The Crescent (8 page)

Adding to my embarrassment, Mr. Thompson wouldn’t start class until we were both in our seats. Alex turned in his chair slightly and dared Mr. Thompson to say something about him taking my hand in his across the desk. Courtney and Ashley both glared at us. Jillian looked at our hands locked tightly with each other but didn’t say anything. I’m sure she would rake me across hot coals later, digging for all the juicy information. So much for thinking Alex and I weren’t going anywhere.

After class Alex pulled me from the classroom towards the parking lot with Jillian lingering behind us. “Want me to drive you to your Aunt’s?” Alex asked, but we were already almost to his car.

“Hey Lacey?” Jillian asked from behind us. I tugged at Alex’s arm.

“Yeah?” Students passed us on either side as Jillian got closer to me.

“Can I drive you today instead? I need to talk to you about something.”

“You can come with us.” Alex said before I could respond.

“Thanks for the offer Alex, but… it’s girl stuff.” Jillian accentuated girl stuff and Alex flexed his fingers around mine.

Alex peered at Jillian for a minute, making me very uncomfortable. Jillian was my best friend- she should come first. I was about to pull my hand away but then he smiled. “Ahhh… something tells me I don’t want to know. Can you call me after you get off work?”
Good choice Alex.

“I’ll call you.” I said and he gave me that look that turned me into mush. I felt light headed all over again as he kissed me. More students were staring at Alex’s very public, very sensual display of affection. By the end of tomorrow the rumors will probably have us engaged and moving in with each other.

“Promise?” Alex touched his forehead to mine. “Maybe I could pick you up after work?” I didn’t respond. “We could go get something to eat? What time are you off?”

“I’m off at 7 tonight. But I don’t think my parent’s will let me go out on a school night.”

“I could always pick you up and take you home.” Alex still pushed the issue. Something in my gut told me to say no.

But I didn’t. “Sure. I’d like that.” I said just before his lips were back to mine again and his hands ran down the length of my arms.

“I’ll see you at 7. Bye Jillian, see you tomorrow.” Alex flashed his knee-buckling grin and headed towards his car.

“Ok… so you said you didn’t think there would be anything.”

“I didn’t.” I mean, after all I did leave him half naked with a hard on just two nights ago.

“Why didn’t you think there would be anything?”

My jaw clenched; I was going to have to tell her the whole story. We walked arm in arm to her car and I waited until we were pulling out of the parking lot to start telling her the tragic events from Friday.

“I got drunk with Alex and ended up in bed with him. I turned him down and I figured he’d be pissed.” I gave her the condensed version, wanting mostly to minimize her scrutiny.

“WHAT?” Jillian reacted just as I assumed she would. “Are you crazy? Why did you turn him down?”

“Brandon.” Oh boy. Shouldn’t have said that.

“See, I knew he had competition.” Jillian laughed as we pulled onto the street leading to the clinic. I rolled my eyes and looked out the window. I didn’t find this the least bit funny. “Brandon was at the party? So what did he say?”

“No he wasn’t there. I haven’t talked to him. I haven’t even seen him.” I mumbled. Not wanting to admit to her that Brandon had a staring role in my dreams only.

Jillian looked puzzled as we waited our turn at the stop sign. “Are you feeling ok? I mean, seriously? You turned down Alex for someone you haven’t even talked to? You’re crazy.”

I already knew that. Alex was a great guy, a great kisser and I’m sure even great at the activity that I so stupidly, and drunkenly, stopped. “Maybe it was the alcohol.” At least I knew he wasn’t mad at my retreat from him on Friday night and technically I had another date with him tonight… well sort of.

“Speaking of alcohol…” Jillian put the car in park in front of the clinic. “I slept with Justin on Friday night.” My mouth fell open. We had known Justin since the fifth grade and always considered him a major geek.

“SERIOUSLY? Why didn’t you tell me on Saturday?”

“I wanted to tell you in person.” She hesitated playing with the keys in the ignition… “And I kind of thought you’d tell me that you slept with Alex first. That way I wouldn’t feel like such a hoe.”

We sat in silence for several moments. “Well… was it better than the first time at least?”

Jillian started laughing, “It was worse actually!” We got interrupted when Michelle, the receptionist for the clinic, came out and told me they needed my help. I wanted to continue talking to Jillian, but didn’t want to keep my Aunt waiting.

Jillian asked before I got out to the car, “What are you going to do about Alex?”

I looked at the clinic and slipped back into the car to keep the conversation private. “I don’t know. I mean,
the feeling
is there and trust me I wasn’t sure I wanted to stop on Friday. But like today it made me a little uncomfortable that he just assumed that I wanted him to drive me and that I’d be ok with him picking me up.”

Jillian grinned, “Just means he is aggressive, he knows what he wants. Shit I’d die if a guy looked at me the way he looked at you today in class. The way he kissed you made ME blush.” Jillian’s eyes got really big and we both started laughing.

“Ok I have to go.” I hugged her.

“Call me tonight after Alex drops you off.”

At 6:59 the familiar rumbling of his Camaro shook the clinic’s windows. I already told Aunt Jamie that I couldn’t stay tonight because Alex was driving me home. She winked and said “young love.” My Aunt was a pretty woman who said she was too busy to date, but she seemed really interested in my love life.

Alex knocked twice on the door then came in like he owned the place. “Hey beautiful.” He had another bouquet of flowers and was wearing another new pair of jeans with a dark blue shirt that was tight around his biceps.

Wow.
Michelle whispered as she ducked out of sight leaving Alex and me alone in the lobby.

“Hey, how was your day?”

Alex’s gorgeous brown eyes looked black in the dimly lit lobby. He looked around like he was confirming we were alone then lowered his head to mine. His arm snaked around the small of my back as he pressed his body against me. “Better now.” He responded making me feel weak. He brushed his lips across mine as I took in a deep breath and let out a small sigh; finding myself easily mesmerized by him again. “Are you ready to go?” I was expecting him to kiss me, but when he didn’t I was more than disappointed.

“Yeah, let me get my bag.” I said feeling dejected as I reached for my bag, but his hand was on the strap before mine.

“Let’s go.” He grabbed my hand and pulled me down the walkway to his car. I barely had enough time to wave goodbye to my Aunt, whose eyes were now bigger than two half dollars.

“No run ins with wily cats tonight huh?” Alex said as he maneuvered the car out onto the street.

I’m half embarrassed that he remembered that from Friday. I guess it was better he brought that up instead of how I left him drunk and half naked. “No thank goodness Mr. Tinkles went home this morning.”

“If you ask me, owning cats should be… outlawed.” I couldn’t tell if he was joking. “You know, an Amendment should be added to the Constitution that says it’s illegal to own them- make them contraband.” Alex glanced at me then started laughing. “I’m kidding.”

“Oh.” It didn’t seem like he was kidding, he sounded completely serious. I guess I’d have to get to know him better to understand his sense of humor.

We pulled up in front of my house and sat for several moments in silence. He drew circles on the back of my hand with his index finger; my heart beating faster and faster with every loop. “Are you mad at me for Friday?” His question shocked me, although I wanted to ask him the same thing.

“No, I figured you’d be mad at me.” I said not wanting to make eye contact; trying to block out the memory of the hurt look on his face when I ditched him. Alex threw me off when he started laughing.

“No way. You told me you don’t drink. That was my fault. I think I went a little too fast. I just…” He hesitated and urged me to look at him with his hand stroking my arm. “I feel drawn to you in a way I can’t explain. I keep forgetting that not everyone has had the experiences that I’ve had in my life. I know I freaked you out on Friday.”

“I don’t drink because of my dad.” I blurted out. I hadn’t even told Jillian that my dad had a problem with alcohol. “My parents, they get into these horrible arguments and my mother let’s things go because of my dad’s drinking.”

I looked away from Alex, staring at my knees, the door, the dashboard, anything else other than at his eyes. I didn’t want him judging my family, but wanted him to know I didn’t drink out of choice, not because there hadn’t been opportunity.

Alex squeezed my hand tighter. “I’m so sorry.” He let out a sigh, “I feel like a total asshole now.” He stared over the dashboard of his car; I could see the slight dimple in his cheek. I squeezed his hand, trying to comfort him.

“It’s not your fault. You didn’t know.” He didn’t look at me. I reached over to his face and ran the back of my hand down his smooth cheek; it felt like he had recently shaved. I also realized that he smelled irresistible, like he had changed cologne.

“I won’t offer you alcohol again.” Alex finally looked at me; his dark eyes were golden under the orange glow of the streetlights. “I wish you would’ve told me before.”

I looked away swiftly, “That isn’t something that I normally share with anyone. I just wanted you to know that I wasn’t being a goody two-shoes when I turned it down.”

Alex let out a small laugh, “The last thing that I thought of you was that you were a goody two-shoes. Trust me.” He slid his hand up the side of my neck to rest firmly at my jaw line. “You confirmed you weren’t when we were in the bedroom.” His voice was inviting. “Don’t be embarrassed. Look at me.” Alex’s urged me to look at him. “I realized Friday that we have incredible chemistry and I’m attracted to you regardless of if we had sex or not. I don’t want you to do anything you don’t want to do, so I’m perfectly fine that you wanted to stop. Alcohol or no alcohol, it doesn’t matter why you stopped.” His eyes, his touch, and his voice- they all made me want to melt into the seat. He leaned forward and pressed his lips to mine softly at first, but increased with intensity or maybe I increased the intensity. I’m not really sure. Once we started I wanted more. Before long, we were fully making out in the front seat of his car. He pulled at my shoulder until I was almost sitting on the center console, one more tug and I’m in the seat with him.
Come here.
He whispered and pulled again. I straddled his lap as his strong hands pressed into my back. The feeling of his heartbeat against my chest was faster than one of Travis Barker’s solos. The temperature increased in the car by at least twenty degrees as his hands slid under the front of my shirt to rest on the bare skin of my hips. My thoughts were jumbled trying to catch up with my body’s feelings of want and need.

I’m crazy about you.
Alex whispered as he kissed a trail down my neck. I couldn’t think of anything to say. He completely overtook my senses; his breathing, his lips, the taste of his skin and his tongue, they were the only things I could think about right now.
First it was your Aunt… now your parent’s.
He said as he pulls my body into a tight embrace. Both of my parent’s stared out the front window at the car. I really hoped that it was dark enough that they couldn’t see I’m in his lap and we were making out with the promise and wanting of more.

“I better go.” I half grin as I’m having trouble breathing. Reluctantly I crawl back over to my side of the car. I really wish I could rewind time and change my decision to run on Friday. I’m sure Alex could completely replace my memories of my terrible first time with Nate.

“I’ll see you tomorrow?”

I nodded and escaped from the car, wanting to skip all the way to the door, but resisting, because I know if my parents just saw what I was doing- I’m a dead girl and that is no cause for celebration.

NINE

To my surprise, or rather dismay, neither of my parent’s mentioned Alex dropping me off tonight. Mom, dad and I sat at the dinner table eating the first meal my mother had made in weeks or maybe even months. My parent’s talked about taking a trip over the Christmas holiday to see extended family in Washington. I half listened to the conversation until she brought up my birthday.

“What do you want to do for your eighteenth birthday?” Mom said spooning more mash potatoes onto her plate. I’d be turning eighteen during the Christmas break.

“I don’t really have any plans.” I hadn’t had time to even think about it.

“Do you want to throw a party?” The last party I had was elementary school- you know back in the days when the teachers made you give valentine’s to very kid… that was the last time I had more than a handful of friends.

“No.” I respond trying to think of more than five people to invite: Jillian, Michelle, Jamie, Alex… maybe. That would be one lame party other than Jillian and Alex; does inviting relatives really count as a “rager”? I smirked.

“What’s so funny?” Dad grinned.

“Nothing. Maybe I can just have Jillian over.”

“Oh that’s nonsense. You’re going to be eighteen. You can’t think of something more… interesting to do?” I really couldn’t. We could go to the beach, have a barbeque, and maybe have a bonfire. But even then I could only think of a few people that I’d invite and really- who wants to go to the beach in winter.

“Well there is plenty of time. A decision doesn’t have to be made tonight.” Dad smiled; saving me from mom’s inquisition.

I helped my parents clear the table and loaded the dishwasher for mom. Grant fat and happy from his meal of hamburger and rice was laid on his bed in the kitchen.

“I swear that dog has doubled in size.” Mom put leftovers into the fridge; she used one of her feet to move the dogs paw out of the way.