The verdant hedgerows whizzed by in a blur as the car accelerated down the narrow, winding country lanes. Long grass and grain in the fields rippled in the summer breeze. Everywhere was basking in the glowing sunlight of another hot summer afternoon. On any other day I would be calm, cool and collected. Driving down the roads with the windows down. The hum of music coming from the radio. Perhaps making plans to head to the beach. But not today. Today small patches of perspiration had begun to seep through my shirt and bead on my brow. There were butterflies in my stomach. My mouth was dry. I only needed to glance at the driver seat to remember why.
Emily turned to me briefly and smiled. I smiled back. As her gaze returned to the road mine lingered on her. My Goddess. My heart's desire. I had longed for Emily for years. We were now in our final year of college, and the image of her perfect body enveloped in her college uniform had become seared into my memory. My eyes ran over her shapely legs, wrapped in a short tight skirt. They led to her toned ass and finely curved waist which in turn flowed to her perky breasts. Her shapely face and cerulean eyes were surrounded by her curled chestnut hair. She had discovered a few months before that I was her secret admirer. Her response was one of amusement, describing it as 'sweet' and earned me her affectionate nickname of 'Babes'. Her light-hearted mocking was like a thousand knives stabbing me at once, with each thrust more delightful than the last.
We remained close, but her romantic interests lay elsewhere. As was the case for most girls in our year, her attention lay focused with my friend Ryan. It wasn't hard to guess why. Six feet two inches tall, chiselled good looks, bulging muscles and bronzed skin. Ryan was the embodiment of a hero from Greek mythology, and was certainly talked about as much. At least, a certain part of him was. Ryan had a string of girlfriends from within our year and naturally this gave rise to rumours. Before long, it was established that Ryan's manhood was enormous. One girl liked to joke that he was as well hung as the horses he rode around on at the weekends.
Emily was more bookish and reserved than the girls he usually went for, but that did not stop her vying for his attention.
It had been a bolt from the blue when Emily asked me to help her revise for our upcoming exams. The entire year had now been released on study leave for the few weeks before our finals. Emily asked if I might help her look over some things and I had barely managed to splutter a response.
"I really can't thank you enough for doing this Babes," she said, "I just get totally scrambled looking over everything."
"I-it's really no problem," I replied.
"Not far to go now, just around the next corner."
Emily slowed her car and turned left down a narrow laneway. It was flanked either side by tall overgrown hedgerows. Eventually they gave way to reveal a large mown lawn on the left. The paved laneway led onto a gravel driveway which swept to the front of the house. The house itself was a small quaint bungalow, the front of which was covered in creeper and ivy. Potted lavender and flowers flanked either side of a red front door.
"My parents have headed off to France for a week, so it'll just be us. You happy enough with that?" Emily said, smirking through her sunglasses.
"I'm fine with it," I replied.
"I thought you might be. Don't forget your textbooks on the back seat, we'll be needing them."
We gathered our things and headed through the front door. Bright beams of sunlight were streaming through the front windows, illuminating the hallway. A small living room was to the right and the kitchen and dining room were on the left. Down the hallway were two more doorways on either side.
"My room is last on the right if you want to head on through. I'll get some iced water from the kitchen. It's pretty roasting in here."
With a click of her kitten heel shoes, Emily disappeared out of sight before I could respond. I made my way through to the room she pointed out. I pushed open the door and crossed the threshold. How many times had I imagined myself here? I couldn't count. The floor was covered in a thick cream carpet. Centred against the far wall was a four poster mahogany bed. It was decorated with a range of pillows in rich burgundy sheets. Against the left wall, beneath a wide window, was a large desk. Emily's laptop was sitting on the left hand side and most of the rest of the desk was covered in scattered notes and open textbooks. Sitting before it was an office swivel chair. In the corner to the left of the desk was a compact dressing up table with a mirror and stool. The right hand wall was dominated by a tall three compartment wardrobe. The right most door of it was open, displaying a collection of stacked shoes. I almost wondered if she had left it open deliberately. Toying with me by showing off her collection of shoes and sandals. I saw her black strappy sandal heels from the formal night, as well as her cream peep toe heels for general nights out. Nestled amongst them were her gym trainers as well as sandals and flip flops I didn't recognise.
I sat down on the desk chair and unpacked my notebooks. Soon I heard Emily's kitten heels clicking on the hallway floor and she turned into the doorway.
"This should keep us going," she said, putting the jug of iced water and two glasses on the desk.
Stepping past me I got a feint scent of her perfume and my heart fluttered. Emily removed her blazer and threw it on the bed before sitting down beside it, crossing her legs and leaning back.
"So, I was thinking of starting with history stuff before moving on to French if that sounds good?"
"Works fine with me," I replied.
"Good, so this is what I had in terms of cue cards," she said, leaning over and removing them from her bag.
Emily proceeded to flick through the cards before handing them over to me. They had a series of questions on them with facts, figures and dates underneath. I proceeded to ask each of the questions with Emily thinking up responses. Her eyes looked upward as she tried to think of the answers. We were only two or three cards in before I noticed she was doing it. She had begun to dangle one of her kitten heel shoes. I had noticed for some time now that she did it when she was thinking. It didn't help that in history class I sat behind her and to the right, allowing a perfect view as she dangled her shoe from her dainty foot. She flexed and tensed the arch of her foot, moving the shoe back and forth from her sole.
"...Umm Babes, did I get that one right?" Emily said.
"Oh, yes, of course. 100%," I fumbled in reply.
"Are you feeling OK Babes? Is it the heat? You can take a glass of water if you want."
"I'm fine, just thought there might have been something else you could say for that question, but nope, you covered everything. Ready for the next one?"
"Sure, fire away," she replied.
I asked the next question and she answered as before. Eyes to the ceiling, her dainty foot beginning to play with her kitten heel shoe. The shoe danced back and forth. This time she began to rotate her ankle, moving the shoe in small circles, her slender foot and arch trying to flex themselves free of the shoe. I felt heat rising under my collar and inadvertently licked my lips.
"...Babes?" Came the familiar chirp.
"Umm, yes, again, very strong answer," I replied.
"Right...because I just asked if you were feeling OK."
"Yes, of course. I'm fine. Ready for the next question?"
"You seem distracted by something. Like you're looking at something down there..."