Hello Reader!
Look's whos finally gotten a new laptop and is almost out of school for the semester! Woohoo! More time equals more stories equals more feedback from you, my amazing support. And a special shout out to my fantastic editor, Nehkara. Your patience knows no bounds. As always, please leave me constructive comments. I feed off the stuff. Enjoy!
-Curiouskatty
*****
"In darkest night hour, I search through the crowd, your face is all that I see, I'll give you everything, baby love me lights out, baby love me lights out, you can turn my lights out."
Erin swiveled her hips as she danced slowly around her room. She closed her eyes and Beyonce's voice lulled her into a fantasy world. Wyatt was there, his brown hair and green eyes looking celestial in the moon light. She moved her body for him, with him. His smile was subtle and alluring.
"Your heart is glowing, and I'm crashing into you. Baby kiss me, before they turn the lights out."
His lean body was closer, his breath tickling her skin. Erin smiled and leaned into his frame. She felt him all around. She was light on her feet as she twirled around him. Wyatt was whispering to her, but she couldn't quite understand the words. But it didn't matter then. They were together.
"Nobody sees what we see, they're just hopelessly gazing, baby take me, before they turn the lights out, before our time has run out, baby love me lights out."
Erin was aware of Wyatt's hands upon her, gripping her waist, trying to steady her and hold her close. But it was as if he wasn't there, like his hands were caressing her skin, like his lips weren't brushing themselves on her neck. So she kept moving her hips seductively to the beat of the music. She was lost in it, the music, her fantasy, her excitement. It was as nothing she'd ever felt before. All strange and unfamiliar. But she wasn't afraid. Not at all. She was calm, yet full of energy. That was, until her sister burst into the room.
"Hey Erin!" Morgan scream happily as she kicked the door open.
Erin's eyes shot open too late and she fell backward in fear, effectively landing square on her ass.
"Son of a bitch!" She shrieked.
"Oops," Morgan said, looking down at her guiltily, "my bad."
"Morgan, what the fuck!" Erin cursed at her, "this is how people get ptsd in the first place! Shocks like that!"
"How was I supposed to know you were practicing your twerking." Morgan walked over and offered her sister a hand. Erin smacked it away, hard. Morgan yanked her hand back and glared down at her.
"Well damn. I'm trying to make up for it."
"Fuck off." Erin growled as she used the side of the bed to get up.
Morgan stared at her peculiarly. Erin was standing, clad in a tank top and white boy cut panties. Her hair was thick and coiled and free around her head. Her deep complexion was hued and her faced was face was twisted in annoyance and something else.
Embarrassment?
"Erin, what's up?" Morgan puzzled.
Erin frowned at her. "My fucking butt cheek hurts, what do you think?"
Morgan waved that away. "No I mean what's with you. You don't dance, ever. Your hair is never down except on occasions and I think this is the most naked I've seen you since were children. What's happening?"
Erin looked away. "Nothing. It's just hot."
Morgan didn't believe it for a second. "Bitch it's December. Don't try that shit with me. Does this have something to do with Wyatt?"
Erin still didn't look at her.
"I knew it! You fucked him!" Morgan screech.
"Can you shut the fuck up?! Dannie's still in the house."
"Oh shut up. She's watching TV downstairs. So tell me, you get the D?!"
"Morgan can you sound anymore childish?" Erin shot her a look.
But Morgan wasn't having it. She reached out and pinched Erin's bicep. Erin squealed and swatted her hand away.
"Morgan!"
"Stop stalling. It's a yes or no question. Did you shag that adorable nerd?"
"NO!" Erin said loudly and punched Morgan's shoulder. Morgan groaned.
"Are you lying to me little me?" Morgan asked, rubbing her shoulder, "Because if you are-"
"What you gonna do about it?" Erin smirked. "I'm trained in combat, remember?"
"So?" Morgan challenged, "I can still whoop that ass little girl."
"Bitch, who you calling little?"
"Stop!" Morgan stomped her foot, "what happened, you're still not telling me!"
"He asked me out!" Erin finally said, exhausted. She sat on the corner of the bed and smiled up at Morgan, "he asked me out, big me. On a real date. Like a normal person. Me? Can you believe it?"
Morgan felt a pang of emotion in her heart right then, looking down at her sister. What seemed so normal to the rest of the world was so extraordinary to Erin. It was another one of those moments when Morgan really saw how much growing Erin had missed out on in the military. Erin was tough and cold and strong, but in matters of the heart she was naïve and scared. She saw how truly young and lost she was and it almost tore her apart inside. She walked up to Erin, leaned down, and kissed her on the forehead.
"Oh honey, of course he did. He'd be a fool not to."
Erin sensed Morgan's change in emotion. "You ok?"
Morgan just smiled. "Yeah, I'm fine little me." She sighed, then shook it off, "but what about you? Did he tell you where you all are going? And when is this date anyway?"
"On the 28th. He said it should be after Christmas but before New Year so he could say we went on our first date 'last year'."
"First date?" Morgan quipped, "is he planning on more than one?"
Erin smiled. "I certainly hope so! But he didn't say where we are going. Just that I should be prepared to have my socks knocked off."
Morgan couldn't help but roll her eyes, which made Erin grin more.
"I know, I know, he's a giant corn ball. But I've never been with a corn ball before and I've got to say, I really like it." Erin paused. "I really like him. Which is so strange 'cause I hate everybody."
"Yeah, you do." Morgan nodded.
Erin looked up at her sister seriously. "Ya know," She said, "I still think about the bad things with him."
Morgan sat down in the desk chair across from Erin and listened.
"I mean, I didn't understand at first, you know? The movies and books say that when you're with a great person, you forget the bad things. They melt away. Even he says it's sort of like that for him when we talk. But for me, it's different. I think about those things, heavily. I tell him about it. About the hot days and lonely nights. About the other soldiers, the people I've met. I tell him about the nightmares and the shakes and the random bouts of throat-clenching fear. And I think about it. I consider it. I turn it over in my head all day long. But with Wyatt, it's not bad. Not at all. It's like, when I tell him... when I know that he's the one that's listening, the bad things lose their power over me. I mean, it's awful, just not as much. I shake less. I sleep more soundly. The dreams don't rack me like they used to. I don't know if I'm explaining this right." Erin looked down and bit her nail.
Morgan smiled and patted her on the head. "I understand." She suddenly gained resolve and stood up. "Wyatt sounds like a special guy, so you need to wear something special on this date. You are trying to get laid right? Let's look for something for that."
"Morgan no," Erin protested, "I won't slut it up. It's our first date!"
