We had lived in the neighborhood for a few months now. The neighbors were kind and a few of them even had children or grandchildren around my age to play with. Us kids would always ride our bikes or play together every week. It was then I met him. He was a few years older then me with light green almost greyish eyes and dirty blonde straight hair that bordered brown. He helped me up when some of the other kids had pushed me down and laughed about my not having a mother. I was used to hearing it and so much worse, what with having lived with the Dursleys, but with having the emotions of a child I couldn't help the tears that came.
His name was Martin Kirk and much as I had been the last time around he was an orphan. Martin however lived his very loving and elderly grandparents. We didn't get the chance to speak often as the years passed aside from regular greetings and an occasional talk here and there as we attended different schools. Papa's work at Apollon meant he had enough money to send me to a prep school.
"Don't laugh. My friend's little brother stole my first kiss."
"What?" He looked at me in shock. "How old was he?"
"Ah. . . 9 or 10?" I gave a little laugh with a shrug.
"How?" He shook his head not able to picture it.
"We went bowling and he was standing on his chair. I went to peck his cheek and the little sneak turned his head!" He barked out a laugh.
"Smart kid."
"Really? That's what you say?" I asked incredulously.
"He is! Bella one would have to be blind not to notice how beautiful you are." He looks at me smiling and pushes a loose strand of hair behind my ear.
"You think I'm beautiful?" I ask and he stops smiling realizing that he had said it aloud.
"I didn't mean to say that out loud." He looks away from me moving to the far side of the cottage's step we are sat on.
"But you did. So?"
"Yes! Yes. Is that what you want to hear Bella? I think you are the most beautiful girl I have ever seen in my life!" He stands up and starts pacing in front of me. "But what does it matter? I don't have anything and I, I'm not good for you." I stood and grabbed his arm, turning him to me.
"You think that! But doesn't my choice in this matter?"
For our first date we had gone to the movies and then to get pizza. His smile when I told him I didn't want to see a romance but Thor: Ragnarok would stay with her for years.
"No romance? No chick-flick?" I scoffed.
"No. Did I really come off like someone interested in those?" He laughs shaking his head as they walk back to her home, hand in hand.
"No, you don't but one never knows." He chuckles. Thunder cracks above us just before rain begins pouring down on us. We make a run for it and take cover for a moment beneath an old gazebo just a couple blocks away. Martin trips coming up one of the steps and I catch him before we sit just and laugh.
"I can't believe me ran half a mile but you trip just as we make it to cover." I giggle only for Martin's hands to come up to the back of my head and pull me into a kiss. A kiss turns into another and another and soon enough we can't seem to stop.
Months pass by and it seems as though their time together is what goes by the quickest while their time apart is unbearably slow. Simone worries about her doing or being pressured into something she isn't ready for but the fact is she lived a life before this one. I didn't know if I was 'ready' but I did know that I wanted my relationship with Martin to move to the next step. I want us to move pass hand holding and making out on the couch. I just wasn't sure how far I wanted that next step to go.
We sat in my room watching old movies, mostly comedies as he unconsciously played with my feet sending me into occasional giggling fits. I couldn't help thinking of how with Papa gone until tomorrow night if I wanted to take that next step now would be the right time to do so.
"Martin?"
"Yea?" He look at me across the couch as I pulled my legs in.
"Do you trust me?"
"What?"
"Do you?"
"Completely."
"Close your eyes. If, if you don't want to tell me to stop." I put a finger to his lips, quieting him before he could get a word out and watched as he closed his eyes. My fingers played with one of the buttons on his shirt for a moment as I made up my mind before slowly undoing them.
"Bella?" he said in a whisper.
"Shh." My hands slide across his chest then down. I just managed to unzip his jeans when his hands came up from where they had been gripping the edge of the sofa. He grips my hips and as he stands lifts me, carrying me the few steps to the beds. He lays me down following as he refuses to release his hold on me, all the while rubbing our cores together as he kisses me.
"Martin"
Martin and I had dated for nearly a year now. Our relationship having progressed passed kisses 6 months in and to sex just 5 months ago. Unfortunately, our time together was shortened drastically by his conscription. His time in our little town of Haslev limited. Every chance to be together was taken. Our minds focused solely on each other.
It was shortly after our first time together that he was called to serve for the next 6 months. We had held me as I teared up and questioned how we would stay in contact during this time. While allowed time to return home it would be few and far between. Stationed just outside Randers, over 3 hours driving with little to no traffic or rather 4 to 5 hours by train for me each way, we would have little time before either one of us had to return to reality.
Oh but the time spent living our fantasies was incredible. We often went to old, even a couple abandoned, hiking trails and various locations between the two cities. There was one weekend in which Martin had rented a small home for us to stay in Fredericia located just a short walk from Østerstrand Beach.
After arriving we had taken a short walk before returning to the home. The look in Martin's eyes as the sodden cotton fabric clung to my body sent shivers throughout my body and warmth pooled between my thighs. The door only being closed do to our impatience as I was leant against it as he pressed kiss to my lips, cheeks, neck, and shoulder. We had tried to make it up the stairs to the bedroom but did not. His jeans pulled down just slightly and opened as I removed my shorts. Neither of us willing to wait any longer before our bodies were joined together for the first time in over a month. His thick fingers spreading my lower lips and ensuring that he would not hurt me before lining his member with my dripping core and roughly thrusting up into me. My scream of pleasure echoing in the stairwell as his arm wrapped around my waist. My hips bouncing against his in what was becoming a familiar rhythm.
"I've been thinking and I think I know what I want to do." I look at him curiously from where I sit on the edge of his bed. "I'm going to stay in the army." My eyes close and I lift my hand covering my face.
"Why Martin? Your conscription is ending, so why?"
"Bella, this is what I want to do with my life." He pulls me into him, hugging me close. "Will we be ok?" I hold him as close as I can.
"Of course we will. I'm not letting you get away from me that easily." His hand caresses my face and we kiss, she sweater I wear falling away and he settles me back onto his bed as he moves above me.
"What?" He asks as I smile up at him from where I lay in his arms.
"You may have to worry about your leaving."
"Why would? What do you mean?" His thin brows furrow as he looks down at me.
"Rasmus will be quite happy to see his competition has left." He lets out a bark of laughter.
Papa has purchased an RV trailer and says that since I am graduating this year and will be off to college next perhaps the young couple they are would prefer to go on a trip that summer if Martin has the time.
"Mr. Winther, why?" Martin asked Papa in shock from where he sat beside me. Papa simply places a hand on his shoulder and squeezes.
"I know what its like to have the love of your life's father hate you. To see how it tears at her but know that despite how it hurts her not to have that support she chooses you anyway. My wife, bless her soul, was a kind and beautiful woman but her father, Bella-Donna's grandfather, was not a man one wanted to upset let alone disobey. He thought and to this day still does believe that I was never good enough for Dahlia. In a way he was right though."
"Papa th-" I go to interrupt him but Papa holds up a hand stopping me and moves to sit back in his chair.
"Back then I had nothing to my name and was still in school for Bio-engineering. It certainly didn't help that he had plans for her to return to Italy once she finished school herself and marry well." His hand rubbed at the lower half of his face as his eyes looked off in memory. "It wasn't until almost 4 years after she passed away that Sergio started coming around to see Bella-Donna." I reached out and took his hand in mine. "All I have to do is look at you when you look at my little girl and I know."
I got up from my seat and hugged him. "I love you Papa."
"Now while you're off the two of us will be working on the old trailer and fixing it up. So if you plan on having any say in it before leaving next week I suggest you do now."
"No white kitchen." Martin and I say at the same time.
I barely made it inside when it started. I dialed his number having long given up on Papa answering his phone after calling him repeatedly on the drive home from school. Martin! Come on! Come on. Answer the damn phone! Tears slipped from my eyes and I quickly wiped them away as I ran though the cottage packing up everything I could into my bottomless bags. "Hello?"
"Martin! Martin, Thank God! Listen to me stay out of the rain! Whatever you do don't let it touch you!"
"Bella what are you talking about?"
"The rain, Martin. It's killing people. Your . . . Martin I'm so sorry. They went outside. They didn't listen to me! I'm sorry. I'm so sorry!"
"Bella, my grandparents? Are you saying my grandparents are hurt?"
"They . . .they're gone Martin. Just please, whatever you do don't go out when it rains. Don't get wet. Not even a splash!" I struggled to keep the sobs in.