Everyone involved is over the age of 18, and all all persons in this story are completely fictional. Any resemblance to real life is unintentional. Etc Etc Etc. There isn't much sex in this first part, but trust me, there are good things coming your way :). Any comments and suggestions are greatly appreciated, and if there is something specific you guys would like to see let me know, I always welcome new ideas! Enjoy!
I chewed on my bottom lip relentlessly, on the verge of drawing blood. It was a horribly painful nervous habit of mine; one, which I'd have to break soon if I ever wanted to kiss someone without feeling like they were holding a hot iron to my lips.
I was just too sensitive everywhere, I thought, way too sensitive for my own good.
Even now, standing on the front porch, I could feel the seam of my short jean shorts rubbing against my body in the most delicious of ways. I felt my eyelids droop momentarily as I concentrated on the sensation, biting my lip again but this time to control myself.
My hand was raised, about to ring the buzzer, but I hesitated; my heart thundered inside my chest at the possibilities of who might be standing just on the other side of that door.
Mary. Mary, could you be in there?
The windows on either side of the door showed that the porch was pitch dark, but the house was long, and had potential for many secrets to lurk within.
I had had to gingerly pick my way over the broken walkway that led up the front steps in the dark summer night, careful not to trip. I could hear several crickets jump away and stop their chirping as I stepped near them. The front yard had been in a constant state of disaster for as long as I could remember this house being here. Wild, uncut grass housed many creatures of the humid night. A tipped-over cement birdbath lay to the side of the steps, fallen over and crumbled long ago, but never removed. I suddenly remembered the crisp winter day eight years ago that Mary's mother, Virginia, had placed it there, much to her husband's dismay. Her wild, flowing red hair had blown in the icy wind, but she had paid no mind, standing in the front yard in her nightgown, unbothered by the elements. I had wholeheartedly agreed with her husband, it really was a monstrous thing. Mary had inherited her mother's erratic red hair, but with more softness to it. Whereas Virginia's had been a dark red, almost like a flame, Mary's had been lighter, almost peach colored, with the hint of waves begging for fingers to wrap around it's curls.
With that thought, I suddenly turned around and almost sprinted down the three low steps, jumping over the birdbath and heading for my car. No! I silently screamed at myself. I had come here to see Mary, and regardless of how things had been left between us the last time I'd seen her, we were still friends as far back as middle school. Our fight right before we left for college echoed in my head, immediately making my breaths come faster.
Mary had walked behind me onto the porch, wanting to wait with me until my mom came to pick me up. We sat in the large wicker chairs, the wooden entails digging into my thighs under my skirt. I couldn't wait to get my driver's license next week; no more of this being driven around by my mother crap. Then I could leave whenever I wanted to, not having to wait around. Mary and I carefully avoided eye contact as I made sure I knew exactly how many tiles were on the floor. No, 57 cannot possibly be correct. I should count them again.
"Jess, I'm sorry for what I said," she was looking at her hands as she whispered. "I just - I don't understand why you have to date him! Bryan, he's nice ... but he's not for you."
"Oh and why not?" I had yelled, suddenly blowing up. "You're just jealous because you don't have a boyfriend! Or girlfriend! Mary, I don't even know what you like these days but you're just jealous! I see the way you look at me!"
"I'm not jealous!" She raised her voice a little. "I just miss my friend! Where's my friend? I don't even see you anymore! All you want to do is spend time kissing that - that boy!"
"And you're not going to see me if you keep calling my boyfriend a masochistic whore!" I yelled back. "Get your own boyfriend and then talk to me about it!" I had gotten up then and paced the small enclosed front porch.
"I don't want a boyfriend, Jess! I just want –"
"What?!? You want a nice girl then?!" I remembered the way I had glared at her, full of despise and feelings I couldn't find names for; feelings that were so much the opposite of the disdain I wanted to feel.
"No!" She was on her feet now, moving closer to me. "No I - I only want you!" And then she had risen up on her tip-toes and grabbing my curly black hair, forcefully pulling me down to her smaller frame and had kissed me.
I had pushed her away from me and wiped my mouth with the back of my hand, running for the front steps, running out onto the sidewalk, running away from her and the things she had stirred inside me. "Mary! Ew! I'm never coming back here again! You're horrible!" My mom had just pulled up as I ran out.
"I hate you Mary! I hate you! I cannot believe you just did that! I'm never going to see you again!"
I slowly made my way back up her porch, forcing my breathing to slow down. That was the last time I had seen her before we went to separate parts of the country for school. I need to do this, I told myself. Why I needed to, I didn't know, I only knew of what she had opened up in me that day and I needed to see her again; I needed to know what was real and what my mind had embellished on.
I tried to ring the buzzer but nothing happened except I received a friendly electric shock from the plastic button.
"Ouch!" I sucked on my index finger for a minute. It was as if the house was punishing me for all the indecent thoughts racing through my head.
I knocked on the side window loudly and was immediately hit with memories of throwing rocks at Mary's window just above the door. I looked up but it was now boarded-over. Nothing was left to remind of her purple curtains that would always blow out onto the short roof just above the once red front door.
I wondered what I would even say to her if she were to open the door now. How could I explain my mysterious appearance after all this time?
"Hi Mary! I know we haven't seen each other in two years, but I drove all the way to your house because I'm back for the summer now and I haven't been able to stop thinking about that kiss all this time. I was wondering if I could have another? I'm straight, but I think you may have awakened something in me, so I'd like to use your body to see if I would like it. By the way, how have you been?"
I shook my head at myself. I was going mad. I hadn't had any physical contact since I'd left my boyfriend five months ago. We had had a pretty active sexual lifestyle, and the lack of it now is what must be making me have these erratic thoughts. I just want my best friend back, I told myself, somewhat unconvincingly as an image of what her perky nipples might look like under all those clothes flashed in my head at the same time.
"Ugh!" I turned from the door, disgusted with myself and headed to my car, speeding home, almost hitting a skunk on the way. I had forgotten how remote this town was. I had gone to a school in a big city, populated by many. It had provided for good distraction from that kiss. Until now.
For months after Mary had kissed me I had battled with myself night and day. During that entire summer after high school and before college, I had had many descriptive dreams in which Mary did much more than kiss me. Even now, I slightly blushed at those images and sat back in my car seat a bit further, the seam of my shorts suddenly noticeable once again.
Once safely inside my house, I ran up the stairs and threw myself against my bed. The house was eerily quiet with my parents and little brother having left for Mexico the day before. They would be staying for several weeks, and I had had no desire to go with them, feigning I had too much school work during the summer I had to catch up to in preparation for my exams in the fall. In truth, if I had to be honest with myself, I knew that Mary had had a role to play in my desire to stay home. I hadn't been home in two years, working and studying straight through last summer, and I had wanted to have time alone to collect my thoughts; see if I could bridge my friendship with her again.
Or to taste her lips again.
I silently scolded myself and the little devil that must now be living inside my head.
Remember what you two did in this bed?
I sighed loudly, getting out of bed quickly and running downstairs into the kitchen, in search of food - in search of anything that would take my mind off of Mary. I quickly moved around the kitchen, grabbing the bread off the top of the fridge and opening and slamming cabinets, my mind somewhere else. I tried to hold my hands steady and I made a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.