Chapter 18: After the party

We walked hand-in-hand toward the main building. I felt the twin-beating stone accelerate. I was nervous, even if it would be a few years before I understood that or why that was. Once in the main building I approached the front desk and found Lexi sitting there. I decided to ignore the elephant in the room of her working instead of being at the dance, “Room 12. I left my bag behind the counter.”

Beth quickly added, “Mine too, Lexi.”

“You had a bag?”

I didn’t need to look at her to feel her roll her eyes, “Of course, you dolt. My car is in the lot too. How did you think we were getting home.”

Lexi harumphed and then stepped into a back room while I tried to come up with an answer that didn’t make me look like an ass as the real one was ‘I was just going to walk home’ and I hadn’t considered getting Beth back to the Heights at all.

“You didn’t have a plan did you?”

“I planned everything else.”

I felt an elbow hit my stomach, not with any ‘real’ force, but enough to know I’d annoyed her. Lexi returned with my backpack and a patent grey piece of roller luggage. She then handed me the room key after I gave GG’s name (my age prevented me from making it in my name) for the reservation. She kept her head down, but I got the sense she was glad I didn’t ask about the dance.

We headed down the hallway. I’d picked the room specifically as it had an exterior door that led out to the deck that ran behind the building. I’d given a bit of cash to relocate the person who originally had the room reserved.

“You did good.”

“Didn’t win the paper crown.”

She sighed, “I know, but that wasn’t on you.”

“I can go back and punch him in the gut and take it if you want?” Again, I could feel the eye roll. When we reached the door, I nearly dropped the key before managing to open the door. She stepped in before I could key up the surprise. I’d paid extra for a bottle of cheap champagne and the ‘honeymoon package’ which apparently amounted to a handful of flower petals and a box of candy to be tossed haphazardly onto the bed.

“You know this isn’t a date right?”

“I thought you deserved the full junior prom experience.”

“I had that a few years ago and every year since.” She had the bottle in hand and pointed the head of it down. Then she twisted her hands and then quickly began to pour into the two provided glasses.

“You didn’t need a corkscrew?”

“Not with champagne and yes, you’re drinking.”

I accepted the flute and brought it to my lips and pretended to take a sip, before setting the flute on the bedside table. She’d downed the first glass and poured a second while she dug in her bag and arranged what appeared to be clothes for the morning. I slipped my pack off and set it next to the bed. I set the jacket, waistcoat, button down and tie next to the flute and kicked off the wingtips. They were uncomfortable enough that I probably should have thought beyond just walking home, but it is what it is.

Beth headed towards the bathroom and I tried to make myself comfortable. It took her a few minutes to pop out from the bathroom. She wasn’t wearing lingerie as I’d joked about, but a very long tee shirt and unfortunately the ponytail was back. There was a stutter in her step as she moved towards the bed, stopping to drain another glass of the champagne.

I couldn’t help loosing a chuckle as she popped onto the bed.

“What’s funny?”

“You’re nervous.” It was a statement. I struggled with identifying some emotions, but she was broadcasting so heavily a blind man could see.

She huffed, “So are you!”

“Sure.”

She put a hand to my chest where the twin-beating stone was indeed beating all-too-fast, “You can’t lie to me.”

I rebuffed, “Just excited. May I?” I reached up and took hold of the scrunchy. It took a moment for her to nod and I removed it and her hair fell back towards the earth.

“You prefer it down?”

“I like girls with long hair, not sure why.” She flinched which caused me to ask, “What’s wrong?”

“Lis ... Lis told me to shave.”

“Your head?”

I could feel the ‘c’mon dumbass’ look as her fist hit my shoulder, “No. I shaved my...” I watched her go red.

“You blush more than any woman I know.”

“Lis said you liked it.”

I tried to stifle the laughter and failed, “Considering the number of times I’ve gotten her curlies in my teeth, she was fucking with you.”

“You don’t like that?”

“I’ve never seen a shaved one before and I’ve had my tongue in your honeypot enough for you to know that.”

The red didn’t leave her cheeks, “Fuck. It’s not like I haven’t done this before.”

“We don’t have to. If you want to back out.”

With a quick edge she spouted, “No! We’ve waited long enough.”

I tossed the scrunchy in the direction of my jacket and took her hands, “Don’t worry. It’s just you and me. It’s just us.”

I leaned in or rather we leaned in and our lips met. Any thoughts of Mindy were purged from my brain whatever that connection was it was overwhelmed by a melody hitting the back of my mind I just couldn’t place.

The kiss itself started chaste and quickly the deluge built her tongue trying to crowd mine out of it’s own house. The melody played on in my head and my nose was invaded by lilacs. Beth smelled of lilacs. I didn’t know if she’d always done so and the midgrade perfume she wore overrode it or if it was some subconscious connection my brain made.

The kiss broke and I whispered, “Lilacs. Never noticed before.” She hissed intaking air. I leaned in again and things resumed. My hands began to roam even as hers seemed glued one by my side and the other on my shoulder as if we were back on the dance floor. I nudged the shirt up and that left her to raise her arms, the kiss had to break again to remove the intrusive piece of cotton. Which was quickly tossed, though I had no care in the world as to where it landed.

Her body was my brave new world to explore and I roamed hand or tongue in variation over taught muscles. Even though she seemed to be eating regularly and was no longer rail thin, her body was still a bit too thin. Her muscles carved from years of regular workouts and the months of weight training since we’d added it to the cheerleader’s routine stood out far more than they should have.

She wasn’t particularly well endowed. Of the cheerleaders only Jill’s breasts were particularly prominent, though Beth’s hands lacked the roughness that most of the others had gained. She pulled back and scooched an inch further, “Your clothes too. I want to see.”

I stood and removed my pants and boxers and she interrupted, “The shirt too. You don’t need to hide like you do with the others.” That wasn’t exactly true. Many of my encounters with the rest of the squad did involve me being partially dressed, but they’d seen me naked ... seen my back far more than anyone aside from Alex. I pulled the vest off and let it fall to the floor, before sliding back onto the bed on my knees.

I attempted to reengage, but her hands reached out and began to trace the bite on my shoulder, then moved down and began some game of connect the dots with mish mash of discolored skin on my chest. She settled with her palm in the center of my chest, “I’m sorry, I keep forgetting you hate that.”

“It’s fine.”

“I can feel your heat beating.”

I ignored the biting sense of exposure and leaned forward. Instead of going for the kiss, my posture put her on her back and I began a string of kisses downward to the newly shaved kitten. While a strong part of me wanted to take my time and admire the new view, I’d spent the months since our first session of ‘everything but’ on the mats learning how to make her squirm and I was interested in getting to the main event. I started with what I knew worked vest and then applied variations as the melody ran though my head; I still couldn’t place it, but there were two beats to a bar and it felt like an E flat.

After I’d had my fun and let the song play through a few times I moved myself up and her lips met mine. When that kiss broke, “You ready darling?”

She nodded and I began a bit of gentle pressure. I’d just put the head in when I watched her eyes widen and her face distort, “Take it out ... take it out now ... it’s too soon. We’re not ready.” I pulled back and fought the urge to start cussing. I stepped off the bed.

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, it’s just not the time for you and I.”

“Beth ... Is this some kind of trauma thing?”

“No, I really want to, but you and I. It’s just not the right time.”

“Ok. I’m going to go home.”

“Doz, Don’t be mad at me.”

“I’m not. I’m frustrated. I’m not happy. But if you don’t want to do this regardless of the reason that’s your right. I do wish you hadn’t told me we would and changed your mind, but I’m not angry you changed your mind.”
“Then why are you leaving.”

“Cause I’d rather go home and sleep.” Or across the street to Amanda’s duplex.

“I’ll suck you off. I’ll do it all night. Over and over. You can be rough. Anything ... Anything but that.”

“Darling. It’s fine, but I really need some space.”

“Please you can’t leave.”

“Why not?”

“It’s a status thing.”

Jesus fucking Christ. I thought she was getting better about that shit.

“Fine. Click off the lights. I’m going to try and sleep.”

“I know you’re angry.”

“Of course, I am. Not that you said, “No.” but this is the third time you’ve guaranteed me we were going to have sex and the third time you’ve decided at the last minute it wasn’t going to happen. I get you not wanting to, but stop telling me it’s going to happen if you’re not sure.”

“You did it the first time!”

“Yeah, cause I didn’t want to pop my stitches again.”

“I didn’t plan it. I swear. I’ve been thinking about this night since you asked me. I was certain, till you looked me in the eyes and I just ... I couldn’t.”

“If I take you to the real prom next year, will I get laid then?”