Celadon Bay - Book One

How to fail at life

With the last days approaching—and I mean the last days of school, not my life (sweet change, I know!), less and less teachers are actually giving classes at all. That's why our last day of school starts at 10:20 a.m., and that's just to find out chemistry grades.

So, with that in mind, I plan to meet up with Vee at 9 a.m. again. This is, after all, pretty much the last day I can spend with her. So, I have no option but to seize the day.

The stress and struggle and angst from last week returns with a vengeance. Will this be my last breakfast here? Stupid question: we leave for Maple Heights on Sunday morning. That gives me exactly two more breakfasts at home. And looks like I'm going to have to enjoy this one all on my own.: Alex had to leave early for college, and the adults had a busy time last night, despite it being Thursday—normally an easy day, so they're resting now, building up for the restaurant's lunch rush.

There's no chance on earth that Martin is waking up any earlier than strictly necessary, and right now, that works just fine for me. After last night's additional piece of advice from him—more of a threat, really--I'm not ready to hang out with him any time soon. It went something like this:

"I'm assuming you'll just do whatever you want with Vee tomorrow, but on Saturday, you owe me a fucking date. You've ignored me long enough already. Agreed?"

"What if I tell Vee I'm moving?"

"Sorry. The thought never crossed my mind," Martin says sarcastically. No doubt in his mind; he's convinced I'll chicken out.

And that was it. The only exchange we've shared since our phone conversation in the morning. That was the complete rundown of our day-review time, also the first in days.

We've clearly lost the manual on how to be best friends.

Usually, this kind of stress makes time slow down to a crawl, but somehow, when I arrive at Vee's house, I leave it all behind Vee's front door as she pulls my shirt inside. I don't even remember making my way here in the first place and I don't care, because her lips are all over my face now as she pins me against the now closed door.

"Wow. Nice to see you too." I hold her narrow waist, pulling her closer to me as we continue to kiss. Our legs are a tangled mess of limbs as she drags me backwards to the sofa until we finally trip and fall on it together, knocking away her ever-present bowl of cereal and making a mess across the living room carpet. Veronica doesn't seem to care, though. She's too busy laying on top of me and gazing into my eyes.

Her voice is a whisper as she rubs her nose against mine. "I don't know why, but I really missed you."

It might have to do with the fact that we've been spending every day together lately, but I don't say this out loud. Instead I kiss her nose and say, "I missed you, too."

"I think it's because of this camp thing of yours. It'll be a bummer to have to spend a full weekend without my handsome boyfriend around," she says, undoing my shirt buttons and sliding her hand across my chest. My mind is too busy right now picking up on the signals and piece together where this is probably headed. I'm a mess of desire and longing, so I don't focus on important things, like maybe stopping this now before it's all too late. And now Vee is freaking biting my neck, sending electric jolts through my body and back up to my head, destroying every chance I had of thinking straight. The only chance I have of stopping this is to embarrass her somehow, so my hesitant hands cop a feel of her not-skinny-at-all butt.

But instead of bringing her to her senses, the gesture produces a lusty, obscene moan that hits me right in my ear and then heads south below my belt buckle. The last of my good sense takes off, jumps out of the window, and breaks its neck upon landing.

Don't get me wrong: After a year and almost seven months of nuzzling, cuddling and kissing, this should be the obvious next step, but let's not forget one little detail here: I SHOULD BE TELLING HER ABOUT MAPLE HEIGHTS!

But even I can see that now is not the right time.

So instead, I try turning us around, so I can be on top, and hopefully, in charge of the situation, but the sofa is too narrow to do it smoothly, so it's more like we are wrestling for space. I inch closer to the edge to give her room to turn around, and in doing so, end up falling off the sofa, the carpet beneath not really cushioning me at all.

Vee bursts out laughing. She props herself on her elbows, looking down at me from her spot on the sofa. "Are you okay, honey?"

"I think I just broke my pride there."

"Want me to go down there and nurse it back to health for you?"

Shit! I don't know what's going on with my sweet, shy girlfriend today. She's almost purring and I can see the need simmering in her eyes as they drop to my torso. Then, her delicate finger traces the subtle lines of my not-very-defined pecs. I seriously don't know why she's being so assertive all of a sudden, but hell... I'm not ready to complain. It's like she traded skins with some of Martin's girls, or worse yet, with her own sister. I pretend I don't notice, and stand up to collect the scattered cereal on the floor.

She gets up, and I expect her to help me pick up the mess, but instead she takes the bowl from my hands, leaves it on the coffee table, and places my hands on her waist as she kisses me again.

This time I don't pull her closer. Instead, I pull away just enough to speak. "What's going on, sunshine?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean this. All of it." I try my best not to sound accusatory, because this, whatever this is, is not a bad thing. Not at all. It's just strange. "This is so out of character for you, getting so turned-on all of a sudden."

"Is it bad, though?" She wraps her arms around my neck, kissing my chin softly. "We've been together for so long, John. And we have been so close lately, too. I can't get enough of you. Is that a proper answer to your question?"

I'm torn. The only reason for this to be wrong at all is because I'm moving away in two days, which she still doesn't know about. Other than that, this should be all normal. Expected, even. And freaking awesome! I don't know how to proceed, or what to say. On the other hand, Vee is clearly determined to get her way here, and before I know it, she's kissing my bare chest. Her soft hands slide my shirt off my shoulders, and then she lifts her face to mine. Her voice is ragged and whispery as her lips gently brush mine.

"Kiss me, John..."

And there goes my last strand of restraint and hesitation. I lift her tiny frame, and she wraps her legs around my hips, letting me carry her all the way to her bedroom.

This time Martin doesn't interrupt.

This time, it's just Vee... and me.