Chapter 8 - Uncommitted

Dick and I spent a lot of time together, and it was nearly the fourth of July. We didn't spend everyday together, but usually about 5 times a week, and the week and a half my dad was gone Dick spent the night every night. Even though that one night I "advanced" on what I call our "connection" since we're not dating, we haven't gone any farther since then. Really, I think I've only done that one or two more times since that night. I was sort of getting fed up with the situation though. I was falling hard for Dick, and the more time I spent with him, there was more time on top of that I just wanted to spend with him. When we were together it was like there wasn't enough we could do to fulfill the emotions we felt for each other. We couldn't kiss each other hard or long enough, we could hug each other hard enough, we couldn't spend enough time together. Every time we were together my heart raced, and I had flutters in my stomach.

"Veronica, dinner's ready." My dad called from our kitchenette.

"Coming." I yelled from my bedroom and got up. "Yummy. Something smells good and is about to be in my tummy." I said, running into the kitchen.

"Oh yes it is. My chili, THE BEST CHILI ON THE EARTH MUHAHA." My dad said.

I stared at him mortified. "Yeah... and I'm going to eat by myself now. Thanks for that."

"What?" He asked. "I'm cool." He said, sitting down with his bowl of chili.

I laughed out loud. "When?" I asked, referring to his 'I'm cool' comment.

"Forever and always." He retaliated back. "You thought you got your stuff from your mom, honey please, I am the king of cool." He said, trying to be one of those 'hip dads.'

"Mmhmm." I mumbled laughing a little, and eating my chili.

I was glad that my dad and I had such a connection, but he still didn't know that I was interested in or even talking to Dick Casablancas. I'm not sure what I'm going to do about this, I've blown Meg off a billion times trying to cover up for me and Dick hanging out, or searching for hours on ends for things that really do cover up hickies. I just... I don't know what to do. Because one of us is going to come forward with the truth, and it is going to get spread, and that is the last thing that either of us want to happen.

"Well, that was good dad, thanks!" I said kissing him on the cheek. "I'm going to spend the night at Meg's tonight and just hang out over there." I went to my room and packed a bag.

I wasn't going to Meg's, but my dad didn't know that. Dick's dad and Kendall went to a 'honeymoon reunion' in Cancun and would be gone for a few days, and since they felt like Beaver was too young, they sent him to Boston to stay with his grandparents, and left Dick the house to himself. Dick invited me over, and said that I could just say I would be at Meg's. I kind of felt bad though, because it had been ages since Meg and I had hung out, and here I was about to blow her off again to go spend a few nights 'alone' with Dick. Nevertheless, me and him were kind of a thing right now, and I wanted to be with him more than anything. I packed a bag for 2 nights and left the house. I headed over to the Casablancas, but I had a feeling my dad was following me so I made a quick stop at the gas station to make it look like I was getting some fuel, and then headed to Meg's. I knocked on her door, grabbed my bag and walked inside. I said that I felt like surprising her and staying with her for a couple days. She informed me that he family was about to go on vacation and were leaving at 6 in the morning.

"Well, then we can hang for a little bit before you go to bed... I just feel bad that these cases kept getting in the way and we haven't been able to hang lately." I said to her.

She smiled big and gave me a hug. "Hey, it's okay. I understand that you and your dad have that stuff going on, and you're here now right?" She said to me. "Gotta pee, be right back."

When she got up my cell phone starting blowing up. 4 missed calls from dick, 2 voice-mails, and 6 texts. Jesus, Dick. I didn't die. I called him real quick.

"Where are you?" He asked.

"My dad was following me, I don't think he believed I was coming to Meg's. So I made a pit-stop here, I'll be there a little later." I said hanging up the phone.

I heard Meg coming back up the stairs. "Okay, I'm sorry Veronica but my mom is in a bad mood and she said that you need to go home for the night, and that you're welcome to come over when we get back from Florida. I'm really sorry!" She said, giving me a hug as I got up.

"No sweat!" I said smiling, and hugging her back. "I'll just go home and watch a movie with dad or something!" That was a close one.

I walked out Meg's front door and sat in my car, I gave my dad a call. He said he was at the house about to go to sleep, and I believed him. I could here the microwave in the background with popcorn in it, and Back-Up snoring on the couch. I told him I was safe and that I'd call him later. I headed to Dick's house and pounded on the door. I was greeted with a big kiss.

"Hey babe." He said.

I was kind of surprised, he usually didn't use pet names like that. "Hey!" I said smiling big. I pulled my bag upstairs and into Dick's bedroom. Dick had the biggest bedroom I had ever seen. He had a queen sized bed that looked more comfortable than anything. He had a huge fish tank, stereo system, surround sound, big plasma T.V., and this was all in his room. I put my stuff on a chair in the corner of his room and sat down on his bed.

"Comfort!" I said, slowly laying out.

Dick came and grabbed my hand and held it like we were in 7th grade at the movies. He was so cute sometimes. He laid down next to me and we just kind of laid there in the dark of his room staring at the glow-in-the-dark stars he and Beaver must have put on the ceiling when they were 7 or 8. Eventually, Dick got up to go to the bathroom, and I took my shoes off and took my jacket off. He came back and shut the door. We were laying in complete pitch black, and it was Dick and I in his room. He came and laid right next to me like he had before, but this time we felt closer. He reached up and before even really kissing me he stuck his tongue in my mouth and was aggressively kissing me. I kind of liked it though, it was just our thing. He had lifted up my shirt so it was almost off, but not yet. I took off his shirt as we broke away from our kiss for about 4 seconds. I looked at him with my eyes adjusted to the light and went back in. He tore my shirt off leaving me in my bra and pants. He grabbed the buttons on my jeans and unbuttoned them one by one, then he slid my pants off and threw them somewhere on the floor. I was laying in Dick's bed in my bra, and my thong, and he was laying there in his jeans and no shirt, and we were making out...again. This happened so many times, where it was like, how is making out in our underwear different from making out with clothes on. I knew he didn't expect me to just pull my panties down and be like "here, take my virginity!" And I didn't expect that from myself, I just kind of got tired of getting even this far. I felt like I was disrespecting myself. I didn't know if Dick was still talking to Madison, or if he was talking to another girl. Me and him weren't dating, and I was voluntarily doing all of this, so I couldn't get mad at anyone but myself. I pushed him away as soon as he was about to go down my underwear with his hand.

"What, what's the matter?" He asked abruptly.

I didn't know what to say. I couldn't be like 'oh you know, just wondering if you're doing any other girls, or anything like that. Oh, and if you will ask me out so I know it's official.' I just looked at him, my hand still on his chest pushing him away.

"Veronica?" He said.

"Nothing, just out of breath!" I said, smiling, but a fake one.

"That's not it, is it?" He asked, longingly.

I just looked at him, unsure of what words to say, how to place them, or what to do with my mouth at all. I wasn't going to ask Dick those question and I especially wasn't going to ask Dick if we could date, that was his move. I didn't know how to tell him that I was uncomfortable with going any farther in the first place, and especially because we weren't dating.

"Yeah it is... I just needed a breather." I said, smiling again.

He looked at me with that look where he knew I was lying, and kissed my forehead. "You ready for bed?" He asked.

I looked at the clock and it said 3:44A.M. I guess me and him had been at it for almost 2 and a half hours. "Sure." I said, getting a soft kiss on my lips.

I rolled over on my left side, and Dick snuggled with me. He kissed my check, and my ear before resting his head on the back of my neck and falling asleep. It took me until after 5:30 to fall asleep that morning, but I still remained on the same position. I guess it bothered my morals that I was laying here with him in the first place, and I had done all the things with him that I had without a relationship or a commitment. It would be different if I knew that me and Dick we each other's only and that there wasn't anyone else, and we didn't have the title, but were together. But... I didn't know that. I knew that I didn't have anyone else, and I didn't know what he did. I couldn't ask him this stuff, and I couldn't ask him to date me... even though that was all I wanted. I decided to finally just brush it off, and try my hardest to tone it down a little with Dick.

Next Chapter(s):

What does Dick think is going through Veronica's mind?
Will she come forward to anyone about her and Dick?
Does Dick take any initiative.