Her friend would laugh at her and say she was being stupid; how could she know something like that after just a couple of weeks.

But she did love him, the past few weeks had confirmed that. Every time she was near him she felt butterflies fill her stomach while her heart rate rocketed. Then, when she wasn't around him he was all she could think about.

"Are you going to do it with him?"

"Why are you so obsessed about my virginity? I'll do it when I think the time is right." She told her friend, "But yes, I hope it will be with him."

"I just want you to be happy babe. Even if it's not with Nathan." Michelle chuckled, "Now drink up. We need to get you something so stunning that it will knock his socks off."

Both of them giggled at the thought and finished their coffee before hitting the high street.

It was nearly three hours later when the two of them left the last of the stores clutching several bags.

The dress she had chosen had taken them some time to find but when she saw it she knew it was exactly what she wanted. A tight red sheath it clung to her slim figure like a second skin; the hem at the back reaching almost to her knees but then it curved up to cross over at mid-thigh height at the front. The bodice fitted perfectly and revealed a modest, teasing amount of her cleavage while the thin straps left her shoulders virtually bare.

She had also bought a pair of red heels and, in a moment of madness, a black lace thong with a matching strapless bra. Not that she intended letting Jackson see them but just knowing she had them on would make her feel sexier.

"Lunch?" Michelle suggested.

"Ok." Debbie agreed feeling more than a little peckish, "Then I might get my eyelashes done. What do you think?"

"I might just join you."

Visiting the beauty parlour after lunch they both had their lashes done and it was close to four o'clock when she finally walked in through the front door.

"I'm back mum. Just going to have a bath."

"What time is this young man coming for you?"

"Seven." Debbie yelled back from the top of the stairs and disappeared into the bathroom.

Taking a long, relaxing soak she lay in the hot water letting her mind drift away to think about the upcoming evening and her first date with Jackson Maitland.

She desperately hoped that it wouldn't also be their last.

'What if he didn't like her?'

'He wouldn't have asked her if that was the case, would he?'

'What if he didn't turn up? She would be distraught and humiliated.'

'What if......'

A multitude of thoughts filled her head, quickly changing her mood from one of anticipated enjoyment to contemplating the worst that could happen. Finally getting a grip on herself she pushed them away for the moment and tried to focus on getting herself ready.

After drying and brushing her hair she turned her attention to applying her make-up; mascara, a little eyeshadow and eyeliner, then some foundation and lip gloss, before pausing to admire her new artificial lashes.

Satisfied she slipped into her recent purchases; her sexy black underwear, her red dress and, finally, the matching shoes.

"Wow!" Christine Randall smiled when her daughter appeared in the living room, "Someone is trying to impress."

"Do I look ok mum?"

"You certainly do now." Hugging her, her mother reassured her, "Now what time is this young man due."

Debbie glanced at the clock, "In about fifteen minutes if he turns up."

"You don't think he'll show?"

She shrugged, "I hope he does but.... I guess I'm nervous."

Christine smiled again, "You like him a lot then?"

"Mmhhmm... he's new. He only moved here a few weeks ago." Already her pulse rate was speeding up at the thought of Jackson.

'Ding Dong.'

The chime from the doorbell made them both jump.

"Shit, he's early. You're sure I look ok?"

Christine Randall smiled, she had never seen her daughter this way about a boy and she wondered if perhaps he might just be special.

'Ding Dong.'

"Yes, now go and let him in."

Trying hard to calm her nerves and settle the fluttering in her stomach Debbie went to greet him.

"Wow, you look amazing." Were the first words out of Jackson's mouth when she opened the door.

"Thanks." She giggled and blushed, "Come in and meet my parents."

Ten minutes later, after introducing him to her mother and father, the pair of them left for the fresher's ball.

Almost as soon as they were outside and walking towards the college their hands brushed together and she let her fingers gently intertwine with his. Holding her breath she turned her face towards him, their eyes meeting momentarily, and she felt her stomach flutter as he smiled at her, not letting go of her hand.

The rest of the journey she literally floated along the street without a care in the world.

Reaching the college gymnasium where the ball was being held she wondered what sort of reaction they would get when they walked in. She was aware that a lot of the girls were more than interested in him and she was worried about the fact they might be jealous.

"Shall we go in?" He asked as they paused outside the door.

She looked at him and nodded, letting him lead her through the entrance.

Walking in holding hands with Jackson she could feel dozens of pairs of eyes watching her, most of them green with envy, but she decided she didn't care. She was with him and they weren't.

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Pausing outside Debbie's front door Jackson took a deep breath.

He'd spent the best part of an hour getting ready and almost three days worrying about tonight.

'What if she was just being nice to him because he was new?'

'Did she actually like him?'

'She had agreed to go with him so maybe she did.'

Most of all though he didn't want to make a fool of himself and tell her how he felt about her. She would laugh at him for certain.

Pressing the doorbell twice he waited and a few seconds later she opened the door to him.

She looked stunning, the tight red dress clinging to her figure and, for a moment, he had been struck speechless as he stared at her.

"Wow, you look amazing." Were the first words out of his mouth when he finally regained the ability to speak.

Debbie had giggled and blushed cutely at his compliment, thanking him, before inviting him inside. After spending an uncomfortable few minutes meeting her parents she eventually declared they should go, much to his relief.

Outside as they started walking the familiar route towards the college he felt her hand slip into his, their fingers intertwining. Neither of them said a word and glancing at her he met her eyes gazing back at him, her smile making his heart race a little faster.

The gymnasium had been transformed from its usual look into a colourfully decorated ballroom, with a DJ in the far corner playing the music. As the pair of them walked in still holding hands he noticed Nathan Tanley, across the room, glaring at him.

He had quickly realised his team-mate on the football team was a real slime ball when it came to girls. He had made his intentions for Debbie apparent on more than one occasion and, for a while, he had thought she would go to the dance with him.

But she hadn't. Instead, when he had asked she had accepted and, as they walked in together, he felt like a million dollars.

They got a drink and for the first hour or so they chatted to the few people he knew and a lot more that knew Debbie, although Nathan pointedly avoided them. Michelle however wanted every detail from her friend and, stealing her away, had spent ages talking to her.