PCA Firsts
Quinn comes running into the room, "Smell this! It smells just like gingerbread!" She comes to a stop, almost barreling into us. I love her, but Quinn can hit you like a cannonball sometimes.
We're in our senior year at PCA. It's Winter Break, and we've all been invited to Logan's "winter home" for a few days before we head back home to spend the holidays with our families. Dustin is the only person not here, but he wanted to visit his girlfriend who lives back home instead. It's always a blast when we're together; we are absolutely the best of friends.
"Quinn, honey, nothing good ever happens when you have us smell stuff. We missed the beach party with the coconut, we lost our sense of smell for two days with the banapples, and the deodorant you made caused us to stop sweating. Baby, we know you're smart, but maybe you should just let it go." Logan looked at his girlfriend, put his arm around her waist and kissed her. I still couldn't get used to them being together, and I've known since May. Of course, I totally get it. Logan is wonderful to her, and they glow when they look at each other.
"Nothing bad will happen! I promise. Everyone just take a tiny stiff." She smiled at us so beseechingly, I couldn't help but cave. "Okay, Quinn! You've got a smeller right here." Lola, my right hand girl, winces at me. Zoey and Chase look over at me and mouth "good luck." It doesn't do anything for my confidence.
"Oh, Michael, thank you! You are the absolute best!" She squeals as she nearly knocks me over with her enthusiastic hug.
"Okay, I cannot be outranked by Michael to my girlfriend. Come here, Quinn. I will sniff first. And I will pay all of you fifty bucks to sniff too." Logan adores Quinn. He'd do anything to make her smile. Seeing her smile right now, he must be head over heels for her.
"I'm not going to say no to fifty bucks." Chase pushes off the couch and pulls Zoey up. They walk over to Logan and Quinn, then Lola hops off her stool at the kitchen island to stand in the circle too. I head over last, filling in the only hole.
Logan takes a big sniff and says, "Did you bake cookies?" Chase smells and nods vigorously at Logan. Zoey takes a whiff and asks if she can eat it too. Lola sniffs and giggles. When I take my sniff, it reminds me of gingerbread houses with my brothers. As Quinn sniffs her experiment again, I see Logan take a few wobbly steps toward Lola.
"Lola, did you know that you have the biggest, prettiest eyeballs?" He's practically drooling on her. Chase advances toward Quinn, saying "I love it when you experiment, Quinn." Next thing I know, Zoey has her hand on my chest, and says, "Michael, you are so funny. Tell me a joke." I blink at her, and then I notice her perfect teeth and gorgeous smile and take her in my arms. We take a few steps toward the couch and fall over the ottoman, arms still entwined. Lola and Logan have fallen onto the floor staring sappily into each other's eyes, and Chase and Quinn are sitting on the couch cross-legged, and Chase has her hair twirled around his fingers.
Somewhere in the back of my mind I know something is off here. But then I get lost in Zoey's eyes and I don't care anymore. Slowly, I drift off imagining what it would be like to stare into those eyes every night.
Drifting back into consciousness, I hear Zoey say, "How do we always end up like this?" I open my eyes and sit up to see Zoey leaned up against me, Lola and Logan spooning on the floor and Quinn laying on top of Chase on the couch. Everyone is slowly opening their eyes, confused. Soon, Lola's shriek wakes everyone up full force. Zoey falls off the ottoman, Chase dumps Quinn onto the floor, and Logan snaps his head up.
"What in the hell is going on?" he yells. Rubbing his head, he stands up, walks over to Quinn and pulls her up. "Lola, why were you snuggling with me?"
"Me? Snuggle with you? You were the one with the duct tape grip around my waist!" Lola snapped at him.
"And why were you all over Quinn?" Logan jabbed his finger in Chase's face. Quinn placed her hand on his arm and pulled it down. "I'm sorry, Logan. I guess my gingerbread scent affected our hormones, like a sort of love drug. But it seems like the effects have worn off," smirking at him. He puts his hands on her hips and they touch foreheads. "I'm sorry, babe. That was very strange."
"I know it was. But I got to give it to Chase, he's a pretty good snuggler," winking at him. Giving her a lop-sided smile, he winked back.
"Well, Chase you got some competition. Michael's a pretty good teddy bear," Zoey teased.
"Next time I smell that crap, I'm gonna hormone all over anyone else but Logan." With that, Lola stomped out of the room. The five of us could only laugh at her predictable dramatic reaction.
That night, we were all lounging on the giant mattress bed in Logan's theater. We had ordered Thai food, and the room was warm and strong with the scent of spices and noodles. Quinn and Logan were on their stomachs next to each other, Zoey was on her side with Chase flush behind her, and Lola and I were kneeled down, flipping through Logan's obnoxious collection of movies, fighting over which one to watch.
"That gingerbread stuff sure was interesting, Quinn," Zoey said after a bite of her noodles. "It's weird. All I remember is thinking about how nice it would be for Michael to tell me a joke."
"It was interesting to feel all gooey over someone else, I agree." Quinn mused about the earlier adventure. She's always on the lookout for new knowledge. Logan, per usual, caressed her cheek and kissed her. They continued kissing, and Logan rolled on top of Quinn, pressing her down into the mattress. At that point, Chase, Lola, Zoey and I threw noodles at them.
"If you're going to have sex, get a room!" Chase joked. Quinn turned beat red and ducked her head into Logan's shoulder. "I don't want to be a witness to the loss of virginity."
"Well, that would be tough. We've already done that." Logan smirked at him. Zoey and Lola gasped at their friend Quinn, who never told them about this. Quinn smacked Logan's arm, and Chase and I busted up laughing.
"Don't be such prudes. All they do is make out. It's not like it would take them that long." I rolled my eyes at Zoey and Lola.
"Quinn! Tell us everything," Lola demanded.
"Let me tell you," Logan said with a smile, "that was a great night."
"Quinn, baby, I said I was sorry! Don't be like this! It was just supposed to be fun!" Logan was trailing after Quinn. They were leaving the party, but the music was so loud it was like they never left.
"Logan, you always want to have fun!" Quinn stopped in her tracks and whirled around to face him. "You end up having fun, but I'm left in the lurch. It's different for me, ya know. You're popular and attractive and rich. When people look at you and I together, they always assume it's a joke or a pity date. I don't fit in when we do this stuff. That's hard enough, but when you start flirting with other girls, I'm out."
"I wasn't flirting! Jessica was just drunk. It's not a big deal." Logan was practically down on his knees in front of Quinn, trying to hold her hand.
She pushed him away. "You should have pushed her away. She was all over you! I don't give a shit if she was drunk. If some drunk guy hit on me, you'd try to fight them like you always do. I'm sick of the double standards with you, Logan." She turned on her heel and started walking even faster.
Logan didn't want to fight over this. The party was supposed to be fun; it was one of the last before summer vacation was over. Quinn was his saving grace, and he wanted her to be a part of everything in his life. Nothing felt complete without her.
"Quinn." Logan grabbed her shoulder and snake his other arm around her waist, turning her around. "I really am sorry, babe. I just wanted us to have a good time. But you're right. There shouldn't be double standards between us. Let's go back to my house and watch a movie. It doesn't even have to be a movie. It could be one of those science documentaries you've been telling me about. You can whisper in my ear and explain it to me." He squeezed her hip, knowing it was her weak spot. She giggled in response.
"Why do you have to be so charming?" She had her hands on his shoulders, and she leaned into him. He kissed her forehead, and she sighed. "Let's watch the one about cell mutations! I still want to try and get my banapples right."
As they rode home in Logan's car, they held hands over the gear shift. The radio was turned down low, and the darkness surrounding them was intimate. Quinn looked over at Logan, and was once again bewildered by his confidence. It was different than before they were together. It wasn't arrogant anymore. He once said to her that he knew he was lucky, and so he didn't have to worry about much. She still didn't know what he meant, but his confidence rubbed off on her. She felt stronger and more sure of who she was when he held her hand and smiled at her. Hell, she even felt more beautiful since that day on the bench. She knew everyone questioned their relationship, but they were really beating the odds. It was surreal, more often than not.
Logan turned off the car and kissed Quinn on the cheek. He opened his car door and went over to open hers, leading her out while holding her hand. They stopped only in the kitchen to grab a couple of bananas and apples. Grabbing a blanket, Quinn laid down in the home theater, curling up on her side. Logan turned on the documentary and laid down next to Quinn, putting his arm around her so she could cuddle up into his chest. Logan did love to party, but nights like these were his favorite. He would never tell Quinn, but cuddling with her made him feel like he was doing something good in his life, something that mattered. He was so glad she agreed to come visit for a whole month before school started. He was proud to be dating Quinn, but it was still uncomfortable to have people gape at them. Here in his home, he didn't have to worry about explaining himself. Quinn accepted everything about him, and he loved her more than he ever thought he could love anyone. Feeling Quinn against him, he relaxed. Soon, he fell asleep listening to British narration and Quinn's breathing.
Two hours later, Quinn woke Logan up with a kiss. "Babe, the documentary's over. I can tell you found it riveting." Logan groaned and ran a hand down his face. He leaned up on an elbow and kissed her, wishing he could wake up to her every time he fell asleep. Quinn kissed back, pushing Logan back onto the mattress. He wrapped his arms around her and squeezed tight. Quinn didn't think she was beautiful, but Logan couldn't get enough of her.
Logan ran his hands down Quinn's side and tickled the skin at her waist. She writhed under his touch and pushed off of him. He wasn't going to let her go, and simply rolled her onto her back and stretched himself out on top of her. Pushing his fingers through her hair, he kissed a trail down her face and onto her neck. Spending more time there, he nipped at the skin on her neck and her breathing got faster. She ran her hands over his shoulders and down his back, pulling the hem of his shirt up to feel his warm skin. He shivered as her fingers ran over his ribs. He sat up for a moment and pulled his shirt all the way off, tossing it to the side. He stared down at his girlfriend and smiled. She ran her hands down his chest and then pulled him to her by his waist. He matched her placement and put his hands down on her hips, pulling himself as close to her as he could get. He wanted to feel every inch of her, kiss every inch of her. He slowly caressed her stomach and settled his hands on her ribs, just below her breasts. All the while, he deepened the kiss, tasting her lips with his tongue. He was surprised when she pushed her tongue into his mouth and tasted him. Quinn became bolder; she kissed him deep one more time and then trailed down to suck at his neck. She began to unbutton her shirt as she sucked a dark mark over Logan's collarbone. He was groaning at her touch and her warm mouth on his skin. He was growing hard as they went farther, but he hoped Quinn couldn't feel it. She sat up a little to shuck off her shirt and turned the tables on him. She pushed him down onto the mattress, and unbuttoned her shorts. She shimmied them down off her ankles and straddled him. He moaned as she sat down right on his erection. She leaned down to kiss him and he kissed her back hard.
She grabbed his hands and placed them on her ribs, but she noticed he was shaking. "Logan, what's wrong? You're trembling." He pulled his hands back to his sides and slid her off of him.
"Quinn, I-" he looked away from her, embarrassed. His hands were still trembling, so he hid them in his pockets. "I've never done this before. I mean… I've never had sex. I don't know how to do this…." He was mortified. Quinn was taking all the risks and he couldn't even look at her half naked body.
"Wait, what? You've never…not with anyone?" Quinn was genuinely shocked. Everyone had assumed Logan had already lost his virginity.
"I'm sorry Quinn." He put his head in his hands. He couldn't look at her.
"Logan, do you want to?" Quinn scooted closer to him and rubbed his arms. "Do you want to go all the way with me?" She was whispering, terrified of the rejection. Logan looked at her, tears in his eyes.
In response, Logan leaned forward and kissed Quinn. He put his hands in her hair and pulled her onto his lap. He slowly, nervously, unclasped her bra. Letting it fall, he pulled back to look at her. "You're beautiful, Quinn. Every part of you." He picked her up and laid her down. He shed the rest of their clothing slowly. He traced his fingers from Quinn's cheek down to her thighs. He laid down on top of her, and kissed her, whispering on her lips, "I love you."
"Ohmygod. So you're telling me you all had sex on this mattress? Please tell me it's been disinfected!" I put on a face of total disgust. Lola wacked my arm.
"I'm shocked. We all thought you slept with Dana the summer before she went to France," Chase said. "You did tell me she visited you before she left."
"She did visit, yeah. But we never did anything. We went to parties, mostly." Logan hugged Quinn tighter. She leaned back into his embrace and turned to kiss his neck.
"I think it's incredibly sweet. Logan, I like you better now that you've got Quinn," Zoey reached out to Logan, and he took her hand. "You make each other better."
"I like myself better," Logan admitted sheepishly. Squeezing Zoey's hand, I knew he was grateful for his five friends that stuck by him through the years.
"So two of us aren't virgins anymore. Only four to go." I said.
"Uh, no. Three of you," Lola countered. "I threw my virginity out the window. Biggest fucking mistake of my life." She started flipping through movies again, in the mood for something funny.
"You said it wasn't that bad, Lola. You did it more than once," Quinn piped up. She had flipped onto her back and was eating Thai sloppily.
"Just because the sex was good doesn't mean it wasn't a mistake. I should have waited to be with someone that wasn't a grade A asshole." Lola scoffed at the memory and laid down on the mattress with a thunk.
"I didn't know you weren't a virgin," I said with a frown. "Who did you do it with?"
"Vince." Lola had broken up with Vince a few weeks after prom. He had promised to visit her over the summer, but a few days before school let out he announced he was going to Italy for the summer. When she asked him how long he would be there, he told her she was being too clingy. "The Great Vince Blake likes to fuck and run. Those Italian babes were just waiting for him." Lola was crushed for a few weeks, and there were a lot of late night three way phone calls between her, Zoey and Quinn. Over the summer, though, she performed as Nora in A Doll's House at a local theatre. When we all visited to see her show, she was bright and beaming again. I had known about the break up, but she never told me about the sex. I was a little hurt.
"Vince is an idiot, man. Lola, you're smokin' and one of the best friends I've ever had. And I never got to give him his comeuppance, since I was in England and all. So next time I see him, I'll throw a smoothie in his face." Chase was always one to stand up for his friends, and I admired him for that. Lola laughed at his serious face. "Though I still wish I could have seen Michael and Logan covered in cheese and croutons."
"I think we could probably arrange that," Quinn laughed.
"Man, do you know how long I smelled like nacho cheese? Never again." Logan nodded in agreement with me.
"It still wasn't as bad as the time you all got sprayed by that skunk," Lola reminded them. "And you drank all that stupid tomato juice!" Lola rolled on the mattress, but I started to tickle her. She shrieked as she tried to get out from under me. She forgot that I had about 60 pounds on her. I had her pinned until she couldn't breathe. "Enough! Enough! Uncle!" Mercifully, I released her and the friends giggled.
Feeling Zoey shake against him, Chase leaned down and kissed her cheek. She turned to him and kissed his lips for a moment, then smiled at him. Even after all these months, and the whole summer spent in Hawaii, the couple couldn't believe their good fortune. They were best friends, but they were so much more. Chase knew exactly the right thing to say or do at any moment, and Zoey made him feel like he could soar across the sky. Logan and Quinn felt like a miracle, but Zoey and Chase were the dream come true. My friends' relationships were ideal to me. When I fall in love, I want it to burn with passion like Logan and Quinn, and be solid as a rock like Chase and Zoey.
"Can you believe we've all been so lucky? I don't mean to be sappy, but I have the best five friends I could have ever asked for. And I'm dating a guy who loves me so much, he trips over things when he sees me," Zoey said. "I knew coming to PCA would be great, but I never would have guessed it would turn out as perfect as this is."
"Zo, did you get into my dad's liquor cabinet?" Logan teased. Even though it was sappy, I totally agreed with her. Logan and Chase have had my back since I came to PCA in sixth grade, but when Quinn, Zoey, Nicole and Dana came two years later, it felt like our friendship was complete. Then when Lola came freshman year, I had my girl best friend to match Zoey and Chase.
"Ya know, Zo. I feel the same way. I wouldn't change anything about us, not for the world." I smiled at Zoey, and knew that I had five best friends for the rest of my life.
"I feel bad, though." Zoey said. "I'm sad to say that it's five down, one to go, Michael."
"What? Chase didn't tell me! Chase, how could you not tell me?" I chucked a pillow at his head that Zoey skillfully ducked. "Did you all know?"
Logan responded with a no, while Quinn and Lola chorused a yes. At my enraged face, Lola and Quinn shrugged. "Girls talk more than guys do. Except apparently Quinn." Lola stuck her tongue out at her, which Quinn promptly returned.
"I'm sorry, man. If it makes you feel better, I didn't know Zoey said anything about it. And I didn't want to say anything in case Zoey wasn't okay with it." I understood Chase's explanation, but I still felt a little left out. Lola, Chase and Zoey were, not really keeping secrets, but not sharing with me.
"It was in Hawaii, Michael. And it was perfect," Zoey sighed at the memory.
Coming back from the beach, Zoey and Chase were starving. Of course, when they spent all day at the beach learning to surf and getting tan they really couldn't complain. Pulling some grapes from the fridge, Chase gave them to Zoey. He also pulled out all the accoutrements to make some spaghetti.
"I never understood why girls are so afraid of carbs," Chase mused. "Carbs are like the essential part of all good food."
"Don't ask me." Zoey was busy munching on grapes. "It's not like I'm a dieter."
"It's not like you need to." Chase smiled at her, and Zoey smiled back. If it was possible, all the time spent in the sun life-guarding on the beach made Zoey's beautiful skin even more sun-kissed and her hair even lighter. Chase, spending his summer working at the hotel as a bellhop, had gained some muscle on his sinewy body and even tanned slightly. He did spent a few weeks with the nickname "lobster boy" though; they bought extra strength sunblock after that.
"We should come to Maui more often. You're even more beautiful than when we arrived." Chase spent most of their free time gushing over Zoey. It would be annoying if she wasn't just as enamored as he was. Being with Chase every day felt like a dream after all those months apart. She would never admit how hard it was for her when he was gone. She knew she had been different when he was gone. She had distanced herself from her friends, acting on the fringe instead of being the leader she had always been. The whole semester felt like a blur, with moments standing out like the Walk-A-Thon and spring break standing out as really happy experiences with her friends. The emptiness wasn't filled until Chase fell off that stupid fence and down the stairs. Her biggest regret was leading James on, even though she knew in her heart she would never be able to forget Chase. She tried, because his absence was too painful. James treated her so well, but it was foolish and selfish of Zoey to try and ease her pain by using someone else. James and Chase had both forgiven her, but sometimes the guilt haunted her still. In the end, Zoey believed Chase's absence was good for her. "Absence makes the heart grow fonder" is what her dad always said. She probably would have gone blissfully ignorant of her need for Chase had he stayed in California. She was glad she didn't have to spend any more time missing him.
Chase was stirring spaghetti noodles by the time Zoey came out of her reverie. She hopped off of the stool in the cabin's kitchen and came around to the stove. Chase lifted an arm to put it around her shoulders and pull her into him. They tried not to be inappropriate in public but on their days off and when they had the cabin to themselves, they didn't want to waste a minute of it apart. Zoey and Chase shared the four bedroom cabin with two other hotel employees. Lucy was a bubbly Kentucky girl working in the kitchen, and Corbin was a Hawaii native teaching surfing lessons. In the cabin, everyone had their own room and there was a kitchen and a bathroom to share. There wasn't much of a living room, but there was a large porch for them to enjoy the Hawaiian breeze. Zoey and Chase didn't spend much time alone though. At night, the clear night sky had the couple on the beach or on the porch until at least midnight and they usually fell asleep curled up together in one of their rooms. Chase didn't know how he was going to sleep when they got back to PCA; holding Zoey was more peaceful than he thought he had a right to feel.
"Taste this. See if it's hot enough." Chase held a spoon up to Zoey's mouth and she tasted it, but not without getting it all over her lip. Instead of letting her wipe it away, Chase leaned down and kissed her, arms moving around her waist. Zoey leaned into him, reaching her hands up into his curls. Pulling away, she said "I love your fuzzy head."
He tipped his head like he had a cowboy hat, "Thank ya, ma'am. It's one of my specialties." Zoey laughed at him and twirled out of his embrace to get some bowls.
"Zoey, who eats their spaghetti with a spoon?" Chase teased her as they walked out to the chaises on the porch. "I didn't even know that was possible. Leave it to you to constantly undermine the logic of my existence."
"Everybody knows you exist to do my bidding, Chase. Don't be so dramatic," she retorted in a hoity British accent. Spoon in hand, Zoey took a large bite of her spaghetti. As she chewed, she looked out over the sand and the ocean. She had seen plenty of beaches in California, but there was something about Hawaii that breathed serenity. Zoey couldn't feel stressed out when she was here, especially when she was with Chase. It didn't feel like home, and she missed her friends and family, but it felt tranquil. Like Hakuna Matata was in the blood here. She hoped she brought it back to PCA with her.
Chase finished his pasta first and went inside to rinse his bowl. Zoey could hear him clinking around in the kitchen, and she closed her eyes and just listened to all the sounds around her. Feeling peaceful, she set her bowl down and enjoyed the mixture of sunlight on her face.
Looking out at his girlfriend, he notices her start to nod off on the chaise. Zoey was always good at taking naps on the roof at their dorm. He cleans as she nods off, washing the dishes and putting the leftovers in their cooler. When he's done, he sits back down on the chaise and sighs. Pinch me, I'm dreaming. I'm in Hawaii with the girl of my dreams. I get to spend almost every day and night with her for three months. If this is heaven, may I trip off the next cliff.
Zoey wakes up to Chase lifting her up. Drowsily, she wraps her arms around his neck. Carrying her into her bedroom, she can smell the ocean on them. She breathes in deep, feeling Chase's warmth and comfort. He lays her down on the bed and places a kiss on her forehead. As he tries to move away, Zoey grasps his shirt.
"Kiss me, Chase." She leans up and presses her lips to his, never letting go of his shirt. Sensing she didn't want him to let go, he lays down instead. He is laying half on top of her, pressing against her. Her hands tease his curls and move slowly down his shoulders to grasp his arms. Zoey becomes bold and licks Chase's bottom lip. He gasps at her action and moves to feel the smooth skin on her stomach, warm from all the sun. Only in a bikini top and shorts, Zoey felt much more exposed than her boyfriend. She raked her fingers up his back, bringing his shirt with him. Pulling it all the way off, he resettles his hands over Zoey's hips, pulling their hips together. Chase's breathing was picking up as he trailed his mouth down Zoey's neck and in between her breasts. He squeezed her sides as he trailed down to her belly button. She was holding her breath as he kissed her stomach, not knowing how to react. They had made out pretty heavily before, but they were usually clothed.
Zoey grabbed Chase's shoulders and pulled him back up to her mouth, sitting up as she did so. They were kneeling on the bed facing each other, lips locked. Reaching behind her, she undid her the tie in her bikini top. It fell down her arms, and Chase couldn't look up from where the straps settled on her elbows. "Chase…" Zoey hooked a finger under his chin and slowly lifted his eyes to her, letting him capture the image of her in his mind. Leaning in to kiss him, she placed one of his hands over one of her breasts. He moaned at the touch, squeezing lightly. Sighing heavily as he used both his hands to touch her, Zoey let her head fall back. Chase took the opportunity to wrap his arms around her in a hug. When she wrapped her arms around his neck he laid her back down. He kissed her one more time, as he inched her shorts to her ankles. Flicking them off, she reached down to push Chase's swim trunks past his hips.
For a moment, neither of them knew what to do. Chase wasn't nervous exactly, but he was afraid of making the wrong move. Zoey put a hand to his cheek, and he shifted to kiss her palm. "I love you, Zo." She whispered the words back to him, heart fluttering, "I love you, Chase." The rest of the day was spent exploring each other.
They fell asleep that night listening to the waves lap at the sand from the open window.
"You two got down on the beach?" Logan sniggered. "Tell me, was there sand everywhere?"
"Man, no. We had sex in the cabin," Chase retorted. Zoey nudged him with her elbow. His mouth popped open with realization. "Oh yeah. So there was this one time on the beach. But we had a towel, so no. Sand was not in any unfortunate places." Chase pantomimed wiping sweat from his brow.
"That sounds really romantic, Zo. We'll have to go to Hawaii, Logan." Quinn looked at her boyfriend and winked at him. She was sitting up in front of him now, but he was on his side. He leaned in and kissed the inch of skin exposed above her hip.
"Y'all are nasty. I am proud I haven't sullied myself in such a way," I pointed my noise in the air away from my friends.
"Trust me, Michael, you won't feel that way once it happens. But there's no reason to be embarrassed about still being a virgin," Zoey placated.
"I'm not embarrassed. I just wish I had a relationship like that." Lisa and I broke up this past October. It wasn't dramatic or anything. She and I had discovered niches over the summer, and they weren't similar. I spent my time focused on my music, and she got into a big research project with the history department. We weren't spending much time together in the end. Every time I see her, though, we always chat for a while. She even came with us to our beach at the end of this semester.
"I'm in the same boat, buddy." Lola leaned into my shoulder and blew the hair out of her face dramatically. "Anyway, I can't find anything for us to watch. Quinn and I want funny, you and Logan want action, Zoey said she didn't care and Chase always agrees with Zoey. It's impossible."
"Wait. What's the date?" Quinn asked, calculating.
"December 21st." I offer.
"Ohmigosh! There's a meteor shower tonight! How could I have forgotten? Come on¸ guys!" Quinn gets up and races out of the room like the road runner. Logan shrugs and follows her. Per usual, Zoey gets up and Chase trips getting off the mattress. Lola waits for me at the door as I take a few last bites of my Thai.
Trekking out onto Logan's lawn, Lola whines, "My feet are getting cold, Quinn!"
"Lola, you have never fully appreciated the beauty of science. But how often do you get to watch a meteor shower with your five best friends? I promise this will be worth it." Quinn assures her, spreading out a few massive blankets for us. "Lay down, everyone. It should start in a few minutes."
Like the time we sniffed Quinn's synthetic coconut, we all lay down on the blankets tangling our arms and legs and heads and stomachs. There is no real reason for boundary between the six of us. I lay between Lola's legs, and I feel Zoey's feet under my thighs, and her head is on Lola's stomach. Chase's head is on Zoey's thigh, her fingers stroking through his hair. Lola's head is on Quinn's shoulder and Quinn is resting on Logan's abdomen.
As promised, long streaks of light begin chasing each other across the sky. I hear Lola and Zoey gasp. I have to admit, I'm blown away by how cool it looks. The sky is raining stars so they can join our hopes and dreams. Logan lets out a "wow" under his breath and Chase's mouth is round as the stars fall.
"This was worth it, Quinn," Lola whispers.
Around 3 am, I wake up to a breeze flowing through my window. I get up to close it, and look out. The meteor shower only lasted about an hour, but the sky looks brighter still. Opening my door quietly, I go to the kitchen to get a glass of water. Passing the backyard, I see a lone figure out on the swing. Sliding open the door, I walk out with two glasses of water. Lola is sitting out there, knees pulled up to her chest.
"You okay, girl?" Lola doesn't let much get her down for long, but I know she's been lonely. She looks up at me and smiles.
"Hey Michael. I'm good. I just wanted to see the sky again." She pats the spot beside her and I sit down next to her. "We're really lucky, aren't we? We have the four best friends we could have found."
"Yeah. We are really lucky." I smile at her, but she still looks sad. "But you're lonely." She stiffens at my statement.
"I feel bad. Logan and Quinn and Chase and Zoey aren't gross about their relationships and they don't ignore me, but I know I don't have what they do. And I want it. I want to be in love with my best friend."
Lola has always been beautiful and I've always known it. In this moment, I want to give her everything she wants. So I'll try. "Lola," I whisper her name. She turns to me and I kiss her. It's soft and short, but I can feel the smile growing on my face. I don't know if I made the right move. She stares at me, and I feel sick to my stomach. Embarrassed, I get up quickly and head to the door. I feel her hand snake around my wrist and pull at me. Slowly I turn around to face my best friend.
"Kiss me again." If I think about it, I won't. So I lean down and press my lips to hers one more time. She leans into me and steadies herself on my shoulder. I place my hands on her neck and kiss her deeper.
The next morning, Lola and I walk down to the kitchen together. Everyone else is already there for breakfast. Zoey is the first one to notice our intertwined hands and she drops her fork, splattering syrup on her and Chase.
"Zo! What the hell?" Chase follows her eyes to our hands and his mouth pops open as well. Quinn walks back to the table from her refrigerator, glances at our hands, smiles at us, and sits back down to her omelet. Logan, in typical fashion, is the most obnoxious.
"Ohmigod did you guys bang?!" Logan splutters.
"Jesus Christ, Logan!" Chase yells. Zoey throws pancake at him. Quinn glares. Out of spite, I turn to Lola and plant a kiss on her.
"No, we did not bang." Lola sneered. She walked off to get a mound of pancakes and peanut butter.
"I'm happy for you two," Zoey smiled. Quinn nodded in agreement, writing in a journal at the same time. When I got my pancakes, I sat across from Lola, next to Logan.
"I'm happy for me too, Zo." I was excited for all the time I had with the best five people I had ever met.
Logan leaned close to me and whispered: "When you two do bang, I want to be the first to know."
A/N:
I almost deleted this whole goddamn thing. So either you're welcome or I'm really sorry.
I'm always happy to hear what you think. Thanks for reading.
And let's all be grateful I finally figured out how to put the goddamn lines in between scenes.