House of the Bakers
Since the incident in the cafeteria the day before, I hadn't been able to get Lydia Scott out of my mind. But she was with my brother. Again and again I had prayed this sentence in the last 24 hours. And yet it brought nothing. Maybe because I had sensed that she wanted me the same way I wanted her. How I would have liked to kiss her as she had leaned over and had closed her eyes. But I had also known that fooling around in a public cafeteria with the girl who had actually been spoken for hadn't been the smartest idea. Never before had I envied Jude so much! I really had to get her out of my head. The question was just, how? I sat down at my desk, got my math stuff out of my school bag and started with my homework. I had just solved the first math problem when there was a knock on my door. "Yes, please!" I called without looking up.
"Hey, little brother! Do you have time to talk?"
I turned to the door and saw Justin entering my room. "Sure, for you always," I said with a grin and put my homework aside. I would miss our talks when he was in L.A. He was a good listener, and there was practically nothing that I couldn't confide to him. That's how it had been from the beginning. When Jude had a problem, he usually went to our mom. If Izzy had worries, she asked our dad for help. And if I had something to talk about I turned to Justin. The fact that he showed up here unrequested to talk showed me that he probably had sensed that I needed someone to talk to. I saw him sitting down on my bed and nervously ruffling his hair.
"Okay, I'll ask you one question and would like to get a straight answer," he began hesitantly.
I frowned. What a strange start for a conversation. But I was curious what he had to tell me, so I nodded.
"Is there anything going on between you and Lydia Scott?"
I felt my pulse quicken involuntarily and my mouth gone dry. "I... no," I managed with difficulty. "Why?"
"You were seen with her in the cafeteria," he said dryly. "And it seems like the rumor is going around now that there is something going on between the two of you." He raised his eyebrows meaningfully. "You know how fast gossip spreads."
I looked at him, startled. "Yeah... Did Jude hear about that, too?" I stammered.
Justin shrugged. "No idea. But Stacy Huntington told Jamie, and you know what a chatterbox she is. "
I sank back groaning. That couldn't be possible, that Stacy, of all people had watched me and Lydia in our 'intimate' moment! She was the editor of the school magazine and for that very reason already interested in gossip.
"Is there any truth in that rumor?"
I turned back to Justin. So far, we didn't have any secrets from each other. He knew about my 'girl-stories' and other things I never dared to reveal to Mom and Dad, because I knew I could trust him. But how could I explain something to him that I didn't really understand myself? "Lydia and I," I began hesitantly, "are just friends." The way he looked at me, I knew he didn't believe me.
"Davis Baker has female friends?" He asked skeptically, then grinned. "This is a memorable event to be noted in the calendar."
I rolled my eyes. "Stop it! If you don't even believe me, how should others do it?"
"Actually, I don't care with how many girls you have fun with, but Lydia is special," Justin pointed out. "She's Jamie's little sister and I'm sure he'll cut your balls off if you hurt her."
I swallowed hard. Not a nice mental cinema that he just had planted in my head. But I was far from hurting her. "I would never do that. She means a lot to me," I said in my defense. But as soon as I had uttered the sentence I knew that it had been a mistake to speak so frankly about my feelings, because Justin glared at me suspiciously.
"You have a crush on her," he stated simply, grinning. "Wow, I can't believe it. Davis Baker, the biggest womanizer of Tree Hill High has fallen in love!"
"You're nuts!" I rolled my eyes annoyed. "I have never been in love."
"I know, that makes it so special," he said, smirking. "Besides, there's a first time for everything."
I mulled over what he had just told me and asked myself if he was right. Was I really in love with Lydia or just interested to score with her? It was an undisputed fact that I couldn't think straight in her presence. And also after our last meeting in the cafeteria, after she had turned her face to me, I had trouble afterwards to get my pulse back to normal again. I wanted her, that it almost hurt. But I also knew that she wasn't a girl for one night. If I wanted her, I would have to make a commitment.
"Talk to Jude before he finds out from another source," Justin advised. "And what is even more important, talk to Lydia."
When he got up and left my room, I sat thoughtfully for another moment before deciding to do it right away. We were practically neighbors. So I just took my bike and cycled over. I hadn't come up with an actual plan when I stood at the front door of the Scott's house with a nervously beating heart. It wasn't long before the door opened and Lydia appeared in the doorway. Apparently, she seemed to be shocked to see me, because she was staring at me with wide open eyes.
"Davis?" She stammered.
I wiped my sweaty hands on my jeans. "May I come in, or is it an inconvenient time?" I asked in a slightly uncertain voice.
"My mom is out for shopping, my dad is working and Jamie is out and about with his car," she said slowly. "So we are undisturbed."
I didn't know why it suddenly started to tingle in my stomach at the mention that nobody was in the house. But I could hardly wait to be alone with her.
"Come in!"
When she grabbed my hand and then pulled me up the stairs, I followed her willingly. I couldn't believe what was happening. But when we reached her room and she closed the door softly behind her and even locked it, I realized that this wouldn't be a friendly visit. Her chest rose and fell slightly, while she was looking at me in anticipation. I knew it was a bad idea to give in to my impulse. I couldn't help it but slowly approached her, reached out and touched her soft, silky hair. She didn't move and stared at me with her beautiful brown eyes. "Do you know what I would like to do now?" I said hoarsely. As she silently shook her head and continued to gaze at me with that inviting look, I gently reached under her chin. "Kiss you," I confessed softly. I saw her eyelids flutter, but she continued to hold my gaze.
"Then do it."
The whole time, I had tried to suppress my feelings for Lydia, but now that she had invited me to kiss her, I couldn't hold myself back any longer. I placed my hand around her neck and pulled her closer to me until our lips touched. I had already kissed many girls, but this kiss, so sweet and gentle, made me feel things that I had never felt before. And apparently she felt the same, because instead of drawing back from me, she suddenly wrapped her arms around my neck and pressed her lips tighter on mine. My whole body quivered with sexual excitement, and I knew that if I wouldn't withdraw from her now, it would be too late. Gentle but determined, I pushed her away from me. "Lydia, stop!" I breathed. "If... if we don't stop now, then..." I didn't get any further as she took a step towards me and put her arms around my neck again.
"Sleep with me, Davis!" She begged softly.
Did I just hear right? Did she just ask me to have sex with her? Oh man. You had to be a monk to resist this tempting offer. And I was definitely not a monk. Nevertheless, my sanity was winning at that moment. I reached into my neck and pulled her hands away. "No, Lydia," I repeated again. "We should be reasonable. You are with my brother. And I would never..."
"I broke up with Jude."
"What?" I exclaimed in disbelief. "When?"
"This morning."
I just wanted to let this news sink in, but my breath caught as I saw Lydia suddenly pull her T-shirt over her head and only stand in front of me in her bra and jeans. My mouth went dry as I stared at her small, firm breasts and imagined what it would be like to suck on her rigid nipples. The very idea of that was simply too much!
"There is nothing left that could stop us," she mumbled and went to her bedside table and opened her drawer. "Are they enough for now?"
I stared at the condoms she held in her hand. There were three of them. The three condoms she had already had when she came to our house with the purpose to sleep with Jude. Stunned, I just nodded.
"Good. Then... let's do it now."
I ignored my inner warning bell when I approached her and pulled down the zipper of her jeans. I had a million reasons to stop and to leave immediately. But there was one reason why I stayed. I wanted her, and since she was no longer with Jude, I succumbed to my feelings. I quickly took off my clothes and then cautiously put my arms around her. It felt so good to feel her naked skin on mine. I noticed how she shivered and looked down at her worried. "Are you sure you really want to do this?" I asked again. When she nodded, I put my lips back on hers and then shoved her over to the bed.
