This was written in response to my class discussions and I came to the idea when I was reflecting on my day. I just decided to run with it. Let me know what you think.
Greg's P.O.V.:
"Greg, kiss me."
"What?"
"Kiss me, I want to experience it, I want to try it with you."
"Are you okay Holly?"
"Kiss me Greg."
Okay maybe I should back track for all of you who are just as confused as I am. It was started 18 hours ago. I had just gotten up to go to school at 6:30. I was extremely happy that it was Friday. That meant that it was the weekend. Even though I had a full schedule during the day I would be free at 3:00. Nine hours I could do that.
I walked to school with the determination that I would not spend it like every Friday. I would not stay late doing work with no social life. Not that anything was wrong with my normal routine, but I am a second semester high school senior. I will not stress tonight. I often though, could be found saying its really my fourth semester as a junior because of all of the stress that I am under.
"Hey Rowley."
"Hey Greg, how are you doing?"
"Getting through it one day at a time. And you?"
"I am good."
"So anything new Rowley?"
"Nah, still the same old same old." Just then Holly walked by wither group of friends. I followed her with my eyes. She made eye contact with me before quickly looking down to the ground. We used to be friends. After that summer in middle school we grew close for the year. We spent time together and then the following summer her "crew" formed and they sucked her in. She was part of that group and I wasn't. In fact I wasn't apart of any group.
"You good Greg?"
"Yeah why?"
"You know." He made a head gesture in the direction of Holly.
"It was a long time ago Rowley. I am over it, over her." The truth was I wasn't. I still felt something. Like we had this chance but we missed it and now, well I will never know.
"Greg she is still that same person. She just wares a different mask now."
"I don't doubt that, I just don't she the same girl anymore when I look at her."
The other day I spent my off period, because class was cancelled, in the senior lounge. There wasn't anyone there when I first sat down. I went to the bathroom and came back and then everyone was there, Holly and her whole crew, all the popular kids. I didn't belong but I sat down next to my stuff again and tried to get work done and fit in. It just didn't work. They were talking about beer bong and how fun it was and the parties.
I couldn't take it, it just wasn't my scene, and so I left. I am no saint, I have sinned and I have my faults but I don't drink and I don't do drugs. I pride myself on those morals. That's not to say that they don't have morals but I just don't know understand what is so cool about going to someone's backyard on a Friday and getting drunk.
"Come on man lets go."
"Yeah I know."
As third period approached I started feeling the exhaustion over take me. I participated in the debate and gave it my best effort. It was just so hard to focus. I think the main thing that killed me was the physics towards the end of the day. I normally would praise it, but now I was just dying. I got out of physics and headed to sociology. It is supposed to be interesting.
I entered the class and already the conversation was going in directions I was not yet confortable with.
"Who here girls, and don't be ashamed, have thought about their husband and thought that they would take care of them financially?" A hand went up and she explained that it had to do with her traditional upbringing. As class developed the conversation developed. We established the increasing marital age and how the sex culture of America has been a part of that.
The conversation really got out of hand at that point. I almost shut myself off. I couldn't understand what was so exciting about all of it. As class ended the word of a party was going around. I got the details from one classmate and decided to go.
Nightfall came and I headed over. I drove the ford pickup and parked it by all of the other cars. I had on my boots jeans, vest and cap. The campfire was raging and the music was blasting. I walked over saw most of the class that I expected to see. I saw her crew and then I saw Holly. As I approached I saw the cooler full of beer. Everyone was drinking. I took the water bottle out of my jacket pocket. I just walked around. I was wandering and then I leaned against as tree and started to think about this. This party and what I was getting myself into. Holly and Bryce started arguing. He was clearly drunk and she was pushing herself away from him.
"Hey let go of her."
"Back off Greg this is none of your business."
"No Bryce it is my business. Leave her alone, she if she wants to leave then she can."
"You know what Heffley, stop sticking you nose in business that isn't yours."
I threw a punch at him and socked him in is eye; I felt the sting and my hand started to bleed. He came back at me. I ducked and landed another punch in his stomach. As I turned around he hit me in my face and knocked me down.
"Stay down Heffley."
"Whatever Bryce, just don't abuse her. Get sober before you try anything you jackass."
I walked away. The blood started dripping as I leaned against a tree slightly secluded. I pulled out my phone and used it to check my face. A bloody nose was going to be hard to explain.
"Greg." I turned to see Holly coming towards me.
"Holly. Are you okay?"
"Shouldn't I be the one asking you that?"
"I'll be fine."
"Come here let me see."
"I'm fine."
"Greg." She came close to me and I could feel her breath on my lips. She was intently staring at my nose. She pulled a swatch of cloth and brought it up against my nose. She slowly started to rub away the blood. I sucked in a deep breath in pain.
"Relax Greg. I am almost done…there all better."
"Thank you." I half expected her to back away but she stood there.
Holly's P.O.V.:
Greg was really heroic back there. Bryce was trying to kiss me and but we haven't kissed yet and I don't want my first kiss let alone our first kiss be when he was drunk and I was slightly intoxicated. I had taken a few sips of a beer just to try to fit in with everyone else. Truth be told I wasn't even all that into Bryce. I actually liked Greg. He was cute, he had put on muscle, he was smart, he was kind and a gentleman at heart. He was someone I wanted to date. School groups separated us and I have always wanted to forgo this entire ranking to just be with him and satisfy all and any curiosity.
"Greg, why?" At this point I stepped back a little to stop myself.
"Why what?"
"Why get involved back there?"
"I had to he was taking advantage of you."
"Greg I could have dealt with it."
"There is no doubt in my mind that you could have. I was more worried that he was going to hurt you and I couldn't respect myself anymore if I just stood by and did nothing."
"Thank you."
"Anytime. We were friends after all."
"Right, were…Greg it doesn't have to be that way. Why did we grow apart."
"You know why. Its because of our different social standings."
"Why did we let that stop us."
"I am not so sure your friends would have been welcoming of me and all of my geeky-ness."
"I shouldn't have lost contact with you."
"Its fine, that's life."
"But it shouldn't be."
"Maybe but we can't go back and change the past, we can only go forward."
"All true."
"So maybe you should go back. You wouldn't want to get caught with the guy that just beat up your boyfriend."
"I am done with Bryce."
"Won't that hurt you?"
"I don't care. It's my last semester in high school I don't want to spend it with him and regret all of that lost time when I go to college next fall."
"Oh how noble of you." He was completely mocking me.
"Stop mocking me." We were breaking out in a fit of laughter.
"I am not." We were dying at this point. I put my hand against his chest supporting myself.
"Yes you are."
"Okay maybe I am." We were both breathing slightly heavily.
"Greg…kiss me."
"What?"
"Kiss me, I want to experience it, I want to try it with you."
"Are you okay Holly?"
"Kiss me Greg."
"I can't its not right."
"What's not right? Do you not like me?" He turned away from me.
"No, that's not the issue here. It's that I would be taking advantage of a situation and I just got in a fight to stop a guy from taking advantage of a girl."
"Its not taking advantage when I want it."
"It is if you are not completely sober."
"I barely had a few sips Greg. I know what I am suggesting."
"Holly don't play with my emotions here."
"I am not Greg." He turned around and looked into my eyes. It felt like he was looking right into my soul. He came towards me and leaned in while keeping eye contact with me. Just when we were a mere centimeter apart I closed my eyes. Our lips touched, and his were so soft. We didn't respond to each other. When we broke apart I felt his breath on my lips. We looked at each other and had this mutual understanding. He leaned in again and this time he started to guide me against the tree and he wrapped his arms around my waist. My hands wrapped around his neck like second nature and started to play with the hair at the nape of his neck. I felt safe and this felt so right. We broke apart for air again.
"That was…"
"Yeah Greg it was."
"I shouldn't have. I am sorry."
"No Greg. You should have."
"What do we do going forward?"
"Date me."
"What?"
"Date me and care for me like I care for you."
"I…"
"Don't reject me Greg."
"I just don't want to be anyone's rebound guy you know."
"Your not because you are the one."
Please R&R: Let me know what you think, and if I should continue.
