This story is based on true events. The characters are 18. Names have been changed.
***
The sounds of our feet hitting the bricks were only muffled by our heavy breathing. I glanced at my friend. She was staring off into space, concentrating on whatever motivated her to keep up with my pace.
Her body was in rhythm. Her shoulder length brown hair bounced back and forth in the ponytail. Her breasts, although hidden behind a sports bra and tank top, continued to shake with each impact. I turned the corner and shot off in a sprint.
"Jake!" Jasmine shouted in defeat.
I am not an athlete by any means, nor have I ever been one to work out. But for whatever reason I decided to enlist in the Air Force. Not one of my brightest ideas.
I watched her jog up to me from her front lawn. Her parents were rich. The mother a lawyer, her father a doctor. Their house? Massive.
"Water?" I asked, like I was about to die.
Let me catch you up to speed. Until recently I was in a very committed relationship to a girl I absolutely loved. And to this day, even as I'm writing this, I still love her. But sometimes what we love is not best for us. And it took a long time to figure that out.
I met Jasmine through my sister during my relationship, and right away I could tell she had a crush on me. I never really had much attention from girls. It was always me chasing them. So in this regard it was refreshing and nice. But I didn't think of her in that way. I was in love with the girl of my dreams.
But I became close friends with her. I talked to her. I laughed at her. Every time she would chase me down after school. Running just to walk with me, book bag and band instrument in tow. She comforted me when my girlfriend and I broke up for a week.
She would stay over at my house. After my sister would go to bed we would talk until the sun came up. I showed her movies her parents didn't approve of. She would speak to me in French. She was very smart, and underneath her nerd appearance, she was beautiful.
Jasmine pulled a key out of her pocket and unlocked her door.
"My dad is at work and my mom took my sister to her recital." She explained, walking into the kitchen.
"Hello? Earth to Jake?"
"Sorry." I said as I snapped out of my thoughts. I took a glass of water from her outstretched hand.
We downed our cups in awkward silence. What should I do? This girl is a respectable girl. What could I do? I'm feeling a bit nervous.
"So...wanna go sit on the couch?" I asked, already walking to her living room. She followed.
"Man I'm sweaty." She said, removing her tank top.
Ok, sports bra. No big deal.
"Maybe we should take a shower together. Save water?" I suggested.
"Perhaps." She said laughing, right before she leaned in and started to kiss me.
Thank God she made the first move.
We made out for quite a while before my hands started to explore her body. I started at her neck, let my fingers glide down, cupping her breasts through the sports bra.
"You should get on top of me."
She stopped kissing me for a moment and shook her head no.
My hands moved back up to her breasts.
"Can I see them?" I asked.
"No you may not."
I broke off the kiss and sat up. I wasn't angry, but if we were doing this I would want more. I don't want to rush her. It's better to cool off.
"Maybe I need to get a condom." I said, half jokingly and half testing the waters.
"Oh I know where my dad keeps his." She said with a smile as she started to kiss me again.
This time I got brave. I reached my hand under her bra, not easy I admit. But I met no resistance. My fingertip just brushed her nipple as the phone rang and scared us both to death.
We both jumped up and she answered the phone.
"Hello?" she spoke.
Silently I hugged her from behind and started kissing her neck. My other hand found her stomach. Bravely I started slowly making my way south.
My fingertips went under the waistband of her shorts. She didn't grab my hand. Or slap it. My heart was racing, I may have sweated even more than on my run.
I found her underwear. My fingertips danced around where her skin met her panties. I almost withdrew. But if I couldn't dare touch this girl how could I go into the military?
My fingers went under. I was convinced her dad could hear my heart beating on the other end of the line. Still no slap, no jerk. I felt public hair. She didn't shave which oddly drove me wild. This pure girl. I played with her hair, letting my fingers run through it. I decided I wouldn't go lower. I had too much respect for her. I loved her. I removed my hand as she hung up.
"My dad is finishing up at work. Then he'll rush here to get me so we can go to the recital." She explained.
"I could help you with your shower." I smiled, kissing her.
Ultimately I decided it would be best for me to go before her dad arrived. Her parents like me as a friend. But they are rich. People in their family have respectable jobs. Go to college. They know Jasmine likes me. But I was no suitor to their daughter.
"One more thing. I'm not going on vacation with them. So I'm staying at your house." She just started working at Arby's and apparently her parents didn't think it was right for her to miss work so soon. God bless them.
I kissed her goodbye and left.
I had her smell on me. I could still feel her hair on my fingertips. Her lips on mine. My head was in the clouds the whole way home.
So how did I go from being so in love from one girl to the next? Well I'll tell you.
It was late. I was hungry. I spent an hour on the phone talking to my girl. The one girl I've always loved since third grade. The girl of my dreams.
The girl who kissed other boys and cheated on me. Left me in tears most nights. I still took her back. Like an idiot.
But not this time. After a couple times of breaking up for a week at a time then getting back together, it was finally over.
I cried. I'm not ashamed to admit it. But I was also hungry. I hadn't even been downstairs in hours. Since my girlfriend...my ex's best friend told me she cheated on me.
So I finally emerged from my room and downstairs heading into the kitchen when Jasmine said hello.
"Hey." I said, in a hurry to avoid conversations. But she saw my puffy eyes. I grabbed some food and headed back upstairs.
I woke up and looked at the clock. It was a bit after midnight.
Jasmine was asleep on a chair as I quietly walked past her to the bathroom. Her eyes were open when I came back out.
"Hey." She said, waking up.
"Hey sorry to wake you." I looked at her. She was braless in a tank top, her bottom half covered by a blanket.
"You didn't wake me. Your sister fell asleep hours ago and I fell asleep out of boredom. Wanna watch a movie with me?" She asked.
"Sure. Hey! Let's watch 10 Things I Hate About You! You have to see it. It came out some years ago but it's good." I said. "It's about two sisters who can't date. And this guy really likes the younger one. But the he gets this guy to date the older one so he can date the younger one."
"It's Shakespeare! That's the exact plot of the Taming of the Shrew." She explained as she moved over in the chair. I sat down next to her and looked at her. Possibly for the first time.
"Sorry about earlier. It's over. We broke up. I wanted to be alone." I said looking at her soft brown eyes.
"its okay." She said resting her body into mine. I wrapped my arm around her. Not in a sexual way. In a way that I just wanted to be comforted. I wanted to be close to someone. She leaned her head on me and we watched the movie.
She got up to get a drink and I followed her. She was about to say something but I picked her up and put her on the counter.
Our lips touched and my heart began to race. I started to shake as if this was the first girl I've ever kissed.
I started kissing her neck as my hand felt her breasts. I started lifting up her tank top but she stopped me.
We sat in the chair under the blanket for a while. Finally I kissed her goodnight and went up to bed.
Was this just a rebound? No. I was just suppressing the feelings I've always had for her. Despite how many times my ex cheated on me, I would never do that. I stayed faithful. Unless you believe having a close friend who's a girl who you can go for support cheating, then I suppose I am guilty.
***
"Jake can you grab the pan for me?" Jasmine asked.
Her family was on vacation and she was making food in my kitchen. My sister was annoyed we were spending so much time together. It was her friend after all. I don't blame her I guess.
But we would share our passions and stories. Our fears.
We loved each other. But we never said it.
We could never be together.
Admitting our love would make it hurt even worse.
I gave her backrubs in our living room, feeling her breasts up every so often. We would sneak away and make out. We would play games and go on walks.
Why on earth did I stay with a girl so long who played with my emotions? Love can turn you into an idiot.
We never went too far. I knew she was a virgin and I didn't want to rush anything. I didn't care about that. I just cared about her.
"Children?"
"A girl and a boy." She replied.
"not if you were married to me." I smiled. She playfully punched me. The week was almost over and we were up late again in the night. Two people afraid of what the world thought to pursue their dreams.
"Are you a virgin?" She asked.
"I was in a relationship for years. Love without sex is just as crazy and ridiculous as sex without love." I replied.
I didn't want to hurt her. To just come out and say, I've been with a woman.
She kissed me.
"It's late and we both have to work in the morning."
"Jazzy...Do I have to go to bed?"
I had the most incredible dream that night. Her parents came and visited us. As man and wife. I'll swear it to this day it was as real as you or me. Or the device you're reading this on. I don't think I've ever been as happy as that dream.
