Peach // H.S.

Five.

✣ ✣ ✣

"I want to, Tawny, I really do!"

"Clearly not that much, Marisol."

You and Tawny have been having bickering back and forth for the past hour over what went on between you and Harry yesterday morning. When you broke the news about nothing really happening, she nearly smacked you!

She screamed for a bit about how you were so close to it, that you needed one more push to fully make a move, but you sat there silently and let her scold you over not letting anything escalate any more than it already had. You know that Tawny's always had a short temper, but for some reason this has been the funniest meltdown of hers you've seen in a while.

Tawny was an early bloomer, as your mother would say to comfort you when you'd cry over not having any boy experience. She'd had her first kiss at thirteen, and even lost her virginity at fifteen. Remembering her frantic knocking on your front door from that night still causes you to feel embarrassed, in a way. She was so excited to share, yet you sat there in a puddle of confusion on why she'd let it happen so early on.

She had no shame in it, though, and you've never shamed her for it either. It was a secret kept between the two of you, sealed with a pinky promise and a kiss to your thumb to make it extra serious. Tawny's been waiting for the day you finally transition into the non-virgin life, claiming that it'll make you a changed woman.

It seems like such a load of crap to you, though. It'll happen when it happens, right? You've been hellbent on saving it for somebody special - for the right person. Why would you want to waste it on some boy who would ignore you for the rest of the time, only wanting you for sex? As long as you're happy. That's all that matters to you. It's just not a necessity in your life right now.

Boys really aren't, either. You've kept quiet about your fizzling admiration lately, not wanting to tell your mother because you know that she'll be able to tell it's not like all the other one's you've confided in her about. The previous crushes were simply innocent, mainly on a boy who you'd see in the grocery store thats never to be seen again. Harry's different, though. It's all different.

The butterflies in your stomach, the way your face heats up in a crimson blush at his slang, your goosebumps only coming out when he brushes up against you in even the most innocent way.

It's all new.

"You need to not listen to your parents so much, Mari. It's like they poison you. They've shaped you into a square, you've gotta stop being so lame. I know you're a cool cat, you're just too shy! This summer's here for firsts, Mari. First real love, first kisses, first touches, hell, smoke your first cigarette! I'll let you bum some off of me if you'd really like. Get loose, like, in whatever way you need to. Do something messy, get in a situation where you've got to haul ass from the pigs! You've never felt that adrenaline, huh? I've got nothing to compare it to, though, cause you've never experienced anything fun. Can't say better than sex, that's for sure."

You deliver a small smack to her arm due to the snark in her last comment. You'd like to think that it's all fair laughs, but sometimes you wonder if it really bothers her that much. It'll happen when it happens.

Your parents have, again, been away the whole day. Tawny invited herself over like she always does, and the both of you have taken the empty house to your advantage to talk about whatever you'd like and as loud as you'd like.

"Whatcha doing tonight, Mari?"

"Tonight?"

"Mhm, yeah. Tonight. As in later today. As in a few hours."

Oh, Captain Obvious Tawny.

"Mm, I don't think anything. It's not like I ever have anything to do though, let's be honest with each other, now. Why, though?"

She's suddenly grabbing at your hands, lifting you up into a stand next to her as she swings your arms back and forth.

"Wanna have a party?"

Your eyes could practically fall out of your head with how hard you roll them, chewing on the inside of your cheek due to your sudden nervousness of the impromptu plan.

"So sudden, Tawny! What's the rush?"

"Well, you know Nat and Char? I heard them this morning at the diner talking about needing something fun, bit of a whole town kind of deal. Being the amazing person I am, of course, I told them I was having a party tonight. So I guess my question wasn't really a question. More of a 'we're having a party' instead, huh?"

"Is Harry coming?"

The sudden blurt from you has you flinging a hand up to cover your mouth in genuine shock, surprised that you managed to slip out a thought that you seemed most focused on.

"You tease! Acting all shy, like you're all innocent. All you can think about is Harry! Bet you wanna get lucky with him now, but all you do is lie about it!"

Her words are nothing more than playful banter, with no true anger hidden within them. If anything, you'd just assume that she's over the moon with excitement over being right once again.

God, why the hell is she always right? Maybe it's a blessing but a curse kind of situation? Or maybe a soul selling one. She probably would do that.

"Fine! But we're not even a thing! He's called me his girl, but it doesn't count, Tawny. He hasn't taken me on a date, he hasn't asked me, and he hasn't met my parents! They'll hate him, Tawny. I want it to work, but they'll hate him."

"So? We'll train him. Like a little dog. You know I'm good at that! Princess turned out great, don't you agree?"

Tawny's dog, Princess, did not turn out great. You've told her for years that she's the worst behaved dog you've had the displeasure to be around.

"Don't look at me like that, Marisol. We'll give him a makeover of sorts, whip him into shape with how he talks and all of that. Tawny's charm school! It's like you won't even recognize him."

"But I want to recognize him, Tawny. I don't have a crush on some nerd."

You don't have anything against nerds, but you certainly wouldn't want to be romantically interested in one. Tawny simply nods at your words, waving her hand in the air to signal for you to throw in some final words of your apparent whining.

"Get ready for tonight. I'm not helping you this time, you're a big girl! You've seen me get ready thousands of times, and I've gotten you ready a couple hundred. You'll be fine. Come over at five?"

"I have family dinner, you know that."

"So skip it. Who cares. Meatloaf with a game of Parcheesi after, or Harry the hunk? Make a good choice. I'm splitting."

Tawny grabs her pack of cigarettes off your vanity, and you're in a bit of shock over the fact that she hasn't smoked a single one since being at your house. Your thoughts come too soon, though, as she's immediately popping one in between her lips and grabbing her purse by your doorway before stepping out.

"Five, Marisol. Don't be lame."