Author's Notes
:
This is a story I have tinkered with for a long time, and even partially finished once. I decided to scrap it though as I did not feel I had the talent to write it properly. I've once again decided to take a stab at it since I've been writing more and more lately and the feedback I have gotten thus far has been extremely positive. There is no real basis for this story, and it's not based on any actual people or experiences I have lived through. I just thought the story would lend itself to good writing, so once I got the idea I expanded upon it until I was able to flesh it out into a full short story (oxymoron?). If you'd like to provide feedback for this story you may do so, just send an e-mail to the address provided above.
* * * * *
Alex stood looking out of the large window overlooking the Dulles International Airport. He knew he'd be due at the other end of the airport soon to pick up his rental car, but he just found so much fascination in watching all the different people doing their jobs. He found it funny that the men and women who used their florescent sticks to signal airplane ground traffic did so with much less enthusiasm than they did in the movies.
He turned and made his way down the airport, towards the rental car booth. He had requested a Mustang, black, and was told they had one but would have to have it brought from their other nearby location. It wasn't a busy day at the airport, so the walk went by fast. Usually, and especially on the weekends, you'd have to fight your way through the airport crowds to get to where you were going. It was hardly possible to go from one hallway to the next without bumping into at least half a dozen people. Being that it was a Wednesday and so early in the morning, however, there was barely anyone around.
When he arrived at the rental car booth a lady at the front desk greeted him. He stepped up and said a polite hello to her, but instead of a warm reply the lady simply said, "If you're here to pick up a rental you'll need to fill out this form here."
"Oh, actually I have already filled out the forms and am here to pick up my car," Alex replied.
"Ok then sir, last name?" she said.
"Stanton, spelled just like it sounds. Like the school, and please don't call me sir, I'm not
that
old," he said, smiling. Even though the lady wasn't the most pleasant person he had met, he did have to admit she was attractive. She had light blonde hair that hung straight down, a little past her shoulders, and her bangs were been pinned back with little clips. He found that type of hairstyle to be very attractive. She had blue eyes and her lips glistened with a feminine pink glossy lipstick. From what he could see of her body from behind the counter she was slender, bordering on petite.
"Ok sir…sorry, someone will bring your car around in just a moment, please have a seat until then and I will let you know when its ready," she said, giving him a smile of her own.
He went and sat down, setting his single bag of clothes next to him. It was the standard army issue duffle bag, and it held pretty much all of the clothes he owned. He had just gotten out of the army in fact, no more than a week ago. His thoughts drifted for a moment; to old friends of his, new ones he'd met in the service, and ones he'd lost touch with over the years. Anything, he thought, to stop thinking about
her
.
Alex sat, waiting, and eventually picked up a magazine sitting on the table next to him. He skimmed it for a few minutes but decided to put it down when he read the headline of one of the articles, "
When the man of your dreams walks out of your life
." Life had a sort of cruel sense of humor, he thought.
The lady at the front desk, Claire according to her name tag, walked over and let him know his car was out front and waiting, and handed him the keys. "Ok, I know this is obvious, but the job requires me to say it. You're going to want to keep these keys with you at all times, should you lose them you will need t contact either this or the office in D.C to attain a set of replacements. The cost of replacements will come out of your deposit; I believe the charge is $25. Should you get in an accident there are insurance cards in the glove box, and you will also need to contact the D.C. office, the number for which is also in the glove box. The information I just described is also contained in the paperwork in the glove box, and we encourage you to look it over as soon as you can. If you have any questions please give us a call here, otherwise enjoy your rental," she said in her best professional voice.
Alex nodded and added, "Thanks, have a good day," before stepping out into the morning sunlight and looking over the beautiful black Mustang convertible before him. Oh yeah, he thought, this is going to be an interesting week.
He started the car and pulled out of the parking lot, waiting until he was a good three to four blocks away before flooring the gas pedal and laying smoke down the street. God, it felt great to drive a fast car again, he thought. He made his way down the street, and as he drove he turned his attention to the last letter he'd written her, and what he would say when he got to her house. His last memories of them together six years ago came back to him as he drove north up I-495.
***
Alex had met Rachel in high school, no more than a week into his freshmen year. He played both football and basketball, and was pretty popular. He never considered himself a jock, though. Most guys would say that, but he never hung out with the jock crowd, hated the football rallies, and held a decent grade point average in school.
He introduced himself to her at a friend's party; she had arrived with a few of her girlfriends and was sitting alone at the couch. He simply walked up and said hello, then handed her a glass of punch. "Don't worry, I made sure we got the non alcoholic kind," he said with a smile. When she smiled back he knew he'd met his first love.
It was his smile that attracted her, and she smiled, too, unsure of what to say. All at once she found herself very nervous and flustered, but managed to squeak out, "What brings you here?" She realized how stupid it sounded right as the words exited her mouth.
"Well, it's a party, I like parties. Then there's the whole hanging out with friends thing, which I like to do as well," he teased. "I saw you come in with a couple of friends, what happened? I thought you girls stuck together, they just left you here on the couch?"
She found his question easy to answer, and as the color in her cheeks went from a bright red to a rosy pink he replied, "Well, Becky ran off to find her boyfriend, and I think Crystal went to talk to some of our other friends. I'm just not really into partying tonight so I told them I'd hang out here."
Alex didn't say anything after that for a while; he just sat there sipping his punch. Rachel didn't know it but he was also very nervous. He'd never really had a crush on a girl before, but he found her beauty very intimidating. She was much shorter than he was, about five-four, with long dark hair and brown eyes that caught what little light there was and sent back a sparkle. She was wearing a nice spaghetti strapped top that accentuated her well curved chest, with her red bra straps showing, and a tight fitting black skirt that went halfway down her thighs. Alex couldn't help but steal glances of her soft, tanned legs.
After a while they both began to lighten up and make small talk, Rachel told him about how she had tried out for the swim team, but didn't think she would make it. She loved to swim, but most of the girls trying out had done it in some sort of professional way for much longer. He told her not to worry and he was sure she'd do just fine.
They talked all night, and never left the couch. By the end of the night they had talked about just about everything they could think of. That was the start of their four-year relationship. After that night Alex called her almost every night, and the nights that he didn't call her she would call him.
They dated all through to their senior year, their love blooming and maturing, and she had brought up making love many times. Every time she tried or asked he would shy away, until she began to feel as though he did not want her. He assured her he did, but that he just didn't feel ready for that yet. In truth he was very nervous, and he let that fear dictate what he would and would not do. The discussion and aversion of sex continued on, until Rachel decided she would help him to the next step on the night he asked her to a romantic dinner in celebration of their high school graduation.
He picked Rachel up in his fathers midnight black Mustang, "women love fast cars," his father had said to him before handing over the keys to his most prized possession.
They went out to a nice dinner at an Italian restaurant his father had told him about. He found the food to be good, but more so he enjoyed the reaction he got from Rachel. She seemed very happy to be out on a real "date". He asked her what she'd like to do after dinner since they had all night. She replied, "Well, my parents are out of town for my grandparents anniversary, we could go to my house and see what happens."
They went back to her house, and spent the longest time just kissing and touching. He kissed her lips softly, feeling the soft wet flesh of her lips against him. Occasionally their tongue would meet, and he would run his hand over her face or neck as they kissed. Their tongue danced together, intertwining, and every time she felt his touch she would let out a sigh of contentment.
His hands began to roam all over her body, starting with her neck and running down to her chest, slowly and sensually moving across her breasts softly, exciting her and making her nipples hard as his hand passed over them. His hands slid lower still, to her stomach, and she tensed up, feeling a bit ticklish, but didn't stop him. His tongue slid inside her mouth barely, teasing the tip of her tongue, and his hand slid underneath the waist of her dress and to her inner thigh.
She moaned softly, and as she did she bit his tongue and his fingertips trailed up her inner thigh to the thin material of her panties. She became very aware of her arousal, feeling the wetness between her legs growing as his hand slowly ever so gently caressed her sex.
