The VIRGIN STRIPPER

17

**** LISA MICHAELS****

My eyes snapped to the watch by my bed when I woke up. It was still nine but light had filtered in through the curtains making it look like it was noon at the moment. Letting my head fall back on the pillow, I inhaled deeply. 

After Dave's visit last night I'd expected myself to have trouble sleeping since his presence brought me nothing other than restlessness yet last night I slept like a baby. I stared at the ceiling trying to calm myself once I remembered him coming to pick me up at eleven.

I might have thought that after high school I was too grown for stupid crushes and the butterflies in my stomach but three years in college and I was acting like my first day in high school with Dave.

Turning my head again I caught sight of the time on the watch, five minutes had passed since. Taking myself out of bed, I quickly walked to the bathroom. If this was going to be any better than our accidental encounter at  Mystic Woods the other time, I'd better be ready before he drove by to pick me up.

I stood by the mirror and assessed my face. All the red and purple marks all over my face had turned to hard black scars that felt painful when I scrubbed hard on them. Running a hand through the roughness, I remembered Dave's touch from last night and something sank deep in my chest leaving a consuming need in its place.

I was quite done with much of my preparation when the doorbell rang. Glancing at the watch I'd quipped on my wrist, I panicked. I still had an hour before he came by. Walking to the door my feet felt weaker at the sight of who was at the door.

"Dear, you look better already!" Melisa said hugging me on her way in. Glad the living room was clean. "Sorry, Harris had to drive here before we went to the airport. How are you feeling now?"

"I'm good, thank you." I replied making room for Harris to sit. He didn't look too happy about this.

"I will be out in a moment. I brought you these," she said pointing to a bag next to her. "Harris will drive you up once you feel better eh?"

"I will mom." he agreed with an annoyed tone. "We'll miss our flight. Lisa, we'll talk later. I'll be going with my mom to New York for a while." Smiling at both of them, I nodded to Harris and saw them out.

No sooner had I finished the rest of my preparations than Dave came knocking on the door. He was dressed in black trousers, a blue shirt that was only visible by the collar through the hoodie that he wore on top of it.

Giving him a small warm smile I let him in as I went upstairs to pick my phone and a sweater to go over the blush top I'd worn over a pair of blue jeans.

"Ready?" he asked once I got back.

"Yeah." Only I didn't know what for...

"We should have coffee before the drive." Nodding without knowing what else to say, I took my keys and followed behind him so that I could lock the door once he was out.

Dave's car was parked a few steps from the coffee shop and he excused himself to pick something as we approached the coffee house.

I bumped into a tall lady as I walked inside and she steadied me as I wobbled by the front door

"Sorry," I apologized as I walked past her only to have her hand grip tighter on my arm.

"Lisa!" she exclaimed and I stared at her in confusion. She wasn't even old as I'd assumed only tall  but looked as old as  I was.

Did I know her from somewhere?

"It's Courtney! We were lab mates in Mr. Brody's class." 

Oh!

Giving her a smile I nodded as if in remembrance. "You look different now." I said a bit awkwardly.

"We should catch up. Here, take my number." she prompted enthusiastically.

Taking out my phone, I punched in her number as she read it for me only to have her trail off and eye something in disbelief behind me, giving her a patient look I waited and watched as her eyes widened in surprise and somewhat excitement.

"Is tha-! Dave Morgan." she gushed out loud as the ring of the bell announced Dave's entry turning only to find him a step away from us, I watched Courtney's eyes shift to me in askance.

"We'll be late if we have coffee here," He told me casually as he checked his wrist watch, nodding without a word, I watched as his eyes finally settled on Courtney and he gave her a brief smile of acknowledgement and said hi to her before he turned back to me," Black coffee?" he confirmed and I nodded as he strolled to the counter leaving me to finish with Courtney.

Turning back to her, she smiled awkwardly at me then turned in Dave's direction. "You guys know each other." she said more in surprise as she turned to looked at me and I smiled at her not knowing what to say to her. "We'll talk later, text me okay?" she insisted and walked out through the door but not before she sneaked one more glance at Dave who was walking toward me as she opened the door.

We walked to the car and I got in without a word and he did the same before handing me the coffee he'd got me. Taking a sip I smiled at him and thanked him before I leaned on the window pane as the car started moving.

Checking my watch after a while of driving I turned to look at him. By the looks of it we weren't anywhere close to our destination and the curiosity was killing me already.

"Where are we going?" he turned his head in my direction and assessed me for a second before he turned back to the road.

"A town in Northern Island. Rosepines." he explained silently and I tried to remember that particular town as we went off the highway towards Mystic Woods and I smiled at the memory once we reached the bridge that bordered both towns.

"I have never been to Rosepines before." I said out loud and Dave turned to look at me with a calm expression on his face and I licked my lips and kept quiet since I wasn't sure if he really wanted to talk to me or not.

"What's your favorite band?" he asked and I rose my eyes to him before I spotted his hands on the stereo system.

"I don't listen to music that much." I told him honestly and smiled in embarrassment as he gave me an inquisitive look. "Anything by Maroon 5!" I said then took the last sip of coffee and placed the cup on my lap as I leaned back on the window pane.

We drove in silence for a while and I had begun dozing off when I felt Dave's hand on mine. Waking up with a start, I felt his fingers run over mine till he finally pried the Styrofoam cup from my grip and placed it on the cup holder.

Letting my heart slow down from the start, I leaned back on the window and closed my eyes as I inhaled deeply falling into slumber only to feel him slip his warm hand into mine and hold it over my lap as the car sped downhill towards the famous Rosepine town that I'd only heard of a few times.

Letting my fingers curl over his carelessly, I let myself fall asleep without knowing it.

*****

Thanks for the read....

Next update will be out soon... Please stay safe

Love, Eline