DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything. This disclaimer applies to all chapters.
Over the break, Sandy and Kirsten kept in contact, calling each other a few times a week. They had a lot of time to think about their relationship. They knew they were meant for each other…especially after going home, which reminded them both of what they were missing in Berkeley.
Sandy was coming back to Berkeley today. He was thrilled. He couldn't wait to see Kirsten. He felt like it had been forever. He constantly thought about her and how beautiful she was, wishing he had at least a picture of her to look at and to show everyone, especially his mother, who wanted to see who this blonde California girl was that took her son's breath away. He was proud of Kirsten and didn't care what his mother thought of her. He knew she wouldn't accept Kirsten, he knew that before he even left to go home, but he knew he had to tell his mother about her for both his mother's sake and for hers. His mother had to know whom he was seeing because this could end up being the girl he marries. He had to make sure he told her right away just for that reason. He also told his mother to show Kirsten that he really did care about her and wasn't afraid if his mother disapproved. His mother's reaction was trite compared to what he was expecting. She simply said that this relationship was in the beginning and that it probably wouldn't last, so she told Sandy to see her in a year and see if he's still with this girl named Kirsten.
Sandy nervously walked through the arrival gate and into the airport terminal to look for Kirsten.
Kirsten felt bad about not telling her parents about Sandy. She rarely saw them and when she did, she hardly spoke to her father. Visiting home was very awkward for Kirsten so she usually kept extremely quiet when there. When asked about school she usually gave vague answers, as she knew her father would only have criticism about everything she did. When Sandy told Kirsten that he told his mother about their relationship she felt even worse about not telling her parents. When he asked her about what her parents said when she told them she just vaguely answered him about it saying that her father took her everything in her life at Berkeley as a joke, whether it be classes, activities, friends, or boyfriends.
Kirsten went into the bathroom one last time to check her makeup and hair before sitting down in the terminal to wait for Sandy. She tried to read a magazine but couldn't concentrate on the words. She went and looked at a travel brochure, but again couldn't concentrate. She then bought a snack but was too nervous to eat it. She had all this nervous energy inside herself in anticipation of seeing Sandy. She finally stopped fidgeting around and stood waiting for Sandy.
He spotted her looking anxiously in the other direction. While he could only see her from behind, his mind was flooded with memories of how beautiful she was. Her hair had grown a bit longer now, still golden blonde. He couldn't wait to run up to her and hug her and hold her in his arms and continue their relationship where they left off. He snuck up behind her and touched her on the back saying, "Boo"!
She turned around, surprised to see him, and smiled "Sandy! Hi!"
He reached out and pulled her into a big hug, so tight that he actually lifted her off the ground for a second. He held on to her for a long time.
She hugged him back. It felt so good to be back in his arms again. They hadn't really had a chance to get too close and comfy, but once their bodies met they felt like they were never apart. "I missed you so much, Kirsten," he said.
"I missed you too," she replied.
When they broke the hug, Sandy asked, "So how are you?"
"Great. Excited to start a new semester…with you." She smiled. Ah, that smile he remembered well. It didn't come out often, but when it did, it could light up a whole room. "How are you doing?"
"I'm good. Come on, let's get my luggage so we can get going and go back to where we left off." He reached out to hold her hand. She felt a bit awkward and nervous. While being apart made them want to grow closer, they hadn't really had a chance to get used to their new couple status back in December, let alone all the romantic gestures and cuddling that came along with it. She got butterflies every time he made a romantic gesture at her, even one as simple as holding hands. A feeling she hoped would last forever.
While driving back to Berkeley, Sandy commented, "This is weird…you're driving me home and I feel like we've never been apart. It's like you just happened to pick me up."
"I know. It does feel like that."
"So…what do you want to do today?"
"Well…if you want I could help you unpack your stuff."
"Aww…Kirsten I don't want to burden you."
"No, really, I'll help you. I don't mind…besides, it'll give us a chance to catch up while I organize your room." She gave a quick glance in his direction to catch his reaction to that.
"Organize my room?" he asked, sarcastically joking.
"Yeah…well I mean I like to organize things, I could just help you and stuff…" she said more seriously.
Noticing she was taking him seriously, he responded, "I was just teasing you. I would love to have you help me. It's just that I don't want to make us spend our first day together doing that."
"Its okay…we can go out tonight…or tomorrow night…or any other night! After all it isn't the end of the semester!" she said smiling.
And with that, they headed toward Sandy's dorm building. He was living in an apartment that was two floors. He occupied one of the two tiny, upstairs bedrooms. He split the rent with three other friends who were also school volunteers, two of whom lived in the downstairs bedrooms. While it was a very small room he had, to Kirsten it was cozy and romantic, not like her ex-boyfriend Jimmy's bedroom, which was about ten times bigger.
The whole day was filled with the two of them unpacking and hanging Sandy's clothing and arranging his desk with supplies. While going through Sandy's clothes in the suitcase, Kirsten came across her tan sweater from last semester. It was the only neatly folded shirt and was put away to the side in one of the zippered compartments.
"Sandy, my sweater…it's the only neatly folded item in here."
"I know. I wonder why that is."
"I don't know. But if you folded this I…I…I don't know what I'll do because no offense, but everything else is well…rather messy in here."
"I did fold it. It's your sweater and I took the utmost care of it. I didn't want to come back with it in a non-useable fashion. It's all set for you to wear again. Thanks by the way, looking and smelling that sweater reminded me of you. But nothing is better than having the real you here with me…like right now." He walked up to her, took her hands, and pulled her up off of the ground where she was going through everything. They closed their eyes kissed each other's lips. The first kiss since they were together again. Somehow they had forgotten about kissing since they met each other earlier at the airport. Thet got moving and before no time Sandy and Kirsten had fallen onto the messy, unmade bed. They started making out while hugging each other tightly. After making out for a while, they got up and did some more work. Then they went back to kissing again. This went on all day. At about 7:00, both plopped down, tired after doing so much work. Sandy's room was organized. Kirsten was leaning on his shoulder as they both were lying down on the bed.
"So…what now?" Sandy asked tiredly.
"You tell me…"
"Thanks, leave it up to me."
"Sure thing" she said while tapping him on the shoulder to make her point.
Silence. They lay there next to one another. It was almost like they had been dating for years. There was just that connection between them.
Finally Kirsten spoke up breaking the silence. "Sandy I should get going. It's been a long day for you with the time difference and jet lag. I should let you catch up on your rest."
"So, I'll call you later?"
"I look forward to it."
And with that she left. Somehow, she wished that she could have stayed there while Sandy rested. She felt lonely going home to her apartment. After all, she was a young college student living alone. She had been doing it for a year and a half now. It wasn't that she didn't like it…she just felt so isolated and far from Sandy, yet ironically just yesterday they were a lot farther apart. Now that she spent time with him she didn't want to leave him, even if it was just to go across town.
It was now the beginning of March. Sandy and Kirsten's relationship was stronger than ever.
Gradually, Kirsten changed ever since that day she and Sandy were reunited. She felt even more carefree than she had when she first arrived at Berkeley. She was starting to realize that while she came to Berkeley to escape life back home, she didn't have to keep the same personality she had in Newport. She could be whoever she wanted to be. In Newport she was just hiding who she really was because she knew she didn't want to be what her father wanted her to be. She didn't need to hide who she wanted to be in Berkeley, which she hadn't realized all this time. It was like she only halfway rebelled. She had already done the environment change, now it was time that she began to change herself to be who she wanted to be.
She found herself dressing in more colorful, wild clothing. Her once conservative closet had turned into a colorful rainbow assortment of clothing. She explored different hairstyles, including dying her hair brown at one time and a having shorter 'do at another. She wasn't afraid to show her tattoo with short shirts and low cut bellbottoms. In fact, not only did she have something to show off on her back, but some things to show off in the front. She got her belly button and second and third ear holes pierced. She moved out of her apartment and into a dorm with another girl in her class who was looking for a roommate. Together, along with roommates in surrounding rooms, the girls often went out together to concerts, games, and went shopping together.
Sandy couldn't be happier to see Kirsten's new style. He could tell she was a lot happier with the new her. She may have gotten a new style, more friends, and become more outgoing, but she was still the same person inside and out in Sandy's eyes. She still had those beautiful outer features and inner intelligence and defensive side that he loved so much.
Throughout the two months they shared a lot of fun times together. Whether it was at a college party or studying over each other's places, everything they did together they enjoyed.
They had spent Valentine's Day drinking beer outside on the grass in a park. They watched the stars together underneath a blanket. It sure wasn't some expensive dinner at a fancy restaurant, but it was what they enjoyed. Sandy knew Kirsten didn't need all the expensive luxuries she grew up with. The truth is, she just wanted and needed him as he wanted and needed her.
One day in mid-March Sandy was stressing over a mid-term for one of his law classes. It was one of his tougher classes and he knew he had to ace this test to hold an A in the class, which would look good on his transcript for applying to law school. Kirsten had been his support all week long, doing everything from highlighting notes for him to quizzing him to picking up extra books for him. The day of the exam the two met in the cafeteria on campus like they did every morning. Kirsten found Sandy sitting at a table with his nose in the books. She walked over and brought him some breakfast.
She laughed as she handed it to him saying, "You know it's funny, this is like role reversal, usually its me whose studying like this and you're the one who is distracting me."
"You're right." He responded as he finished reading the bottom of a page.
"Well you have to have your energy food. After all, you're the one who told me that a snack break works wonders for exams." She smiled at him, though she could tell that he was really stressing and not in the mood for a joke. She thought to herself how sexy he looked when he was so occupied with studying. He never studied this much. He always found that paying attention to the lectures were enough to get him the good grades.
"Kirsten?"
"Oh sorry I was daydreaming."
"Yeah, I know, you were staring right at me."
"Sorry," she replied embarrassed.
"What were you daydreaming about?"
"Oh umm…nothing."
"You're not going to get off the hook that easy. Spill."
"Okay fine. If you must know…I was daydreaming about how sexy you are."
"You were?"
"You said you wanted to know."
"I'm flattered."
"Well enough chit-chat, get eating this breakfast so you have energy for your exam."
After eating breakfast together, Kirsten got up. She had to get to class.
"Well baby I wish you the best of luck. I know you'll do fine. You've done fine on every other exam in that class so I have confidence you'll do the same on this one."
"Thanks."
"Alright baby good luck. I love you."
She leaned in to give him a quick kiss, as they always did after their usual meeting for breakfast. She froze as their lips met, realizing what she just said…I love you. When they broke apart, Sandy looked her in the eyes with a small look of astonishment in his face.
Did he just hear her say those three words that meant so much? Sure their relationship was going great, but that was one thing that was never said between the two of them. Sandy had been feeling that way about her for a long time, but wasn't sure when the right time would come to tell her. Now was it.
"I love you too." He said smiling.
"Wow I didn't expect that to come out…I'm sorry it just happened to slip," she said getting flustered.
"What are you sorry for?"
"I don't know. I mean I don't know if you feel that way. I'm embarrassed…I couldn't control it…it just felt right…and we probably shouldn't be talking about this right now so I should get going we'll talk more later. Bye." She was embarrassed. Sure she felt that way about him but nonetheless she felt funny about how it just happened to slip at this very moment. She was planning on rehearsing saying those three words to him at the perfect time. Not when he was stressing over an exam in the cafeteria.
"Kirsten wait!" he said loudly, grabbing her arm. He knew she hated confrontation and that she got embarrassed by the smallest of things, but he had to talk to her. He wanted to make sure they were both comfortable with what just happened.
She turned around, bright red.
"Kirsten why are you getting so embarrassed?"
"So you noticed…great."
"Kirsten is what you said true?"
"Of course its true. I just didn't think it'd come out like that. I was planning on when I'd say it to you. My heart spoke faster than I wanted it to I guess. I've been wanting to say it to you for a long time but not like this…in here…when you have a major exam to study for and are stressing out. I mean I don't want you to feel obligated to say it back to me now. I mean you did say it back but you don't have to if you don't want to."
"But I do love you. I don't know why you'd even doubt that. Come on, Kirsten."
"I know. I just…I just…I just feel embarrassed right now. My emotions took over. Okay?" she asked smiling a little.
"Okay. You know I was planning on saying it to you too, but I was looking for the right time." He gave her a hug.
"I guess sometimes love guides your heart and you can't control it."
"I agree."
"So really, I do have to get going to class now so like I said before good luck and I know you'll do fine and make me proud. Sorry about all this extra emotional stuff on the day of your exam."
"I couldn't be happier it happened this way. Honey you telling me that was all I needed. I know you meant that with your heart and it means the world to me. Regardless of how I do on this exam I have you, and really that's all that matters."
"I love you." She said it again more defiantly, though she still felt funny saying it. This was the second person she was saying it to. She remembered what happened with Jimmy and she didn't want a repeat…but she had a feeling this wasn't going to go in that direction. It was going good, real good.
"I love you."
"Now get back to studying, this wasn't an excuse to get out of studying. I want to see you get an A!"
He ended up getting the A! Their relationship grew even stronger after they both heard each other say those three words.
It was now the end of April. They planned to go out for dinner and then watch a movie at Sandy's apartment.
Sandy noticed that Kirsten had clothing in a bag when they made it to his car. "Kirsten, do you have to go to the laundromat?"
"Oh no, I just thought I'd bring over some comfortable clothes for after dinner," she said smiling a bit. He smiled back. He had no idea where this was going but it sounded good.
Dinner went great as usual. They made it back to Sandy's apartment, where she changed in the bathroom and came out in her pajamas. He had never seen her wearing pajamas. Sure this was no lingerie, but it was pajamas. As she hung her dress on a hangar he just stared at her.
After watching the movie for a while, Sandy threw a piece of popcorn at Kirsten, who threw a few more pieces back at him. The food fight ended up with the two of them falling onto their backs on the bed. Both were still playfully fighting with one another. Sandy decided to call it a draw, Kirsten agreed by giving him a kiss. He responded to the kiss with an even bigger kiss. Slowly his hands made their way to Kirsten's back. He gently and slowly put his hands underneath her pajama tank top and onto her skin. Meanwhile her hands had made their way to his body, where she took off his shirt and started kissing his chest. Sandy took off her tank top and did the same to her. From there, one thing led to another…
6:30am. The alarm went off. Sandy nearly jumped out of bed after having been in a peaceful sleep. He covered Kirsten, who was still asleep, with the blanket, careful not to wake her. He looked at their clothing, scattered on the floor. It happened so instantaneously. He wandered into the bathroom to take a shower.
Kirsten was awoken by the sound of the shower. She jumped, realizing that she was in Sandy's bed. Somehow she had gotten so comfortable she thought she was in her own bed. She glanced around the room for a second, realizing that Sandy was in the shower. She smiled to herself. It was definitely a good night. She looked on the foot of the bed, where she saw that Sandy had laid out a robe of his along with a note that said "For you Kirsten, in case you're feeling a bit modest, Love Sandy". She laughed. What a great guy she had.
Sandy and Kirsten often slept over each other's apartment/dorm. They couldn't have been happier with their relationship. Not only were they both doing great in school but they also had each other to come to after the long, hard days of studying and work.
One Saturday morning toward the end of April, Sandy had slept over Kirsten's. Kirsten was in the shower and he was just lounging around reading a magazine while Kirsten's roommate and friend, Lisa, who just came back from sleeping somewhere else, started chatting with him. Sandy and Kirsten had grown to love each other's friends and often all hung out together. Lisa was asking Sandy about what his and Kirsten's plans were for the summer. Were they going to stay in Berkeley? Go visit each other's families? Just wait it out the whole summer? Sandy told Lisa that it was a sore subject because they never really talked about it. It was one of those topics that was always avoided. Lisa told him that its time they start talking about it considering school is going to be over in about three weeks. Just as he pondered that thought, there was a knock at the door. Lisa answered the door to find two people she had never seen before. Sandy didn't recognize them either. Both Lisa and Sandy stared in confusion.
When Kirsten came out of the shower with a look on her face that immediately said who it was…
TBC
Preview for next chapter: Find out what two people are at the door that could stir up some regrets and emotions. What will Sandy and Kirsten decide to do about the summer? Please read and review-tell me how you like it! Thanks.